is sky high right now. I credit a few factors. The acquisition of Avery was the shot in the arm the team needed, as a number of players have picked up their level of play since Avery came in and started working hard from his very first shift.
Matt Cullen immediately comes to mind, he's now playing like he did in Carolina, which we thought we'd see the whole season. Pretty much everyone is playing with new drive and enthusiasm. It's nice that Ortmeyer and Shanahan are no long the only players giving max effort. It's been contagious, and everyone is doing it.
Well, nearly everyone. I don't want to kick a man while he's up, but to me Malik has been the one player who hasn't raised his game recently. He just looks like he's not hustling, like he doesn't have the same sense of urgency as the rest of the team. I know what the numbers say, I'm just going by what I see.
Another factor has been bringing up the kids. You can argue whether Renney would have given the kids a look if the injuries hadn't hit, but the proof is in the pudding and on the ice. The kids are hustling, and I think that's also been infectious.
Gotta credit Renney too. I bashed him when I thought the team wasn't hustling, so I gotta give him props when they are working hard.
is sky high right now. I credit a few factors. The acquisition of Avery was the shot in the arm the team needed, as a number of players have picked up their level of play since Avery came in and started working hard from his very first shift.
Matt Cullen immediately comes to mind, he's now playing like he did in Carolina, which we thought we'd see the whole season. Pretty much everyone is playing with new drive and enthusiasm. It's nice that Ortmeyer and Shanahan are no long the only players giving max effort. It's been contagious, and everyone is doing it.
Well, nearly everyone. I don't want to kick a man while he's up, but to me Malik has been the one player who hasn't raised his game recently. He just looks like he's not hustling, like he doesn't have the same sense of urgency as the rest of the team. I know what the numbers say, I'm just going by what I see.
Another factor has been bringing up the kids. You can argue whether Renney would have given the kids a look if the injuries hadn't hit, but the proof is in the pudding and on the ice. The kids are hustling, and I think that's also been infectious.
Gotta credit Renney too. I bashed him when I thought the team wasn't hustling, so I gotta give him props when they are working hard.
Face it, some of you just don't 'get' a player like Malik. You have unreal expectations, and if you know the game of hockey you can see that some players will always look like they're not moving, but that doesn't mean their not effective. This holds true for more than just hockey.
Btw, Mondays game - Crosby -2, Malik +2(and +2 last night as well
Face it, some of you just don't 'get' a player like Malik. You have unreal expectations, and if you know the game of hockey you can see that some players will always look like they're not moving, but that doesn't mean their not effective. This holds true for more than just hockey.
Btw, Mondays game - Crosby -2, Malik +2(and +2 last night as well
Well this wasn't meant to be a Malik bashing thread...there have been plenty of those. But since that's what you focused on, it doesn't change my opinion that basically the entire team is playing at a much higher energy level than Malik.
He's turned the puck over in his own zone way too often for my liking, even as the entire team has been playing so well recently. And, most importantly, he doesn't play hard or skate hard. Thankfully the rest of the team does.
To be honest, I don't want to see a high energy game from Malik. His game is calm and quiet from the back end. The minute he starts running around trying to make plays is when we get in trouble. I already cringe everytime he pinches from the point (which he's been doing alot of lately).
Well this wasn't meant to be a Malik bashing thread...there have been plenty of those. But since that's what you focused on, it doesn't change my opinion that basically the entire team is playing at a much higher energy level than Malik.
He's turned the puck over in his own zone way too often for my liking, even as the entire team has been playing so well recently. And, most importantly, he doesn't play hard or skate hard. Thankfully the rest of the team does.
I guess you didnt read what i wrote or just don't understand. How the do you know what his passion level is at? Skate hard? He's ALWAYS skated like this, whats is so hard for you to comprehend?
I think it's been some of the things talked about; the acquisition of Avery, the return of Ortmeyer, the youthfulness of the kids and one other thing. The solid play of the fourth line. Now I wouldn't say it is better than the HMO line last year but all of these guys have been doing their job well and the fact they are eating up some minutes makes the other guys a little fresher in the game which gives the team more energy.
To be honest, I don't want to see a high energy game from Malik. His game is calm and quiet from the back end. The minute he starts running around trying to make plays is when we get in trouble. I already cringe everytime he pinches from the point (which he's been doing alot of lately).
Calm and quiet, good job, thats exactly what I was looking to say.
He rushed the puck maybe 3 times over the last two weeks(on one he scored!). If you watch, Roszileetch has done it more often and created more odd man rushes, but no one bashes him.
I didn't mean to start a Malik rant, just can't understand why you guys compare all these players the same when they're obviously not.
I guess you didnt read what i wrote or just don't understand. How the do you know what his passion level is at? Skate hard? He's ALWAYS skated like this, whats is so hard for you to comprehend?
Judging from your tone you obviously want to argue about this, but I don't. I didn't talk about his passion level at all. Maybe he is passionate but it just doesn't manifest itself into skating hard, I don't know.
I believe when you say he's always skated like this, but I'd like to see him hustle and not glide back into play when he's caught up ice. He can make some excellent tape to tape passes in his own zone, I didn't say he sucks or anything, but I would like to see him play with more determination.
Judging from your tone you obviously want to argue about this, but I don't. I didn't talk about his passion level at all. Maybe he is passionate but it just doesn't manifest itself into skating hard, I don't know.
I believe when you say he's always skated like this, but I'd like to see him hustle and not glide back into play when he's caught up ice. He can make some excellent tape to tape passes in his own zone, I didn't say he sucks or anything, but I would like to see him play with more determination.
When you're 6'6 your legs don't 'hustle' like they would on a Ryan Callahan. Just try thinking about how these players are not all the same. The guy is a giraffe...but an effective one
When you're 6'6 your legs don't 'hustle' like they would on a Ryan Callahan. Just try thinking about how these players are not all the same. The guy is a giraffe...but an effective one
I guess we'll just agree to disagree...I don't like Malik, but it's all good as long as we keep winning.
I guess we'll just agree to disagree...I don't like Malik, but it's all good as long as we keep winning.
Cool. He's not my first pick either, he logs too many minutes for a D-man of his caliber, but I wouldnt say he's our worse D-man or that he doesn't work hard.
