I like Antro and think that at a lower pay scale he'd be less a focus in these discussions.
Yes, he's slow but I think his style of play can benefit this organization especially when paired with Burmi and Kane. That line has generated most of our chances the last couple games and he's decent at setting up the puck. I'd like to see him stick around after this year.
He's got skill ... Sometimes it's evident and sometimes .... It's not!
he looks like his skates need to be sharpened, but speed is not his issue. He has little to no vision of the play, and he always seems to be out of position, or at least half a pace behind where the flow of the game is going.
When he does happen to be in the right spot, he has the hands to make something happen, but more often than not, he isnt using his size or his hands to our advantage, and it hurts us in the offensive zone, or the neutral zone.
he looks like his skates need to be sharpened, but speed is not his issue. He has little to no vision of the play, and he always seems to be out of position, or at least half a pace behind where the flow of the game is going.
When he does happen to be in the right spot, he has the hands to make something happen, but more often than not, he isnt using his size or his hands to our advantage, and it hurts us in the offensive zone, or the neutral zone.
i disagree with almost everything you said here.
If he has an issue, it's speed.
But it's certainly not poor enough to make him a "bad" player.
as for vision and position i'd say those are his two biggest strengths.
The thread title reminded me of the tree in the forest thing. Does Antropov have "speed" or just simply a lack thereof?
Seriously though his hustle isn't at 100% most games. And he hasn't exactly been saving it for the clutch judging by results...I agree that a lesser skilled, faster, more determined player with Antro's size would be more effective. He's better than a lot of 3rd liners, but bottom six depth isn't exactly our downfall...
Whatever we can get at the deadline for him I'm down. I would rather have Burmistrov learning from his inevitable mistakes to this year's detriment. In hopes of him developing more offensively.
People rag on him for being slow, fine. He's not too physical, fine. But he's smart on the puck, and works well with anybody. That kind of player is stabilizing, and valuable. People criticize him because he's not a power forward. Well, look at what he is, not what he isn't.
Antropov is older... I'd love to see you guys skate half as fast as he does at his age. He isn't on the team for his speed.
Besides have any of you watched him on the PK? He is an asset, his reach and body strength manages to muscle the puck off the other players for our guys to wire it down.
No he may not be a 10 goal scorer, but that isn't his roll. He is a guy who shuts down the opposition, he is a defensive forward. Personally I would be happy if they resigned him as he fills a good 3rd / 4th line roll.
People rag on him for being slow, fine. He's not too physical, fine. But he's smart on the puck, and works well with anybody. That kind of player is stabilizing, and valuable. People criticize him because he's not a power forward. Well, look at what he is, not what he isn't.
I agree.
There is a section of people here who seem to rag on every Jet for their individual flaws.
I don't have a problem with people pointing out holes in any player's game, but I find it odd when a career top 6ers is talked about like he is more replacable than a 4th liner.
If Antropov didn't have faults he would be Sidney Crosby. Same goes for Ladd and Kane. Players play in the NHL because they do some things very right. Their flaws aren't what defines their game.
Antropov is older... I'd love to see you guys skate half as fast as he does at his age. He isn't on the team for his speed.
Besides have any of you watched him on the PK? He is an asset, his reach and body strength manages to muscle the puck off the other players for our guys to wire it down.
No he may not be a 10 goal scorer, but that isn't his roll. He is a guy who shuts down the opposition, he is a defensive forward. Personally I would be happy if they resigned him as he fills a good 3rd / 4th line roll.
I agree that he's good in a third line and pk role. The problem is that Noel has him in the top 6 and on the pp where at this point in his career he is miscast.
I would have titled this thread "Antropov's LACK of speed" - admittedly he doesn't possess the greatest speed, but that's not what he's used for. If he had greater speed, ala Kane or Wheeler, the Jets couldn't afford his asking price.
I agree that he's good in a third line and pk role. The problem is that Noel has him in the top 6 and on the pp where at this point in his career he is miscast.
Noel's problem is a thin talent pool that forces him to play a too slow Antropov in roles he shouldn't be playing.
Being too slow for the NHL is a pretty big flaw when skating is the whole basis for the game, but the reality is Antro still has enough speed to play some roles in the NHL.
Watch Antro bust his ass on the Kane breakaway goal vs New Jersey. Six "power strides" and he quits at our blue line. But he did make it for the celebration.
Antropov isn't that slow, like many others have said, he looks slower due to his height.
If I run along side my toddler, since I naturally take much larger slides, it looks like like I'm dogging it and he looks like he's giving it his all.
So there. Antropov is me and the rest of the Jets are like toddlers.
Yeah I think we have too many 'defensive forwards' as it is. Antro is a defensive forward. Burmi is a defensive forward. Olli is now suddenly a 'defensive positional forward'. Whoever happens to be on the 4th line on any given night is a 'gritty defensive forward'.
I'd prefer if we left the majority of the defending in the hands of the defensemen, spent more time in the opposing end, and scored more than 2.5 goals per game (while allowing 3.0).
Winnipeg is 19th in the league for 'shots for'. If you take out Evander Kane, who leads the entire league in shots with 98, that stat shows how few opportunities this team produces.
Antro is not a bad player. I just don't think it's what this team really needs right now, we need a forward with a different skill set.
