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DenJ91

NHL's disappointing players

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In 1992, the Philadelphia Flyers drafted a kid by the name of Ryan Sittler, 7th overall. If the last name is familiar, he is indeed the son of former NHL forward, and HOF'er Darryl Sittler. In this case, the proverb "like father, like son" does not apply, as Ryan Sittler never played in a single NHL game. While there have been players taken high up in the 1st round that never go on to play a single NHL game (Michael Henrich, Teemu Riihijarvi, Matt Zultek, Scott Kelman, Artem Kryukov, among others that can be included in this thread, as they were all disappointments), Ryan Sittler was a top 10 pick in that draft. More often than not, a player taken that high up will at least play in one game in the NHL; in this case, he did not.

There are many others, such as the names I mentioned above, but it would take a while to go through them all. Basically, the players that I consider a disappointment are usually guys taken high up in the 1st round that never become the star players that they were expected to become. If they do shell out solid NHL careers as a checking line forward, then that's ok, but it's usually the guys that come out of juniors like the next Gretzky, but then flounder and leave the NHL after only 2-3 seasons that are considered disappointments.

One last thing, to the person who started this topic: why do you consider Eric Daze a disappointment? While he did have to retire early because of back pain, he still scored over 200 goals (226 exact), and almost hit 400 points (398 exact), in 601 games. He wasn't very physical, but could still score goals, and had his back not gone out like it did, he'd probably be still playing.

Edited by Kp-Wings

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To start some discussion again, Manny Legace, Why? because he was never able to take that next step from back up to starting goalie. He had a great season with us as our starter, then let in some weak goals when the pressure was on in the playoffs.

ummmm ... he started for us, and he starts for st. louis, made the all-star team this year ... seems to me that he has made the step from back-up to starter just fine ... perhaps his playoff performance for us was a disappointment, but i would hardly say his career has been a disappointment ... besides that, i don't recall him ever being projected to be more than a backup, he was thrust into the starting role because of injuries to dom and cujo, and he never looked back ... if anything, i'd say manny's is an overachiever ...

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In 1992, the Philadelphia Flyers drafted a kid by the name of Ryan Sittler, 7th overall. If the last name is familiar, he is indeed the son of former NHL forward, and HOF'er Darryl Sittler. In this case, the proverb "like father, like son" does not apply, as Ryan Sittler never played in a single NHL game. While there have been players taken high up in the 1st round that never go on to play a single NHL game (Michael Henrich, Teemu Riihijarvi, Matt Zultek, Scott Kelman, Artem Kryukov, among others that can be included in this thread, as they were all disappointments), Ryan Sittler was a top 10 pick in that draft. More often than not, a player taken that high up will at least play in one game in the NHL; in this case, he did not.

There are many others, such as the names I mentioned above, but it would take a while to go through them all. Basically, the players that I consider a disappointment are usually guys taken high up in the 1st round that never become the star players that they were expected to become. If they do shell out solid NHL careers as a checking line forward, then that's ok, but it's usually the guys that come out of juniors like the next Gretzky, but then flounder and leave the NHL after only 2-3 seasons that are considered disappointments.

One last thing, to the person who started this topic: why do you consider Eric Daze a disappointment? While he did have to retire early because of back pain, he still scored over 200 goals (226 exact), and almost hit 400 points (398 exact), in 601 games. He wasn't very physical, but could still score goals, and had his back not gone out like it did, he'd probably be still playing.

i hear ya, just think what daze would have accomplished by now if he was still playing. he'd have over 400 goals right? pretty safe to say. i guess it's more on the "its a shame" side of things that he could play out his career.

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ummmm ... he started for us, and he starts for st. louis, made the all-star team this year ... seems to me that he has made the step from back-up to starter just fine ... perhaps his playoff performance for us was a disappointment, but i would hardly say his career has been a disappointment ... besides that, i don't recall him ever being projected to be more than a backup, he was thrust into the starting role because of injuries to dom and cujo, and he never looked back ... if anything, i'd say manny's is an overachiever ...

Well, the reason why he was a disappointment was because he played so well in 2005-2006 regular season, had 38 wins, but, the next step for goalies isn't how well you do regular season, its can they steal that one or 2 games that keeps their team in the playoffs, that ability is why teams like Edmonton (2006), Calgary (2004), Anaheim (2003) got so far in the playoffs.

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Grigs

Cleary

Stefan

Chistov

Blackburn

Bonk

Gratton

Viktor Kozlov

Falloon

And basically anyone Toronto has drafted in the last 20 years.

WTF!! How did this thread get 7 pages deep and no one called you out for caling Cleary a dissappointment? Until he came to Detroit he was a waste of talent. But now that he is here our organization taught him work ethic (off the ice), how to keep in shape, what it take to play in the NHL and how to compete. He has now matured into a great gritty player who can really compete. He will be a good player as long as he wants to play.

3 years ago I would have agreed with you though. :)

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Well, the reason why he was a disappointment was because he played so well in 2005-2006 regular season, had 38 wins, but, the next step for goalies isn't how well you do regular season, its can they steal that one or 2 games that keeps their team in the playoffs, that ability is why teams like Edmonton (2006), Calgary (2004), Anaheim (2003) got so far in the playoffs.

a lot of players didn't play well that postseason, manny just ended up being the scapegoat ... still not a disappointment in my book ...

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WTF!! How did this thread get 7 pages deep and no one called you out for caling Cleary a dissappointment? Until he came to Detroit he was a waste of talent. But now that he is here our organization taught him work ethic (off the ice), how to keep in shape, what it take to play in the NHL and how to compete. He has now matured into a great gritty player who can really compete. He will be a good player as long as he wants to play.

3 years ago I would have agreed with you though. :)

Cleary is a disappointment. He was supposed to be a star scorer, and he isn't and never was. He likely never will be. He is in his eleventh season and has yet to hit the 100 goal mark. There are twelve players drafted in the same year as Cleary who have more than 100 career goals and more points than Cleary. Cleary was the seventh forward drafted and 13th player.

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WTF!! How did this thread get 7 pages deep and no one called you out for caling Cleary a dissappointment? Until he came to Detroit he was a waste of talent. But now that he is here our organization taught him work ethic (off the ice), how to keep in shape, what it take to play in the NHL and how to compete. He has now matured into a great gritty player who can really compete. He will be a good player as long as he wants to play.

3 years ago I would have agreed with you though. :)

Are you serious? Cleary is in the middle of transforming his career, yes. However, if his career were to end this season, how can you not say it was a disappointment? He was supposed to be a star, a dominate goal scoring force. Even with his recent success here in Detroit, he still hasn't come close to living up to his potential.

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Kari Lehtonen has been a disappointment.

He was hyped to be ten times better than any other Finnish goalie.

And I've yet to see that in the NHL (he showed that in here though).

He's had too many injuries & playing behind crappy Atlanta defense hasn't helped - I'll give him that.

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Kari Lehtonen has been a disappointment.

He was hyped to be ten times better than any other Finnish goalie.

And I've yet to see that in the NHL (he showed that in here though).

He's had too many injuries & playing behind crappy Atlanta defense hasn't helped - I'll give him that.

yeah, i think that has more to do with his s***ty thrasher team. i mean the guy stands on his head some nights and doesn't get the win to show for it cause he team doesn't score or gives up 40 shots and lehtonen just can't keep them all out. he's also had some injuries. i like him and i think he's such an underrated goalie, i wish he were on another team. he was really unhappy with his teammates the other night in the capitals comeback, maybe he'll ask to be traded in the offseason.

Edited by DenJ91

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Crosby got all this hype and managed to win Hart, Art Ross, and Pearson as a 19 year old. Is it any wonder he got all this hype though? I mean, did you see his stats in junior?

Man..... must be a drug cheat :lol:

just for the record this is a joke ^ dont want the crosbys lawyers round my house....

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I would like to throw Brandon Reid into the ring. The guy had so much speed and was really good in the AHL but had trouble cracking the Canucks line up. Every time I saw him play in the show he looked so fast and that he could have so much potential. Unfortunately his size didn't help things for him.

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I would like to throw Brandon Reid into the ring. The guy had so much speed and was really good in the AHL but had trouble cracking the Canucks line up. Every time I saw him play in the show he looked so fast and that he could have so much potential. Unfortunately his size didn't help things for him.

As I am originally from Halifax, I saw quite a bit of Brandon in junior. I have to say that he was a pretty good player back then, but in terms of making the jump to the NHL, I don't think anyone thought he was really capable of much. I mean, he was drafted in the 7th round, that should tell you all you need to know about the expectations.

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As I am originally from Halifax, I saw quite a bit of Brandon in junior. I have to say that he was a pretty good player back then, but in terms of making the jump to the NHL, I don't think anyone thought he was really capable of much. I mean, he was drafted in the 7th round, that should tell you all you need to know about the expectations.

So was Zetterberg

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As I am originally from Halifax, I saw quite a bit of Brandon in junior. I have to say that he was a pretty good player back then, but in terms of making the jump to the NHL, I don't think anyone thought he was really capable of much. I mean, he was drafted in the 7th round, that should tell you all you need to know about the expectations.

It's also because he was 5'9 and there was a big question around his size and as someone else showed, Z was also a 7th round choice. I just saw his speed and thought that it could be used to such an advantage if he had really good skills.

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It's also because he was 5'9 and there was a big question around his size and as someone else showed, Z was also a 7th round choice. I just saw his speed and thought that it could be used to such an advantage if he had really good skills.

I realize that a lot has to do with his size, but what does it matter? The fact is, he wasn't expected to be an impact player in the NHL, so the fact that he never became an impact player in the NHL wasn't a disappointment, it was the "expectation".

Also, with Zetterberg, he wasn't expected to come and make an impact in the NHL, there was no hype surrounding him, the fact that he did means he belongs on the other list (surprises, exceeded expectations) - has nothing really to do with Reid.

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I realize that a lot has to do with his size, but what does it matter? The fact is, he wasn't expected to be an impact player in the NHL, so the fact that he never became an impact player in the NHL wasn't a disappointment, it was the "expectation".

Also, with Zetterberg, he wasn't expected to come and make an impact in the NHL, there was no hype surrounding him, the fact that he did means he belongs on the other list (surprises, exceeded expectations) - has nothing really to do with Reid.

I am going to warn you, any time you see yourself typing the words expectations please realize that most people on here have unreal expectations of people. For instance Crosby being a bust, or a seventh rounder having any expectations at all.

To me if a 7th rounder makes it to the NHL two things have happened (Pay attention Ericsson) the team sucks ass, OR he has exceeded expectations!

Zetterberg an exception, not a reason to say that 7th rounders should be what he is, he is the exception that proves the rule.

Edited by Opie

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I realize that a lot has to do with his size, but what does it matter? The fact is, he wasn't expected to be an impact player in the NHL, so the fact that he never became an impact player in the NHL wasn't a disappointment, it was the "expectation".

Also, with Zetterberg, he wasn't expected to come and make an impact in the NHL, there was no hype surrounding him, the fact that he did means he belongs on the other list (surprises, exceeded expectations) - has nothing really to do with Reid.

Meh, to me he was a disappointment, I expected him to be better, I realize that there were a lot of doubters about him and such but I always thought that if in the right system he could be a good player. He did have good years in the AHL and I realize that is a lot different but I was disappointed that he wasn't able to become an NHL regular like I thought he would.

Also, often times that there are players who develop after they are drafted and do not necessarily have the same expectations as they did in their draft year. Also, please note that it is my opinion and do not expect you to change your stance as he was a 7th rounder.

Edited by Never_Retire_Steve

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Meh, to me he was a disappointment, I expected him to be better, I realize that there were a lot of doubters about him and such but I always thought that if in the right system he could be a good player. He did have good years in the AHL and I realize that is a lot different but I was disappointed that he wasn't able to become an NHL regular like I thought he would.

Also, often times that there are players who develop after they are drafted and do not necessarily have the same expectations as they did in their draft year. Also, please note that it is my opinion and do not expect you to change your stance as he was a 7th rounder.

I'm basing my opinion on being pretty knowledgable on the guy since he was a teenager, mostly due to my origins. To be honest, if I wasn't from Halifax, I probably would have never heard of the guy.

I just don't remember the guy ever being given much expectation to succeed at the NHL level before or after being drafted. This has nothing to do with the fact that he was drafted in the 7th round, I just used that as further evidence that the general public had the same views....at least at that point in time.

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