Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
I don't think he's shown elite passing skills. Maybe somewhat above average. He had one really good pass in his time this year (that a bunch of posters gushed over like no one had ever made a stretch pass before). Elite passing means, IMO, Gaudreau, Sedin, Oates, Toews, Chouinard, etc. I'd say his passing is behind 4 or 5 others on the team, if not more. And his skating, puck sense, shooting, etc are middling.
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Not just the passing skills, but the puck possession in the neutral ice and offensive zone. Gaudreau, being a small player, has the amazing ability to carry the puck across the opposition blue line and keep the puck in. Guys that you have mentioned, plus Patrick Kane, does that really well. The Flames need more guys like that and currently, we have Johnny doing most of that work. If Baertschi can improve on that with his skill, man, he'd be in the NHL lineup right now. He's got skills, he just need to be smart and use those skills. If you're small, you gotta use them brains. A small player can try to do a lot of forechecks, but eventually, a player like that will just end up getting hurt. Play like Kane and be a smart slippery SOB. Plus, making the plays is far more entertaining than watching a pass go directly out of the offensive zone into neutral ice or into the defensive zone. A lot of times, a Flames player will just pass the puck blindly in the offensive zone and the opposition just takes the puck out and basically everyone has to chase and regroup. That's so frustrating to watch - probably not so for the opposing team's fans.