Score goals and we'll like you.
Against the other team. No own goals please.
Then you weren't paying enough attention. His skating is an obvious big weakness. He can't generate any power with this stride on open ice. So awkward and choppy, and it's going to make it a struggle for him to gain any separation in 5-on-5 hockey. Considering this player lives off production this is going to be a big limiting factor for him going forward, and could result into him becoming only a "PP specialist" type of player, or in the worst case, AHLer/KHLer.- Didn't really notice his skating as an issue. He's not a burner, but he didn't seem like he was chasing the play either.
Think you are underplaying this one. His offensive skill is absolutely high-end. The way he sees the ice in the offensive zone, handles and snaps the puck is extremely impressive.- There's definitely skill there, but more than that he looked confident.
Yea. Ek is really driving the play, skating miles and making it easy for his linemates. People aren't acknowledging enough how great he's been playing for a while now.- I didn't actually notice him playing in his own end this game, but that might be because that line seemed to spend a lot of time on the forecheck. Plus I missed a lot of the 2nd period.
- There were a few moments where he seemed to get outmuscled, but he also didn't spend a lot of time farting around with the puck so there weren't a ton of chances to push him off of it.
- He and Ek seemed to work pretty well together.
Skating: Me not paying enough attention from 6:00-8:00 is almost an inevitability most nights And yeah, I'm the furthest thing from a skating coach; I was just going by whether or not he seemed to be chasing the play, and he didn't seem to.He was pretty good but you never want to overreact to one game with all the adrenaline going in a new team and everything. We'll see how he maintains it.
Then you weren't paying enough attention. His skating is an obvious big weakness. He can't generate any power with this stride on open ice. So awkward and choppy, and it's going to make it a struggle for him to gain any separation in 5-on-5 hockey. Considering this player lives off production this is going to be a big limiting factor for him going forward, and could result into him becoming only a "PP specialist" type of player, or in the worst case, AHLer/KHLer.
Think you are underplaying this one. His offensive skill is absolutely high-end. The way he sees the ice in the offensive zone, handles and snaps the puck is extremely impressive.
The question is, if he's unable to fix his skating, how far will this high-end skill carry him?
Yea. Ek is really driving the play, skating miles and making it easy for his linemates. People aren't acknowledging enough how great he's been playing for a while now.
That double minor Donato took late was a pretty good example of his issues without the puck and defensively. Very half-assed defense and got himself badly reaching. Could've been costly.
He's weak and got brushed aside too easily few times, as well as reacted too slowly defensively at times, but when pursuing the puck and looking to score he plays bigger than he is and is not afraid to play in the dirty areas. If he could somehow have that same mindset when trying to prevent the opponent from scoring...
He was pretty good but you never want to overreact to one game with all the adrenaline going in a new team and everything. We'll see how he maintains it.
Then you weren't paying enough attention. His skating is an obvious big weakness. He can't generate any power with this stride on open ice. So awkward and choppy, and it's going to make it a struggle for him to gain any separation in 5-on-5 hockey. Considering this player lives off production this is going to be a big limiting factor for him going forward, and could result into him becoming only a "PP specialist" type of player, or in the worst case, AHLer/KHLer.
Think you are underplaying this one. His offensive skill is absolutely high-end. The way he sees the ice in the offensive zone, handles and snaps the puck is extremely impressive.
The question is, if he's unable to fix his skating, how far will this high-end skill carry him?
Yea. Ek is really driving the play, skating miles and making it easy for his linemates. People aren't acknowledging enough how great he's been playing for a while now.
That double minor Donato took late was a pretty good example of his issues without the puck and defensively. Very half-assed defense and got himself badly reaching. Could've been costly.
He's weak and got brushed aside too easily few times, as well as reacted too slowly defensively at times, but when pursuing the puck and looking to score he plays bigger than he is and is not afraid to play in the dirty areas. If he could somehow have that same mindset when trying to prevent the opponent from scoring...
Bruins fan perspective from his time here.
Kid has a hell of a shot, but is a bit of a rooster tease. He has stretches where he's an offensive dynamo, then disappears.
His biggest problems in Boston were skating, fighting for the puck and size. He couldn't win a puck battle, was hesitant to go battle on the boards, and was very easily knocked off the puck. In the D zone he was lost, would have bad turnovers and was not good defensively.
I saw him pluck a puck or two out of a scrum, but I'm not sure I saw him "win a battle." He should get Spurgeon to tell him his secrets.im confused with this puck battle issue, was last night just a tease? he went into the corners and won some battles. maybe its only the offensive zone?