Once a narrative gets formed around a prospect everybody just accepts it as truth. But sometimes if you watch said prospect yourself, you'll find the narrative isn't always true.
This is speculation on my part, but my impression of QB is that he's a guy who needs time to adjust. That's why he wasn't productive in tournaments.
He's very responsible and doesn't want to be the guy who makes the bad turnover. That's part of the reason I think he needs time to feel out his surroundings.
Good things are coming, I just wonder if his conservative style will limit his point totals.
I agree. I also feel like confidence is a big thing with him.
It's why, in my opinion, his showing at the WJC may not have been what everyone hoped for. Those tournaments are short, and you need to get caught up right away. I still think he did well, and he was also having to carry a coach's favorite who was underwhelming, himself.
It's also why the bottom-six deployment wasn't a good idea, in my opinion. Being a skilled player not being trusted to be a skilled player won't give you the confidence as a skilled player. You saw his assertiveness grow exponentially within two games of playing with Kempe and Kopitar.
Playing more minutes would have given him more reps to hone his craft, acclimate, and build confidence.
In the end, it seems to be working out as he's playing much better. I'm just a believer of empowering players to make mistakes and rein things in if they get overwhelmed, as opposed to limiting their responsibilities and thus putting an artificial ceiling - if only temporary.
