Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandman
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....
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The biggest indication about his future ability will come next season when he most likely plays for Stockton. If he can produce there then we may have gotten a very useful player for nothing. Will be interesting to follow