LT prefaces his discussion of TG's numbers with this:
For those who believe you can't be young, unique, have personality and a lust for life while playing hockey for the Edmonton Oilers, allow me to present Mr. Tom Gilbert.After a bit of discussion, LT leaves us with this prediction:
Much like a rock star, there seems to be a gap between what he "is" and what he "represents." What he "is" at this point is an outstanding hockey player: Tom Gilbert might be the best defenseman on a club teeming with them.
The only question left is something called "established level of ability." What does that mean? Well, in pure terms, we know what Albert Pujols is going to produce season over season: 40 homers, 125 rbi's and something called "ops" that is over 1.00 (is that on-base plus slugging? why would they do that? is this a useful stat? please explain!) and 162 times a season he causes the opposition starter to have a bead of sweat run from the back of his neck all the way down the crack of his ass. That's established level of ability: Albert Pujols is a walking barf bag for pitchers, the human 'dead man walking' for starters and the man who ends careers before they've started.
It takes some time, and Gilbert isn't there yet. He's not Albert Pujols, but Jesus H. he's trending nicely as an NHL player.
Prediction for 2009-10: 82gp, 9-31-40 (.488 per game)Which represents a few more goals but a few less assists compared to his actual stats from last year.
Predicted: 82gp, 7-15-22 (.268 per game)By the way, it looks like LT had to change the photo for his post. He initially had a fantastic photo taken by Curtis Comeau (Eternal Images Photography). I can't figure out how to link directly to the photo, but you can scroll through the portrait gallery and find it, as well as another photo Tom.
Actual: 82gp, 5-40-45 (.549 per game)
On a sillier note, edmontonoilers.nhl.com has a couple of videos with Tom Gilbert and Ladislav Smid: Ladislav Smid reports, How well does Ladislav Smid know Tom Gilbert?
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