ezcreepin
Registered User
- Dec 5, 2016
- 2,607
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Super excited to see what he does in camp next year. I don't know if he needs much more seasoning; I think he's shown that he can absolutely keep up in the NHL. My only criticism right now of him is that if feels like he is either anticipating a play and positioning himself in the wrong spot, or (and this is just speculation) he is confusing different winger assignments. I only say this because sometimes he's too high, too low, or in a weird spot when the puck is on the walls. He isn't running into anyone on the ice, but I feel like he's been close a couple of times. Other than that, I think he has been pretty impressive.He's been looking much more confident out there over the past few games from what I've seen. Looks like he's gone from being passive to playing a far more active role out there. I loved seeing him find a gap in the high slot in the 3rd and banging his stick because he wanted the puck when the game was still tight.
I still don't know what to expect from him long-term, but I've gone from wondering if he'll be able to cut it at the NHL level to fully expecting him to be a solid middle-6 contributor for us. Really pleased with what he's shown since camp started until now, aside from his slow start in the A. He's shown a level of compete that I wasn't sure he had in him.
It could be one of those things where we are using compete interchangeably to mean 1) he is ONLY an offensive winger and will not contribute on both sides of the puck, a la Vrana, or 2) he is not capable of keeping up and despite his hounding nature, he just never gets to the puck in time to hound. Alexandrov was touted as a good 2-way player in junior but I've never thought "man this guy hounds on pucks". I'm hopeful, though I do worry that Dean will suffer from Alexandrov syndrome ie. has the potential to be a good player but will come up short.I've always been confused about the "boom or bust" label and the idea that he lacks compete. When he was drafted, one of the primary scouting reports was that he was tenacious on pucks. You could see it in video, too. But then people who haven't seen a QMJHL game for over a decade say it's a no-defense league for floaters and suddenly that seed is planted. The French Canadian prima dona stereotype doesn't need much fuel, apparently, so he doesn't get leeway for not making the WJC team. I hope all of that put a real chip on his shoulder and he keeps getting better, because I've never seen a low motivation or low compete or soft player in Bolduc. Just like I've never seen a low skill player in Neighbors or an AHL-only player in Kessel.
Not to get into the weeds, but although yes Armstrong does make the final say, I think he's said explicitly many times he trusts his scouts and will let them decide. Idk if there's ever been a situation where they can't make a choice, but if there is that scenario, then yea I think he will choose the player.So you actually think Armstrong doesn't have the final say in who we draft?