I am not exaggerating when I say I genuinely think there is a legitimate arguement that he has the highest hockey IQ currently on the team other than Vanek. Obviously we have better players, but our big 3 young guys rely more on athletisism and skill than vision or play reading.
I dont think he’ll ever drive a top two line, but he is the perfect complementary player to add secondary scoring anywhere in your lineup.
I think I'm with you man.
He's just in the right spot 90% of the time. And these are his first 5 pro games? He's thinking the game. I love watching smart players. We get a top down view so we see more than most players and all their options. But once in a while you get those smart players who seem to know their options as well as you can see them on TV.
It's beautiful to watch. Nothing about these 5 games indicates, to me, that he's a flash in the pan, unsustainable lucky dogger. He's just good. And mostly because he's smart as hell
He also definitely has won board battles already. He's not coughing it up.
I actually think his biggest problem is that he defers too much too players like AA. He's looking to pass. He needs to be more confident in his own abilities. Then again it's only been 5 games and he's been an amateur this whole time so it's understandable that he's not there yet.