Confirmed with Link: Rangers sign Blake Wheeler [1Y/800K]

[NickyFotiu]

I like that he will be wearing #17. The NYR need better players wearing #17

 

[Talisman_52]

Wasn’t Wheeler one of the faster skaters in the league earlier in his career? The way his skating is being talked about you’d think he’s at a Ryan Reaves level. Reaves is a good soldier but he was a sloth skating wise.

Has Wheeler’s speed really dropped off that much?

 

[EdJovanovski]

Wasn’t Wheeler one of the faster skaters in the league earlier in his career? The way his skating is being talked about you’d think he’s at a Ryan Reaves level. Reaves is a good soldier but he was a sloth skating wise.

Has Wheeler’s speed really dropped off that much?

No he's always been a slow skater, you're probably confusing him with his teammate whos name sounds very similar (Ehlers, pronounced eelers)

 

[RangersFan1994]

No he's always been a slow skater, you're probably confusing him with his teammate whos name sounds very similar (Ehlers, pronounced eelers)

How can someone confuse the 2 besides their names, 2 different types of players.

 

[EdJovanovski]

How can someone confuse the 2 besides their names, 2 different types of players.

He may have been watching a game against the Jets and heard the broadcast talk about Ehlers speed and thought they were talking about Wheeler. Ehlers is known as one of the best skaters in the league, there was no point ever where Wheeler was.

 

[Talisman_52]

No he's always been a slow skater, you're probably confusing him with his teammate whos name sounds very similar (Ehlers, pronounced eelers)

Thanks for the reply. My hockey watching during the regular season is pretty limited to the Rangers only. For some reason I thought Wheeler had Krieder-esque skating attributes when he was drafted. Looks like I just flat out misremembered his abilities.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

He may have been watching a game against the Jets and heard the broadcast talk about Ehlers speed and thought they were talking about Wheeler. Ehlers is known as one of the best skaters in the league, there was no point ever where Wheeler was.

While Wheeler was not known as one of the best skaters overall in the league, he absolutely was one of the best for his size until he got older.

You calling him "always . . . a slow skater" is just not accurate. He was an excellent skater early in his career.

I've watched Wheeler since his USHL days. Never in the course of his career was he ever considered "a slow skater."

Thanks for the reply. My hockey watching during the regular season is pretty limited to the Rangers only. For some reason I thought Wheeler had Krieder-esque skating attributes when he was drafted. Looks like I just flat out misremembered his abilities.

You did not. He was never as fast or as agile as Kreider, but he was an excellent skater for much of his career.

 

[EdJovanovski]

While Wheeler was not known as one of the best skaters overall in the league, he absolutely was one of the best for his size until he got older.

You calling him "always . . . a slow skater" is just not accurate. He was an excellent skater early in his career.

I've watched Wheeler since his USHL days. Never in the course of his career was he ever considered "a slow skater."



You did not. He was never as fast or as agile as Kreider, but he was an excellent skater for much of his career.

For his size? well there is barely anyone his size lol, overall he was never a speedster

 

[Hunter Gathers]

For his size? well there is barely anyone his size lol, overall he was never a speedster

Flat out inaccurate. I watched Wheeler heavily in the USHL and the NCAA (and his early years in the league). He was always a very good skater (and excellent for his size). He was never, ever a "slow skater." Not at any point. He's STILL not a slow skater even if he's not as mobile as he was when he was young.

I do not know what you're talking about since it's just not accurate. All I can think of is that you are thinking of another player.

Hell, Wheeler went as high as he did in the draft (which was a shock at the time) due to his physical skills and skating.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

The idea that Blake Wheeler was a slow skater as a young guy is just silly. His game winning goal in '05 was an insane goal that he had to beat icing on to score. He skated around a pretty quick forward in Brian Canady, too, to score that goal.

Wheeler skated against/with TJ Oshie, Goligoski, etc. during that game and never looked slow or out of place. That was some loaded final.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Flat out inaccurate. I watched Wheeler heavily in the USHL and the NCAA (and his early years in the league). He was always a very good skater (and excellent for his size). He was never, ever a "slow skater." Not at any point. He's STILL not a slow skater even if he's not as mobile as he was when he was young.

I do not know what you're talking about since it's just not accurate. All I can think of is that you are thinking of another player.

Hell, Wheeler went as high as he did in the draft (which was a shock at the time) due to his physical skills and skating.

You've seen more of him than me so I'll take your word for it, though I have seen more of him than most Ranger fans since I am from Western Canada and they play the Canucks a lot more than they play the Rangers. I'm sure you agree though he was never one of the "best skaters in the league", so I just thought, he did have a teammate with a very similar sounding name who is one of the best skaters in the league, so he could've easily heard them during a game and thought they said Wheeler.

I do like Wheeler, definitely not trying to bash the guy. But from my viewings of him the impression I got was that he was sort of a poor mans Draisaitl. A big strong guy with great vision & passing, but a little oaf-like in his movement lol.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Flat out inaccurate. I watched Wheeler heavily in the USHL and the NCAA (and his early years in the league). He was always a very good skater (and excellent for his size). He was never, ever a "slow skater." Not at any point. He's STILL not a slow skater even if he's not as mobile as he was when he was young.

I do not know what you're talking about since it's just not accurate. All I can think of is that you are thinking of another player.

Hell, Wheeler went as high as he did in the draft (which was a shock at the time) due to his physical skills and skating.

The narrative is he can't skate and you know how narratives go around this place. Very hard to change. I watched him in about 5-10 games last year and he looked pretty damn good to me. I guarantee you some people who say he can't skate or is slow haven't watched him at all.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

You've seen more of him than me so I'll take your word for it, though I have seen more of him than most Ranger fans since I am from Western Canada and they play the Canucks a lot more than they play the Rangers. I'm sure you agree though he was never one of the "best skaters in the league", so I just thought, he did have a teammate with a very similar sounding name who is one of the best skaters in the league, so he could've easily heard them during a game and thought they said Wheeler.

I do like Wheeler, definitely not trying to bash the guy. But from my viewings of him the impression I got was that he was sort of a poor mans Draisaitl. A big strong guy with great vision & passing, but a little oaf-like in his movement lol.

He lost some of his agility as he aged. When Wheeler was a young guy (maybe until about 31 or so as that's when I think he started to lose his agility), dude was really a freak athletically. I mean, he still is. Just not as much obviously.

These tall guys ALWAYS look oaf-ish when they move. Even if they move at speed. Wheeler a true 6'5", too. Not like a 6'3" dude who inflates his height, lol.

The narrative is he can't skate and you know how narratives go around this place. Very hard to change. I watched him in about 5-10 games last year and he looked pretty damn good to me. I guarantee you some people who say he can't skate or is slow haven't watched him at all.

I think some of it may just be since tall skaters look stupid most times anyway even if they are good skaters. The motions are just so exaggerated and such.

My favorite awful tall guy skater was Sandy McCarthy. Dude was hilarious on ice. Looked like he was a newborn fawn or something.

 

[NickyFotiu]

 

[huerter]

 

[NickyFotiu]

 

[haohmaru]

The narrative is he can't skate and you know how narratives go around this place. Very hard to change. I watched him in about 5-10 games last year and he looked pretty damn good to me. I guarantee you some people who say he can't skate or is slow haven't watched him at all.

The narrative around this place is that the entire team can't skate, FWIW.

 

[NickyFotiu]

The narrative around this place is that the entire team can't skate, FWIW.

Im as optimistic as any #NYR fan around but when I look at our current roster I only see around 3-4 guys with above average speed. Am I wrong? I like the Blake signing though.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Player A
69 games
18 G 32 A 50 P (21 ES)
50.6 CF
104.2 PDO
45.5 CF at ES
1.0 G/60 (.9 ES)
16:21 ATOI

Player B
72 games
16 G 39 A 55 P (31 ES)
58% CF
101 PDO
54.0 CF at ES
.8 G/60 (.8 at ES)
17:03 ATOI

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Im as optimistic as any #NYR fan around but when I look at our current roster I only see around 3-4 guys with above average speed. Am I wrong? I like the Blake signing though.

They are an average skating NHL team which can be helped by structure and a plan with the puck as the puck moves faster than individual skaters.

 

[NickyFotiu]

They are an average skating NHL team which can be helped by structure and a plan with the puck as the puck moves faster than individual skaters.

That really does not answer my question though. How many of them as individuals are above average skaters? I will give you CK, Chytil, and KAM. How many others? Who?

 

[EdJovanovski]

They are an average skating NHL team which can be helped by structure and a plan with the puck as the puck moves faster than individual skaters.

Name 10 slower skating teams

 

[NickyFotiu]

So when asked if he sees himself fitting into the Rangers’ top-six during his introductory Zoom call Monday afternoon, Wheeler made it clear that he wasn’t dwelling on the specifics of his role with his new team.
“I think my focus is coming in and having a great summer,” the longtime Jets right winger said. “Coming in as great a shape as I can be, and it’s something I take a lot of pride in. Put my best foot forward. If that’s the opportunity I get, I believe it’s an area I can excel in.
“You look at the roster and there’s world-class players up and down this lineup, especially at the forward position. I see myself being able to complement some of those elite guys that this roster has.
“I hope I earn that opportunity, and if I do, I believe I can make the guys around me better. And I know those guys are going to make me better, too.”

 

[PuckLuck3043]

That really does not answer my question though. How many of them as individuals are above average skaters? I will give you CK, Chytil, and KAM. How many others? Who?

Maybe Mika., Like I said overall its an average skating team IMO. I don't get too worked up about it either like it's the only thing that matters. If it was Julien Gauthier would be an all star and guys like Fox and Robertson of Dallas would be scrubs.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Maybe Mika., Like I said overall its an average skating team IMO. I don't get too worked up about it either like it's the only thing that matters. If it was Julien Gauthier would be an all star and guys like Fox and Robertson of Dallas would be scrubs.

Id be okay listing Mika as above average. Speed is not the only thing. Speed will not guarantee a win but no speed will make it much harder.