I think he’s become a plus-skater and a plus-stick handler. It’s extremely hard to protect the puck and go inside, to the net, and get a shot off mid-stride, with a guy on you. And he does it a lot. That’s coming with progress to his feet and his puck handling and his overall strength.
I also believe his shot is improve quite a bit. His catch and release, the way it’s coming off of his stick and how he’s added a mid-stride wrister. He was all about hanging out in and ripping one timers. That and mop up. But he’s really bringing some deceptive shot selections to the table these days. And he’s deadly as the bumper on the PP, too. Handling in a hurry, turning and firing.
There was a lot of Hoffman in there. But there’s a lot more Horvat, now.
And I’m talking offense only. He’s also very good defensively, great compete, and kills penalties well. Not like a Hoffman, at all.
Another factor is that he’s doing it on a minus team with a below league average offense, little depth, and two 5’10 linemates without NHL futures (one undrafted and the other a late round pick). Owen Sound ain’t Winnipeg.
My point isn’t that you should have him ranked 8th like I do. I’m not saying he’s a perfect player or that I would argue to much if you told me you had him 13th or whatever.
My point is that he’s a pretty standard issue 5-10th overall pick in almost any draft. That is honestly the only simple little point I was trying to make with my 3,000 word manifesto, here. Haha.
