Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Slinger
What do you consider "talent"? I've always thought that skating ability (including speed) was under the talent umbrella.
Either way, things like hockey intelligence can go a long way to overcome slowrt footspeed. Conversely, a burner that's dumb isn't much good (eg. Fata). Although, at 4th overall you'd like to see a guy that has both speed and IQ.
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To me talent is puck skills both in terms of when it's on their stick and when it's not. Are they in the right areas to give and receive passes and make shots, how hard do they shoot, how quick they get it off, how good their passing is, and their overall creativity.
Things like hockey IQ, speed and size to me are the tools that facilitate the talent. Hockey IQ is different than positioning, because you need to know how plays will develop and react before the play develops. Two examples of the difference are Cheechoo (when he was good) and Gaudreau. Cheechoo knew he needed to go to X to receive a pass and score courtesy of Joe Thornton. Gaudreau is different because he seems like he is five steps ahead of everyone.
That's why a player can be "less skilled" and be the better player. With the Sams, Bennett has a little more raw skill than Reinhart, but because Reinhart is so cerebral, he makes up for that and is more dangerous in my opinion.