Same bad habits have former Leaf in the dog house with his new head coach
During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, there were a lot of frustrations with how 6'5, 215-pound winger Pierre Engvall approached each game. A player of his size should be able to man-handle just about anyone on the ice during just about any game. However, despite his size and enormous build, Engvall tends to play a lot softer than many coaches seem to like.
Engvall was given every opportunity to succeed in Toronto, but when the experiment had failed, he was ultimately shipped out to the New York Islanders last season for a 3rd round pick. Now, he finds himself in a similar position to the one he was in during his time in Toronto - with his head coach demanding more out of him that he seems to want to give.
Last night, during a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Engvall found himself in the press box, labelled as a healthy scratch. Following the game, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy spoke with the media and revealed why he opted to scratch the hulking winger. Above all other things, Roy expressed his frustrations with Engvall, stating that he is unhappy with his play and that he believes the big Swede has more to offer the team than what he's been giving.
Pierre needs to understand we need him. We need him to play a certain way. I know he's not a over-physical player, but he's capable of giving us a lot more than what he's been doing."
The Islanders made a substantial commitment to Engvall over the summer, signing him to a 7-year, $21M deal, worth $3M per season. With that sort of commitment, the Islanders need a lot more than what Engvall has provided. With just 8 goals and 21 points through 61 games this season, he's leaving a lot to be desired right now.
While Roy did indicate that Engvall will likely return to the lineup against Detroit on Thursday, Leaf fans have seen how this story plays out before. Engvall will turn it on for a game or two and then slip right back into mediocrity. It's a shame, because, with how he's built, Engvall could probably be a star if he wanted to be. Unfortunately, his lack of commitment to playing a strong, physical game and playing hard in the dirty areas have led to a very underwhelming stint on Long Island in his first year of his new deal.
| POLL | ||
20 MARS | 533 ANSWERS Same bad habits have former Leaf in the dog house with his new head coach Do you think Pierre Engvall could be a star if he used his 6'5, 215-pound frame to his advantage a little more? | ||
| Yes, he was so frustrating in Toronto | 301 | 56.5 % |
| He's just not being used properly | 78 | 14.6 % |
| No, he's a very replaceable player | 144 | 27 % |
| He's trash | 10 | 1.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
