How difficult is it for a player to switch from RW to LW?
There are many difficulties for wingers to make that switch if they are used to playing one position for most of their career. Here's a list of issues that the players may struggle with in making that change:
-Accepting passes on the backhand as opposed to forehand when playing on the off-wing.
-Taking pucks off the boards on the backhand or forehand.
-Rushing up the ice down the wing on the backhand as opposed to forehand.
-Cutting from the boards to the middle of the ice to left to right or vice versa, which can leave a player exposed to a backside checker.
-Players shooting from their off-wing inside the offensive zone may have a better quality shot as opposed to those shooting from their strong side, however, they also tend to put the puck wide a bit more. For example, a left hand shot coming down the right side is going to try to pick the top left corner since that's the strongest area of the net he could place a shot, and it isn't easy picking corners.
Those are just some of the things I could think of off the top of my head with what may cause a winger to struggle in making that transition. It's also about the individual players' comfort. If he's not comfortable adjusting to the opposite wing, then it isn't going to work.
I'm reminded of the Canucks trying to play Bure and Mogilny together, but they never clicked as linemates because they're both left-handed shots playing right wing, and one of them had to adjust to playing left wing, and their numbers took a hit as a result.
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