Yes. I agree he has been better in the past with his agility, but for quite a while he has been taken to the boards and relieved of the puck. He may be being targeted now that other teams are seeing him as an easy way to get possession in either end.
Some smaller skilled players are better at it. Ehlers for instance or even pionk on defense. Either way and for whatever reason, I think it’s dragging down 55 and 13. Having only 2/3 of your line able to possess the puck, means the line as a whole can’t hold possession, because if I see it then other teams are definitely seeing it and adjusting accordingly.
I really hate to come across as being so down on KC, but he hasn’t been great in quite a while and I’m just being honest. (And yes I’m happy he scored for us last night when we needed it).
I agree that he is being targeted -
I responded to anther poster earlier regarding the attention he gets - and he's getting a lot more now than he did earlier in his career.
Whether or not we agree, he is one of the top 2 or 3 players on this team that apposing teams will zero in on - because if you don't, he'll make you pay as he has through his career. And IMO, if you were to ask teams who they need to be focusing on (taking away space), he might be at the top of the list because of his production.
These small elite guys are not physical - so it only makes sense that teams will try to be physical with them - either to intimidate or to push them off their game - and that is impacting KC's game.
Another thing that we need to consider (and rarely do) is the impact of the attention he gets - sure, it impacts his game, but it also opens up space for his line mates. KC is not seeing those lanes like he used to - remember when he only scored goals? Now he's dishing off to his line mates more and the assists are piling up. It's no secret that players who produce, get a lot of attention - so they need to adapt their game.
As for Ehlers who is better at it, I disagree - he's no better at board battles than KC - but he's rarely is in them and when he is, he's ineffective (from a physical standpoint - just like KC). He generates off the rush. Pionk is a Dman who plays (or tries to play) a more physical game - but he's no offensive wizard - that's why I said small, highly skilled players.
KC is now in a place where he needs to build on his game - he won't see the same opportunities and he'll need to adapt. I'm hoping he can learn to drive more offense off the rush - but that hasn't been his bread / butter in the past but it could be. He can skate - he just need to learn to drive play and he has the skills to do that (if not the experience).
It's also interesting that when you throw the stats up, there is no consideration for game event stuff like this.