I think his footwork is great, he's so quick to pivot, crossovers are clean, and top end speed is just fun to watch.
He’s got a high end top gear and multi-crossover pop. The point I keep emphasizing is it’s not WITH the puck, or it’s into a lane for someone to give it to him. It stood out on Guelph how little the fastest guy and best player on the team was used to solo transition it. Hopefully, he makes some progress there. But that’s not all (or even mostly) his skating.
I don’t know how you’re defining footwork, but I’m not defining it as crossovers. I’m talking stop/starts, edges, step patterning. It’s fine, but I do find his lower half on the stiff side. A lot of it is deception; he doesn’t have much wiggle. That’s a complicated chaining of skills.
I think Bonk can be that steady #2 that compliments an elite offensive 1D, or a guy who carries the 2nd pairing if he hits, and he's definitely trending that way since he was drafted.
So, he needs an elite offensive guy (he ain’t coming) to be a top pair defender, but he can
carry a 2nd pair? Carry it how? When the distinction between 1st and 2nd pair usage is blurred today?
As I said, the talent level to be this kind of player is understated. You’re basically telling me his impacts will be Sanheim-level, shift the adjectives around. We did this with Provorov (and then some), York…..Bonk’s profile isn’t even that.