Cam Atkinson, He shoots, but does he score!?

[Wfactor]

Cam Atkinson
Stats: 8 Goals/ 6 Assists/ 0.40 PntPG/ Minus - 10/ 8 PIM/ 100 Shots/ 5 PPP/ 2:41 PP-TOI/ 30 Hits/ 18 BLKS

Advanced Stats: -0.56 Corsi-On/ 5.24 On-Ice Sh%/ 969 PDO/ 50.9 OZS%/ 50.6 OZF%

The last four years of his career his point per game average has been steady at 0.48%, on a Columbus team that has been decimated by injury this year he is struggling to score points sitting at only 0.40%. His shots per game have improved from last season sitting at 2.86 through 35 games played which is the first good indicator he will improve in the second half of the season.

He’s on pace for a measly 31 points through 78 games, which after last year’s breakout 20 goal season is quite disappointing for fantasy owners. The first quarter of the 14/15 season started well for Atkinson firing 77 shots (4.05 perGP), getting seven goals, and three assists in 19 games played, he has since struggled mightily to do much of anything. In the 15 GP since he has 22 Shots (1.45 PerGP) getting 1 goal and 3 assists.

Call me crazy but I think he will rebound and end the season with close to 45 points. Taking into account his recent cold streak, a paltry one point in 10 games played him getting to 50 points is out of the question. Although he has shown the ability to produce offense at that level his run of horrible luck coupled with an injury ruined any chance of that happening this season. His low on ice shooting percentage and PDO are to blame for the above struggles as well as being good tells that he should have a more productive second half. His line-mates (see below) show he is in good company in terms of skill to play with, if he can continue getting PP time with Johansen the team’s leading scorer he should set a career high in power-play-points.

Linemates Courtesy of Frozen pool and Dobberhockey
Even strength:
29.4% Atkinson – Calvert – Dubinsky
26.7% Atkinson – Hartnell – Jenner
18% Atkinson – Hartnell – Johansen
Powerplay:
25% Atkinson – Foligno – Johansen
22.1% Atkinson – Hartnell – Johansen
20.2 Atkinson – Calvert – Dubinsky

His personal shooting percentage 8.0% is roughly two points below his usual mark of 9.60 which could mean two things, either it’s a market correction from his increase in shots per game this season or he just hasn’t had the accuracy he has had in previous seasons. With high volume shooters like Atkinson they tend to score in bunches, so in the coming games watch for him to pocket one, and follow it up with a good scoring run probably similar to the beginning of the season. His last goal came against Florida back on December fourth; over a month of futility just can’t possibly last.
His time on ice this season is a career high, averaging 17:03 minutes per game, along with 2:41 PP-TOI. Looking at the very useful game log you can see the coach as still stayed with him despite his recent struggles offensively averaging well above 17 minute mark in his last 6 games.

[Axeman33]

He is certainly getting plenty of opportunities to turn it around. It's not like Todd Richards is burying him in the lineup. He's playing with quality line-mates so I have to believe he finds his way.

Good stuff!