Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames Fan, Ph.D.
I think that's the part of his game they're trying to improve.
Sven appears to favour being just at the periphery, waiting for a puck to squirt loose from a scrum by the boards so that he has a split second to make a pass or take a quick shot. But to compete he needs to be the 4th man in that 3 man scrum and take the puck. But as you say, he doesn't look nearly as confident in those tight spaces.
There was a telling play for me in the Arizona game where he was behind the net with an arizona dman, the puck went into the air... and he looked absolutely lost with no idea where the puck was. For someone with that much skill and handle on the puck, it just showed to me that he enters those scrums with eyes partly closed. He's getting there, but still not wide eyed and confident in those one-on-one battles.
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I don't want to sound like I'm piling on, but that's all part of the speed of decision-making that I mentioned the other day. It also has to do with his forechecking. He is indeed getting to the corner and into contact more than he was. But so often he is on the wrong side, so he ends up hitting the d-man but the puck is either already gone or well-protected.
I did think he was OK in the third last night and made some pretty decent plays. Part of the lack of space might also be from Bollig not being in good position (too close). Easier for defenders to swarm Sven if Bollig isn't a passing option.
