If he’d played it right, that puck goes into the corner. Skating is supposed to be his forte.
When Tavares crosses the blue line he accelerates and Gryz is a half-second late responding to it. I have more of an issue with his approach at the blueline than I do the angle he takes afterward. He could of been more aggressive there when Tavares crossed with the puck.
I think we overrate his skating personally. He's not the skater he was say in 2018 or 2019 when he was 24-25 years old. A fair bit of milage since, lots of hard smacks, he's never been durable. His ability to evade the forecheck with the puck and cover ground without isn't as good. Once he could make up more for lack of length/reach with footspeed but his footspeed has decreased. He gets hit more, hemmed in more, and it snowballs. He's 30 now and reality is his overall prime was probably 3-4 years ago.
What is mystifying to me is how he was used last night. He replaces Shattenkirk who was the clear 6th D in Game 3 and 4 with around 10 mins. in each.
In Game 3 and 4 Lohrei is the clear number 5 averaging about 15:30-16 mins. Wotherspoon, who defensively is your 4th best D-man dressed, is the clear number 4 with around 18:30 average. Then you have the big 3 with McAvoy clear No.1 and Lindholm and Carlo flip-flopping for 2nd in minutes.
So after two wins on the road, you come home and take out your No.6 (Shattenkirk) for Gryz, and then utilize Gryz as your No.4 in Game 5 with nearly 19 mins compared to Wotherspoon now down to 14:47 and he's now 6th in minutes. Even if they wanted Shattenkirk out due to his play or rest or an injury, why isn't Gryz simply getting his minutes and spot. How does last night turn out if Gryz is down to 10-12 minutes instead of almost 20.