As soon as I read this about Poirer I stopped reading. "While not a speedster he’s improved his top end speed to being at an average level and the fact that he can now keep up with with the play really helped him over the last two years."
Guy has always been a fast skater.
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Thanks for the article. Don't understand the comments about poiriers speed being average. Every single highlight of poirier has him blowing by everybody with explosive speed.
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The issue with Poirier's skating isn't really his speed, it's his stride. It's very bowlegged, he's taking smaller strides than everyone else but he's just so fast with his first few steps anyway.
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The issue I've seen discussed is the efficiency of his skating stride/technique. He's plenty fast but perhaps expends too much energy which tires him during games. An improved technique will give him more 60 minute zip.
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The issue with Poirier's skating isn't really his speed, it's his stride. It's very bowlegged, he's taking smaller strides than everyone else but he's just so fast with his first few steps anyway.
Exactly
Top End Speed = skating a long distance for the puck.
Acceleration = first few steps, driving wide on an opponent and going past him, changing speeds.
150 foot races for pucks are rare in hockey.... The acceleration is far more important than the speed, and I grade the acceleration as good. Acceleration is what you need in the short race for a loose puck, or going in on a defender and making a quick move to the outside and changing speed to get by him.
From the article: "The other areas of Poirier’s skating are generally pretty good. He has above average acceleration, and a quick first step. This makes him more quick than fast and he is quick to react and pick up loose pucks. His agility and edgework are also decent allowing Poirier to weave through traffic, and to get around defenders and take the puck to the net. The acceleration and ability to change speeds helps him to take a defender wide."
So not for you, but for others above you, read the whole paragraph and understand the differences between top end speed and acceleration when you say I don't know what I'm talking about with regards to his skating... its two different things, and overall I graded his skating as good, because while his stride robs him of having elite top end speed, the other areas are good, and they are more important anyway.
Exactly
Top End Speed = skating a long distance for the puck.
Acceleration = first few steps, driving wide on an opponent and going past him, changing speeds.
150 races for pucks are rare in hockey.... The acceleration is far more important than the speed, and I grade the acceleration as good.
From the article: "The other areas of Poirier’s skating are generally pretty good. He has above average acceleration, and a quick first step. This makes him more quick than fast and he is quick to react and pick up loose pucks. His agility and edgework are also decent allowing Poirier to weave through traffic, and to get around defenders and take the puck to the net. The acceleration and ability to change speeds helps him to take a defender wide."
So not for you, but for others above you, read the whole paragraph and understand the differences between top end speed and acceleration when you say I don't know what I'm talking about with regards to his skating... its two different things, and overall I graded his skating as good, because while his stride robs him of having elite top end speed, the other areas are good, and they are more important anyway.
I don't know dude. Monahan has what I would call average top end speed and while I don't claim to have seen Poirier extensively his top end speed appears by my eye to be much faster than Monahan's. You are allowed an opinion though no matter how much it differs from other scouts so no need to be offended if not everyone agrees with you.
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Exactly
Top End Speed = skating a long distance for the puck.
Acceleration = first few steps, driving wide on an opponent and going past him, changing speeds.
150 foot races for pucks are rare in hockey.... The acceleration is far more important than the speed, and I grade the acceleration as good. Acceleration is what you need in the short race for a loose puck, or going in on a defender and making a quick move to the outside and changing speed to get by him.
From the article: "The other areas of Poirier’s skating are generally pretty good. He has above average acceleration, and a quick first step. This makes him more quick than fast and he is quick to react and pick up loose pucks. His agility and edgework are also decent allowing Poirier to weave through traffic, and to get around defenders and take the puck to the net. The acceleration and ability to change speeds helps him to take a defender wide."
So not for you, but for others above you, read the whole paragraph and understand the differences between top end speed and acceleration when you say I don't know what I'm talking about with regards to his skating... its two different things, and overall I graded his skating as good, because while his stride robs him of having elite top end speed, the other areas are good, and they are more important anyway.
I still call B.S. You said "While not a speedster he’s improved his top end speed to being at an average level" which is absolutely just not true, the guy is probably our fastest skating prospect. He is more quick than fast? What the hell does that even mean, they are the same thing man? He might have a weird style of skating but it totally works for him because he is a very fast skater. I don't care how he does it, he can skate on his tippytoes for all I care as long as it is effective.
I still call B.S. You said "While not a speedster he’s improved his top end speed to being at an average level" which is absolutely just not true, the guy is probably our fastest skating prospect. He is more quick than fast? What the hell does that even mean, they are the same thing man? He might have a weird style of skating but it totally works for him because he is a very fast skater. I don't care how he does it, he can skate on his tippytoes for all I care as long as it is effective.
I agree. Although I do see quickness and top-end speed as something very different. Quickness is moving side to side or accelerating and top end is how fast you are going at full stride. Some people have great agility but average top end speed (Cammalleri). Some people have mediocre agility but great north-south speed (Galiardi, Glencross). Some people have both.
Either way I think Poirier is well above average in both of those areas. And yeah, if his stride was more efficient it would make him that much better, but that doesn't mean that he isn't already stupid fast. I agree I couldn't care less how he looks when he skates, as long as he's getting it done.
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As soon as I read this about Poirer I stopped reading. "While not a speedster he’s improved his top end speed to being at an average level and the fact that he can now keep up with with the play really helped him over the last two years."
Guy has always been a fast skater.
average level LOL
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Clips/GIFs of Poirier blowing by people would seem appropriate.
Oh you mean short burst acceleration? Yeah..... those are great and all.
In most cases, Highlights show you acceleration. They don't show you top end speed... racing down the ice on a backcheck when you are caught, chasing down an icing, getting in on the forecheck. These are Top end speed.
Going on a rush and suddenly changing speeds as you go around the defender? acceleration. Catching a guy flat footed and cutting hard to the net? acceleration. Making a quick move to get away from a defender and open for the pass? acceleration.
You can have one without the other. But the second is more important anyway.
Quick and Fast are two different things in sports... it may not make sense to some, but it is true.
This is also one of many reasons why youtube scouting is B.S..... you can see acceleration, but you rarely if ever get top end speed in highlights. You also are only seeing any players absolute best plays, and not what he looks like over the course of several games.
Oh you mean short burst acceleration? Yeah..... those are great and all.
In most cases, Highlights show you acceleration. They don't show you top end speed... racing down the ice on a backcheck when you are caught, chasing down an icing, getting in on the forecheck. These are Top end speed.
Going on a rush and suddenly changing speeds as you go around the defender? acceleration. Catching a guy flat footed and cutting hard to the net? acceleration. Making a quick move to get away from a defender and open for the pass? acceleration.
You can have one without the other. But the second is more important anyway.
Quick and Fast are two different things in sports... it may not make sense to some, but it is true.
This is also one of many reasons why youtube scouting is B.S..... you can see acceleration, but you rarely if ever get top end speed in highlights. You also are only seeing any players absolute best plays, and not what he looks like over the course of several games.
Some of us have seen him play live, dude does not slow down. He is just plain fast.
Some of us have seen him play live, dude does not slow down. He is just plain fast.
I have seen him live as well.
With all due respect... you also said and I quote "He is more quick than fast? What the hell does that even mean, they are the same thing man?" which tells me you don't quite understand the concept I'm talking about.
Two of the first three highlights in the video have Poirier skating from the top of the circle in his own end to the opposition's goal at high speed (such high speed that nobody can keep up with him or effectively check him). Are you suggesting that had he started at the goal line he wouldn't be able to maintain it?
Short bursts don't cover 2/3rds of the ice surface. Saying Poirier is not a speedster is absolutely bizarre.
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2014 Top Shelf Prospect Series: Flames Edition
