Honestly, he might have blown me away a little that last scrimmage
I want to be a bit conservative about it because one training camp game, but he was constantly making chances and heady plays.
I don't think I was the only one as I noticed he kept popping up with Malkin and Rust late on, and at first I thought was him overrunning shifts but Haase's write up said that was a deliberate thing from Sullivan. Watched again and that was deffo just being far side winger on shift changes.
Development wise, he already was the guy on the island for Sherbrooke in his draft year, and he was a guy making plays and finding team mates in tight spots rather than just finishing chances and bulling to the net this year, so I'm not sure how much that'll help him. And sure being on a strong team helped his numbers, but he also had some quiet patches coping with injury and I think just improved a lot throughout the season. Or at least that's the impression I get from Wheeler's article/love letter in the Athletic, the way his numbers spiked around mid-January, and just the difference between him and camp and him now.
Normally I'd be a bit more restrained (well, I like to think I would be), but there's two things for me
1) Team Need - This team is likely to have an open slot in the top 9 next year (assuming Simon takes one when fit again and Sheary leaving), and I'd like it to go to a guy who's good with the puck on his stick and has vision and will hold onto it if needed, because the open slots seem to be next to Sid (demands passes) and McCann/Hornqvist (neither really patient playmakers). That guy can't cost much due to the cap. ERod's the one of the guys you named who I think might have those chops but really, I think the best thing for the team is if Poulin takes that slot. For me, if all things are equal, I'd still probably be wanting him to come up due to skillset. If he develops slow, I still think he'd hold onto a bottom six spot respectably, if he develops fast in the hothouse, either he slides up next to Sid or he makes the third line a bully. I don't see that potential with the other guys. Poulin is the biggest payout available.
2) Developmental opportunity - Right now, I think the big show in Pittsburgh is a great place for young players if they're ready. This isn't like McCann or Jack Hughes being pitched straight into a bad team with not much help, this is a winning organisation with a ton of confidence with enough depth that his role can be eased or cranked up as needed, and a room full of some of the best players in hockey to emulate. A lot of his development will be driven by who he's around and training anyway, as long as he doesn't get starved of ice time and loses confidence in himself. Which I don't think will happen, because I think he's ready or incredibly close to it.
Which I guess is the main thing. And not ready as in he's strong as an ox, or can keep up with play, or can make great passes, but ready as in best I can tell he's got a lot of little pro habits that means he doesn't have to constantly focus on the small stuff rather than actually playing the game, and that if his offence dries off for a few games he isn't left high and dry because he can still influence the game as a responsible bottom sixer. He reads the game well - I'm watching again and his first shift, POJ bank passes for someone who doesn't read the pass and it's a turnover to Czuczman by the right circle. Poulin is hauling ass from the high left wing before Czuczman even touches the puck and he arrives at exactly where Czuczman tries to make the play in time to a stick on it, messing up the zone exit. If he'd been a bit luckier it bounces back into the zone rather than out and there's a possible 2 on 1 for black. He's got good control - next shift he's the high forward in the slot for his own shift. He starts going (soft speed) when he sees there's a breakout; the pass is behind but there's only the slightest hesitation in his stride as he reaches behind to collect it and bring it in front of him. In defence, he's working towards passing lanes rather than the man - third shift, AJ's got the puck on the right boards in Black's zone, Poulin is close but not close enough to challenge so he just fades behind in case AJ tries to work it back to Marino. In attack, he's always looking for where the next pass might go and if he gets the puck, he's looking for guys rather than looking to attack one on one (although he will) - shift five, he gets the loose puck and a chance to breakout, around the halfway line Marino is offering him a chance to try and go outside him but Poulin elects to get the pass through him (and does, albeit with a slight bobble from Marino getting some of it). It's cleared when Varone overskates the puck shortly afterwards but Black get it back in the neutral zone; Poulin gets himself open to have a 1 on none off of the pass. His first touch slightly lets him down here so he can't pull a move, but he's able to settle the bobbling puck while skating fast enough that Angello loses ground on him (Angello tries to lift his stick and it's like Poulin barely notices) and get a decent shot.
Like, I'm a little wowed because he made something good - sometimes multiple something good - happen attacking wise on 3 of his first 5 shifts (fourth shift he dispossessed Lafferty on the blue line to end the Gold attack and get the shift change too), but it's focusing on the details that make me think he's ready. I'm a long way from having the best hockey talent evaluating eye in the world but he looks to have a lot of the small things that coaches love.
And yeah, an argument remains that having him continue to practice some of his finer finesse skills and shooting and deception at the slower pace of junior until he really nails them would be best for him long run... but I'm really not sure how much there is left to milk there.
If he plays like this in training camp for next season I think he's got a spot.
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