JJ Watt believes he could be serviceable player with 1 year training

[Caspian]

This is so ridiculous and an obvious joke. No...zero chance. In one year's time, he wouldn't even be a serviceable player with 14 year old triple A kids.

uhh he played as a kid and stopped at age 13. he would have played AAA if he kept playing. if he wasn't banged up from football he could prolly be as good as a ryan reaves in 1 year.

 

[93LEAFS]

Maybe HBO could create a documentary about something like this…

Find an NFL player willing to spend a year intensively training for the NHL, and an NHL player willing to do the same for the NFL - and see how they do. Follow both all year long, and at the end of that year, have each one suit up and play full-time in a game. That could be the season finale.

I’m sure they could find at least one team in each league that would want the exposure.

Why not? I’d watch it.

Can I nominate trying Brad Marchand at slot WR?

 

[rfournier103]

Can I nominate trying Brad Marchand at slot WR?

If he agrees, sure.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I remember when Jalen Ramsey (NFL cornerback) said that he could make an NHL roster if he trained for 6 months.

Ramsey says a lot of things. None worth listening to, though.

 

[Hasbro]

I think NHL players can cross over easier to other sports. Take Chara, he is trained as a Greco-Roman wrestler by his father, Zdeněk, who is a former elite-level Greco-Roman wrestler who once represented Czechoslovakia in the Olympics.s.

Pictured here:

 

[Mick Riddleton]

I believe people overrate how well NFL stars (except QB) are known to casual sport fans outside the US.

I never heard of this guy before this tongue in cheek claim. Lets see him in an actual pick up game versus taking a few strides and letting a standing still slapper go. At least Justin Bieber has vids of him playing. When you have to go back to I was a somebody at age 13 then you lose a lot of people.

Every guy that has tried to make it and played years riding the buses in no name towns would be a bit peeved at this arrogance. I would like to see him play vs a bunch of guys who are tolling away in 2nd divisions in Europe or even Senior league players. Even show up to a University practice and skate. He would be put in his place pronto. He will be a decent old timer player at some point but lets get real this is a joke idea that was not even a serious statement.

 

[Rapsfan]

How realistic is it to learn 20+ years worth of hockey development into 1 full year? Not for an average joe but for a pro athlete like him? My guess would be that you need to learn skating from bottom up and then all the hockey movements and puck handling.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Maybe HBO could create a documentary about something like this…

Find an NFL player willing to spend a year intensively training for the NHL, and an NHL player willing to do the same for the NFL - and see how they do. Follow both all year long, and at the end of that year, have each one suit up and play full-time in a game. That could be the season finale.

I’m sure they could find at least one team in each league that would want the exposure.

Why not? I’d watch it.

Let’s add Justin Bieber to that and have it be season two. Call it something like “Career Change” or “I Can Do That!”

 

[rfournier103]

Let’s add Justin Bieber to that and have it be season two. Call it something like “Career Change” or “I Can Do That!”

 

[TomppaKoo]

He would get killed the first moment the puck hits his stick.

 

[eXile3]

No. The players in todays game start when their 3-4 years old and never stop. Not even during summers. 30 years ago when it a little less hyper competitive maybe but not in todays game. Sounds like he stopped playing around 13 which would have put him too far behind.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Conditioning and most of the skills should be doable.

You see some players take drastic leaps in a year or two.

The main issue is competing against your peers. He has none. It would be hard to replicate that to teach him to actually read plays on the ice at game speed.

 

[Machinehead]

I will say this, if he were to train for a year, there are probably worse guys who take shifts in the NHL.

Not mentioning any names.

 

[Iapyi]

Someone who has more name recognition than any NHL player.

someone more people know than every nhl player combined

Why do these posts read like it's an insult to be an NHL player? Sounds like name recognition is more important.

 

[CupsOverCash]

No way. Too many other guys have been working at it for far longer than 1 year. Maybe he's got a good work ethic but so do so many other guys who have been working at this for years.

 

[TT1]

ok, do it

 

[Oddbob]

No he wouldn't. He wouldn't even make an ECHL roster with 1 year training if it wasn't for publicity reasons but only on skill. If it was that easy, there are lots of beer league players who are actually in good shape and play every year that would make attempts to make it to pro hockey.

 

[Oddbob]

A 24 year old Watt given a couple years of full hockey training could at least make the AHL I'd guess just on his athleticism.

Being athletic is not the same as being good at something. Unless he is a natural skater, his skating alone would keep him away from pro hockey. Even slow and low skilled NHL skaters are very fast and able to pull off some pretty cool stuff against lower competition. This also trickles down to all lower leagues. I have played road hockey against guys that didn't even make the OHL, and the skill difference between being in a league and not playing was overwhelmingly different. That is just low tier, not imagine pros who do this for a living.

 

[IdontSpitOnTheIce]

I can shoot top corner from the red and haven’t played a game in 10 years I’m 27.

 

[elitepete]

I remember when Jalen Ramsey (NFL cornerback) said that he could make an NHL roster if he trained for 6 months.

If Watt and Ramsey grew up playing hockey, they would probably be in the NHL. Both are really gifted athletes.

That would actually be a scary defense pairing.

 

[Saucechucker99]

Not a chance.

 

[lorwood]

No. The players in todays game start when their 3-4 years old and never stop. Not even during summers. 30 years ago when it a little less hyper competitive maybe but not in todays game. Sounds like he stopped playing around 13 which would have put him too far behind.

Tell me about it. Guess where I spent Fathers day weekend? Yep, 10U spring tournament. Week off then summer clinics with High School developmental program/Two to three weeks of daily hockey camp and weekly private skating lessons.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Don't think this is outlandish. He grew up playing hockey and he's already a professional athlete who plays a physical sport.

 

[A Plus]

Depends on his history of ice skating

he may be big but if he doesnt have good balance on skates, a bantam player could knock him over

 

[Cup or Bust]

Maybe in the men's league, not a chance professionally.