Quote:
Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald
Size matters. But so does skill. If someone sets you up with a wide open net for a yeah, and you hit the corner of the rink with your attempt, you're not NHL talent. At least if you have size, you can grind it out and win puck battles that helps your team. You can at least make it more difficult on the opposition by wearing them down. A guy that is 5'5 and a 155 pounds? That's a lifting workout in the weight room. If you're that size, you have to be elite. The Flames have none of that in the minors. None.
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In fairness to Phillips, that Backlund pass was a bouncing puck and it was his first NHL game. Gaudreau setup a wide-open Valimaki in the same position the previous game and Valimaki also whiffed and sent it into the corner. Rookies are going to make mistakes regardless of their skill level...
Mangiapane is marginally bigger, but he didn't look good in his first 10-game NHL stint and it took him 18 games spread across two seasons before he got his first NHL point. None of us thought he'd end up enough to be a regular second liner, but he got better with the more chances that he got.
Phillips is highly skilled, has a good motor, and plays the "right way" (to the extent of his size). If he's made it this far being as tiny as he is, he deserves a real chance to prove himself in the NHL