If Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Maxime Talbot is any indication, it sure seems that way.
The fan-favorite will live in Penguins infamy forever thanks to the fact that he scored two goals in Game Seven of the 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Finals.
Not only did Talbot score both goals but one of them was the game-winner, not to mention he was the only player on the team to score that game.
Yes that's great and we were are very grateful for that. He deserved the attention that he got.
However, this is a what have you done for me lately world we live in, especially in the world of professional sports.
What has Max Talbot done for the Penguins lately? He has one goal in his last 12 games. He has just seven goals on the season and just 15 points.
For someone that gets "superstar treatment" I find this simply unacceptable.
Talbot gets to be in commercials and gets standing ovations by Pens fans. I simply don't understand it.
Those two goals get you that kind of treatment?
Those two goals allow you to be mediocre the rest of your career?
In 2007-2008 he scored a career-high 26 points, which is good for a 3rd/4th line player. This season will most likely be the third straight season he will fail to get back to that point total.
So you're trying to tell me that Talbot's ceiling in terms of point production is 26?
If that's the case then I really don't see the reason for bringing him back after this year.
Talbot is making 1.05 million this year and his a unrestricted-free-agent after this season. I would much rather have a young guy like Dustin Jeffery and/or Chris Conner assume Talbot's spot on the team permanently after this year.
I actually was hoping and expecting Talbot to be traded this year at the trade-deadline but it didn't happen. That worries me.
It worries me that they might bring Talbot back because he's such a big fan-favorite. I hope that's not the case. If Pens' fans can get over Colby Armstrong than they should be able to get over a lesser player in Talbot.
I know that Max is well liked by his teammates and in the Pittsburgh community.
I know that he's supposedly a really good guy.
That doesn't excuse the fact that is just a career 4th liner.
For as much love and praise as Talbot gets he's arguably the least important forward in the lineup on given nights. At this point Talbot is nothing more than a personality. He's funny and apparantely many of the female fans find him very attractive.
Terrific.
I guess that also excuses him for playing mediocre hockey.
I realize it's hard for a lot of Pens' fans to let go of Game Seven but those two goals have made Talbot one of the most overrated and over-celebrated athletes in Pittsburgh sports history.
This article also appears on bleacherreport.com
You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/madchad1187.
Max may not be producing as much as he has before, but he is one of the hardest-working forwards in the Pens lineup. He brings 110% every game, and even more now that so many offensive forwards are out with injuries. He just hasn't been able to convert on the chances that he gets. He's expected to score, I suppose, but he also kills penalties and is great on the forecheck. I think of him as a Craig Adams-type of player. Adams hasn't been producing very much this season, but he really hasn't in past seasons either. If Adams had scored those 2 goals in game 7, would you have written an article like this about him?
ReplyDeleteBecause Craig Adams is a better player than Talbot, doesn't make as much money as Tablot, and doesn't get treated anywhere near as well by the fan base as Talbot. Hardest working forwards? Do you have any proof of that
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