What's wrong with Gustafsson?

[petthemidget]

The biggest reason for Gustafsson's lack of production is because of the slow start that Kane and Toews have gotten off to. So many of Gus's points are from pushing up the puck and getting it to Chicago's elite forwards. Much like Keith in his prime, Gustafsson benefited from Kane and Toews' brilliant season last year. While Gus had a nice year himself individually, he got a lot of easy assists last season. Gustafsson is not a 60-70 point talent but everything aligned perfectly for him last season. Personally, I did not anticipate this decline since there was no reason to predict Kane and Toews being so unproductive to start the season.

In terms of this season, I still expect Gus to be a 40ish point player. Their PP has been dreadful so that should improve. But a reason for concern is Gus's awful defensive play that Colliton is being less and less tolerant of. He has made comments to the press and it wouldn't surprise me to see Gus scratched in order to send a message. When you watch Gustafsson in the defensive zone, he just doesn't work hard. And he is not pinching and playing his freestyling ways like he did last season. I still hope the Hawks trade him at the deadline. Wish they had last offseason. We all knew he wasn't as good as his stats indicated last season.

This is the right answer. Last year, you could tell that Kane had great chemistry with Gus on the PP - drop passes, no looks, good cycles etc. If you've watched Chicago at all this year, you see that their PP is just awful - crappy entries, can't hold it in, can't get set up. Accordingly, Kane and therefore Gus aren't producing.

[Auston'sWilly]

Blood in the streets. Smells like buying time.

I haven't seen enough of Chicago this year, but maybe that's a good thing. No bias to worry about.
I see a guy with 60 points last year, 17 of them goals. He's plus 2 this season even though the rest of the team are heavy minuses. I know +/- is an imperfect stat, but it's still very difficult to be a plus 2 on a team that has won 3 of 11 games.
Me personally, I think I'd hang on to him if I owned him. And pray.
If I didn't own him, I'd be putting out feelers to see what his price would be.
Very good buy low target.

[McDeichel]

Gus actually isn’t that far off his pace from last season. He started last season with 6 points over his first 13 games. This season he has 4 points over 11 games. As mentioned in another post, he’s a +2 on a team that is a -9 in goals for and against.

Kane’s start is the difference between Gus not getting points and exploding. Kane has 9 points over his first 11 games this season compared to 18 in his first 12 last season.

As for Gus’ PP points. Last season he had 1 PPA in all of October. This season he already has 2 PPA’s in October. Gus didn’t really start to get it going until December last season. The sooner Kane and the Hawks “wake up”, the more points Gus will get you. The Hawks also had a crappy schedule to start the season. Starting overseas then having a long lay off, no chance to get a rhythm. Same goes for New Jersey.

Gus can get you points on his own, but his strength is getting the puck to more dangerous players on forward like Kane, DeBrincat, Toews, etc. Those guys haven’t caught fire yet. When they do, so will Gus. His job on D and PP1 are secure and he’s in a contract year. He’s playing for more money, you better believe he will wake up. Chicago’s PP% is around 9% right now. Nashville was the worst PP in the league last season at 13%. Looks like a positive regression is in the cards for Chicago’s PP.

64 points as Dobber predicted is still realistic. On a side note, don’t go by other people’s predictions, use your own hockey knowledge. Guides are only to assist you in sorting out players and a different view on where players will be drafted in your league. I’m sure Dobber and his team have given you great insight into many gems as well.

Hang in there Gus will produce, patience.

[Daydream Nation]

Gus actually isn’t that far off his pace from last season. He started last season with 6 points over his first 13 games. This season he has 4 points over 11 games. As mentioned in another post, he’s a +2 on a team that is a -9 in goals for and against.

Kane’s start is the difference between Gus not getting points and exploding. Kane has 9 points over his first 11 games this season compared to 18 in his first 12 last season.

As for Gus’ PP points. Last season he had 1 PPA in all of October. This season he already has 2 PPA’s in October. Gus didn’t really start to get it going until December last season. The sooner Kane and the Hawks “wake up”, the more points Gus will get you. The Hawks also had a crappy schedule to start the season. Starting overseas then having a long lay off, no chance to get a rhythm. Same goes for New Jersey.

Gus can get you points on his own, but his strength is getting the puck to more dangerous players on forward like Kane, DeBrincat, Toews, etc. Those guys haven’t caught fire yet. When they do, so will Gus. His job on D and PP1 are secure and he’s in a contract year. He’s playing for more money, you better believe he will wake up. Chicago’s PP% is around 9% right now. Nashville was the worst PP in the league last season at 13%. Looks like a positive regression is in the cards for Chicago’s PP.

64 points as Dobber predicted is still realistic. On a side note, don’t go by other people’s predictions, use your own hockey knowledge. Guides are only to assist you in sorting out players and a different view on where players will be drafted in your league. I’m sure Dobber and his team have given you great insight into many gems as well.

Hang in there Gus will produce, patience.

The problem with using last year’s start as a comparison is that he started last season on PP2 with nearly half the PP time that he has had to start this season. Plus, Quennville coached the first 15 games last season and would never let Gus play his cowboy-style that he was able to the last 3/4 of last season.

[stevegamer]

I'm disappointed in him, but my guess as to what he would do was 50-55. I haven't seen enough of Chicago to guess at what's wrong overall, but it seems like a general malaise that can be remedied. They need some power in the power play, and things will be better.

[McDeichel]

The problem with using last year’s start as a comparison is that he started last season on PP2 with nearly half the PP time that he has had to start this season. Plus, Quennville coached the first 15 games last season and would never let Gus play his cowboy-style that he was able to the last 3/4 of last season.

Sounds like you’ve already made your decision to cut ties with Gus daydream nation. I understand your point in the early comparison of last season, but you should have the confidence in him this season cause you know he won’t be off PP1 with Kane and DeBrincat. Those two big guns will get it together and when they do he will cash in. Their PP is due for positive regression.

[snowball]

i'm a Gustafsson owner and i am keeping him. He has prime PP minutes and is just becoming a trend to be a slow starter.

Think Dougie Hamilton who exploded 2nd half of year.

I don't think Gus is in a situation like Gostisbehere (who i think will never be what he used to be). I just really believe in the hawks being bad right now and as soon as they will be back to ''normal''/start scoring goals, Gustafsson will benefit.

[Daydream Nation]

Boqvist has been called up. So the notion that Gustafsson has no competition for the PP1 spot is gone. It would only mildly surprise me to see Gus scratched. They didn't call up Boqvist to sit in the press box and their blueline would suffer even more if both are in the lineup.

[Blues_fan1000]

Boqvist has been called up. So the notion that Gustafsson has no competition for the PP1 spot is gone. It would only mildly surprise me to see Gus scratched. They didn't call up Boqvist to sit in the press box and their blueline would suffer even more if both are in the lineup.

sweet...can't wait

[Schneider]

I agree with everything except the last sentence. Why do we have a right to be mad? Im not being a smart@ss- Im genuinely asking? Cause we paid for a guide? I mean we paid for predictions right? We all know that predictions are not prophecies :P

Well I personally saw Gus as a sell high, an unsustainable that should regress when I owned him last year. I was all set to not keep him as a part of my 12 keepers, but it seems that the guide was very high on him and confidently so. So I kept him in a 14 team, 30 man roster league. It's hurting.

So maybe not mad, but I feel like as much as people are allowed to brag about how right they got it in the guide, they should too be held accountable when they get it wrong. If that makes sense.

[Nuck Chorris]

The biggest reason for Gustafsson's lack of production is because of the slow start that Kane and Toews have gotten off to. So many of Gus's points are from pushing up the puck and getting it to Chicago's elite forwards. Much like Keith in his prime, Gustafsson benefited from Kane and Toews' brilliant season last year. While Gus had a nice year himself individually, he got a lot of easy assists last season. Gustafsson is not a 60-70 point talent but everything aligned perfectly for him last season. Personally, I did not anticipate this decline since there was no reason to predict Kane and Toews being so unproductive to start the season.

In terms of this season, I still expect Gus to be a 40ish point player. Their PP has been dreadful so that should improve. But a reason for concern is Gus's awful defensive play that Colliton is being less and less tolerant of. He has made comments to the press and it wouldn't surprise me to see Gus scratched in order to send a message. When you watch Gustafsson in the defensive zone, he just doesn't work hard. And he is not pinching and playing his freestyling ways like he did last season. I still hope the Hawks trade him at the deadline. Wish they had last offseason. We all knew he wasn't as good as his stats indicated last season.

This...his defence is suspect as i've been told by many Hawks fans. The Hawks as a whole need to do better before Gus will.

[McDeichel]

Boqvist has been called up. So the notion that Gustafsson has no competition for the PP1 spot is gone. It would only mildly surprise me to see Gus scratched. They didn't call up Boqvist to sit in the press box and their blueline would suffer even more if both are in the lineup.

Still not worried. Boqvist’s 1 Point in 6 AHL games is even worse then Gus’ 4 points in 11 NHL games. Why would you replace an NHLer who has already produced at the highest level with someone who has no NHL experience and bad AHL numbers.

[ericdaoust]

Last year Gus also had a slow start. He's one point behind where he was last year at 11 games. His production took off in the second quarter.

[Daydream Nation]

Last year Gus also had a slow start. He's one point behind where he was last year at 11 games. His production took off in the second quarter.

Apples to oranges....

[Daydream Nation]

Still not worried. Boqvist’s 1 Point in 6 AHL games is even worse then Gus’ 4 points in 11 NHL games. Why would you replace an NHLer who has already produced at the highest level with someone who has no NHL experience and bad AHL numbers.

There is a lot of context that you are not considering or are ignoring. Do you know that the Hawks PP has been terrible? It can't get much worse with Boqvist on the point.