[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I think Klapka does things well at speed - I think he processes the game quickly enough to be a top 6 player. I just think that he doesn't do it ALL the time. Whether that's him getting tired, or issues with focus, or simply still being a bit like 'Bambi' as some really tall people sometimes are for a little longer, is anyone's guess.


Hopefully he takes a page or two out of Chara's training book (which is a little lazy of a comparison). Chara had a reputation - even greather than Jagr's - for his off-season training. When he first arrived in the NHL at age 20, he was slow both on the ice and seemingly upstairs - he didn't appear to process the game quickly enough. It wasn't until he was 25 or so that things really started clicking for him. Suddenly he went from a decent defence-only defencemen into someone who was making better and higher-skilled plays more regularly. Most of us on this board remember him as the effective 'monster' of a player in every way, but there are probably lots of us that don't remember how he first looked like in the NHL.


I doubt Klapka will train like Chara did (and that's no sleight at Klapka, but just that almost nobody trains like Chara), but hopefully the training he does will continue to help his progression towards being a monster for Calgary. He could become a heck of an important piece for Calgary over the years, especially since it is so rare to get a player with size and a bit of snarl to play in the top 6. Rumour has it that Klapka is a hard-worker in the off-season.



I lament Treliving's trades regarding Ferland and Bennett (ignoring value on the trades, as value isn;t the point here), simply because they were very tough players to play against but both had decent skill. Come playoff time, players like that really shine, especially in a 7 game 'war of attrition' that a playoff series can be. Yes, the NHL isn't as physical as it used to be, but come playoffs, physical players often become the heroes (even guys like Coleman). I think Klapka is close in becoming an impact player - he has had a handful of incredibly impactful games this season. Can he string some together and become even more? I think he will. At any rate, Klapka is a really fun player to play and follow his development. He is unquestionably improving - how far it goes and how consistent he becomes is the million dollar question, but he is definitely trending to become an important piece.

Yes, he needs to continue building his stamina, those muscles use up a lot of oxygen and very little of it is getting to his brain late in shifts. Spend the summer training with Pospisil.