Jump to content

Around the League: 2016-17 edition


MadDog2020

Recommended Posts

Interesting about Marleau...his detractors would probably point out that yeah, he'll soon have 500 goals (currently at 497), and has already cracked 500 assists (563) and 1000 points (1060), but needed too many games to get there...basically, he's just a compiler, who averages 28 goals and 32 assists over 82 games for his career.  So what?

I think there's something to be said for being in the position to compile in the first place.  He's now played 1459 regular season games for his career, good for 23rd on the all-time list; if he plays in all of the Sharks' remaining games, he'll move up to 20th at season's end.  If he's able to stay healthy for another two years after this one (164 more games), he would move into the Top 5 for most games played.  Obviously way too early to know if that could actually happen, and he'll be a UFA to boot this offseason, but it says something that the possibility can even be discussed.

Marleau from Day 1 has ALWAYS been a guy who's been able to lace 'em up for most of the Sharks' games (the fewest games he's ever played in a non-shortened season was 74, his rookie season), but perhaps his most amazing achievement is that, from his age 30 season on, out of a current max of 588 games he could have played in, Marleau has appeared in...588 games.  Not one game missed in his 30s, when most guys are starting to break down and seeing their many years in the game finally catching up with them.  And though his offensive numbers have slowed up a bit over the last two-and-a-half seasons (but still remain respectable), his point-per-game rate (0.765) as a 30+ year old is better than his overall career rate (0.727).   

No, he's not a great player, but it's a real credit to him that he's been so durable and reliable for 19 NHL seasons.  Impressive career. 

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Interesting about Marleau...his detractors would probably point out that yeah, he'll soon have 500 goals (currently at 497), and has already cracked 500 assists (563) and 1000 points (1060), but needed too many games to get there...basically, he's just a compiler, who averages 28 goals and 32 assists over 82 games for his career.  So what?

I think there's something to be said for being in the position to compile in the first place.  He's now played 1459 regular season games for his career, good for 23rd on the all-time list; if he plays in all of the Sharks' remaining games, he'll move up to 20th at season's end.  If he's able to stay healthy for another two years after this one (164 more games), he would move into the Top 5 for most games played.  Obviously way too early to know if that could actually happen, and he'll be a UFA to boot this offseason, but it says something that the possibility can even be discussed.

Marleau from Day 1 has ALWAYS been a guy who's been able to lace 'em up for most of the Sharks' games (the fewest games he's ever played in a non-shortened season was 74, his rookie season), but perhaps his most amazing achievement is that, from his age 30 season on, out of a current max of 588 games he could have played in, Marleau has appeared in...588 games.  Not one game missed in his 30s, when most guys are starting to break down and seeing their many years in the game finally catching up with them.  And though his offensive numbers have slowed up a bit over the last two-and-a-half seasons (but still remain respectable), his point-per-game rate (0.765) as a 30+ year old is better than his overall career rate (0.727).   

No, he's not a great player, but it's a real credit to him that he's been so durable and reliable for 19 NHL seasons.  Impressive career. 

Think he is a HOF'er?

Probably unlikely as he was never really dominant in any season, has a lot of games under his belt, never won a major individual award and has never won a cup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

Think he is a HOF'er?

Probably unlikely as he was never really dominant in any season, has a lot of games under his belt, never won a major individual award and has never won a cup.

Definitely not...basically, a nice player who was able to be a nice player for most of his career, with some very good years (though he had the occasional down year that probably had some Shark fans saying "WTF?").  But that's it...not detracting from his accomplishments, he's done more than many players could ever dream of, but like you say, he was never a dominant guy...he's kind of the Elias of his team, but Elias was a better player who WAS occasionally dominant, and much more of a candidate for the HHOF than Marleau.  And if Marleau ever got in before Dave Andreychuk did, that would be a complete joke. 

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marleau has been a very effective player for a really long time. And averaging 28 goals and 32 assists per 82 games for his career is a very nice number, I'd take a few guys on my team who could do that.

That being said, he'd maybe be a Hall of Fame candidate if it's a weird year where there aren't a couple of eligible guys who are shoe ins. But I'm going to say, probably not.

I feel that as a Devils fan, Elias meant a lot more to me and as such I can't judge him without taking that into account. My gut feeling is he's in. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

I don't know that I'd describe Elias as ever having been dominant. He does have some Cups, though. 

He was for stretches.  I would say he was dominant in the 2000-01 season (finished 3rd in league scoring) and in the half-season he played in 05-06 (was on same pace as 2000-01 season).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Right. I guess when I think of "dominant" I think more in terms of big chunks of one's career rather than for one season. Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman..those kind of guys were truly dominant. 

That's such an exclusive class, all of whom played significant chunks of their careers in the Live Puck Era. 

Elias wasn't year-to-year dominant, but definitely had H-O-F seasons, and overall I think he's borderline (though I probably would put him in).  One season that gets overlooked by some is his 2003-04 season, where he somehow netted 38 goals and added 43 assists.  The third-highest scoring forward on that team was Jeff Friesen...with 37 points in 81 GP.  The only other Devil to score over 20 goals that season was Brian Gionta, with 21. 

Despite the EGG line coming together late in the season, that year really shows how Lou didn't always do a good job giving Elias more of a supporting cast, or finding the right complementary players.  It seemed like Elias had to fight a lot of years to get his offense...almost to the point where you wondered how might have fared elsewhere. 

1 hour ago, mfitz804 said:

Marleau has been a very effective player for a really long time. And averaging 28 goals and 32 assists per 82 games for his career is a very nice number, I'd take a few guys on my team who could do that.

That being said, he'd maybe be a Hall of Fame candidate if it's a weird year where there aren't a couple of eligible guys who are shoe ins. But I'm going to say, probably not.

I feel that as a Devils fan, Elias meant a lot more to me and as such I can't judge him without taking that into account. My gut feeling is he's in. 

Again, I'm not knocking Marleau...he's had a fine career for sure...just not H-O-F worthy. 

What also would hurt him from a H-O-F standpoint is that he's kind of "guilty by association", as far as those Shark teams go that rarely seem to go deep into the playoffs.  Prior to last season (when the Sharks finally broke through and got to the SCF), his teams had only reached the WCF three times, and won just three games in those series combined.  It's not all on him of course, but I think some people look at guys like him and Joe Thornton and others on those teams and say "Those guys just don't get over the hump in the big spot." 

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Definitely not...basically, a nice player who was able to be a nice player for most of his career, with some very good years (though he had the occasional down year that probably had some Shark fans saying "WTF?").  But that's it...not detracting from his accomplishments, he's done more than many players could ever dream of, but like you say, he was never a dominant guy...he's kind of the Elias of his team, but Elias was a better player who WAS occasionally dominant, and much more of a candidate for the HHOF than Marleau.  And if Marleau ever got in before Dave Andreychuk did, that would be a complete joke. 

Not a bad comparison. 

Marleau also had his C taken away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Nicomo said:

Not a bad comparison. 

Marleau also had his C taken away.

I wonder how the fans in San Jose feel about him, compared to how Jersey fans feel about Elias.  Elias has two rings and his teams reached four SCFs.  Elias is pretty beloved here...I wonder if it's the same for Marleau out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.