Let’s get one thing straight here Avs fans, I’m as frustrated with Wojtek Wolski’s inconsistent performances over the past few seasons as all of you are, but the comparisons to former Avs players need to stop. I have heard one too many things lately and just wanted to throw some facts, thoughts, and comparisons at all of you to see if they may change your mind just a little bit.
The main thing that inspired this post was a recent conversation on my buddy James “Tapeleg” Gralian’s, Rink Podcast. Every once in a while he has guests from Twitter that call in and they record a special podcast called a “Tweetcast.” He recently had an Avs representative, James from Denver, who goes by the username of BleedBurgundy on Twitter. The link to the Tweetcast podcast is here in case you want to give it a listen. In the show, James compared Wojtek Wolski’s lack of production to the Avalanche career of Alex Tanguay. So much talent and it just seems like they don’t do as much as they can on a consistent basis for the team. All I hear is that they could have been/can be so much better if they just played with a little more passion. I felt the same way about both of them until I looked at the numbers. The stats rarely lie.
What many Avs fans fail to realize about Alex Tanguay is that he’s the fourth leading scorer in Avalanche history with a nice round 400 points. Adam Deadmarsh is next on the all-time scoring list with 129 points less than Tanguay with 271. Tanguay trails two future Hall of Famers (Sakic and Forsberg) and Avs long-time stud Milan Hejduk and that’s it. Could Tanguay have been better overall? I’d say yes. Did he play on some amazing teams with all kinds of talent around him? Absolutely. Has Tanguay been far from great ever since the talent around him has been nowhere near what it was when he was with our Avs? Yes. Did he get the job done though when he wore an Avalanche sweater? I’d have to say, based on the numbers, a pretty strong yes to that as well. Those Avs names are serious company and pretty much anyone would look like they’re not that great in comparison to some of the players Tanguay played with here in Denver.
We can also compare Tanguay’s numbers to another Avs fan favorite, Chris Drury. By comparison, Drury scored a little over half the points with the Avs than Tanguay did (222). Sure Drury scored some huge playoff goals and has been appropriately labeled “clutch” for those performances, but when we look at the postseason numbers they both have the same exact amount of Avs playoff points with 50. Do Wolski and Tanguay really compare? I actually hope they do someday. That would be really nice.
And while we’re at it, let’s talk about a new reality Avs fan need to get used to. Just because Wojtek Wolski shows promise as a young talented offensive player does not mean that he is going to put up Sakic-like, Forsberg-esque, or even Tanguay-like numbers any time soon or even ever. That’s what we’ve been used to and spoiled by in the past as Avs fans and it’s definitely time to adjust that perspective a little bit. It’s time to look at the whole situation in a realistic way, Wojtek Wolski’s just not that good (and I even hesitate to throw a “yet” in here.) Believe me though, I want Wolski to be one of the guys that leads the Avs back to the promise land and I’m definitely rooting for him to do so.
On the other hand, we can look at the bright and youthful side of the Avs organization. Here are the ages of some of the Avs on the current roster:
Wolski: 23 Paul Stastny: 23 Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly: 18 T.J. Galiardi: 21 Cody McLeod and David Jones: 25 Chris Stewart: 22 Kyle Quincey: 24 Kyle Cumiskey: 23
Based on the team’s performance this season so far and the ages of the players listed above, the thing we have on our side as Avs fans is time. Let’s be patient with this team (and with Wolski and Stastny especially as they’re only 23) and see where time takes us.
So…sit back, relax, and look down the road. Looking back, appreciating, and even comparing to the past isn’t necessarily a bad thing, let’s just do our best though to keep everything in perspective. Things are looking good, it’s just going to take some time, and we have plenty of that on our side.
Well since you threw me under the bus there I felt that I needed to respond. I won’t say that I’m a hockey expert, but I will say I’m one hell of a passionate Avalanche fan. My comparison to Tanguay/Wolski really had nothing to do with stats. Perhaps I did a poor job on Tapelegs tweetcast, but I’ve only done 1 other hockey type interview I’m still very rough around the edges, so forgive me. I watch every game every year. My frustration with Wolski is very similar to the frustration I felt w/ Tanguay from time to time. Was Alex good. Yes. He basically handed us the cup in 2001 on a silver platter and that will forever be my memory of Tangauy. But were there times I felt he half assed it out there? Sure. In truth I felt the same about the Duke from time to time as well. Wolski has it all, almost. Perhaps it is an age thing who knows. I’m not claiming I’m even right. Wolski is young yes, but for some of our players he’s a veteran of the game by now. It’s high time he starts playing EVERY GAME like that. I want to win every game and every cup as much as the next Avaholic. Points matter. Goals matter. Assists matter. But hard work, leadership, determination, and heart will lead the the previously mentioned. Are we seeing points, goals, and assists from Wolski. Hell yes we are and I’m clapping my hands as hard as the next guy. Am I consistently seeing hard work, leadership, determination, and heart on a nightly basis? No. No one is. That’s the problem, at least in my eyes.
Not trying to throw anyone under the bus James, we all bleed burgundy here man! I apologize if you feel that way. My goal wasn’t to make you look bad at all; I’m just trying to make a point based on your comments. I know how tough those shows can be from many personal experiences, believe me. I’m just saying to you and other Avs fans that feel like you that Wolski may not be the answer for everything you’d like him to be. I’m doubting, for now (and I know that both you and I hope I’m wrong someday with this), if he’s that offensive leader of the Avs for the future. Determination and heart may not be a large enough part of his game to be the offensive “man” on this team. I’m just reminding everyone that we shouldn’t let the past blur our vision of who the current Avs really are. We have been very spoiled in a good way and we’re expecting Hejduk and Wolski to be the Forsbergs and the Sakics of the future. There’s really no chance of that happening. Hall of Fame talent just doesn’t come around that often.
Jay-
well like most people I know, you’re a smarter man than I. I didn’t really feel like I was thrown under the bus, so please ignore the dramatics fellow readers! Damn if I just don’t want the Avs to surprise the hell out of every hockey guru out there who said we’d suck and make the playoffs and kick ass. I want Wolski to be a huge part of that. You made a solid argument about the Wolski/Tanguay comparison. I’ll spread the word to the few poor bastards that listen to me.
That’s what every true Avs fan wants James. We’re all on the same page here! Let’s go Avs!
Yeah! Comments section! Ok, I don’t know what I was smokin’ that I couldn’t find the comments before, but I looked! I swear, I wanted to SAY SOMETHING!
But of course, now I forget what it was.
Nonetheless…
Let me say that is a great blog post! Anytime Drury is slammed, intentionaly or otherwise, i am a happy man! LOL.
Ok, seriously. I had no idea Tangs was that high in the stats on this team. I’m floored. So yeah, wouldn’t it be great if WW managed to do the same with a LOT less talent around him? Or maybe not…9, 26, etc.
Um, the Duke half-assing it? I don’t think so!
I definitely wasn’t slamming Drury as he was one of my favorites from when the Avs were an elite team in the league, I was just trying to add some perspective with stats. And I’ve never seen Hejduk dog it ever. That’s a reason my I’m such a big fan of his as well.