As far as the NHL is concerned, he's a "power" forward that isn't powerful enough to play a power game or skilled enough to play a skilled game. Has size but doesn't use it. Hopefully playing top line-ish minutes will help him to round out the power part of his game and learn to take some contact, because some size and power from the fourth line would be much appreciated on this roster. Truly not sure of the British style of play, whether or not it's more power and speed focused like the NHL or more creativity and open-ice focused like some of the other European leagues, but he could definitely stand to learn to put his body on the line.
"I'm here to help out wherever I can . . . score, hit, fight. I'll do whatever is wanted.
"We've been doing some MMA (mixed martial arts), moreso for the workout, but I've got a big body and I want to assert myself a little more in North America, so I can work on that aspect of my game while I'm out here."
"I'm here to help out wherever I can . . . score, hit, fight. I'll do whatever is wanted.
"We've been doing some MMA (mixed martial arts), moreso for the workout, but I've got a big body and I want to assert myself a little more in North America, so I can work on that aspect of my game while I'm out here."
Good to know he knows what he needs to do. Rutherford's been talking about signing a FA 4th liner with size, maybe he's been in talks with Stewart about being just that.
I once saw on the ticker on the bottom of the SkySports news that "former NHL player blah blah blah has signed with team blah blah blah as a player coach." And I was like "dang, player coach? this dude must be good, how have I not heard of him." I looked him up, he played like 70 games in the NHL as a 4th line plug.
And that's good enough to be a player COACH in the British league. Anything less than 2 points a game is a disappointment for AStew, IMO.
You don't have to be a good player to be a good coach.
Even if the British league is a lower level of competition, I think it's a good idea for Stewart to be there. He would be completely lost in the Eastern European game. And I'm not sure it would really serve his interests to spend time in a foreign culture, not speaking the language, getting middle-line ice time as a temporary visitor, and probably on a middling team that isn't already stocked with higher end players. He can work on his conditioning and skills anywhere -- I'd rather see him performing as an important player in important games, gaining his confidence and hopefully receiving some real coaching and leadership experience.
Even if the British league is a lower level of competition, I think it's a good idea for Stewart to be there. He would be completely lost in the Eastern European game. And I'm not sure it would really serve his interests to spend time in a foreign culture, not speaking the language, getting middle-line ice time as a temporary visitor, and probably on a middling team that isn't already stocked with higher end players. He can work on his conditioning and skills anywhere -- I'd rather see him performing as an important player in important games, gaining his confidence and hopefully receiving some real coaching and leadership experience.
I honestly think doing just that in the DEL during the lockout was a HUGE factor in Cole taking the next step developmentally between the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons. The game opening up to embrace his skillset helped as well, but I really think that confidence that Cole established in playing a top role in Germany was the big difference in him staying a 40-45 point power forward and becoming that point-per-game one he was right out of the lockout, settling into that 50-60 point guy slot long term.
