Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
I agree he didn't have a great playoff but Zary is solid, totally different subject than getting crushed every shift. Phillips doesn't have the thickness and build that a St Louis or a Fleury had nor does he have the magic elusiveness of a Gaudreau. Sure, he could float around and score in the AHL when games were not that important but as soon as the physicality of the playoffs start he spends more time lying on the ice than skating on it. I like Phillips, he seems like a really nice guy but he won't survive NHL hockey.
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You know when you hear underdogs talk about how they've always been counted out by everyone, but that they never gave up on themselves and fought through the negativity and pushed beyond the people whop didn't believe in them?
You know, we've Johnny talk about, St. Louis talk about, and then smaller impact players like Byron too...
Your post is a great example of the negativity they talk about overcoming. His play has earned him a shot at the NHL, but here you are writing him off exclusively because of his size.
"He won't survive NHL hockey" well, I guess we'll see won't we? But the AHL is a vicious league - and I'd argue that if he can survive the AHL, he survive the NHL. Will he produce at the level he did in the AHL? I don't imagine so, but laying out this "he's too small survive the NHL" stuff is lame.