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Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
I think skating is a massive worry with Wood. I don't think he's a decent skater. In fact it's the thing that could hold him back from being an NHLer.
You have to ask if he can overcome that like Jason Robertson, but there are VERY few Jason Robertsons out there. Skating is a great equalizer.
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He is a big guy, so that seems like a reasonable concern. But from his coach in BCHL (Didmon):
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That has included equal work on his skating as on his hands. For a time, Wood’s skating was considered to be a question mark. That’s no longer the case.
“His skating just kept getting better,” said Didmon. “So I don’t worry about his skating because it has just been on a steady incline and progression over the last three years.”
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And from UConn Asst Coach:
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Helton argues Wood’s skating is “completely fine.”....
...Huskies staff got into the habit of inviting scouts out to their practices so that they could see his skating up close....
...“And I mean, I watched him when he played with Connor (Bedard in minor hockey), so we’ve watched him for a long time, and his skating has improved and then from the start of this year to now, it’s gotten a lot better. And it’s only going to continue to get better. If a team chooses not to draft him because of his skating, I think that’s crazy. I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”
NHL Central Scouting took note of that progress in his skating, too, moving him up four spots from their midseason list,
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https://theathletic.com/4457512/2023...-matthew-wood/