That’s what TSN’s Bob McKenzie says at least. The highly regarded hockey writer has tipped Flyers rookie center Matt Read to win the Calder trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top rookie, this coming season. Read’s seven points in the preseason were the third most in the NHL among all players and tied him with Claude Giroux for the team lead.
↵Still, anyone who has ever studied marketing can tell you about the “post purchase behavior” is arguably the most important part of the customer buying process. That post purchase behavior is when you gauge performance in terms of expectations. In this case, if we’re being sold on Matt Read as a Calder favorite, fans could have an unfavorable view of him if he fails to deliver on those expectations.
↵Is that unfair? Our pals at Broad Street Hockey say so and are reminded a bit of a another young Flyer who had lofty expectations thrust on him.
↵↵↵Ask James van Riemsdyk all about that. The former No. 2 overall pick was almost legitimately traded by this team based on not living up to his own lofty expectations, and that was as recently as last season. Until the 2011 playoffs, the chorus of people wanting JvR out of town was loud and proud.
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As they also point out, at least JVR was the #2 overall pick. In that case, you could argue that the hype and expectations were legit. Matt Read is a guy who went undrafted. So, feel free to be excited about the kid, but let’s not go crazy if he doesn’t quite live up to the crazy expectations being hoisted on him.