Whoshattenkirkshoes
Registered User
- Aug 11, 2014
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He didn’t play tonight. Anybody know what’s up?
He didn’t play tonight. Anybody know what’s up?
Where is everyone at with Zadina these days?
I was hoping my opinion of him would have changed for the better by now, but unfortunately it's only getting worse...
Last year I got on him about his skating and decision-making. I think his skating is actually improved now. I still wouldn't define him as a particularly fast player, but he definitely has the legs to keep up.
Also, I think I was wrong about his decision-making being the problem. I'm now questioning his entire hockey IQ. He is an incredibly frustrating player to watch. So much ability, yet he has seemingly no idea how to use it. He's like a Ferrari with a chimp behind the wheel. He's constantly behind the play - not because he is slow - but because his anticipation of the play is so poor. I was hoping finishing out the season last year and having this summer to prepare would have better acclimated him to the systems in GR. I don't think it took at all.
To his credit, he seems frustrated at times, like he knows things are not going his way.... The effort is there, he still backchecks hard, but it's like he doesn't always know what his assignment is or something. I see the same sort of thing continuing in the O zone as well. I'm still super doubtful that he's ever going to be much of a playmaker/play-driver. He needs to just set up at the top of the circle like Stammer does and endlessly bean the goalie off feeds from someone who CAN make a play. It will be a tough pill to swallow if a former #6 ends up as a passenger player like that, but it might be his best shot at racking up big goal totals. Or maybe he hits the squat rack and works on his dangles and he can be an AA type. I just don't see him ever functioning in a proper cycle that well.
Any GR watchers seeing the same or different?
That is exactly what he should not do. Truth of the matter is that he doesn't work hard enough off of the puck as it is and depends upon his line mates to do too much of the lifting. You are asking him to become a worse version of himself. I don't think he is dumb, but he is a pretty passive player all things considered when he does not have the puck and spends a lot of time watching the puck instead of moving his feet. The harder he works off of the puck the more he will find himself with the puck. He needs to start fighting for the middle of the ice more and getting his nose dirty. He spends far too much time on the perimeter at the moment.
More importantly, he was very going to truly drive the play at the professional level. He has always been a very dependent scorer with good skill,even at the junior level. If you are expecting something else, you are going to be frustrated. Please appreciate his draft position does not dictate or indicate the style of a player.
I do agree though that the skating has gotten better. There is still obviously room for improvement but the stride is looking much better.
McGuire was asked if the Red Wings are more likely to trade Zadina because he wasn't drafted by Yzerman.
"Usually, when you're drafted by an organization and those management people are still there, you get a little bit more of a reprieve and a little bit longer leash to run with," McGuire said.
"Once you change the management and you were drafted by the previous group, you don't have nearly as much familiarity with the guys coming in and they don't have the same familiarity with you. Usually but not always, it opens up more potential to be moved."
When asked if Yzerman likely had reports from his days as general manager in Tampa Bay that Zadina never should've been picked sixth overall in the 2018 draft, McGuire said, "That's fair. That's more than fair."
Pierre McGuire know very little (other than where every person ever went to college) and his opinion should be treated as mostly fluff on most things. Also, the person who wrote this story suggesting that Zadina should never have been drafted that high is ridiculous, as him falling to 6 was considering shocking and/or surprising and was definitely considered the Wings catching a break that he fell there, not that they reached well above. Just because he is disappointing right now, doesn't change how he was viewed then.
When asked if Yzerman likely had reports from his days as general manager in Tampa Bay that Zadina never should've been picked sixth overall in the 2018 draft, McGuire said, "That's fair. That's more than fair."
The writer didn't suggest that. The writer asked whether or not Yzerman believed Zadina was worth a 6th at the time.
When asked if Yzerman likely had reports from his days as general manager in Tampa Bay that Zadina never should've been picked sixth overall in the 2018 draft.
He suggested it with his wording right there in the bold.
It was interesting.
And I think McGuire's comments about first rounders and a new regime probably apply to Svech more than Zadina at this point.
Regardless, what's everyone's take on Zadina right now.
Is he a legit top 9er?
Top 6er?
Top liner?
Is he ready for the NHL by October 2020? 2021?
It was interesting.
And I think McGuire's comments about first rounders and a new regime probably apply to Svech more than Zadina at this point.
Regardless, what's everyone's take on Zadina right now.
Is he a legit top 9er?
Top 6er?
Top liner?
Is he ready for the NHL by October 2020? 2021?
Honestly think Svech is now, and will continue to be, more fit to be an NHL hockey player than Zadina. Yzerman is keeping him out of the fire this year exercising that weird injury loophole, but after this year Svech willl be up full time.
Zadina is Hudler 2.0 so top9 I guess
What "crap in junior's " are you referring to?I think he's a top6 guy. I get people being frustrated with him, and I don't get to watch the GR games, but watching him in the preseason I thought he was clearly working hard, he didn't float defensively, but he looked like he was still trying to pull crap that worked in juniors but won't work in the pros. Another year of experience, and then a summer of conditioning, I think will be big for him. I still don't see him making the team out of camp next fall, but I'm betting he fights for a callup mid way through the season.
What "crap in junior's " are you referring to?
Remember when he would repeatedly have the puck in the offensive zone, wander over to the half wall, and then just try skating to the middle of the ice? Then he would either give it up then and there or get flushed back to the half wall where the defense would pressure and he'd give the puck then. That was a biggie, and he'd revert to that move all of the time because he just didn't seem comfortable with what the defense was showing him and it was a move he could make work for himself in the past.
As I said, I think the guy was working out there, though. It wasn't a lack of effort, and I thought he was good defensively. He didn't try cheating on that side of the puck to drive his offense. He just has to learn the pro game.
Zadina can shoot, there is no question about that. He's not showing much in the way of offensive creativity, though. He may have a better chance at a pro career if he goes Happy Gilmore and switches to golf. Joking aside, Jiri Hudler showed way more spark even early in his Griffins career. I have a hard time believing that Zadina will reach that level even with additional time to grow.
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As far as the Zadina and Hudler comparison.... maybe? If Zadina turns things around he could possibly be a poor man's Hudler. That's the ceiling I believe. I think Hudler was far more creative offensively than Zadina is. Like you posted earlier, Zadina is a passenger.
Are we ok to be disappointed that a #3 dropping to #6 to us hasn't had a significant impact yet? Sure. Does writing him off as a bust or a 3rd liner have any justification? Not yet.