Omniscient Gadfly
Registered User
since draft, there's been lots of banter on HFboards regarding rostislav olesz's offensive upside. i figured now that most posters have had a decent opportunity to assess his strengths and weaknesses, it's a good time to revisit the discussion.
the skinny...
olesz trails only patrice bergeron in tourney scoring. 10 points. His 7 goals currently puts olesz as the #1 goal scorer at the WJC's.
strengths...
shot - olesz has a pro-style release, and i don't think he's given enough credit for this. some goals scored were a little soft, but he's not afraid to put the puck at the net, and as his goal on glass today displayed, he's got accuracy when he needs it.
vision/passing - i've been impressed with RO's ability to find the open man. he's got a deft touch, and the ability to create space for his linemates
defensive responsibility - as advertised, RO can play both ends of the ice, and he is used in all sorts of situations.
weakenesses...
speed - i don't think RO has the quickest first step, and it seems to take him a few strides before he hits his top speed. still, he's got a bigger frame and that's not atypical for guys his size.
strength - RO seems to get knocked off the puck a little too easily at times. he definately needs some lower body strength to be able to use his frame to his advantage. he is still young, and this might be a matter of maturity. but you can definately see a blend of power/finesse emerging. still, i see it as a weakness at this point.
overall, i think the panthers have a more polished radek bonk on their hands. i see olesz topside as an elite 2nd line player, maybe capable of 60-70 pts in his prime.
thoughts?
the skinny...
olesz trails only patrice bergeron in tourney scoring. 10 points. His 7 goals currently puts olesz as the #1 goal scorer at the WJC's.
strengths...
shot - olesz has a pro-style release, and i don't think he's given enough credit for this. some goals scored were a little soft, but he's not afraid to put the puck at the net, and as his goal on glass today displayed, he's got accuracy when he needs it.
vision/passing - i've been impressed with RO's ability to find the open man. he's got a deft touch, and the ability to create space for his linemates
defensive responsibility - as advertised, RO can play both ends of the ice, and he is used in all sorts of situations.
weakenesses...
speed - i don't think RO has the quickest first step, and it seems to take him a few strides before he hits his top speed. still, he's got a bigger frame and that's not atypical for guys his size.
strength - RO seems to get knocked off the puck a little too easily at times. he definately needs some lower body strength to be able to use his frame to his advantage. he is still young, and this might be a matter of maturity. but you can definately see a blend of power/finesse emerging. still, i see it as a weakness at this point.
overall, i think the panthers have a more polished radek bonk on their hands. i see olesz topside as an elite 2nd line player, maybe capable of 60-70 pts in his prime.
thoughts?