Player Discussion: Cal Foote

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[Rschmitz]

I feel like he’s been improving, I still don't know how he overcomes those weak first three strides to be an elite defenseman. Hopefully that is what is being heavily worked on in practice

 

[The Gongshow]

I feel like he’s been improving, I still don't know how he overcomes those weak first three strides to be an elite defenseman. Hopefully that is what is being heavily worked on in practice

I think he's gaining confidence getting some NHL minutes now, you can see the improvement each game

But I agree his skating is still an issue, as long as he has his positioning, which he appears to be more a stay at home guy (this favours him)

Everyone said Point coming from Juniors wasn't a very good skater, Tampa changed that, so maybe they help Foote

 

[These Are The Days]

Good stuff. Get em kid. It's nice to see the improvements coming along early like this.

 

[Rschmitz]

I think he's gaining confidence getting some NHL minutes now, you can see the improvement each game

But I agree his skating is still an issue, as long as he has his positioning, which he appears to be more a stay at home guy (this favours him)

Everyone said Point coming from Juniors wasn't a very good skater, Tampa changed that, so maybe they help Foote

The main concern is if he can take offensive zone starts without being taken advantage of on quick transitions where there is a lot of open ice and he can't use his size effectively. Let's hope that he can

 

[Sky04]

Foote's skating isn't going to drastically improve from where it is it, he's not a fresh prospect, he's 22. Skating has been a known weakness since he was in juniors, I'm sure this something he, his dad and the organization have been working on for the last 4 years and it is what it is now. It might get a little better but he's always going to be the type to rely on positioning and reach over elite skating.

Point's story is a rarity not a norm, guys aren't usually going to put in the amount of work it takes to fix 15-20 years of developmental habits and even then, Point had already made significant improvements by the time he was 20.

 

[Ducati Boy]

Unlike Foote, Point never had heavy feet. He always had excellent edges and was shifty from his bantam days. It was maximizing his stride efficiency that put him in the elite category.

Personally, I’d like to see Foote be a little nastier.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I know it's early but I don't see much upside. Don't think he will be more than a #5D

 

[Peacefool]

I know it's early but I don't see much upside. Don't think he will be more than a #5D

If he starts to use his body like Schenn,or even Joseph he could be #4 -5 D.He is really soft near bords and shy. But I think he is more confident on ice and plays better game after game,but in my opinion he will reach his sealing soon enough and if he dont improves his checking ability it will be hard for him to grow as player.

 

[DFC]

I think he's gaining confidence getting some NHL minutes now, you can see the improvement each game

But I agree his skating is still an issue, as long as he has his positioning, which he appears to be more a stay at home guy (this favours him)

Everyone said Point coming from Juniors wasn't a very good skater, Tampa changed that, so maybe they help Foote

This assumes we havent been working on his skating for four years, which we definitely have been.

 

[The Gongshow]

This assumes we havent been working on his skating for four years, which we definitely have been.

Very true, but now he's with the big club and has much more help and access to much more than their minor team would have

 

[Sky04]

Very true, but now he's with the big club and has much more help and access to much more than their minor team would have

I doubt they use practice for fundamentals, that's all off-season stuff and I'm sure Foote has had full access to Barb and Tampa's other resources the last 4 years.

 

[Rschmitz]

Pretty good game defensively for him tonight, I feel like he's getting a little faster as he adjusts to the speed of the game too. Having said that, he was very conservative pinching and contributing offensively, either by coaching design or just him being cautious.

 

[bov]

He still has a ton of room to add strength and size, usually players with that height and frame don't fill out until mid 20's. Patience will be the key with him, the Coburn comparison someone mentioned awhile back isn't a bad one if the skating game improves. Has a better shot too.

 

[Sky04]

He still has a ton of room to add strength and size, usually players with that height and frame don't fill out until mid 20's. Patience will be the key with him, the Coburn comparison someone mentioned awhile back isn't a bad one if the skating game improves. Has a better shot too.

I don't think Coburn is a good comparison, he's always been known as "big and mobile", a great skater for someone his size, his prospect profile is almost the exact opposite of Foote.

If we're talking about top defenseman then yeah it's no coincidence that pretty much all of them are great skaters, Suter is maybe the only top guy who isn't. But there's lots of depth defenseman who had long careers without being fast. Luke Schenn is approaching 800 games, Dan Girardi played over 900. He definitely needs to develop a physical game though.

 

[JFleegs]

He’s growing as a player, this experience has been huge for him and he’s still got plenty of time to get better. Unlike Hedmans situation we don’t have to throw him to the wolves and he can be sheltered some. Didn’t it take Chara some time to develop and he can’t skate worth a damn. He’s not as tall obviously but Foote seems to have good positioning and reach as well as a bomb of a shot.

 

[DFC]

He’s growing as a player, this experience has been huge for him and he’s still got plenty of time to get better. Unlike Hedmans situation we don’t have to throw him to the wolves and he can be sheltered some. Didn’t it take Chara some time to develop and he can’t skate worth a damn. He’s not as tall obviously but Foote seems to have good positioning and reach as well as a bomb of a shot.

Chara was a pretty unique animal. Definitely not a good skater, but he could/would body guys. There aren't a lot of poor-skating defensemen who could play top minutes after the 2005 lockout/elimination of the red line. Chara might be more the exception that proves the rule. Guys with skillsets more similar to Foote's had to take reduced roles or wound up out of the NHL. If memory serves, Foote's dad was one of those guys.

I'm wondering if he might be a decent bottom-pair PP specialist, like a Cody Franson. But I just don't see him ever being trusted to take on the league's top offensive players, unless he develops some kind of supernatural sense for positioning.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

What do you all think of Sami Salo as a comparison? 6'3" righty 2-way dman with a cannon of a shot. Average skater at best but compensated with his hockey sense.

 

[These Are The Days]

I didn't see anything beyond highlights of the last game. How did Foote look?

 

[These Are The Days]

What do you all think of Sami Salo as a comparison? 6'3" righty 2-way dman with a cannon of a shot. Average skater at best but compensated with his hockey sense.

It feels right but man that footspeed is gonna hold him back. I've got more optimism for his shooting.

 

[DFC]

What do you all think of Sami Salo as a comparison? 6'3" righty 2-way dman with a cannon of a shot. Average skater at best but compensated with his hockey sense.

Honestly I think Salo was a much better skater. Foote's skating is somewhere around Schenn's, if not a little worse.

 

[YayHockeysBack]

I didn't see anything beyond highlights of the last game. How did Foote look?

Honestly, I thought he looked a lot better. I remember Serge looking super-slow in his first year or two . . . just hesitant. Then, when he started playing with confidence, he suddenly looked faster. Foote made some really good, quick decisions last night that give me optimism. He may never have great foot speed, but if he's in the right place maybe he doesn't need it as much.

 

[Sky04]

Sergachev was a lot of things but he was never "slow", I thought Foote had a really quiet game, wasn't noticable at all in the last 30mins which might be a good thing.

 

[OdinsFury]

After the first couple of games, Foote has looked much more comfortable! I am not worried about his physicality- yet. What rookie D is playing all that physical? The young Dmen that make a mark do it with speed and puck handling. Clearly Foote will never be fast but most also dont have a 6'4" frame to pack pounds onto. I think the 11/7 forward D rotation we are playing now especially helps Foote as he gets more ice time with Hedman and McDonogh and is simply not relegated to playing with solely Schenn or Sergachev.

 

[bov]

I don't think Coburn is a good comparison, he's always been known as "big and mobile", a great skater for someone his size, his prospect profile is almost the exact opposite of Foote.

If we're talking about top defenseman then yeah it's no coincidence that pretty much all of them are great skaters, Suter is maybe the only top guy who isn't. But there's lots of depth defenseman who had long careers without being fast. Luke Schenn is approaching 800 games, Dan Girardi played over 900. He definitely needs to develop a physical game though.

You're right, Coburn's game really came together because of his skating. I guess I meant more in the sense that he carved out a really nice career without much flash despite being a very high pick. Ended up being a relied upon vet for many years despite perhaps not being a typical #8 overall in hindsight.

Should've said Eric Brewer.