Quote:
Originally Posted by IgiTang
I'm really confused as to why people keep calling Ferland out.. he has looked good.
Skating really well and with purpose every shift. Shows a bit of everything, playmaking, shooting, agitating, solid board play, solid defensive coverage.
Sure he hasn't shown exactly what his most dominant quality is as a player and many assumed it would be an enforcer/agitator role.
But Ferland really is a Swiss Army knife. Can do a bit of everything at a decent rate.
His biggest knock and I think that's what has people confused/concerned about him is that he hasn't stepped up in one area, he's just generally gotten better in all areas.
He reminds me of Marchand in that aspect. For years everyone just thought Marchand was a agitator/scumbag but then he started showing his real skills and truly has some great mitts.
Ferland, I feel anyway, is going down the exact same path.
People need to be patient with him
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I had the chance to have a nice talk with Ferland this summer. We have a similar story as I also got clean and sober at a relatively young age and I have been sober for 18 years now.
I don't think people understand how difficult those first couple of years of sobriety can be and in Micheal's case, throw in a new born baby and it makes things even more difficult.
I came away very impressed with the young man and I told him how proud I was of him, not because he played in the NHL but because I know how hard it is to get sober in your 20's and stay sober. I think that he will turn a corner this year and have a huge break out season.