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 Skookum Jim
Messages: 3913
Registered: March 2006
Location: Burnaby, BC
3 Cups
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Have to say that I was happy with the way Smith played, and I sensed it gave the team some confidence in getting some regular stops, just the puck handling alone helped the D set up, putting the brakes on the opposition fore check, taking off some pressure on the D, and were able to get the puck out a lot cleaner, more often. One game, but a positive sign.
Khaira underwent some reflection on his future during his time on the taxi, figured out he has to play physical, finish checks .. its just that simple.. have no idea why a guy in his position would refuse to do it. That's 2 games where he figured it out, see if he has a good memory.
Ennis showed a lot of jam, another seeing his career flash before his eyes.. great finish on the snipe. Nice to have bottom 6 options to keep these guys motivated.
Kassian wasn't doing much offensively but he was always available as a deterrent when required, now all they really have is Nurse, and he's playing top D minutes.
loving Puljujarvi, that guy has really taken leaps and bounds forward (literally), his speed, his physical engagement, and his instinct to stop and start on pucks (instead of looping fly-bys) is a world away from where he was two years ago, great signs.. and he seems to be getting better every game as he realizes what his potential is. I really think the surgery he had on his hip joint has been a real benefit to his performance, I read about this condition, and it was an impingement on joint mobility, didn't allow full range, surgery increased it, can kind of see that in the way he skates now, long full strides, looks way smoother in all aspects of his skating..
[Updated on: Tue, 09 February 2021 15:23]
McDAVID! Oh YEAH Baby!!
Tic-Tac-Tao!
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World
P. Chiarelli math.. T. Hall = A. Larsson, Yak= bag o'pucks (OK he got one right...) K. Russell = $4.1 M+NMC, G. Reinhart= M. Barzal + A. Beauvillier, J. Eberle = R. Spooner,
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