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Originally Posted by Monahammer
I am not sure on either as I haven't watched him much- but just looking at his height/weight it doesn't really seem like a physical development thing. He's pretty average size, if anything he's a bit of a lightweight at 6'1 and under 200 lbs. Also I seem to remember him playing a sort of energy forward style at training camp- am I wrong on that? That sort of game generally translates pretty well as it involves a lot of effort.
Anyone who watches him frequently care to give insight? This isn't another Bryan Cameron situation is it?
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IMO, he wasn't signed by the Blues because of the fact that his size, skating, offensive output, and ability to consistently play a heavy game (which were all good, but not elite) didn't really appear to progress enough in the 2 years after he was drafted to warrant spending a contract spot on him-that is to say, he probably won't ever be a top-six forward in the NHL. I agree to a certain extent with Bubbsy's comment above that his numbers are a bit inflated this year due to the fact that he's an overager, but even so-his numbers are still impressive. He was a very high draft pick in the bantam draft.
I had the opportunity to watch him a lot at this years rookie camp, and I think he stood out for a lot of good reasons. He showed he can play a gritty, physical game (his skating looked just fine to me) but the best thing about him is his attention to the defensive side of the game, and he's always been known for his great face-off prowess. He takes his defensive responsibilities very seriously, almost to a fault as it kind of eats into his scoring opportunities. I think he has a great chance to develop into a good bottom-sixer and we as fans will really appreciate him. Just my opinion....