Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
I noticed speed is less of a factor on international ice because there is less emphasis on grabbing loose pucks and supporting the puck. That big ice surface makes it harder to exploit loose pucks with speed.
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Barkov will have the one-on-one strength that will enable him to play his game in NA (if he doesn't already), but he does need enough explosiveness to get to those battles. On the other hand, the boards are closer in NA.
Here's a good clip of Barkov's skating and boardplay (linked on hfboards), easy to spot because of the golden helmet: