Is Phil Kessel an anomaly?

[The Grim Reaper]

I'm not positive but I think Jagr was not a fitness fanatic until he had some veteran influences. Could be wrong, it was a long time ago.

Jagr might not have always been a fitness fanatic, but he's always been built like a f***ing train. His leg strength is ridiculous. Incredibly hard to bump off the puck.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I agree with that if we're talking about Ovechkin after 2010, but I wouldn't make that argument about Ovechkin when he was 23-24 years old. He was a force and he just overpowered the opponent.

He was frightening as hell, as was Jagr, etc, but it's just the nature of the position.

You just can't win a SC with a great winger as your best player.

You need to have a #1 type pivot or it just won't happen. I can't even remember the last team lead by a winger to win a cup... St. Louis? Of course he had Lecavalier so not even a good example. Would have to look back into the 80s because I can't think of any team in the last 30+ years...

 

[Iapyi]

A player whose conditioning and body is constantly questioned, yet is one of the most explosive players in the league.

He's played almost 900 games while avoiding contact, never forechecking, loosing every puck battle and pulling up on entries if a clear lane isn't available. He's never in a position to get hit, not even to make a play. You would think he lacks drive or wouldn't be an elite playoff performer due to all that, yet he is.

It stands out especially because he's on the Penguins. You have Crosby arguably the hardest worker in the league, constantly training and taking abuse all over the ice to make the play... then you have Phil staring at puck battles, jumping away from another humans touch and yet has performed at or near Crosby's level in the much more physical and tighter playoffs.

In 2018, how does such a specimen become one of the top athletes in a sport? How is it possible to do it while dismissing basic hockey fundamentals?

a lot of this is the crux of why real hockey fans are not enamoured by kiseiefk's game. the inexperienced fan is not astute enough to pick up on these deficiencies and the problems they create for a hockey team. all they see is a guy who can skate fast with a lethal shot and they think that makes him a good hockey player.

i don't care about his conditioning or lack of conditioning or what he looks like. it's his style of game that i don't care for.

 

[Straight Fire]

Be in okay shape and the hydrate the heck out of yourself game day and you'll have lots of energy. I wish I knew the value of proper hydration when I was young and playing. I learned it pretty much at the end of my career.

 

[olli]

He was frightening as hell, as was Jagr, etc, but it's just the nature of the position.

You just can't win a SC with a great winger as your best player.

You need to have a #1 type pivot or it just won't happen. I can't even remember the last team lead by a winger to win a cup... St. Louis? Of course he had Lecavalier so not even a good example. Would have to look back into the 80s because I can't think of any team in the last 30+ years...

Chicago did it with Kane.

 

[Laineux]

He was frightening as hell, as was Jagr, etc, but it's just the nature of the position.

You just can't win a SC with a great winger as your best player.

You need to have a #1 type pivot or it just won't happen. I can't even remember the last team lead by a winger to win a cup... St. Louis? Of course he had Lecavalier so not even a good example. Would have to look back into the 80s because I can't think of any team in the last 30+ years...

You've already written off Tampa Bay completely from winning the Cup?

 

[WolfgangPuck]

Just shows don’t need to look muscular to have a wickely fast shot