I Come In Peace
Hey y'all, so I'm a Leafs fan and while I'm very salty with how he left, I figured I'd share with you what I've witnessed from him over the past few years. You're getting one of the best!
Pros:
-Exceptional Hockey IQ/Vision: the dude can see the ice almost better than anyone. He is always looking to make things happen and can read the ice so well.
-Shooting: had the best shot on the Isles by far, he can really snipe along with his playmaking skills which makes him a dual threat in the offensive zone. Just an all around offensive dynamo.
-Strong on his feet: JVR can really handle his own one on one, especially behind the net. He can hold off defenders as well as twisting and turning away from defenders. I'd say he's one of the best players behind the net.
-Swift stick handling: when he gets in the zone, no one handles the puck like JVR. He has some of the nicest dekes out there whether it's on a rush or if he starts stationary in the offensive zone.
-Clutch: JVR has a knack for getting and setting up late goals (see playoff round winner goal against Florida). JVR is a machine in OT especially.
Cons:
-Streaky: the biggest knock on JVR is that he can be inconsistent for long stretches. For a month he can seem like the best player in the world and then the next month he will seem nonexistent. This has more or less happened the last two or three years, but this is also with a non competitive team behind him.
-Not the quickest skater: JVR is for sure agile for a big guy, but his vertical speed is not too great. A lot of people have knocked him for being a slow skater but he isn't as bad as people paint him to be. Although again, he definitely doesn't have the quickest skating.
-Defensive awareness: Not great at this.
You definitely got yourself one of the best players in the league. I am curious to see him with very talented line mates as well.
