Player Discussion: Simon Holmstrom

[mm11]

He already weighs 215! I want to see more of him carrying the puck!

Hear ya. Seems to get knocked off easily for a large frame. C'mon kid lean onto them. Yes agree he has to carry the puck more with authority. Own it like you mean

 

[leeroggy]

Hear ya. Seems to get knocked off easily for a large frame. C'mon kid lean onto them. Yes agree he has to carry the puck more with authority. Own it like you mean

He's a little upright at times and that's when he has some trouble on the boards, but when he's in the middle he tends to win the battle. Still learning.

 

[BillD]

He's a little upright at times and that's when he has some trouble on the boards, but when he's in the middle he tends to win the battle. Still learning.

He's still only 22. Turns 23 in May and really hasn't had that many NHL games under his belt.
I agree he has to be more forceful and use his size to win more board battles but that will come with man strength.
Someone said he has to develop his ability to get free and score goals on the cycle, not just the rush.
I agree. he has the shot and the instinct. I think we will be happily surprised. His ceiling is 2nd line two way wing. His floor is 3rd line. This kid has already put to rest any thought of 4th line.
He was a very astute pick.

 

[Throttle]

Roy had him out there in the final minutes in the d-zone, so that speaks volumes of where he’s at in terms of the new coach.

 

[BelovedIsles]

yes, agree, needs to put some meat on the bones still but enjoy watching him hound pucks and play sneaky offense too

He's already pretty strong on the puck; with that said, I could see him bulking up a bit. He has a slender frame, so he'll never be thick. Add some strength, he'll be able to fend off the opposition easier.

 

[saintunspecified]

He needs to develop his strength around that lanky frame. He’s got underrated speed, hands, IQ, and shot. His defensive stick work is an art.

He’s still developing. Good pick in the late first round. I’m definitely a fan.

I also noticed that both he and Wahlstrom do a thing where they intentionally end up with bad body position on the forecheck, and then roll & whip their sticks along the ice. Like a reverse box out? Idk. I've seen it work a couple of times for Holmstrom, but seems to me a recipe for getting left behind or taking a tripping penalty.

He's already pretty strong on the puck; with that said, I could see him bulking up a bit. He has a slender frame, so he'll never be thick. Add some strength, he'll be able to fend off the opposition easier.

He's already 215 pounds at 6'2". Calling him slender is like PJ calling Romanov 'undersized', lol.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Someone around here kept thinking of Holmstrom as a poor man's Pastrnak...

Who was that?

 

[periferal]

Someone around here kept thinking of Holmstrom as a poor man's Pastrnak...

Who was that?

Who....?


And how much "poorer?" Like food stamps poorer?

 

[BelovedIsles]

I also noticed that both he and Wahlstrom do a thing where they intentionally end up with bad body position on the forecheck, and then roll & whip their sticks along the ice. Like a reverse box out? Idk. I've seen it work a couple of times for Holmstrom, but seems to me a recipe for getting left behind or taking a tripping penalty.


He's already 215 pounds at 6'2". Calling him slender is like PJ calling Romanov 'undersized', lol.

I've also seen Holmstrom handedly rub guys off the puck. He has shown he can use his positioning quite well, in conjunction with his artful stick. (Ok, that sentence is ripe with double entendres, but I'll leave it)

He's 6'2, that's a lot of bone to cover. I would reckon he could still pack some weight on. His head counts for at least 15 lbs.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Who....?


And how much "poorer?" Like food stamps poorer?

I should add that the poster said he felt that was Holmstrom's projection.

My experience and the eye test with Holmstrom the past two seasons stells me nonetheless that he's got a couple of 25-35-60 style seasons in him down the line.

Has a lot to do with the "little" things he does as a thinking man combined with his reach, stickhandling, robust nature, and even his skating style.

Don't think I'd have said that 2 years ago.

 

[crashthenet]

He would have better numbers playing with a different center. Engvall's best attributes coming into the season were facilitating zone exits and some transitional speed. I think Holmstrom should be given some opportunities with the 2nd line in his spot. When I look at JGP's game today, he is not much of a creator and his role as a defensive center has put his line out for very, very few O zone starts. Holmstrom is attached at the hip to him so he doesn't see much as well and for most of the year, the other wing on the line possesses a relatively low hockey IQ. Very difficult to assess his offenisve abilities.

 

[seafoam]

Holmstrom also prefers RW I believe but has been playing exclusively LW all season.

 

[periferal]

I should add that the poster said he felt that was Holmstrom's projection.

My experience and the eye test with Holmstrom the past two seasons stells me nonetheless that he's got a couple of 25-35-60 style seasons in him down the line.

Has a lot to do with the "little" things he does as a thinking man combined with his reach, stickhandling, robust nature, and even his skating style.

Don't think I'd have said that 2 years ago.

I can see what you're saying...To a point. The game vs Boston in December felt like a coming out party, but he's been waaaay too invisible over the past 4-6 weeks or so. Obvously it can take any player years to reach their potential, but you don't eant to see them be a total non-factor over long stretches. For example since the middle of December Holmstrom has 6 total points and only about 18 total shots.

End of day I really like him, but I think he will wind up as a nice complimentary piece...As long as whatever team he's on has 2-3 other players that drive the offense. To me that he'll never do.

 

[seafoam]

I still think Holmstrom would have been better served starting off in Bridgeport because these "coming out parties" where young guys have a nice little month or two and then completely fall of the face of the planet is way too common and it ends up hurting the NHL club because you are handing them a roster spot based off of a small sample size.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I can see what you're saying...To a point. The game vs Boston in December felt like a coming out party, but he's been waaaay too invisible over the past 4-6 weeks or so. Obvously it can take any player years to reach their potential, but you don't eant to see them be a total non-factor over long stretches. For example since the middle of December Holmstrom has 6 total points and only about 18 total shots.

End of day I really like him, but I think he will wind up as a nice complimentary piece...As long as whatever team he's on has 2-3 other players that drive the offense. To me that he'll never do.

I can't think of any direct examples right now, but I know I've seen players over the years who spent 3-6 seasons in a lower line capacity with their 20-40 points per year and then sometime between 25-28 years of age, something just snapped (or they got a bigger role) and they were 50+ point guys from there on out.

Can see that can of thing happening with Holmstrom.

***
Different times and a really different player, but I recall Derek King being like a 30-45 point guy for 4 straight seasons, then having like 3 straight 70-point seasons for the Isles before getting dealt.

 

[periferal]

I can't think of any direct examples right now, but I know I've seen players over the years who spent 3-6 seasons in a lower line capacity with their 20-40 points per year and then sometime between 25-28 years of age, something just snapped (or they got a bigger role) and they were 50+ point guys from there on out.

Can see that can of thing happening with Holmstrom.

***
Different times and a really different player, but I recall Derek King being like a 30-45 point guy for 4 straight seasons, then having like 3 straight 70-point seasons for the Isles before getting dealt.

I hear you. For some reason I was reading your post and thought of Jonathan Cheechoo (but he dropped off almost immediately after his 50 goal season).

Anyway I just don't have that level of faith in SH (yet).

 

[leeroggy]

I hear you. For some reason I was reading your post and thought of Jonathan Cheechoo (but he dropped off almost immediately after his 50 goal season).

Anyway I just don't have that level of faith in SH (yet).

Cheechoo's knees went on him and ruined his career

 

[periferal]

Cheechoo's knees went on him and ruined his career

It's like Bossy's back.


#Shame