End of year player grades based on expectations before the season started...

[LabattBlue]

Exceeded expectations

 

Pominville

Roy

Paille

Kaleta

Weber

Sekera

 

Met expectations

 

Hecht

Kotalik

Spacek

MacArthur

Mair

Gaustad

Connolly

Ryan

Pratt

 

Below expectations

 

Miller

Vanek

Stafford

Lydman

Tallinder

Campbell

Tbo

Bernier

Paetsch

 

Don't deserve to be rated and should be told today that they will not be back next year

 

Kalinin

Max

Peters

[Kristian]

Exceeded expectations

 

Pominville

Roy

Paille

Kaleta

Weber

Sekera

 

Met expectations

 

Hecht

Kotalik

Spacek

MacArthur

Mair

Gaustad

Connolly

Ryan

Pratt

 

Below expectations

 

Miller

Vanek

Stafford

Lydman

Tallinder

Campbell

Tbo

Bernier

Paetsch

 

Don't deserve to be rated and should be told today that they will not be back next year

 

Kalinin

Max

Peters

 

Agree on that list, only I would add that I think Hecht exceeded my expectations, regarding how complete I think his game has become.

 

Ryan also exceeded my epectations, in that I expected nothing from him, but turned out to enjoy his forechecking and hustle. Let's face it, all he can do is skate, but it seems that he knows it, and puts that to the best use he can. I respect that.

 

I like Goose, but looking at his role on this team and the number of times he stuck up for Miller (none), I would say he was below my expectations. I'm disappointed he's not a more of physical presence between whistles.

[carpandean]

I generally agree with you entire list. Just a few exceptions or at least a difference in expectations:

Kotalik - I guess he met realistic expectations based on previous experience. Still scored 20+ goals, was good for one-timers on the PP and was our best for SOs. However, he continues to fall short of what his abilities/size suggest he should be capable of. Not exactly disagreeing with you, but his classification depends on which set of expectations you use.

 

Connolly - similar situation. Based on an expectation of being injured and being decent when he does play, then he met expectations. Based on what the team hoped for when they signed him to this contract, he has fallen short. Many people expected, perhaps unrealistically, him to fill one of the holes at top-two-line center and to quarterback the PP, both of which he did fairly well at when he was healthy.

 

Ryan - I expected nothing out of him, but before his injury, he was playing very well with Kaleta and Mair on the fourth line, and played well on the PK. To me, that exceeded expectations. Of course, they were so low, that they weren't hard to exceed.

 

MacArthur - oscillated between exceeding and falling short of expectations. On average, I guess he met them.

 

Otherwise, I say spot on.

[Hawk]

Exceeded expectations

 

Pominville

Roy

Paille

Kaleta

Weber

Sekera

 

Met expectations

 

Hecht

Kotalik

Spacek

MacArthur

Mair

Gaustad

Connolly

Ryan

Pratt

 

Below expectations

 

Miller

Vanek

Stafford

Lydman

Tallinder

Campbell

Tbo

Bernier

Paetsch

 

Don't deserve to be rated and should be told today that they will not be back next year

 

Kalinin

Max

Peters

 

Agree or Not:

 

Exceeded expectations

 

Pominville

Roy

Paille

Kaleta

Weber

Sekera

 

I agree with all these, except I would add Hecht. Showed Leadership, and had his best scoring year.

 

Met expectations

 

Hecht

Kotalik

Spacek

MacArthur

Mair

Gaustad

Connolly

Ryan

Pratt

I disagree with Connolly, Kotalik, MacArthur and Ryan in this category. Connolly again did not help because of injury, and I'm sure Lindy expected Ryan to at least be a 3rd liner. Kotalik, I thought played horrible, unless you put him here because you thought he would be horrible, meeting expectations. Macarthur showed flourishes, but was generally a disappointment.

 

Below expectations

 

Miller

Vanek

Stafford

Lydman

Tallinder

Campbell

Tbo

Bernier

Paetsch

 

If you did this the 1st half of the year I would agree with Vanek. But I think he turned it around and showed why he is going to be a star in this League for years to come. Stafford I feel should be bumped up to the next category, only because it was his first full year and gets the benefit of the doubt. Bernier, I really didnt know what to expect from this 22 yr old. He also gets the benefit of the doubt. Campbells gone so I dont care.

 

Don't deserve to be rated and should be told today that they will not be back next year

 

Kalinin

Max

Peters

[LabattBlue]

I generally agree with you entire list. Just a few exceptions or at least a difference in expectations:

Kotalik - I guess he met realistic expectations based on previous experience. Still scored 20+ goals, was good for one-timers on the PP and was our best for SOs. However, he continues to fall short of what his abilities/size suggest he should be capable of. Not exactly disagreeing with you, but his classification depends on which set of expectations you use.

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see Kotalik moved in the offseason. My expectations for him are exactly what you saw this year. 20-25 goals, no willingness to go to the net, giveaway machine, dumb penalties and occasional physical play.

[LabattBlue]

and I'm sure Lindy expected Ryan to at least be a 3rd liner.

IMO, I don't think at any point in time that Lindy or Darcy thought that Ryan would be anything more then a 4th liner.

[SDS]

Hecht, Gausted, and Spacek should all be in the top category. If you remember correctly - the tar and feathers brigade HATED Spacek by the end of last season. Not worth a bag of pucks was phrase of the day... Wow they nailed that one. :rolleyes:

 

Hecht had a career year when he was expected to slide without Briere at center. Gausted stepped up with some offense of his own, plus being our main face-off guy.

[LabattBlue]

Hecht, Gausted, and Spacek should all be in the top category. If you remember correctly - the tar and feathers brigade HATED Spacek by the end of last season. Not worth a bag of pucks was phrase of the day... Wow they nailed that one. :rolleyes:

 

Hecht had a career year when he was expected to slide without Briere at center. Gausted stepped up with some offense of his own, plus being our main face-off guy.

Fair enough on Spacek. I like Hecht a lot and expected a lot from him. I had him right on the borderline between the two groups. I think I have Gaustad right. He only scored 5 ES goals and some nights the physical game which is his forte, just wasn't there.

[fallen627]

Good job

 

TBO should probably be dropped to the bottom rung though. I'm in Hawk's camp in regards to Vanek. He played really well during the second half of the season.