Rate Yzerman, Lidstrom and Zetterberg's leadership during their runs as C's

[kickazz 5,459]

11 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

My point is, if we somehow make the playoffs, those raving people are going to credit Z for carrying the team, but wouldn't it work both ways? Or do we miss the playoffs and it's on 22 other players? It's a team thing,  either way. Nobody wills a team into the playoffs. Yzerman couldn't will a three-peat in 99, Lidstrom couldn't will back to back in 09. If we somehow made the playoffs it's because of the team getting some s*** together, we're missing the playoffs because multiple players who are paid to score goals and stop goals and scoring chanceshave sucked. And coaching and line decisions have been atrocious. None of which has much to do with Z. He can't will the others and he can't play for them. He seems to be trying, but others just aren't good enough to help him. And you remove your hate glasses for a minute, you'll see that I am complimenting Z.

The point that Blashill and others (Redmond, Daniels, etc) are making about Zetterberg "willing the team" into the playoffs in the past is that he has the ability to elevate his game above his limits and trying his best. As in he's putting all his effort in and more. He's not SUPPOSED to be doing that. It's unnatural for a 36 year old player (with his injury history) to be scoring and playing like he is right now. Basically Zetterberg is OVERPERFORMING for his age. That's where the whole narrative of "willing the team" comes in, especially now. As in, the player isn't technically physically supposed to be able to do all this but the mind/ will is helping him to keep pushing himself to score at the rate he is. 

It's like having a runners high after running the first 2 miles. 

So no, the argument wouldn't necessarily work the other way because if he doesn't will the team to the playoffs, that would be the normality; it's expected. No one player can do it. But if he somehow does it, that's abnormal, unusual, spectacular. The thing that's being said about Z is that he's done it in the past with some help; (2013 for instance he turned into a beast the last 10 games or so). Also had lots of help from Howard who stood strong in net. . But this time he's all alone without any help and THAT'S what's making all these people impressed. 

 

Edited March 9, 2017 by kickazz

[sputman 1,268]

Ya'll are crazy for rating Z so low. 

Yzerman - 10

Zetterberg - 10

Lidstrom - 8

Y and Z were both scorers whose bodies broke down later in their careers and they still battled harder than anybody else on the ice. Yzerman had many losing seasons early on, but at that point the team wasn't really expected to do much. Once the team started winning the pressure was to win cups with stacked teams, not to continue a playoff tradition with a poor team. Everyone in the hockey community but you jokers sings Zetterberg's praises for the effort he puts in every night and the example that he makes.