Guest Dasein Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) It is an arbitrary standard, but so is the idea of a "1st line center" You are putting an arbitrary standard of "the lowest top scoring center on an NHL team" as your bar for qualifying as a 1C - anybody with a higher production qualifies as a 1C in the NHL under your interpretation. I'm arguing that just because you are the top scoring center on your team doesn't mean you are a "1st line center" in the NHL For me the arbitrary standard is absolute: ex. "60+ points" should be sufficient these days to qualify. In this case, not every team can say they have a 1C because not every top scoring center on a team may meet the criteria of being labelled a "1st line center" in the NHL The weakness in my interpretation is that any given person can have a different absolute cutoff point - leaving out some who others may believe are legitimate 1Cs (ex. Matt Duchene, Eric Staal this season). The weakness in your interpretation is that it includes too many (ex. Zemgus Girgensons, Antoine Vermette). I think the middle ground would be to cut off at the 30th highest scoring center. If that is 50+ points, so be it - but in that case still, not every team would be able to claim they have a "1st line center" Edited February 19, 2015 by Dasein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigturk8 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) The secret to Bo Horvats success? Doing everything backwards Bo Horvat strolled off the ice after the Vancouver Canucks Wednesday practice in New York as the quintessential rookie and anything but, all at once. Horvat wore a turquoise, old-fashioned Jofa helmet emblazoned with teammate Henrik Sedins No. 33. The lid perched itself like a toupee, high on Horvats head, and looked like something any team would force a rookie to wear. But there was no hazing involved whatsoever. And heres where Horvats contradictory nature comes into play. I saw it and wanted to try it on, Horvat said with a smile. It doesnt even fit me, but its a cool helmet. He saw something he liked and he grabbed it. He wore it with the confident swagger of a seasoned veteran, looking very little like a 19-year-old that played in the OHL nine months ago and more like a filled out 25-year-old at six-foot and 206 pounds. Its been abundantly clear since the Canucks withheld Horvat from playing for Canada at the 2015 World Junior Championship that they believe hes arrived. Hes been as hot as any Vancouver forward of late, amassing eight points in his past 10 games, delivering on the promise that made him the ninth overall pick at the 2013 draft. Hes come along way considering coach Willie Desjardins didnt think Horvat had a snowballs chance in hell of making the team while conferring with GM Jim Benning just a few months ago. Early in the year, Jim talked about him coming in, and I just didnt see a 19-year-old coming in and playing if we were going to try and make a run, Desjardins said. And until he proved it to me, I just didnt believe it. We got in a situation where we got down guys, and he was playing good, and all of a sudden, theres the one game in Vancouver where I had him play against Anze Kopitars line. He proved that he could battle. That Horvats Corsi Close sits at at team-worst 44 percent suggests hes not winning all the battles yet. Horvats line will still get scored on from time to time, but that happens to any line, Desjardins says. And for someone Horvats age, hes excelled at many of the little things, the mature stuff, before generating any offense at all. Usually these are the details rookies struggle to master. Take faceoffs, for example. Horvat wins more than half, which doesnt usually happen when youre a teenager in the NHL. As a rookie its tough to win draws against guys whove taken draws all their lives and have been in the league for a long time, Horvat said. Its kind of surprising sometimes winning a lot of the draws, but there are some good nights and some bad nights. You just have to adjust to who youre up against. An outstanding year as a checker coupled with dud offensive totals wouldve been mostly fine by Desjardins, who said he wanted Horvat focusing on the defensive side of the game all along and that any scoring surge would be a bonus. That explains why Horvat stayed in the lineup, because it certainly wasnt for his offense. He scored twice in his first 29 games. But something clicked. Horvat started scoring and doing so in games that really mattered against fellow playoff bubble teams Minnesota, Winnipeg and Calgary, not to mention juggernauts Chicago and Pittsburgh. He won at least half his draws in eight of his past 10 games, to boot. Desjardins doesnt believe Horvat has changed his game all of a sudden. Desjardins attributes the spike to Horvat and hardworking linemates Jannik Hansen and Ronalds Kenins making pucks pop out and Horvats increased willingness to gamble at the other end of the ice, which comes with experience. Horvat says simply carrying the puck more has boosted his confidence. Whatever the reason, it looks like Horvat has reached a new echelon of freshman production just in time for a crucial stretch run, in which the Canucks soldier on with a depleted blueline. His life off the ice has started changing as a result. Horvat is no longer a faceless rookie. Hiding in a movie theatre is out of the question now. Pretty much everywhere I go now, someones saying good job or saying hi to me on the street, he said. You get more and more recognized. Its nice to see that the fans are really passionate there. They really know their hockey and know their players. So to be in a market like Vancouver is pretty awesome. And if the love-in between Horvat and Vancouver continues, who knows? He may trade Henriks helmet for Henriks C someday. http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/the-secret-to-bo-horvats-success-doing-everything-backwards/ Edited February 19, 2015 by Bigturk8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dasein Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Good on Bo He's done nothing but exceed expectations so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herberts Vasiljevs Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Yes. Here are some of the top producing centers on their respective teams that are not 1st line centers: Girgensons (BUF) Henrique (NJD) Vermette (ARI) - everyone calls him a 2C And some 2nd line centers that are really 1B: Malkin (PIT) Carter (LAK) Johnson (TBL) Spezza (DAL) Pavelski, Couture or Thorton (SJS) - pick whoever you think is 1B Girgs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Horvat with another goal. Drives to the net and tips the puck in. Now if only the other "young guy with potential" does the same thing with consistency.... On that note, has Bo Horvat sniped in a goal this season? Seems like everything as been tip-ins, batting in rebounds, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legend Killer Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 lol, totally. he seems like a real frugal small town guy. really down to earth. currently borrowing a car, how frugal can you get. he has an audi in london, i'm sure he'll upgrade soon lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R3aL Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Horvat with another goal. Drives to the net and tips the puck in. Now if only the other "young guy with potential" does the same thing with consistency.... On that note, has Bo Horvat sniped in a goal this season? Seems like everything as been tip-ins, batting in rebounds, etc. On that note. What goals do you see more in playoffs? Clean snipes or battling in rebounds? Who was an OHL playoff MVP? This is the kinda player we need to win playoff games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BI3KSA- Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) It is an arbitrary standard, but so is the idea of a "1st line center" You are putting an arbitrary standard of "the lowest top scoring center on an NHL team" as your bar for qualifying as a 1C - anybody with a higher production qualifies as a 1C in the NHL under your interpretation. I'm arguing that just because you are the top scoring center on your team doesn't mean you are a "1st line center" in the NHL For me the arbitrary standard is absolute: ex. "60+ points" should be sufficient these days to qualify. In this case, not every team can say they have a 1C because not every top scoring center on a team may meet the criteria of being labelled a "1st line center" in the NHL The weakness in my interpretation is that any given person can have a different absolute cutoff point - leaving out some who others may believe are legitimate 1Cs (ex. Matt Duchene, Eric Staal this season). The weakness in your interpretation is that it includes too many (ex. Zemgus Girgensons, Antoine Vermette). I think the middle ground would be to cut off at the 30th highest scoring center. If that is 50+ points, so be it - but in that case still, not every team would be able to claim they have a "1st line center" Being an NHL first line center means you are the center on the first line of an NHL team. Point production doesn't enter into it. Edited February 20, 2015 by Kesheniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Karlsson Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Horvat with another goal. Drives to the net and tips the puck in. Now if only the other "young guy with potential" does the same thing with consistency.... On that note, has Bo Horvat sniped in a goal this season? Seems like everything as been tip-ins, batting in rebounds, etc. His first goal was pretty nice. One timer from Dorsett. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dasein Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) Horvat with another goal. Drives to the net and tips the puck in. Now if only the other "young guy with potential" does the same thing with consistency.... On that note, has Bo Horvat sniped in a goal this season? Seems like everything as been tip-ins, batting in rebounds, etc. No - the closest thing he came to scoring a "snipe" is his 1st NHL goal vs ANA There is this one goal he scored vs FLA In that one, Bo tried to snipe one in on Luongo - got his own rebound because he followed his shot to the net rather than do a fly-by. Bo plays the game the right way - once his shot improves and some of those snipes start going in from time to time, watch out I love the way he gets his dirty goals because like many have said, that's what you need to win games Edited February 20, 2015 by Dasein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dasein Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Being an NHL first line center means you are the center on the first line of an NHL team. Point production doesn't enter into it. So Zemgus Girgensons is a 1C and Evgeni Malkin is a 2C in the NHL? Okay sure, have it your way 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.53 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Horvat with another goal. Drives to the net and tips the puck in. Now if only the other "young guy with potential" does the same thing with consistency.... On that note, has Bo Horvat sniped in a goal this season? Seems like everything as been tip-ins, batting in rebounds, etc. Exactly. Just wait until he gets his shot down on this elite level. We have a special kid on our hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Faulk Yourself Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) You've got to think this scoring streak is somewhat a product of Kenins style of play on that line. He helps create opportunities with way he goes out and hits everything and puts the puck on net. I think with that there is definite chemistry between Horvat and Kenins and they compliment eachother extremely well. I'm not saying that Horvat relies on Kenins either. Edited February 20, 2015 by Go Faulk Yourself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dasein Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Certainly doesn't hurt to have on your wing a speed demon moonlighting as a wrecking ball on every shift 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 9 points in his last 11 games. He's done nothing but get stronger and stronger ever single game he's played. Horvat has always been physically and defensively ready for the NHL since coming in, but as the games have gone on he's getting more of a knack for scoring goals too, and boy can the kid finish. He's a handful around the front of the net and these tips he's scoring on are real good mixes of skill and toughness. At only 19, he's only going to get stronger and better. The Canucks absolutely hit one out of the park with this kid, not just in drafting him but most importantly development-wise. They left him in juniors just the right amount of time to perfect his defensive game, then threw him right into the NHL instead of milling around the AHL like Jensen/Shinkaruk because he was physically and defensively ready, now he's just honing his offensive game and he's doing so very well. With added minutes and responsibility (due to Richardson and Bonino's absence) he's thriving too. If he keeps this up, he'll be a 20 goal, 40/50 point scorer next season easily. Who knows, maybe a 2nd line center isn't his ceiling. Maybe the kid can go on to score 30 and put up 70+ points? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VANcanucks92 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Super stoked on Horvat, hoping Virtanen develops just as nicely as Bo seems to have so far. GO CANUCKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Barzal Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I'm in love with the Bo Ho... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73 Percent Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) So Zemgus Girgensons is a 1C and Evgeni Malkin is a 2C in the NHL? Okay sure, have it your way uh ya what dont you get? Is kesler a 2c? Yes is girgensons a 1c? Yes. Some 3cs on teams are bettman than others 1c. Edited February 20, 2015 by Gooseberries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canucks1219 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 uh ya what dont you get? Is kesler a 2c? Yes is girgensons a 1c? Yes. Some 3cs on teams are bettman than others 1c. Ehh? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horvat Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I'm in love with the Bo Ho... yeeeeeeeah ooooui oooui ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now