Player Discussion Sam Steel

[FiveHoleTickler]

His vision was always his best attribute. He needs to be told to use it more instead of being content to cycle and get pucks in deep

You are right to use past tense. He hasn't shown much of that in the NHL.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Steel's biggest issue in my eyes is that for a guy whom I think has decent hockey IQ, it's maddening how long he takes to do ANYTHING. I think he realizes his physical limitations and his lack of speed limits him to an extent and he's trying to control the game to his pace, but he hasn't learn to do that at the NHL level and his confidence is now shot to the point where all of his actions take place at half speed with tunnel vision and generic play.

 

[AngelDuck]

You are right to use past tense. He hasn't shown much of that in the NHL.

Of course he hasn’t. The question is do you give up on that at his age. I’m not saying they’ve given up on him being a playmaker but it does seem like he’s been trended towards dump and grind. Some of that isn’t the organization though, it’s Steel not really developing over the years

To me, the only way he really makes it as an above average pro center is if he learns how to make plays with the puck as a setup man. I don’t think he has the size/speed to be the 3C checker that they want. You have to be a better pest/forechecker to be that guy than Steel is

 

[Anaheim4ever]

You mean like playing 3C for the Ducks?

Yep. He's fine as a 3C on a bad team like Anaheim. If this were a great team he'd be forced to play 4C or be in SD.

 

[Trojans86]

Steel's biggest issue in my eyes is that for a guy whom I think has decent hockey IQ, it's maddening how long he takes to do ANYTHING. I think he realizes his physical limitations and his lack of speed limits him to an extent and he's trying to control the game to his pace, but he hasn't learn to do that at the NHL level and his confidence is now shot to the point where all of his actions take place at half speed with tunnel vision and generic play.

Pretty spot on

 

[Trojans86]

There is a difference between being on a checking line and a defensively focused center. Steel should try to model is game after Bergeron.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

There is a difference between being on a checking line and a defensively focused center. Steel should try to model is game after Bergeron.

It's probably a pipe dream but it'd be great if he turned into something like a poor man's Saku.

 

[DigiDuck]

I was hoping he could be something similar to Bonino, but even that seems far fetched now. Don't see him as a matchup/checking center either. Not only is it not his play style, but he doesn't seem crafty enough to succeed. His stick isn't usually very active and he seems to be behind the play more than he should. He'll get a littler bigger and maybe learn to win more board battles, but so what? We don't need another frickin grinder.

 

[ADHB]

One thing that stands out about him is his lack of improvement in skating skills. To begin this season, he seemed a lot faster. But that faded away after a few weeks. Have we had anyone noticeably improve their skating under this current skating/conditioning/skills coach? Doesn’t seem like it.

 

[Trojans86]

One thing that stands out about him is his lack of improvement in skating skills. To begin this season, he seemed a lot faster. But that faded away after a few weeks. Have we had anyone noticeably improve their skating under this current skating/conditioning/skills coach? Doesn’t seem like it.

Is it common for guys to make noticeable improvements in skating once they hit the NHL? I seriously don't know. I can't really think of anyone with the Ducks that have made massive strides in their skating.

Conditioning and strength are definitely areas I've seen certain guys make strides.

 

[ADHB]

Is it common for guys to make noticeable improvements in skating once they hit the NHL? I seriously don't know. I can't really think of anyone with the Ducks that have made massive strides in their skating.

Conditioning and strength are definitely areas I've seen certain guys make strides.

I feel like when we had Skahan, it was pretty common for guys to improve. Maybe they didn't necessarily become rocket ships, but they improved their acceleration and power.

 

[Gliff]

Yikes. This org needs some changes at the top. That is terrible.

I don't care how you feel about Steel. I have lost any hope of him becoming a top 6 guy. But f***, atleast give the kid a chance. There are so many better options in the Ducks system to be a shutdown bottom 6 center. Steel has shown offense in the past, why would you just give up completely on that?

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Jeez, what a disappointment. I remember Steel was really supposed to be a high end second-line playmaker.

it would’ve been better if Kesler was around so Steel could be shown the ropes a bit more I’m playing that role.

 

[bsu]

Remember when 95% of this board said Steel would be better than Terry.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Plenty of guys have sophomore slumps and don't put things together until year 3 or beyond. Steel struggling in his second year doesn't mean he's a bust or that the organization had some weird desire to turn an offensive player into a 4th liner. There's a lot of overreaction going on here to what is largely an innocuous comment.

 

[Paul4587]

Remember when 95% of this board said Steel would be better than Terry.

Troy Terry D + 5 year:
47 games 4 goals, 11 assists, 15 pts 0.32PPG

Sam Steel D + 5 year:
38 games 5 goals, 6 assists, 11 pts 0.29PPG

Their production is very similar in their D + 5 years. Steel had the advantage in his D+3 and D+4 years.

 

[bsu]

Troy Terry D + 5 year:
47 games 4 goals, 11 assists, 15 pts 0.32PPG

Sam Steel D + 5 year:
38 games 5 goals, 6 assists, 11 pts 0.29PPG

Their production is very similar in their D + 5 years. Steel had the advantage in his D+3 and D+4 years.

Watch the games and see who has more impact, that's the best way to judge prospects/young players. Terry makes things happens consistently previously he was just built like a little boy.

 

[Paul4587]

Watch the games and see who has more impact, that's the best way to judge prospects/young players. Terry makes things happens consistently previously he was just built like a little boy.

Last year outside of the odd spurt Terry looked completely lost. You’re comparing a guy in his 6th year post draft to a guy in his 5th, that’s a pretty big difference in terms of development.

Steel has the same spurts of looking really good like Terry did previously - and just like Terry last season he is having long periods of being ineffective and a liability out there.

 

[Trojans86]

Watch the games and see who has more impact, that's the best way to judge prospects/young players. Terry makes things happens consistently previously he was just built like a little boy.

I agree Terry makes things happen but let's not forget how horrible he was at the beginning of the year. Hopefully Steel can see a similar jump.

 

[bsu]

I agree Terry makes things happen but let's not forget how horrible he was at the beginning of the year. Hopefully Steel can see a similar jump.

He was still making things happen he just didn't know how to protect the puck and keep his balance like he does now. Steel isn't doing jack shit now and even before we were on living on his junior game when it never translated at all.

 

[Deuce22]

Terry has passed Steel, no question. However, context is important. Terry has an extra year and Steel has played center, not been a winger glued to Getzlaf much of the time. Again, "making things happen" sounds great, but scoring and helping create goals wins games.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Valid point. I would say that they value defensive responsibility over offensive productivity. Now we're just into semantics and trying to judge intentions.

If you meant that the Ducks turn players into grinders because they're bad at developing, fine (I disagree), but the original poster you responded was annoyed that they had deliberately chosen that route for Steel. That's not a typical route that the team takes on purpose for our players. The only ones I can think of in the recent era besides Steel honestly are Wagner and Beleskey (who turned out better!).

Intentions with development are easy enough to judge by how the players are deployed and who they play with. It's not mysticism.

 

[Deuce22]

If you meant that the Ducks turn players into grinders because they're bad at developing, fine (I disagree), but the original poster you responded was annoyed that they had deliberately chosen that route for Steel. That's not a typical route that the team takes on purpose for our players. The only ones I can think of in the recent era besides Steel honestly are Wagner and Beleskey (who turned out better!).

Intentions with development are easy enough to judge by how the players are deployed and who they play with. It's not mysticism.

Choosing the "grinder" route for Steel as reported by Stephens is a mid course correction, IMO. I think the Ducks had hopes of him turning into a top 6 center. My contention is that by valuing defensive responsibility or 200 foot game over offensive production they are stunting the development of guys with offensive potential. The org has become frustrated with players who haven't fit that mold and traded them, watching them improve elsewhere. It's a plan that fine if it works-winning a lot of low scoring games with defense and great goaltending. But it hasn't worked.

 

[bracer028]

Troy Terry D + 5 year:
47 games 4 goals, 11 assists, 15 pts 0.32PPG

Sam Steel D + 5 year:
38 games 5 goals, 6 assists, 11 pts 0.29PPG

Their production is very similar in their D + 5 years. Steel had the advantage in his D+3 and D+4 years.

Confirmed box score fan.

Watch the games and you know that Terry tries and is slowly getting there. He has the speed to draw penalties.

I am down on Terry, but he is better than steel.

 

[Paul4587]

Confirmed box score fan.

Watch the games and you know that Terry tries and is slowly getting there. He has the speed to draw penalties.

I am down on Terry, but he is better than steel.

Yeah I’m a box score scout, good one.

If you actually had any reading comprehension ability you would know I’m not compared Terry now to Steel but Terry at the same stage of his development to him. Steel is far from a finished product and is a year behind Terry in his development.