Quote:
Originally Posted by Incogneto
I guess I am just less high on Phillips than the rest of this board. He is very talented, but unlike the smaller guys before him (Gaudreau, Mangiapane), he isnt as physical. In the half-dozen games I saw him play live last year, he just got pushed off the puck too much. I don't see his game translating to the NHL....But that's just me.
I took Adam Ruzicka. His improvement last year was fun to watch, and with his size/skill combo, I do think there is a chance he is an everyday player in the bigs.
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When did Johnny become physical? I think it's "never", but even if he did it was certainly not as a prospect.
My question is whether Phillips can be as elusive as Johnny, which is a super high bar. Johnny succeeds by not getting trapped where he can be easily pushed off (when he does get trapped, exactly that happens) and by not taking a hit.
That being said, if you look at short players who succeed, their skill set and what makes them good is a pretty mixed bag. Some have raw speed, some are aggressive despite their size, some are elusive, etc. I guess the common denominator would be hockey IQ.