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Zack Kassian's Future

  • Thread starter Thread starter King of the ES*
  • Start date Start date
Vajakki said:
The big issue with Kassian right now is his skating. He is actually really fast for a young, big guy in terms of north-south speed, but he is not quick enough in those small areas. Once he improves that first step speed and strength, he will no longer seem like he's constantly one step behind and therefore able to make a lot more plays.
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I actually think his mobility is pretty reasonable, IMO his size gives him a bit of a lumbering appearance. I've been impressed with his cycle work, he uses his body to protect the puck so well that he doesn't really need to be extremely mobile in tight areas.

However, I think you're right he could stand to improve his initial acceleration - it would help a bit. But I don't think that's the major issue, honestly I think it's just inexperience and confidence at this stage.
 
What he really needs to learn is to pick up, and move the puck quickly and efficiently off the wing in the defensive zone. He's terrible at that right now.
 
He is a skilled player has size and is very young , he just needs some time lots of upside with what he can do .
 
IMO his biggest problem is consistency (always a problem with young forwards especially power forwards) and being knocked off the puck too easily. I'm sure that guy is packed full of muscle, it just seems there is something wanting from his strength on his skates.
 
To me...he is the 'anti-Gallagher'.

Kassian is huge, but he too often seems to forget it, and plays like he's not a physical monster. He floats, he stands around, he tries to play the game of a 'pure skill' player. And while he does have some skill (for a big guy) he's not going to be successful playing that way.

Brendan Gallagher on the other hand...is a total runt. Looks like a Peewee player wandered out onto the ice during a game and doesn't seem to realize just how small he is. Fights hard every shift, goes after anyone and everyone, dogs the puck relentlessly, goes to the net hard and pays the price constantly around the crease but just keeps at it.

Obviously part of it is the skating...acceleration, short-area quickness in particular that Gallagher has over Kassian. But if Zack Kassian could adopt even a fraction of that intensity and aggressiveness on a consistent basis...he'd be a beast.

Kassian has those flashes where it's like someone jolted him with a cattle-prod and he goes out and starts hitting and battling and getting engaged physically. But then it just tapers off until it's gone far too quickly. It just doesn't feel like there's any 'killer instinct' there, so much as...he knows that's what's expected of him so he'll indulge occasionally. A lot like...Dustin Penner.

It's what i thought when we acquired him, and i still don't see any reason to think otherwise...it's really hard to see him breaking the 25g mark with any regularity. So we're talking...Mason Raymond type production, but with a very different 'style'. How much is that different style worth? I guess we'll see. Unless he miraculously puts it together and develops a 'Gallagher-like' attitude....in which case, sky's the limit.
 
The lack of conditioning and energy from Kassian wasn't that surprising. This is always an issue with 225lb+ forwards, especially young ones.

The thing that disappointed me most was the coaching staff's inability to get him to play a game that would best suit his strengths. Kassian spent way too much time in the corners and behind the net looking to pass, when IMO he should have been camped in front of the net, causing havoc for opposing goalies and looking for deflections and rebounds. Hopefully with a revamped coaching staff we see Kassian play a simplified game that better suits his current ability.
 
Gallagher is just one of those guys who breaks the model. He just gives it his all and never stops skating, really rare type of player, and if he weren't like that, he wouldn't be nearly as successful.

Kassian is a different kind of player, but he does need to find that tenacity that makes him go all out, maybe he should spend the offseason training with Hansen instead of the Sedins :P
 
MajorCanuck said:
I dont think you can ever fix the "acceleration" for a guy that big.
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Acceleration isn't a natural born talent, you can learn how to accelerate properly, and effectively. Why else would NHL'ers be taking personal lessons with skating coaches? To become a more explosive skater. You can improve skating, for sure.
 
biturbo19 said:
To me...he is the 'anti-Gallagher'.

Kassian is huge, but he too often seems to forget it, and plays like he's not a physical monster. He floats, he stands around, he tries to play the game of a 'pure skill' player. And while he does have some skill (for a big guy) he's not going to be successful playing that way.

Brendan Gallagher on the other hand...is a total runt. Looks like a Peewee player wandered out onto the ice during a game and doesn't seem to realize just how small he is. Fights hard every shift, goes after anyone and everyone, dogs the puck relentlessly, goes to the net hard and pays the price constantly around the crease but just keeps at it.

Obviously part of it is the skating...acceleration, short-area quickness in particular that Gallagher has over Kassian. But if Zack Kassian could adopt even a fraction of that intensity and aggressiveness on a consistent basis...he'd be a beast.

Kassian has those flashes where it's like someone jolted him with a cattle-prod and he goes out and starts hitting and battling and getting engaged physically. But then it just tapers off until it's gone far too quickly. It just doesn't feel like there's any 'killer instinct' there, so much as...he knows that's what's expected of him so he'll indulge occasionally. A lot like...Dustin Penner.

It's what i thought when we acquired him, and i still don't see any reason to think otherwise...it's really hard to see him breaking the 25g mark with any regularity. So we're talking...Mason Raymond type production, but with a very different 'style'. How much is that different style worth? I guess we'll see. Unless he miraculously puts it together and develops a 'Gallagher-like' attitude....in which case, sky's the limit.
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Gallagher is also given a longer leash than Kassian is for his physical play, his coach didn't demote him every time he made a mistake. Kassian is the kind of player who sometimes takes himself out of position when trying to make a hit or takes penalties when hitting which is pretty normal for a young player, yet during the regular season he seemed to get demoted to the 4th line every time he made a mistake which caused him to play less physical but better positionally. I thought the whole reason we acquired this guy was to have a physical presence in the top 6, he has the potential he just needs to have the confidence to know that a few mistakes aren't going to get him demoted to the 4th line with Ebbett and Sestito while Weise is playing 3rd line minutes. With young physical players you have to take the good with the bad, if you expect big hits expect some big defensive mistakes to go along with it at first, its all part of the learning process, except our coaching staff doesn't operate that way. Only Bieksa and Edler are allowed to make mistakes with zero consequence
 
biturbo19 said:
To me...he is the 'anti-Gallagher'.

Kassian is huge, but he too often seems to forget it, and plays like he's not a physical monster. He floats, he stands around, he tries to play the game of a 'pure skill' player. And while he does have some skill (for a big guy) he's not going to be successful playing that way.

Brendan Gallagher on the other hand...is a total runt. Looks like a Peewee player wandered out onto the ice during a game and doesn't seem to realize just how small he is. Fights hard every shift, goes after anyone and everyone, dogs the puck relentlessly, goes to the net hard and pays the price constantly around the crease but just keeps at it.
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Well said.

On Gallagher, though, apparently he's got freakish strength. His dad's a strength coach for the Giants and if I'm not mistaken used to be a pro boxer - a tough SOB. What Gallagher has that Kassian does not, mostly, is confidence. Very mentally strong.
 
I think a new coach will use Kassian to power forward the top line. Who else can do it? Booth?

It would be great to sign Iginla to mentor Kassian. I wish Kassian had spent more time on Malhotra's wing, too.
 
PG Canuck said:
Acceleration isn't a natural born talent, you can learn how to accelerate properly, and effectively. Why else would NHL'ers be taking personal lessons with skating coaches? To become a more explosive skater. You can improve skating, for sure.
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Also, when you read the play better and work to keep your feet moving, you don't have to start from a stand still as often.
 
The Kassian Train said:
Absolutely.

Todd Bertuzzi had 36 points in his first 116 games.
Keith Primeau had 31 points in his first 97 games.
Joe Thornton had 48 points in his first 138 games.
Zack Kassian has 21 points in his first 83 games.

Did you want me to keep going?
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I don't get it ?
So is your point that Kassian has a clearly lower PPG in his early career than all of these other guys that went on to have great careers? This despite being given more 1st/2nd line minutes than these other guys.
 
Windy River said:
I don't get it ?
So is your point that Kassian has a clearly lower PPG in his early career than all of these other guys that went on to have great careers? This despite being given more 1st/2nd line minutes than these other guys.
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Kassian is not fit. Excluding Primeau, these guys had similar issues with off-ice training, and commitment.
 
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I was practicing my shooping skills and thought this was hilarious.
 
Windy River said:
I don't get it ?
So is your point that Kassian has a clearly lower PPG in his early career than all of these other guys that went on to have great careers? This despite being given more 1st/2nd line minutes than these other guys.
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I think *the point* is that all of these guys went on to have great careers despite having slow starts. It shows that a low PPG in the first 100-150 for power-forward type players isn't terribly predictive of their future success.

I suppose you can compare their PPG and say Kassian is lower if you want, but that isn't the point. Unless you think Thornton's 0.35 PPG was a clear predictor his future success and Kassian's 0.25 PPG dooms him to never get any better ...
 
CanaFan said:
I think *the point* is that all of these guys went on to have great careers despite having slow starts. It shows that a low PPG in the first 100-150 for power-forward type players isn't terribly predictive of their future success.

I suppose you can compare their PPG and say Kassian is lower if you want, but that isn't the point. Unless you think Thornton's 0.35 PPG was a clear predictor his future success and Kassian's 0.25 PPG dooms him to never get any better ...
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That's a horribly misleading comparison. Thornton made the transition to NHL directly after being drafted and in just his second year in the NHL had 0.5 ppg and only improved from there.

At the same age kassian hasn't had a sniff of the NHL yet. In fact, he's 4 years removed from his draft and can barely put up 0.25ppg in the NHL. Joe Thornton 4 years out of his draft had 71 points in 72 games.
 
Krnuckfan said:
That's a horribly misleading comparison. Thornton made the transition to NHL directly after being drafted and in just his second year in the NHL had 0.5 ppg and only improved from there.

At the same age kassian hasn't had a sniff of the NHL yet. In fact, he's 4 years removed from his draft and can barely put up 0.25ppg in the NHL. Joe Thornton 4 years out of his draft had 71 points in 72 games.
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I wasn't comparing age so much to as much as games played. Age vs experience this in case, experience wins.
 
Krnuckfan said:
That's a horribly misleading comparison. Thornton made the transition to NHL directly after being drafted and in just his second year in the NHL had 0.5 ppg and only improved from there.

At the same age kassian hasn't had a sniff of the NHL yet. In fact, he's 4 years removed from his draft and can barely put up 0.25ppg in the NHL. Joe Thornton 4 years out of his draft had 71 points in 72 games.
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Sure and Thorton was a #1 OA pick and scored 2PPG in his draft year. No one expects Kassian to be anywhere near Thorntons production, ever. But the point is that despite all his size and skill and Boston essentially handing him a spot in the roster, he still took 2 NHL seasons to show any results. Forget Kassians age for a moment - you can't peg all players on the same development curve - and consider that Kassian is at *essentially* the same point in his NHL career as Thornton. Low production didn't doom Thornton to a grinders career and it doesn't necessarily doom Kassian either.

You can't look at a 22 yo kid and say "oh, that's what he is and all he'll ever be."
 
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