Quote:
Originally Posted by indes
The flames need to get some center prospects with potential or picks to grab one. It's great to say trade Lindholm and Backlund but then our center depth is immediately the worst in the league.
Kadri
Dube
Ruzicka
Rooney
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People may disagree but I think Ruzicka is a tremendous prospect with some of the best talent on the team.
I think all he needs is a coach to have confidence in him and the narrative (and I believe it is a narrative) on him will disappear.
I see a lot of similarities with Kylington in this regard. Old narratives that just stuck and people parroting what old coaches had said.
Ruzicka made plays and made players (Lindholm) play better. Sutter's 'boards bluelines corners' mantra that saw Lucic deployed on the second line was not a fit to Ruzicka's game. Ruzicka is a smooth skilled player who is closer to a Barkov (not saying he's as good but stylistically) than a Brett Ritchie (no knock on him but he's a strong forecheck guy).
In fact I thought they should have tried:
Huberdeau - Lindholm - Ruzicka (RW)
last season and let that line have the leeway 13 - 28 - 19 had the season prior let them make plays in the oz and not try to get it deep, get it to the point and funnel pucks (boards bluelines corners)
Ruzicka is/was a centre who they wanted to play like a big strong winger. He did well IMO but I think the staff wanted him to get in on forecheck and use size in the corners more. He's used to being in the middle, in space. The staff gave him too short a leash IMO.
He showed he can produce high up in the lineup and I think he will explode with the new coaching staff if he's up the lineup as a fixture.