Speculation: Colin White's future in Ottawa

[Tuna99]

White played great with Stone so on the top line with Tkachuk and Daddy he could rediscover his purpose. He won’t drive play, but he’s there to support it and get points

Right shot Center with two left shot wingers sounds about right

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

When you're hurt, you cant just rely on instinct. You go to make a move and you feel it where you previously wouldn't have. I quit skiing even though I was climbing provincial rankings and really coming into my own after years of being just above average because, no matter how I performed, I felt like it was just a matter of time before I completely destroyed my groin. Every race, without fail, I would be going through a turn and I'd feel something, I'd become immediately focused on that, and it was disconcerting and scary. I started falling more because of that split-second diversion of focus, and I knew I either had to hold back or I was going to eventually really hurt myself. So, I pulled back. I went from top 85th - 95th percentile to ~30th percentile pretty much overnight, and I quit at the end of the season (I wanted to quit right away but my dad talked me out of it). I didnt have the drive to be great, even at my best I didn't love racing (I moved out west and fell back in love with skiing when cliffs became involved) and I was always just waiting until I wasnt good enough to continue, but it went from an activity that I felt ambivalence towards to one that was stressful and scary. I would lay awake at night, I would dream about falling at top speed & dying... it f***ing sucked. None of that started until my injury issues started, and it was all due to those scary moments in the middle of competition when I felt uncertain that my body would be able to support me.

Look no further than Milan Michalek's injuries and how it completely changed his game. His biggest physical strengths quickly became weaknesses/criticism. And real sorry to hear about your experiences, bro; absolutely brutal to hear you went through that, man--hope you're doing better. Many moons ago I destroyed my knee in a friendly soccer competition and it wiped any dreams of pro soccer; I was so devastated with how badly the recovery went that it took me years to play even casually again.

White played great with Stone so on the top line with Tkachuk and Daddy he could rediscover his purpose. He won’t drive play, but he’s there to support it and get points

Right shot Center with two left shot wingers sounds about right

Yea, White was always a complementary guy that looked like a legit guy when playing with guys better than him. His skating alone should be able to make him play as an elite 3rd liner. But injury aside, his game changed dramatically last year, like someone who's regressed over few years. But real sophomore year + injury+ bad team could explain it.

Maybe I am intentionally having low expectations of White so that if he exceeds them I can be ecstatic of having a legit top 6 c in this organization, and if he doesn't meh. I can only be optimistic for so long, lol. I also wasnt a big fan of that contract, tbh.

OK well, it wasn't necessarily my intention lol. The context of the whole post is important. Of course, if you cut it to a sentence without the rest of a text, it can sound very different. I never played to anywhere close to the NHL level so I am sure not "high and mighty". I consider myself largely inferior in hockey/sports to anyone who has ever played in the NHL/AHL/etc. That's why when I see random people on internet talk about these athletes like trash/dumb/etc, I am always very annoyed.

How can I word this?

Did you ever hear or read a pro athlete say that injuries are just excuses and it doesn't explain performance levels? Of course, they have pride and will try to not use it as an excuse but let's be real 1 minute, they all know injuries and performance+confidence are heavily related... Which is why I am assuming that somebody saying the opposite probably never played a sport at a high level (unless you and all other athletes around you were 100% healthy all the way?) I don't see any problem making that kind of assumption but maybe I'm insensitive. I don't know

Edit : I replaced 1 word in the initial quote and I think "it sounds" very differently. Probable instead of apparent. Well, it does for me. I know I wouldn't get offended by that. That's the thing with internet, people's "tone" and "intention" are not clear at all, but we still naturally try to detect it.

 

[Xspyrit]

When you're hurt, you cant just rely on instinct. You go to make a move and you feel it where you previously wouldn't have. I quit skiing even though I was climbing provincial rankings and really coming into my own after years of being just above average because, no matter how I performed, I felt like it was just a matter of time before I completely destroyed my groin. Every race, without fail, I would be going through a turn and I'd feel something, I'd become immediately focused on that, and it was disconcerting and scary. I started falling more because of that split-second diversion of focus, and I knew I either had to hold back or I was going to eventually really hurt myself. So, I pulled back. I went from top 85th - 95th percentile to ~30th percentile pretty much overnight, and I quit at the end of the season (I wanted to quit right away but my dad talked me out of it). I didnt have the drive to be great, even at my best I didn't love racing (I moved out west and fell back in love with skiing when cliffs became involved) and I was always just waiting until I wasnt good enough to continue, but it went from an activity that I felt ambivalence towards to one that was stressful and scary. I would lay awake at night, I would dream about falling at top speed & dying... it f***ing sucked. None of that started until my injury issues started, and it was all due to those scary moments in the middle of competition when I felt uncertain that my body would be able to support me.

Great story, thanks

Another thing I'd like to add, let's call it "muscle memory". Your body and mind kinda remember the suffering after you got hurt. It's pretty natural to be somewhat "scared" after having being hurt. Some still play like wrecking balls (ex : Gallagher) but can't expect everyone to be like that. I would assume that most people would be more careful after a injury, I think it's called being "tentative"

Heck I was kinda crazy in snowboarding going into my 20's doing 540's on big airs and such, but there was that one time at Jay Peak where I really crashed. I have no idea how I didn't seriously hurt myself. I have seen several friends end up with metal inside of them. So after that one particular time, I started wearing an helmet and my "crazyness" went down year after year. Same thing happened in skateboarding, sprained/broke my ankle too many times so I eventually stopped. I'm almost scared to go on a skateboard today.

 

[Clayonator]

Alex Killorn is one of the strongest guys in the league. No chance White becomes like him.

It’s called a parallel, not a reincarnation. He can play a similar role long term imo, and he doesn’t have to be as strong.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Expect Colin White to Bounce Back in the 2020-21 Season

contains a poll on whether White will become a perennial 50 pt player. I was shocked at the results

 

[Hale The Villain]

Got overrated offensively because he centered Stone.

Still has all the makings of a 30-4oP above average 3rd line C.

 

[Sweatred]

Got overrated offensively because he centered Stone.

Still has all the makings of a 30-4oP above average 3rd line C.

I don’t think he can get 30-40 pts playing a bottom 6 roll without PP time.

 

[Sweatred]

Simmer hasn't been an exec in the league for many years. The game has passed him by. They needed to sign White. It gave some people hope. Waaaaaay too early to give up on the guy.

Right … my mistake … no doubt many around here would be much more informed that a former player and league exec.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Ottawa Senators: What’s in Store for Colin White This Season

 

[GCK]

The decision on White needs to be made after the 21/22 season. His buyout on the last 3 years Would be 875K over 6 years with tiny cap hits.

 

[Xspyrit]

Got overrated offensively because he centered Stone.

Still has all the makings of a 30-4oP above average 3rd line C.

That's very conservative and no doubt he will be able to do that as long as he's healthy enough

Produced 23 pts in 61 games (30 pts pace per 82 GP) in his sophomore season where he had a hip flexor inury. And it was on a rebuilding team lacking top-6 talent.

As he had 7 pts in his last 6 games, if it wasn't for covid, he probably would have finished the year with a pace closer to 40 pts.

I see him developping as a solid 40-45 pts 2 way forward, making this whole outrage about his contract look silly in retrospect (not saying you did)

 

[Micklebot]

Closed

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Player Discussion - Colin White - C/RW