I don't think he's been good, but I really don't think he deserves any of the bashing people are giving him. It'd be different if he was making like $7 or 8 million a year but he's getting paid $4.5 million and he's on pace for 65-70 points even though the PP has been terrible. Also he has been pretty good on the PK even though some clowns around here think he brings nothing to the team.
I'd say his performance is just OK. Is not doing anything good, but not doing too nuch bad either. Things are not workign for him this year. He sometimes does a lot of plays that have poor percentage of success, but with a guy like Kovalev, it is expected. He really seems to care and I think he works hard, so to me, things are not working the way he'd want to, but seems to care, so I have no ^problem with that...
Looking at the bang for your buck around the league, and Kovalev is above average. He has a goal scoring drought sure, but he is still being productive in other ways such as setting up goals and killing penalties.
Why does he have to be the one taking all the flak anyway? Both Tanguay and Koivu make more then Kovy and he is doing just as well as those guys.
To be honest Kovalev is not playing well, but he hasn't been completely terrible either. Tanguay's also been invisible as of late. But Kovalev raised everyone's expectations with that monster year last year, Tanguay has low expectations because of his piss-poor year with Calgary...it really just is that Kovalev is an inconsistent player, some seasons he gets it all put together, some years he can't. If his original linemates were doing well, we could blame the breakup of that line solely on him, but Plekanec's still a little girl on the ice and Kostitsyn isn't tearing it up either.
Thing with Kovalev is that he's turning the puck over more than almost any forward in the league, and now he took this habit to take penalties in the neutral and in the offensive zone.
Very often, he takes the bad decision and that costs his line a lot of puck possession time. He is now selfish with the puck and almost never passes it to Lang and Tanguay.
I'm not questionning his effort. I'm questionning the player and the plays he makes. He's not my favorite and never has been one of my favorites players, but I know he can do better no question.
But people also have to remember that everybody on the team is performing less than they used to, because of the slump of our power play.
Thing with Kovalev is that he's turning the puck over more than almost any forward in the league, and now he took this habit to take penalties in the neutral and in the offensive zone.
His last two penalties have both been a joke to the refereeing profession. Didn't deserve either of them. Just refs trying to be cool by calling penalties late in games. Awful. Come up with some other reason to try to hate him please.
He's not scoring, but once the powerplay gets going he will be. Right now he's putting up assists and other people are scoring. He's doing fine. I bet he will still put up about 75-80 points this year.
He's not scoring, but once the powerplay gets going he will be. Right now he's putting up assists and other people are scoring. He's doing fine. I bet he will still put up about 75-80 points this year.
Kovalev is not going to produce when the power play gets going.
The power play will work out when Kovalev gets going.
And forget the 75-80 points. Last year he totally was on fire. If he gets 60 points it will be great. This is, of course, if the power play doesn't get going. Otherwise, well, you never know.
It's unfair to expect Kovalev to get 75-80 points every year. He's a 65 points player.
Kovalev is Kovalev. A liability 5 on 5, but extremely productive on the PP. He's getting his chances with the man advantage, it's just a matter of time before they start going in.
His last two penalties have both been a joke to the refereeing profession. Didn't deserve either of them. Just refs trying to be cool by calling penalties late in games. Awful. Come up with some other reason to try to hate him please.
last two penalties. hmm. the crosscheck to the a guys head cause he was frustrated? pretty easy call.
slashing someone 3-4 times as you chase him up the ice, maybe you get away with 2 of them but most refs are going to call it if you continually hack a guy no matter how minor they are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead
Kovalev is playing like Kovalev
about sums it about.
he will frustrate the hell out of you when he decides to play like he is this year. He can be great, he can be good, and he can be downright awful all in the same night.
he can be a distraction and drain his team just as quickly as he can dominate a game unfortunately this year its been more of the latter.
Last edited by Habs10Habs: 12-13-2008 at 11:15 PM.
I don't know how to say this but i think kovalev is just trying too hard....let carboneau give him a week off just to rest and when he comes back maybe he'll be more relaxed
I dont care about his salary, I dont care about his 23 pts in 27 games, what isnt bad on paper but when you considere how much space he takes on the ice, trying to steal the show by himself, deking like mad while his linemates watch him play, hypnotized.. As I already said, give him 2 grinders even strength and there is no difference.. Another case similar to the one of Kovalev is Kovalchuk, actually playing on the 4th line with Atlanta, both Kovys are hugely skilled but like to steal the show, play their game the way they want, out of the system.. At least Kovalchuk has great speed and doesnt slow down the play like Kovy does, even on the PP Kovalev can be so frustrating to watch, waste precious time and it ends most of the time with a low passing %, then the puck is lost.. Kovy show up when he wants, I can even say after his first shift if he looks focussed or bored.. Consistency is the first thing you ask a player to, dedication and hard work comes second.. Kovy is struggling with those 2 fundamental part of this game..
I'd say average. Yes, he has 20+ points and whatever, but honestly, let's not forget he was our top goal scorer, now he has 5. Honestly, say whatever you want about points, but for every goal there's 2 assists handed out, so personally, i see a player with 60 goals, 0 assists more useful than a player with 0 goals 60 assists. Points are not all the same. Kovalev was our top goal scorer, now he's real low, that's why he's not playing well.
I think hes playing pretty descent but his turnovers are really starting to piss me off. I think he'll really pick it up midseason and start burying his chances.
23 points in 27 games is really good until you consider all of the points he costs his line mates which is hard to tally. He drags down lines, waste PP time and kills offensive drives with turnovers and endless dangles.
