Anton Lundell *cough* finnish next superstar. *Cough* my fav player in that year draft and previous wjc tournaments.
GDT: Game #2 of 82: Blues @ Coyotes - 10pm ET
- Thread starter JoernAZ
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- Feb 12, 2008
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ChicagoBlues
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Yes! Anticipation!!
He's a puck hound without over-pursuing and knows where to be. He's more of play hound. Is that a term?
These two games are the only two that I've ever seen of Jake Neighbours. Like with most recently-drafted players, I had little interest in Neighbours, but when he paid his way to Camp, I became interested. Not so much that I wanted to watch anything prior to the regular season.
Neighbours' first two NHL games were fun to watch. Kostin got himself into position, but it was Neighours who made that play and he made it because he knew where to be. He has hockey instinct. Is that the same has hockey IQ? From a mere 2 NHL games, I can clearly see that Jake Neighbours is already an NHL player or near that.
I will miss the game tonight, but if Jake plays another good game, then I think he is gonna stay with the Blues.
At least once (maybe twice), he closed on an opposing forward and cut him off almost to the extent of interference, but eased up just enough to disrupt the play and not be penalized.
Can't wait for tonight's game and to read and watch highlights.
Love it! More, please. Thank you.
He's a puck hound without over-pursuing and knows where to be. He's more of play hound. Is that a term?
These two games are the only two that I've ever seen of Jake Neighbours. Like with most recently-drafted players, I had little interest in Neighbours, but when he paid his way to Camp, I became interested. Not so much that I wanted to watch anything prior to the regular season.
Neighbours' first two NHL games were fun to watch. Kostin got himself into position, but it was Neighours who made that play and he made it because he knew where to be. He has hockey instinct. Is that the same has hockey IQ? From a mere 2 NHL games, I can clearly see that Jake Neighbours is already an NHL player or near that.
I will miss the game tonight, but if Jake plays another good game, then I think he is gonna stay with the Blues.
At least once (maybe twice), he closed on an opposing forward and cut him off almost to the extent of interference, but eased up just enough to disrupt the play and not be penalized.
Can't wait for tonight's game and to read and watch highlights.
Love it! More, please. Thank you.
ChicagoBlues
Terraformers
- Oct 24, 2006
- 15,085
- 6,103
Celtic Note
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Yeah his IQ is solid. That’s not where his limitations reside at the moment. It mainly is the skill and how to wield it that needs development. I think the AHL would be a good place to test and develop skills that will allow him to reach another level offensively. The NHL isn’t particularly a good place do do that IMO because the stakes are much different. There is a lot more leeway in the AHL for trying things and you have more opportunity to continue to try things until you get them right. The NHL isn’t as forgiving. The challenge is that AHL isn’t an option and I am not sure juniors does much for him due to the quality of competition.
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That home/away series vs Columbus where Oshie knocked Rick Nash on his ass, then caught him with a reverse shoulder when Nash was looking for revenge in Columbus...that was pretty special.
Majorityof1
Registered User
I actually agree with this. I think Neighbours has a high hockey IQ, especially for a 19 year old. However, I don't think a merely high IQ is enough given the rest of his skill set. That is why I wrote "super high IQ". Maybe its semantics, but I think there is another level of thinking the game he has not yet hit. Think of Neighbours as making Dean's list in college while Super high IQ is graduating top of class from Harvard at 12 years old.
As an example in hockey practice, Neighbours only thinks through half the play. He can get into the open ice and get the puck but then what? His shot is awful so he isn't beating the goalie. His vision in open ice is lacking so he can't find the guy who pops open when the defense reacts to him getting the puck in open ice, nor could he thread the pass if he saw someone. If he had super high IQ, he wouldn't even have to look. He would know. I don't see that. His point come off the wall because he can slow the play down, hold the puck with his size, and think ahead one move. He's not yet at grand master chess level where he is thinking 3 moves ahead while flying down ice. Now I don't expect a 19 year old to do that. But if he wants to be a game changer with his skill set at 19, he needs something more to put him over the top. As you said, I don't think he is developing that easily in the NHL, nor is he really pushing the team forward without it.
Methinks you're being way too hard on him. How many players do what you describe. He's made some great passes, both in preseason and regular, that guys like Barbie never would have thought to make, let alone someone like Mac Mac.
Majorityof1
Registered User
How many players make the team at 19? If he's not there, then let him develop. That is all I am saying. Don't push him up to for a role that MacMac fills almost as well. MacMac and Barby are better skaters and better shots than Neighbours. They may not be as smart hockey IQ wise, but they have better skill sets at this point.
Show me a highlight of one pass Neighbours made that those guys wouldn't have thought to make? His assists were passes off the boards at center ice when he was pressured to the player streaking to the o-zone and and a pass from behind the net to the slot. Those are hockey 101 passes. Not everyone could make them because not everyone could get the puck clean enough to make them. But anyone would think to make it. Neighbours isn't Thomas who makes crazy passes nobody expects because nobody would think to try it. Just because Neighbours is 19 and strong enough to make the team, people are way overhyping what he is doing well.
Both the saucer pass in preseason and the pass to Kostin the other night were a level above what Barbie would do. I'm not saying he's Wayne Gretzky or Adam Oates or anything, but just bc he doesn't skate like Kyrou or snipe like Perron doesn't mean he's not skilled player. If he can keep up with play and as vets round into shape, his growth is likely better served learning here than dominating juniors.
parliamentlite
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- Feb 26, 2019
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Long term, Neighbors seems pretty clearly like he has the ceiling of a very solid 2 way forward. In terms of skill and ceiling he's clearly a cut above several good roster players we have right now.
He's also 19 and it's an 82 game season against the best-conditioned athletes in the sport. The big question is if he can hold up full-time over a season playing a physical style or if he might need some time back in Canada while his body matures.
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