Player Discussion: Steven Stamkos - Part 8

Status
Not open for further replies.

DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
46,844
22,692
NB
I wasn't able to watch the game live. But, to echo everyone's comments in here (we have been saying this for weeks), Stammer is a NEW player. I have been one of his biggest critics. But he is controlling play with the puck on his stick; literally for the FIRST time in his career. And he has been shooting relentlessly. On top of this, he is still making great plays to his linemates like he was last year. All together, this version of Stammer (the past 25 games) has been the best one that we have ever seen. Superior, to be clear, to the version we saw right before he broke his leg against Boston. The sustained productivity has gone on long enough to confirm that this is not a blip on the radar. Whatever mental/confidence issues that negatively impacted him the past few seasons are clearly gone. All in all, this is great to see. And for someone who has dealt with so much adversity, he deserves this.

I think it's closer to 35 games now. We've seen Stamkos play well in flashes, but it's been a while since anybody's pointed him out as our worst player on a given night. That used to be a real thing.

Agreed that this is a new player. It's like he's suddenly combined the player he used to be with the player he's been trying to become. I think he had lost confidence in his shot. He mentioned something to that effect in an interview, shortly after the Nashville game, and how, he "hadn't felt the puck come off his stick like that in a long time," or something to that effect.

It's kind of weird that after an off-season where we didn't make any moves, we've had all these improvements. I mean, every single one of our centers is better than last year, even though it's exactly the same group.
 

Hockey4Life91

Registered User
Mar 13, 2018
1,142
1,566
I think it's closer to 35 games now. We've seen Stamkos play well in flashes, but it's been a while since anybody's pointed him out as our worst player on a given night. That used to be a real thing.

Agreed that this is a new player. It's like he's suddenly combined the player he used to be with the player he's been trying to become. I think he had lost confidence in his shot. He mentioned something to that effect in an interview, shortly after the Nashville game, and how, he "hadn't felt the puck come off his stick like that in a long time," or something to that effect.

It's kind of weird that after an off-season where we didn't make any moves, we've had all these improvements. I mean, every single one of our centers is better than last year, even though it's exactly the same group.

This is what I keep trying to highlight on the main board, in particular in the "why won't the same Caps roster beat the same Bolts roster" discussions. Though on paper it is the same roster (putting Cernak and Joseph to the side for a moment -- huge pluses on the balance sheet), it really is vastly different. It reminds me of a common legal argument: courts should look at the underlying substance of an issue over the technical form. McD is healthy and finally acclimated; Gourde is better; Cirelli is better; Stammer is better; Point is better; Sergachev is better. Arguably, other players could make this list too. But the point remains the same: the 2018-2019 roster would handily beat the 2017-2018 roster in a 7 game series.

P.S. I hope in our eventual series against the Caps, they tell themselves there is nothing to worry about because they already beat us last season.
 

TeslaCoilFan

Slightly Elite Fan
Mar 17, 2017
6,593
4,764
West of the Moon
He scored that goal against Montreal and felt "that release" and since then. Well.... Bad news for the league. I for one am just amazed how stunningly simplistic the solution to his confidence was. I'm sure Halpern has a hand in it too but I think Stamkos is probably listening to his coaches better too. Feel better play better

Wasn't that Montreal game at home here and it was Marty St. Louis night?

Because it might very well be a combination of all you've said plus a push by his mentor that got him into this new mindset. I think I remember him playing like a man possessed with St. Louis watching.

I think. Memory isn't what it used to be. :P
 

DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
46,844
22,692
NB
He scored that goal against Montreal and felt "that release" and since then. Well.... Bad news for the league. I for one am just amazed how stunningly simplistic the solution to his confidence was. I'm sure Halpern has a hand in it too but I think Stamkos is probably listening to his coaches better too. Feel better play better

It's crazy how much a little more confidence in his shot has opened up his passing game. This is the first time I've really felt like Stamkos makes his linemates better.
 

These Are The Days

Oh no! We suck again!!
May 17, 2014
34,126
19,689
Tampa Bay
It's crazy how much a little more confidence in his shot has opened up his passing game. This is the first time I've really felt like Stamkos makes his linemates better.

How does that saying about when you're thinking too hard you'll get in your own way? We could all see it. I really think it boils down to that he truly lost faith in his shot. Now that he "has it back" he's defaulting to shooting first and it is taking stress off his game and is merely doing what feels right as a playmaker now that he can just go back out to fight another day on his next shift because he will try shooting it next.

Case in point on making linemates better look at Gourde's goal. Stamkos thought shot first but the rebound hopped off the back wall and went to Gourde. It's a good luck bounce but the payoff of the adage when you shoot good things happen. Having faith in his shot again has literally fixed almost everything. Even 4 months ago Stamkos wouldve pulled up, hesitated and fumbled the puck away like he was trying to solve a Rubik's cube while playing a game of tag.

Instead he decided to be aggressive and shoot and it was the best possible pass Gourde could have gotten
 

Bolt 45

Registered User
Oct 19, 2015
1,598
819
Stammer's shooting a lot better, but to my eye the real difference is his speed and decisiveness when he has the puck. He's creating a lot of chances on his own by proactively attacking defenders and driving towards the net. He looks aggressive again, and fearless. I'd honestly forgotten the way Stammer used to play when he was younger. He seems to have found that top-of-the-foodchain killer instinct again.

Like he was trying to solve a Rubik's cube while playing a game of tag.
Lol, nice. Pretty accurate, too.
 

Hockey4Life91

Registered User
Mar 13, 2018
1,142
1,566
How does that saying about when you're thinking too hard you'll get in your own way? We could all see it. I really think it boils down to that he truly lost faith in his shot. Now that he "has it back" he's defaulting to shooting first and it is taking stress off his game and is merely doing what feels right as a playmaker now that he can just go back out to fight another day on his next shift because he will try shooting it next.

Case in point on making linemates better look at Gourde's goal. Stamkos thought shot first but the rebound hopped off the back wall and went to Gourde. It's a good luck bounce but the payoff of the adage when you shoot good things happen. Having faith in his shot again has literally fixed almost everything. Even 4 months ago Stamkos wouldve pulled up, hesitated and fumbled the puck away like he was trying to solve a Rubik's cube while playing a game of tag.

Instead he decided to be aggressive and shoot and it was the best possible pass Gourde could have gotten
This partly explains his resurgence. In my opinion, though, the underlying catalyst is the fact that Stammer finally feels healthy, and like he can fully trust his legs and knees. The perfect example is his first goal last night. To step around the defenseman like he did, Stammer had to make an explosive move sideways with his knee. It is subtle. But without the ability to trust your body, you don’t make that instant move. You play it more conservative, and that led to a less dynamic Stammer. Like you said, he finally is in attack mode. Yet I believe this is because he feels amply capable for the first time in years. This has led to better edge work, more speed and the puck flying off his stick like 2011.

The beauty is, like others have said, he had to learn to be more creative and a playmaker the last few years. So he now has re-created himself and is a more diverse player now.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Stammertime91

BowDownToVasilevskiy

Registered User
Jun 30, 2013
2,602
1,491
Canada
This partly explains his resurgence. In my opinion, though, the underlying catalyst is the fact that Stammer finally feels healthy, and like he can fully trust his legs and knees. The perfect example is his first goal last night. To step around the defenseman like he did, Stammer had to make an explosive move sideways with his knee. It is subtle. But without the ability to trust your body, you don’t make that instant move. You play it more conservative, and that led to a less dynamic Stammer. Like you said, he finally is in attack mode. Yet I believe this is because he feels amply capable for the first time in years. This has led to better edge work, more speed and the puck flying off his stick like 2011.

The beauty is, like others have said, he had to learn to be more creative and a playmaker the last few years. So he now has re-created himself and is a more diverse player now.
I'm just really happy he has found his game again by himself. He was struggling a lot in the starting of the season and wasn't even PPG but now he has 57 points in 49 games. I really hope he keeps this up need to see him hit a 40 goal season again. If we have this Stamkos in the playoffs, the rest of the east is going to be even more worried.
 

Flat Ronnie

Registered User
Feb 11, 2014
5,524
2,903
Where does he rank in the league as far as FO%, and how many of the centers on that list are point producers?
 

CupsOverCash

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
16,353
7,092
Its amazing how good he looks. Wasnt many if any that saw this coming. It was one thing that he did it for a stretch but hes done it since November now. If this Stamkos shows up for the playoffs we should at least be better than we were last year. Dont know if that brings us a cup but I like the increased chances.
 

Flat Ronnie

Registered User
Feb 11, 2014
5,524
2,903
- Been in the league for 11 season.

- 9x full season (one being the 48gm lockout where he scored 29g and 23g his 18 yr old rookie year).

- The year he broke his leg he had 25g in 37gm.

- In his 7x full season hes scored 30+ goals in 6 of them (twice over 40, once over 50 and once over 60).

- 378g/721gm career.

- 0.52 career goals per game average.

- 43g per 82gm season career average.


Perspective: since 08-09 Ovechkin has 482g/814gm. 0.59 goals per game. 48g per 82 game season.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: CupsOverCash
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->