Too reductive about Norlinder, IMO. He's a helluva skater, can deke with the puck like hell as well.
IMO, back to Romanov, what's important to take away from all the scouting report and the paid analysis of this player is that he's proactive, everywhere on the ice, which is why he got the nickname, the assassin.
He's proactive, everywhere on the ice, to snuff out opponents' offensive chances, using his gap control effectively to that end and will apply pressure to keep plays alive in the O-z0ne, helping create more offense that way.
He'll hit like a train with a lower center of gravity without taking himself out of the play.
He'll also make plays without ever exposing himself. Maybe that's why he doesn't get as much credit for his skating as a puck-moving skill. He'll carry the puck out of his zone in a controlled fashion and likely toss a solid pass from that point, rather than try to take the puck across town and downtown like the Subbans of this world might. That doesn't mean he doesn't have that ability, though.
Last important thing to remember is that the Tzar is SMART, both with and without the puck. In that respect, it's the closest that he comes to Markov.
