Rooney never goal scored in college like Coleman did though. So I think Coleman had shown more natural ability in his past.
Rooney played a good game last night. Very well positioned defensively, riding off good Bruins players deep beside our goal, taking Johansson out once in the 3d period, Debrusk another time. Also liked him as the first man in on our forecheck - maybe our only guy who really got on top of their defensemen fast enough to get a forecheck going.
So I see a strong, fast, physical guy who knows how to play the game. Greatly skilled? No. But has also showed better hands and a better release on a wrist shot lately than earlier in the season.
Amongst the (I will admit) relatively lackluster group on the ice the last few games I actually think he’s been one of our better players. I am surprised by this because I had thought of him as useless. But he’s showing me something instead.
Really willing to dial it back to nothing more than that. Maybe everyone is right. But the last couple of three games he’s looked like one of our better forwards to me.