- Jun 10, 2014
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@Mortimer Snerd I used word "natural" in purpose. You insist that it's natural that forwads play their "North American on side", but that has nothing to do with it being natural. It's just habitual in North America, not necessarily a good thing.
I guess both North American and European people agree that it's good for D-men to play the side their stick is (though there are exceptions for the rule), unless they are on PP, where that can be reversed as you simply cannot shoot one-timer from your "NA-natural" side.
Also Laine cannot shoot one-timer from his "NA-natural" side, but Laine, Kovy and Ovy are pretty awesome shooting those one-timers from the LW side which they find natural for them.
As said, it's more complicated for Vesalainen, so I think this discussion is way off topic in this thread.
The thing you seem to be ignoring is that wingers very frequently cross over in the O zone. They do this for more reasons than one, but it has the effect of getting their shot onto the desired side. Lined up the European way and crossing over puts their one timers onto the wrong side. So they are limiting their maneuverability. How is that a good thing?
You also ignore the difficulties playing in the D and N zones from having their sticks on the 'wrong' sides.
I'm not interested in debating the intricacies involved. That's been done. I want to acknowledge that it is a Euro vs NA thing, not an individual player thing. We've been dancing around this too much. IMO, Euro coaches are doing it wrong and creating problems unnecessarily. I assume they are seeking an advantage in the O zone. There, it doesn't matter because players move all over looking for a good shooting lane. In the other zones, it is a handicap, often having to use the backhand.
Primarily European fans are making far too big an issue of their favourite players being 'corrected' in the NHL. - IMO. Once a player is fully adapted to the NHL it shouldn't be that difficult to play either wing. Young players who are still adapting - and working on developing a complete 200' game - should stay on the side they shoot from when in the D and N zones.
This all applies to Vesalainen as long as people continue to insist that he is a RW - and some still seem to be doing that.