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Originally Posted by Locke
Yes he does. McDavid, for all his hype, is not that fast.
He can get good speed once he's moving, but his first 2-3 steps are staggeringly average.
His real talent is being able to make a play at that speed. And that takes a lot of skill.
I wish guys like Robyn Regehr were still in the League, because McDavid getting up to speed and going wide is basically paint for the boards.
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His ability to make a play at high speed is also what enables his deception on crossovers.
This is the modern way of enabling elite (and most other) scoring off of the rush.
Quote:
The ratio:
World-renowned skills coach Darryl Belfry did a study comparing the crossover to stride ratio:
Top 25 NHL players crossover once every four strides
Average third- or fourth-line NHL players crossover once every 12 to 14 strides
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The idea of blinding speed is too predictable, this is why Dube hasn’t blown the doors off anyone like he did against Dallas in the olayoffs. He needs more deception.
If McDavid tried to beat Regehr wide Robyn would angle and read him then wall paper him. His elusiveness is built when he cuts to the middle or uses that as a threat to bleed gaps to blow through.
But I think you’re right. He doesn’t have defensive awareness and the ability to make quick reactive movements to break up plays, on top of being preoccupied with blowing the zone early.