John Jaeckel: The Saad Truth

I made a bet that Saad wouldn't score more than 25 points with my buddy or else I have to post an "I Love Saad" status every day for a week on Facebook.

I am going to lose

Second!

And victory lap!

He is the real deal

Don't look now, but Saad is 3rd in the rookie scoring race. Not bad for a guy who didn't score at all at the start of the season. Any chance we can see a Calder Trophy out of this guy?

The leader in points is -10, 2nd is even, and Saad +14. Could be interesting if Saad continues.

JJ, i've heard the same things at "the tables" during the intermission. I have even heard the name Al Secord! don't think that kid will ever be as tough as big Al but I thought earlier if his developement continues & remember teams will adjust how they play him, could he be a player like someone he probably watched growing up, John LeClair? I would take that in a newyork minute! but for now, let the kid be and just grow on his own. hopefully a couple more of these kids in the juniors follow suit.
I think the ship has sailed on some of those guys at rockford so were hoping for the McNeils & Danaults to follow Saad's path.
speaking of growing on his own, any personal trainers out there that could whip seabrooke into shape this summer? get him away from as i called it at the end of your last piece , "the newlywed couch potatoe look". man does he look fat & out of shape out there! hopefully he finds the gym this summer instead of duncan donuts!

ps. I think the pizzaman is throwing him some freebies, just like he does occasionally to the other team!

Second!

And victory lap!
- yahoodi

Yeah, yeah

Don't look now, but Saad is 3rd in the rookie scoring race. Not bad for a guy who didn't score at all at the start of the season. Any chance we can see a Calder Trophy out of this guy?

The leader in points is -10, 2nd is even, and Saad +14. Could be interesting if Saad continues.
- droe411

A doorknob would be a plus ten on a wing with Toews

But I do agree with your point.

I don't think the Secord or Hossa comparisons are accurate..And quite frankly I don't like them...But...I give the kid props for coming into the NHL and not crappin his pants...he did have a slow start, but he has been pretty good for the last month and a half, and credit to Q and the coaching staff for keeping him on the top line when he wasn't producing, obviously the winning streak also had something to do with that too...What I like about him, is his game has evolved from the beginning of the season, for a while there he was a black hole whenever he got the puck, now he knows how to keep a cycle going and has made quite a few nice passes

Anyone who compares Saad with Hossa must put the pipe down now or be willing to share with the rest of us.

He's doing an excellent job for where he is at in his career. But he has a LONG way to go to match up with one of the top-5 players in the entire league today.

I can't believe for one JJ has had to go to such extent to prove something to folks who obviously don't watch games in person enough but pay WAY too much attention to those who blab on the radio or allegedly "write" for various news outlets.

Don't look now, but Saad is 3rd in the rookie scoring race. Not bad for a guy who didn't score at all at the start of the season. Any chance we can see a Calder Trophy out of this guy?

The leader in points is -10, 2nd is even, and Saad +14. Could be interesting if Saad continues.
- droe411

I mean thats not completely fair. The whole Panthers team is in the minus

We all know how good of a defenseman Brian Campbell is and he is t-4th worst +/- in hockey with -16, so thats not accurate.

Not to mention, Saad is currently on a line with one of the best two way centers in hockey and a presidents trophy leading team.

Huberdeau is doing a lot with nothing down in Sunrise, FL

Thing that impresses me the most about Saad and has from the beginning of the season is how hard he seems to play. Lots o hustle in his game. I think it's what kept him in the lineup early on, even though he wasn't scoring. Hopefully that doesn't slowly go away once he realizes he's "made it", so to speak.

I mean thats not completely fair. The whole Panthers team is in the minus

We all know how good of a defenseman Brian Campbell is and he is t-4th worst +/- in hockey with -16, so thats not accurate.

Not to mention, Saad is currently on a line with one of the best two way centers in hockey and a presidents trophy leading team.

Huberdeau is doing a lot with nothing down in Sunrise, FL
- FourFeathers773

Good point. I feel like the Calder is Huberdeau's to lose. Unless Saad puts up massive numbers in the final 10 games, it will be JH's.

I mean thats not completely fair. The whole Panthers team is in the minus

We all know how good of a defenseman Brian Campbell is and he is t-4th worst +/- in hockey with -16, so thats not accurate.

Not to mention, Saad is currently on a line with one of the best two way centers in hockey and a presidents trophy leading team.

Huberdeau is doing a lot with nothing down in Sunrise, FL
- FourFeathers773

I agree, just looking at the stats. The other side of the coin is imagine the pressure on Saad. Huberdeau has all the freedom to do what he wants, that team stinks. Saad is doing this on the best team in the league, with two of the best players in the league, in a market where some in the fan base wanted his head because he wasn't producing right away. Impressive I think! He is taking strides that go beyond what a lot thought he would be this year, and it is fun to watch.

A doorknob would be a plus ten on a wing with Toews

But I do agree with your point.
- sgt1480

I love it! hey man , you in the 14th dist? ps. 25 STILL wouldn't score that with 19, 81 or 88!

The whole player comparison thing is a little unfair across a lot of realms especially era wise. The Havlat one is pretty reasonable I think.

Is he good? Yes. Is he great? Not at this point in time. I think that is all that really matters at this point.

Glad to see the Hawks riding the Razor. I think he has earned a chance to grab this job by the horns. Not sure C2 has the mental makeup to handle the burden of a potential president trophy team, and be able to shake off the bad goals he seems prone to letting in.

Saad...he's just getting better and better. Imagine how nice it would be to have another top 6 guy to skate with Sharp and Hossa or Kane on line 2. I would mind seeing Frolik getting a look there when Sharp returns, AND assuming Quenneville puts sharp at center.

Shaw got a nice wake up call on line 4, and had himself a nice Sunday. 3rd line with Bickell, Stalberg, and Handzus looks solid.

Interested to see Tuesday's game against Minnesota in Minny. A revamped Wild team, playing very strong hockey right now...should be a very solid test.

Was sitting in 300 level last night, and in second period (while Hawks were shooting at our end) to watch him go end to end and weave in and around 3 Preds from that perspective and get a decent shot off was awesome ....

JJ raises a lot of good points and in no way should we compare a rookie Saad to the HOF Hossa. But I wonder how the two compare when you just take Hossa's rookie year. I didn' t see much of him then and honestly have no idea how he was as a rookie. But I am pretty sure he wasn't as strong as he is today and I doubt he was any stronger than Saad at the same age. Just saying let us compare apples to apples...

We need Olesz to put us over the hump......apparently.

When Saad started falling during the 2011 draft, I was interested to find out why. Hearing the TSN commentators and a few articles online really didnt help. Almost every article that I read said that he played his draft year in junior with a groin injury that just wouldnt go away and that his team traded away a bunch of players halfway through the year. Coming into he year he was supposed to be a top ten pick in a draft that had Nugent-Hopkins, Huberdeau, Landeskog, Coutourier, and Zibanejad.

That being said, he always had the potential to be a really solid player. Im just really glad the Hawks got him.

Well said JJ

When Saad started falling during the 2011 draft, I was interested to find out why. Hearing the TSN commentators and a few articles online really didnt help. Almost every article that I read said that he played his draft year in junior with a groin injury that just wouldnt go away and that his team traded away a bunch of players halfway through the year. Coming into he year he was supposed to be a top ten pick in a draft that had Nugent-Hopkins, Huberdeau, Landeskog, Coutourier, and Zibanejad.

That being said, he always had the potential to be a really solid player. Im just really glad the Hawks got him.
- Blackhawks1919

What looks like a trend for the Hawks, picking these kids who are falling in the draft a bit. Saad, then TT. Hopefully these guys have a chip on their shoulders.

Comparisons are a shortcut to thinking.

Saad is good, young and playing with all star line mates.