I really liked him at the PP point, he shoots the puck and has time and space.
Limit those 5v5 minutes as much as possible.
Sucks to be Heatley.
he's got the highest shooting % on the team and no one but clutter that isn't named Koivu or Parise has shot the puck more. I'm just perplexed by the focus on him as a "problem".
He's turning the puck over like it's his job, can't get the puck out of his end, has no legs left. Until he picks it up, limit his ice time.
what is sad that despite this he's still one of the most effective hockey players we have out there. How many more turnovers does he have than Koivu and Parise?
NHL has it 4 apiece for K & P, 1 for Heatley. only legitimate complaint is his legs IMO. otherwise, he's not nearly the worst at anything on the team. I mean, the entire team can't get the puck out of our end...I fail to see how Heatley can be singled out for that one in particular.
Uhmm... Hockey teams can use quite different systems. Compare Detroit to Minnesota, Nashville to Chicago etc...
Its all the same - no play - dump the puck and chase it.
Breakouts differ...PP's differ. The general "system" is pretty cookie cutter. Hockey has been around a long time...not many different way's to play it.
“He’s not Dany Heatley-slow, but he’s not getting there. I don’t know if he’s slowed down and his compete-level has followed, but you don’t see that compete and fire in his eye now. I think you see frustration setting in.
“It’s not like he’s Dany Heatley eating too many breakfast sandwiches — he’s always one of the best-conditioned guys. So that’s not an excuse. In Vancouver, when things were going slow, where’s the scrap?
Im bafffled at Heatley's decline. Just baffled. Just goes to show you how well little watery bug type players last in this league and how guys with howiesters and size just dry up.
Is it possible he's pouting because he was bumped off the top line?
Thats what I feel happened. He kinda plays when he wants..You could see the excitement in his game at the beginning of the year playing with Parise and Koivu..when it got hard he stopped trying.
I highly doubt heatleys pouting, probably trying to play through an injury, but he ought to give himself a maintenance day if that's the case. Or maybe his legs are done.
Thats what I feel happened. He kinda plays when he wants..You could see the excitement in his game at the beginning of the year playing with Parise and Koivu..when it got hard he stopped trying.
We need to get him excited to play hockey again.
I had that thought in the last game as well. In the third period when he was playing with Parise and Koivu again he just seemed all of a sudden have more energy and jump in his step (if you can ever use that expression about him anymore) and made some beautiful passes too. Last year I thought all the character concerns were clearly proven wrong as he worked hard but now I'm not entirely sure anymore. I really hope he's just nursing an injury and not pouting.
Reason I posted ^^^ is hearing Russo on the radio, he was asked about Heatley's play of late and said he's the kind of guy who will play through any injury, even if he probably shouldn't. A lot like Brunette.
Cheechoo comparison actually isn't that far off. Knee injury might have destroyed his career.
Reason I posted ^^^ is hearing Russo on the radio, he was asked about Heatley's play of late and said he's the kind of guy who will play through any injury, even if he probably shouldn't. A lot like Brunette.
Cheechoo comparison actually isn't that far off. Knee injury might have destroyed his career.
I think Russo's love of Heatley clouds his judgement. Heatley should be getting just as much **** as Seto, PMB and Granlund.
Although I think a lot of the recent criticism of Yeo is unwarranted, it is the Coach's responsibly to identify injured or lazy players and not play them.
