I don't need to be shown Higgins' statistics. I'm going to guess I've seen more of him throughout his career than you have, and I've been making this comparison since he was a rookie.
When guys feed him great scoring chances, he can finish. When they don't, he's a run of the mill grinder. The comparison isn't predicated on puck handling skills, or speed (which I've already attributed to Higgins as an advantage). It has to do with positioning, with tendencies. With hockey sense. There's plenty to compare, if you're an astute enough observer.
I can think of hundreds of players that have similaries with other players, but what's the point of making any type of comparison when statistics are heavily skewed in one's favour? HIggins had very high expectations from day 1. 1st round pick, playing in Montreal of all places. His lack of ability's will always hold him back from being a top-line player, but you can't discount what he's produced throughout his tenure.
Also, I can try and compare similarities with Marcel Hossa versus Jagr. They were both strong on the boards, used their body's well to shield defenders, and had good shots. But the giant difference in statistics ultimately prove that you can't just make comparison's using a players tendency's and so on. As much as I hate people using statistics to prove a point, comparing Higgins to Orty isn't as spot-on as you might think.
I can't belive how he can not score. The guy can't sniff the score sheet on either side.
I'm so disapointed, I really thought he would be huge for us this year. I had him penciled in for 27-28 goals.
I'm not going to lie.. I did too.. 20+ for sure.. Doesn't look like he's going to reach that, but it's still a little early.. One or two little streaks, like Callahan, and his numbers aren't far behind expectations.
I can think of hundreds of players that have similaries with other players, but what's the point of making any type of comparison when statistics are heavily skewed in one's favour? HIggins had very high expectations from day 1. 1st round pick, playing in Montreal of all places. His lack of ability's will always hold him back from being a top-line player, but you can't discount what he's produced throughout his tenure.
Because in many circumstances, statistics are not as important as some make them out to be. What difference does it matter how many goals he's scored in the past? Right now, he's playing for a team that can't provide him with the aid he needs to score goals. That turns him into a different player. A player that doesn't warrant the salary he's receiving. Not on this team, anyway.
If he can't score goals without the right linemates, then his value goes way down when he can't be provided with that. The difference in ability between him and Ortmeyer obviously isn't that great in said circumstance, as the very statistics you want to point to will show.
The guy is a free agent, and a candidate for trade at the deadline. Obviously, you can guess where I stand in regards to his future with the team. He's a nice third liner, but we already have two third line wings that I feel are better players than him.
Last year, Chris never got going because of injuries. It was on/off all year long for him basically. This year, he's on a new team, playing with different players, who are playing under a new coach. I think his performance over the last 100 games or so can be credited to injuries, changes, and being snake-bitten. He's either going to maintain as what he currently is (which I don't think will happen) or snap-out of his funk. If this teams top-6/top-9 was solidified, Chris wouldn't be put into situations which are out of his league.
i wish this were the case but frankly my definition of snake-bitten might be different than others and mainly snakebitten doesnt extend more than a dozen games. snake bitten (to me anyway) applies to the player that rings multiple shots off of posts, crossbars etc and get continually robbed, again doesnt last long for goal scorers. I find it difficult to label someone as snake bitten when they continually drill the goalie in the chest, there havent been all that many great saves made against him this year, fairly ordinary i'd say.
Same applies to drury, people are saying he's snake bitten, not even close.
Also, I can try and compare similarities with Marcel Hossa versus Jagr. They were both strong on the boards, used their body's well to shield defenders, and had good shots. But the giant difference in statistics ultimately prove that you can't just make comparison's using a players tendency's and so on. As much as I hate people using statistics to prove a point, comparing Higgins to Orty isn't as spot-on as you might think.
Except that the similarities between Hossa and Jagr end right where they begin. There are no other similarities between the two. There is so much more to Jagr's game than that, where as there isn't much more to Hossa's at all.
Higgins is a better passer, technically speaking. But his vision is lousy. He's got a better shot, but he's notorious for missing the net. He's a faster skater than Ortmeyer, but he doesn't have any moves. But the way he forechecks, the way he reads the play...it's by the book with Ortmeyer. And no, it isn't a comparison that you can make with any grinder. Different players read the play differently.
I don't view him as a long-term option, because of his contract status, and the current needs this team has. I think he's a great third-liner that can play a bigger role when he's on his game though. Had our cap space been spent wiser, and if he did manage to reach that 20G plateau, I think people here would be very open to bringing him back. I'd rather have him than Kotalik, for example.
I don't view him as a long-term option, because of his contract status, and the current needs this team has. I think he's a great third-liner that can play a bigger role when he's on his game though. Had our cap space been spent wiser, and if he did manage to reach that 20G plateau, I think people here would be very open to bringing him back. I'd rather have him than Kotalik, for example.
So would I, but that's like saying I'd rather have anything than a steaming pile of ****.
i wish this were the case but frankly my definition of snake-bitten might be different than others and mainly snakebitten doesnt extend more than a dozen games. snake bitten (to me anyway) applies to the player that rings multiple shots off of posts, crossbars etc and get continually robbed, again doesnt last long for goal scorers. I find it difficult to label someone as snake bitten when they continually drill the goalie in the chest, there havent been all that many great saves made against him this year, fairly ordinary i'd say.
Same applies to drury, people are saying he's snake bitten, not even close.
Higgins has been like this his entire career though. Even in his first three season's, where he scored 72 Goals, he probably should have had 90. If he can capitalize on most of his scoring chances, he's a bona fide top line player good for 30+. But he's not that player. He'll score, but he'll miss a lot of shots too. He's simply not a great player.
So would I, but that's like saying I'd rather have anything than a steaming pile of ****.
Based on how Sather operates in the off-season, there's a good chance Higgins rep will make more than him, yet produce less. Or have giant kotalik-type voids to his game. I want a legitimate 2nd liner who can provide some secondary scoring on a consistent basis, but they cost more and are harder to find. You're not going to get a much better player than Higgins for his money, which is all we can afford now thanks to the way Slats constructed this team. We can hate on Higgins for producing less than he should have, but there are a lot of players in the league who are guilty of the same thing.
Higgins is the most aggravating (with the possible exception of Kotalik, who just seems like he's lazy) because he gets the chances and misses so badly.
Higgins job is to score goals and he hasn't done that yet...but I still think he is someone that should be resigned, because he will be cheaper and i think he will relax more.
He is a NY kid and the pressure to succeed is getting to him right now...but he will come around.
oh god..no is all i have to say. this is the type of thinking that keeps us in the mediocre/terrible range because people end up getting attached(?) to certain players regardless of their output. first people thought higgins was going to be incredible since he would play so close to home and had all his family around etcetc. then when he sucked it all quickly turned to "oh he's nervous and all the media coverage he and his family are getting is why he's so nervous all the time and his game is off blahblah." so what's the excuse for him now? yea he hustles his ass off every night, but everyone just seems to ignore the fact that out of all the chances he gets on a nightly basis at this point, he still can't bury 9/10 of them. so let's resign someone who clearly will not have his game evolve in the way that this team needs because "he'll turn it around." that's the story for 75% of this team year after year and how many players has that actually happened for here? i give you drury, redden, roszival. granted they have stepped up their games recently, i don't think a few non-slumps out of years of slump should really change that many minds about what kind of players they are and have been for this club.
also, higgins isn't the only one who's job it is to score goals. if i'm not mistaken, EVERYONE on this team's job is to score goals or create situations in which we could score goals and most of the team hasn't done that either. we brought higgins here so we could ultimately get gaborik, then in the process higgins was built up to (i guess) be gomez's identical replacement and for whatever reason people believed it with all their hearts.
so what happened with this guy? obviously the season is by no means over just yet...but i remember reading quite a few posts about how this guy was going to score 20 something goals and be a real crowd favorite. as it is though, this guy can't score on a dead hooker.
so what happened with this guy? obviously the season is by no means over just yet...but i remember reading quite a few posts about how this guy was going to score 20 something goals and be a real crowd favorite. as it is though, this guy can't score on a dead hooker.
He's either:
Snake-bitten, and will snap out of his funk
or
Regressed to a third liner who puts up less than 20G per season
Higgins is the most aggravating (with the possible exception of Kotalik, who just seems like he's lazy) because he gets the chances and misses so badly.
LOL. Agreed.
He's still solid defensivly though, but those big chances he's getting night after night... damn. He gotta put 'em away.
Higgins job is to score goals and he hasn't done that yet...but I still think he is someone that should be resigned, because he will be cheaper and i think he will relax more.
He is a NY kid and the pressure to succeed is getting to him right now...but he will come around.
He's going to cost upwards of $2mil per. Not worth it at this point IMO, especially with the backlog of 3rd liners we have on this roster.
Higgins is really noticeable one the ice. I'd say he's the most noticeable forward aside from Gaborik. Problem is he's too impatient with the puck. Still, I think the points will come for him.
This.
Although I've noticed that when the team is struggling, Higgins seems to be the one forward that stands out in terms of solid play, and as the team starts to score goals Higgins seems to grib the stick even tighter than before and seems to struggle a little bit more in other aspects of the game, turns the puck over a little more...etc
Higgins
M.I.A.
