Originally Posted by Enoch Root
I don't think Kaprisov is a fair comparison to Huberdeau (this season) at all.
First of all, Kaprisov flies the zone all the time, while no one on the Flames is allowed to. Second, he plays a tremendous amount of east-west hockey, which no one on the Flames is allowed to do. Third, his line is allowed to carry it in at their discretion - his line isn't playing dump and chase. If you watch Kaprisov, he has the green light to play his own game.
Ass for Huberdeau and the Flames, they are playing a pretty strict north-south game, they dump and chase most of the time, unless they have a clear odd man rush, and they forego the pass through the middle, in favour of the safer paly, almost every time. All of these things are mandated by the coach (with some discretion, obviously).
I don't know how anybody isn't seeing these things. There is no question that the Flames' forwards make the 'safer' play, nine times out of ten. And OF COURSE that's going to result in higher shot volume (because they are maintaining possession, and favouring the shot over the pass, most of the time) and fewer dangerous chances, because they rarely make the goalie move, which, with today's equipment, is almost a must if you want to score. Yes, they get high danger chances (not everything is from the outside), but even when they do, they are rarely making the goalie move laterally.
You can argue that is because the team has no talent, but I am of the opinion that it is a product of the system and the style of play that is being demanded.
As for Toffoli, his game suits a shoot-first play style, and I don't see it as at all surprising that he is having a good year while some of the other guys are struggling.
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