Alex Galchenyuk

[Smokey Thompson]

Thanks! I really would've been surprised if all those players had broken loose while under the same "development plan" Galchenyuk's being subject to...

Some of them would. Although I agree with posters comparing his development to Thornton and Johansen. With Chucky's huge frame and average four step acceleration, it'll take him longer to reach that physical maturity. If anything, seeing Johansen take a huge step forward this year, 4th year after his draft, is very encouraging. These guys need to rely on their big frames to win puck battles, skate through traffic, and to seperate opponents from the puck. It would be unreasonable to expect a 20 year old to be as physically strong as most NHL defensemen.

Whereas smaller guys like MacKinnon and Kane came into the league as elite skaters who can skate their way around opponents. These two also had great lower body strength at a young age.

 

[JAVO16]

Galchenyuk doesn't have a "huge frame" like Joe Thornton though. Thornton is a solid 6'4'' 230 lbs. Galchenyuk is more like 6'1'' 200 lbs right now.

 

[reffree]

Galchenyuk doesn't have a "huge frame" like Joe Thornton though. Thornton is a solid 6'4'' 230 lbs. Galchenyuk is more like 6'1'' 200 lbs right now.

Agree, Galchenyuk huge frame at 6'1" 200 is pretty comparable to those other guys huge frame. Seguin 6'1" 195, Landeskog 6'1" 200, Hall 6'1" 200.

The way I see the teenager size impact on their NHL debut is when they clearly haven't file in their body. Thornton and Lecavalier who where 6'4" and less than 200, you know those guys will add alot of muscle weight. Even a Mackinnon at 6'0" 180 can add 10-20 pounds of muscles on his frame. At 6'1" 200, I don't see an impact has big adding weight. Unless he is only really 180 + 20 pounds of fat, wich I highly doubt.

 

[JAVO16]

Agree, Galchenyuk huge frame at 6'1" 200 is pretty comparable to those other guys huge frame. Seguin 6'1" 195, Landeskog 6'1" 200, Hall 6'1" 200.

The way I see the teenager size impact on their NHL debut is when they clearly haven't file in their body. Thornton and Lecavalier who where 6'4" and less than 200, you know those guys will add alot of muscle weight. Even a Mackinnon at 6'0" 180 can add 10-20 pounds of muscles on his frame. At 6'1" 200, I don't see an impact has big adding weight. Unless he is only really 180 + 20 pounds of fat, wich I highly doubt.

Both Seguin and Hall have excellent speed and mobility. Landeskog came into the league as a very mature guy and was great defensively and along board from the get go. Galchenyuk isn't like that because he struggles in puck battles and he doesn't have the potential "elite" size of Lecavalier or Thornton.

All I'm saying is that people like go on about him being our big center for the future even though he's not actually big by league standard. He's already 200 lbs and I'm sure he doesn't have 20 lbs of fat on him, but I'm not confident that he can add another 20 lbs or so that would give him that elite size to be more effective/dominant in puck battles while keeping or increasing his speed/first step.

In any case, I hope he sees a big jump in development like Johansen in the next few years, but I'm not sold on the fact that he'll be the dominant #1 center that we all envision.

 

[Mrb1p]

Agree, Galchenyuk huge frame at 6'1" 200 is pretty comparable to those other guys huge frame. Seguin 6'1" 195, Landeskog 6'1" 200, Hall 6'1" 200.

The way I see the teenager size impact on their NHL debut is when they clearly haven't file in their body. Thornton and Lecavalier who where 6'4" and less than 200, you know those guys will add alot of muscle weight. Even a Mackinnon at 6'0" 180 can add 10-20 pounds of muscles on his frame. At 6'1" 200, I don't see an impact has big adding weight. Unless he is only really 180 + 20 pounds of fat, wich I highly doubt.

It's not about size or weight, it's about strength.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Galchenyuk doesn't have a "huge frame" like Joe Thornton though. Thornton is a solid 6'4'' 230 lbs. Galchenyuk is more like 6'1'' 200 lbs right now.

By frame I don't mean height I mean width. He's 6'1 but he's very wide at the shoulder level. He's also thick and has huge / long legs.

Before being drafted, scouts projected him to reach 6'1 215lbs, adding those 15 pounds of muscle to his wide frame.

 

[reffree]

Both Seguin and Hall have excellent speed and mobility. Landeskog came into the league as a very mature guy and was great defensively and along board from the get go. Galchenyuk isn't like that because he struggles in puck battles and he doesn't have the potential "elite" size of Lecavalier or Thornton.

All I'm saying is that people like go on about him being our big center for the future even though he's not actually big by league standard. He's already 200 lbs and I'm sure he doesn't have 20 lbs of fat on him, but I'm not confident that he can add another 20 lbs or so that would give him that elite size to be more effective/dominant in puck battles while keeping or increasing his speed/first step.

In any case, I hope he sees a big jump in development like Johansen in the next few years, but I'm not sold on the fact that he'll be the dominant #1 center that we all envision.

Agree with everything you said.

 

[reffree]

It's not about size or weight, it's about strength.

Thoses guys are all pretty fit and in great shape. Gallchenyuk is 200 pounds at 6'1" with almost no fat. How can he not have strength? Is his per pounds muscles worst than the rest of the league? Didn't he kill it at the combine?

What I'm saying is, Gallchenyuk won't add alot of strength from now on. He's naturally more of a perimeter player, who doesn't have alot of experience in grinding it. Even in the Ohl, with his great shape, he wasn't dominant with his physical game. He will improve is board battle skill with more experience doing it and with a will to improve.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Thoses guys are all pretty fit and in great shape. Gallchenyuk is 200 pounds at 6'1" with almost no fat. How can he not have strength? Is his per pounds muscles worst than the rest of the league? Didn't he kill it at the combine?

What I'm saying is, Gallchenyuk won't add alot of strength from now on. He's naturally more of a perimeter player, who doesn't have alot of experience in grinding it. Even in the Ohl, with his great shape, he wasn't dominant with his physical game. He will improve is board battle skill with more experience doing it and with a will to improve.

Lol so I guess Galchenyuk is an exception to the all but proven fact that athletes reach their physical peak between ages 25 and 35.

 

[reffree]

Lol so I guess Galchenyuk is an exception to the all but proven fact that athletes reach their physical peak between ages 25 and 35.

And on what form does this contradict what I was saying?

Being surprise he would add alot of strenght doesn't means he can't add a little and by defenition, being at his peak...

 

[SOLR]

And on what form does this contradict what I was saying?

Being surprise he would add alot of strenght doesn't means he can't add a little and by defenition, being at his peak...

Against the top 500 hockey players in the world, 1% more strength makes an exponential difference. You understand that right? Galchenyuk will be scary at 25, lots of room for physical growth contrary to what you think. He might be maxed out for his age, he's hardly genetically maxed out at all. Look at Marian Hossa at 19 vs 26....

19

26

 

[JAVO16]

Wow, these pictures are really telling...

 

[reffree]

Wow, these pictures are really telling...

Yep, the 26yo Hossa has Gally present size. The 19yo Hossa look like he is barely 180.

 

[Adriatic]

Wow, these pictures are really telling...

Lol he looks identical in both pics.

 

[JAVO16]

Lol he looks identical in both pics.

Forgot the

 

[mayday199]

Agree, Galchenyuk huge frame at 6'1" 200 is pretty comparable to those other guys huge frame. Seguin 6'1" 195, Landeskog 6'1" 200, Hall 6'1" 200.

The way I see the teenager size impact on their NHL debut is when they clearly haven't file in their body. Thornton and Lecavalier who where 6'4" and less than 200, you know those guys will add alot of muscle weight. Even a Mackinnon at 6'0" 180 can add 10-20 pounds of muscles on his frame. At 6'1" 200, I don't see an impact has big adding weight. Unless he is only really 180 + 20 pounds of fat, wich I highly doubt.

The difference is shoulder width with Galchenyuk. That kid has what's called a "swimmers build" which means his shoulder width is greater than what someone at his height would normally have. I understand this because I'm the same height as him but my shoulder width is 4 inches wider than the norm (it makes buying suits a pain.) Anyways, with that extra width and the fact that most men naturally put on upper body weight as they age (if they work out) means that I wouldn't be surprised to see him at about 225 pounds in the next 2-3 years.

The other thing having that build tends to do is mess up your balance a bit until you fill out your upper body. This goes along ways in explaining why you watch Galchenyuk go into the corners against a smaller opponent and get bounced around a lot. His centre of balance for the physical work at the NHL level is not fleshed out yet.

Both Seguin and Hall at 6'1 have more streamlined builds. A good comparable for body size I would say would be Landeskog from what I recall but I haven't seen him play in awhile.

 

[Riggins]

Love Chucky's skill. I just wish he was faster. He doesn't seem to have that extra gear that a lot of the top end skill guys have.

 

[Fazkovsky]

look at this list for 2012 draft.

HIm and Yakupov are actually tied for points. He is the one with the most points.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2012e.html

 

[Vi Nc E x13x]

look at this list for 2012 draft.

HIm and Yakupov are actually tied for points. He is the one with the most points.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2012e.html

Look at the Teenage Ninja Hertl's stats ... wonder what chuckie would look like on sharks

 

[Tyson]

Alex is a better skater than Tavares was at the same age. Tavares worked hard and really improved his quickness. Hopefully Galchenyuk can too.

 

[SOLR]

Lol he looks identical in both pics.

Forgot the

He's much bigger and stronger at 26. (Arms-shoulders-legs) It's very apparent to me.

Galchenyuk will be about 210-215 like Hossa, they have very similar trajectories and bodies. He should gain 5 pounds / year in muscle growth for the next 2 years. It will have a dramatic effect on the way he plays and gain confidence. He might even get to 220 around 25 years old and then go back down, they seem to be all following this build-up right now.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

By frame I don't mean height I mean width. He's 6'1 but he's very wide at the shoulder level. He's also thick and has huge / long legs.

Before being drafted, scouts projected him to reach 6'1 215lbs, adding those 15 pounds of muscle to his wide frame.

I remember leading up to the draft sooooo many people were convinced he was going to end up being 6'4 because so many sites had him listed at 6'2.

 

[JAVO16]

He's much bigger and stronger at 26. (Arms-shoulders-legs) It's very apparent to me.

Galchenyuk will be about 210-215 like Hossa, they have very similar trajectories and bodies. He should gain 5 pounds / year in muscle growth for the next 2 years. It will have a dramatic effect on the way he plays and gain confidence. He might even get to 220 around 25 years old and then go back down, they seem to be all following this build-up right now.

Still, Hossa came into the league with an exceptional first step and great top speed. He's been getting slower lately, but the guy was much much faster than Galchenyuk when he first broke into the league.