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Soderblom has 5 pts and 3 goals

So Team USA is going to average 5 goals against then?

2 more assists and Zadina will have career highs in both goals and assists. Beastmode.

Yes Ras was better a year ago too. Throughout his NHL career Ras has CONSTANTLY been asked to do more, and harder, things things for this team and has still produced about as well as Zadina. First, he played in the NHL at 19 because he was too good for the CHL and couldn't play in the AHL (being a Euro on loan, Zadina played in the AHL at 19 like he should have). Then Ras was asked to be a defensive center despite only ever being a top line scorer in the CHL (a total role change). Then last year, when Jamie Benn broke Larkin's neck, Ras was asked to be the 1C for the last 15 games of the season or so. All while playing a much harder position than Zadina, having more responsibility on the ice, playing special teams, and taking faceoffs. Zadina has only ever been asked to do the thing that he's supposedly good at, shoot and score. All while Blashill moved heaven and earth to help him succeed at THAT (top six minutes, great linemates, powerplay time). And the results have been...not good. His .37 points per game is only marginally better than Rasmussen's .31 despite the fact that offense is supposed to be his calling card. Put another way, Rasmussen scores nearly as much while playing harder position, having more defensive responsibilities, AND having to drag around guys like Adam Erne, Givani Smith, etc. Zadina, on the other hand, can't score alongside Bert, Suter, Larkin, Raymond, Vrana and that's LITERALLY his only job. AND you're way off base defensively. Zadina apologists noticed a year ago that he was pretty good at stripping pucks on the backcheck and the "Zadina is a good defensive player" narrative was born. But the numbers don't support it. His defensive metrics rank near the very bottom of a team that's abysmal defensively. Finally, Michael Rasmussen is a whopping 7 months older than Zadina and has only played 17 more NHL games than Zadina. Much is made about how Zadina is so young and has never had a full year's worth of development in the NHL. It's worth mentioning that he was an older player for his draft class (Ras was on the young end), and that Ras battled serious injuries early in his career. Their developmental curves are nearly identical aside from the fact that Ras is asked to do more...as I've already mentioned. TLDR: Ras is MUCH better than Zadina.

This just sounds like Zadina being a sooky baby for being on the fourth line tbh. I am 100% down for him getting s***-canned on April 30th. Firing him now I feel excuses the players. Send the message to the players that they have to dig themselves out of it. Don't want them thinking they can cry every time they disagree with their coaches and get them fired. Give them their fresh start next season.