Joe Colborne emerging talent in face-offs?

[Husky]

He has a long way to being an Otto type player. Joe is huge but doesn't use his size consistenty. The guy should be dominating physically.

[Badgers Nose]

He is still filling out. As he matures and learns, he will become an important supporting player for the Flames.

His wingspan is insane.

I've been to enough games now to say the Flames won this trade easily.

It's hard to fathom how they managed to get him for a 4th.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

He is still filling out. As he matures and learns, he will become an important supporting player for the Flames.

His wingspan is insane.

I've been to enough games now to say the Flames won this trade easily.

It's hard to fathom how they managed to get him for a 4th.

Doesn't matter if he fills out...he doesn't have a mean streak. you either have it or you don't. Joe can still be valuable but its a shame he doesn't play with a chip on his shoulder.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Husky

Doesn't matter if he fills out...he doesn't have a mean streak. you either have it or you don't. Joe can still be valuable but its a shame he doesn't play with a chip on his shoulder.

He doesn't have to be nasty to be effective. Just as many players effectively use a big body to put themselves into a play as those who use a big body to take another player out of it.

[wingmaker]

There is a widespread misunderstanding of what it means to "use your size" when you are a big NHL player. There is more than one way to do it. Using your reach and length to keep the puck away from defending/attacking players and creating space is equally if not more effective than rubbing guys out. Look at a player like Joe Thornton. He is a text book case of using his size to create space and make plays and he does it without having to run around hitting people.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Husky

Doesn't matter if he fills out...he doesn't have a mean streak. you either have it or you don't. Joe can still be valuable but its a shame he doesn't play with a chip on his shoulder.

Yelle was not mean. Every team in the league wanted him though.

Conroy was also a Selke calibre centre with no mean streak.

Who cares is Joe is mean? Just stick a knuckle dragger on his line when required. Problem solved.

[Husky]

All I'm saying is Joe could be much more effective with his size if he was a bit meaner, especially on the forecheck.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Husky

All I'm saying is Joe could be much more effective with his size if he was a bit meaner, especially on the forecheck.

Maybe. He could also take more penalties or put himself out of the play. There is literally zero benefit to him playing "meaner" just for the sake of it.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by wingmaker

There is a widespread misunderstanding of what it means to "use your size" when you are a big NHL player. There is more than one way to do it. Using your reach and length to keep the puck away from defending/attacking players and creating space is equally if not more effective than rubbing guys out. Look at a player like Joe Thornton. He is a text book case of using his size to create space and make plays and he does it without having to run around hitting people.

Colborne currently gets away with a lot of what would otherwise be ineffective stick checks and reaches simply because of his long reach. Hopefully he can learn to use that reach more and more to his advantage as he develops.

[FAN]

Faceoff ability is generally predictable and projectable. Most natural centers are "decent" on faceoffs where they fall somewhere between 48-52 percentile during their careers. A player who is considered good to excellent on the faceoff circle in juniors will generally be a 50%+ guy in the NHL, while a player who wasn't any good at faceoffs in juniors rarely win more faceoffs than they lose in the NHL.

Monahan was considered good at faceoffs in juniors and his current faceoff percentage falls right in line with rookies who develop into 50% guys. Colborne is older and more experienced, but he hasn't played a full season of NHL hockey yet. Once he gains NHL experience, his faceoff percentage will naturally rise.

[EVERLAST]

Miss Yelle for everything.......face offs, blocked shots , playing above everyone's expectations.

Where do these players come from?

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by wingmaker

There is a widespread misunderstanding of what it means to "use your size" when you are a big NHL player. There is more than one way to do it. Using your reach and length to keep the puck away from defending/attacking players and creating space is equally if not more effective than rubbing guys out. Look at a player like Joe Thornton. He is a text book case of using his size to create space and make plays and he does it without having to run around hitting people.

Agreed.

It is also good for battling for pucks along the boards as well - a smaller guy is going to have to battle much harder against Colborne, so as the game wears on that other guy will become a bit more tired.

LA, Anaheim, Chicago and St. Louis are all big teams now. However, not everyone on those teams hit. Just simple puck battles become so much more difficult for smaller teams playing them, especially over the course of the night.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by strombad

Maybe. He could also take more penalties or put himself out of the play. There is literally zero benefit to him playing "meaner" just for the sake of it.

Not to mention concussions and injuries. If Colborne were out there drilling people to the boards like Lindros in his prime there would inevitably be a lot of time where he is on the IR.

I like Colborne's game a lot. He may not be a wrecking ball, but he uses his size & weight to get good leverage against opponents. His reach is useful to break up plays. He's a great presence in front of the net & his set of hands are amongst the best on the team. That's why it doesn't surprise me that he's improving on faceoffs.