Might as well opine here on some players:
Giordano is not slow - remember when there was a miscue, and an opposing player seemed to have a breakaway last season, only to have Giordano roaring back and stopping it? Seems people don't remember that. Giordano is a fairly quick defencemen, and though I wouldn't classify Zadorov as slow, Giordano is quite a bit faster.
Bennett is slow? Fast in a straight line, slow on edges? Fast on edges, slow in a straight line? He is quick all over the ice. Remember, he was the 2nd fastest on this team in the puck skills competition second only to Gaudreau - you can't be weak on your edges and do well there. Bennett was easily top 5 in top speed and on his edges.
For the record, Lucic is the fastest skater on the team, bar none. Trouble is he takes a while to get there, so he isn't a 'quick' player. First 2 or 3 steps is below average, and that doesn't mean a whole lot except for the odd time he starts skating hard from his blue line and the Flames are dumping it in. That must be a nightmare for opposing defencemen.
People forget this, but Keegan Kanzig was #1 in training camp in top speed and beat everyone on mountain climbers - including Brodie! Again, his first step wasn't strong, and laterally he was very bad. Top speed though.. whoa.
Zadorov may have a better top speed than Giordano, but in no way is he remotely close to Giordano in agility - not his first (and second!) step, and not his lateral mobility, and not in his change of direction. That's what made Brodie the best skater on the Flames for years, even though Lucic and Kanzig were actually faster.
|