Video breakdown of how Hughes, Pettersson, and the Canucks create space to generate offence

[Miss Korea]

 

I'm going to share some of my favourite Youtube channels here.  Hockey Psychology does a lot of recaps around the league but he typically does it while analyzing team/coaching tactics.  He has recently covered some of the reasons why this year's Canucks look so good on the ice.  He attributes it to various things:

 

1. The Canucks are running an aggressive 2-1-2 forechecking system, putting pressure on opponents in their own end.  They have the speed needed to pull this off, and the proper forwards who can pass the puck and make scoring chances.  Kuzmenko, statistically one of the slowest players in the league, has struggled under this system.
2. The Canucks are forcing turnovers everywhere and generating rush chances up the ice.  They stuff opponents defensively and immediately counterattack north with numbers.  Hughes is obviously a fantastic catalyst, but our famous no name® third line is fantastic at this.  
3. The Canucks are running a 2-3 offence in the attacking zone, using Hughes' skill to constantly run high cycle scissor plays to create space.  Sometimes 3 players are involved in the criss-cross, forcing defenders to either lose their man or just collapse back into the low zone.

 

 

There are also videos from last year, which helps us understand how these three factors are all new.  Hughes and Pettersson were doing their thing under Boudreau, but this new coaching system (simple, aggressive forecheck and high cycle o-zone pressure) under Tocchet/Foote/Gonchar has completely transformed Vancouver into an NHL juggernaut.

 

Here is an individual video of Pettersson's ability to generate offence.  Watch the next couple of games and see how Petey carries the puck into the offensive zone.  Hughes will actually often defer to Petey because of this.  He always weaves in at an angle, forcing defenders to back off of him, let him get inside and set up.  Petey almost never fails to carry it in - it's uncanny.  Apart from his poor FO%, I think the comparisons to Pavel Datsyuk are completely justified.  He is a slender two-way forward who uses positioning and stickhandling to make plays in high traffic.  When he moves up the ice, defenders either have to sag off or risk taking a penalty.  Pettersson is drawing penalties at the same rate as Connor McDavid, but the difference here is that McDavid relies on his explosive skating while Petey uses his positioning and hands.

 

 

Another video from last year covers Vancouver's horrendous D-zone coverage, and it makes complete sense.  Everyone was losing their man and it was causing golden scoring opportunities for opponents.

 

 

The other hockey channel I want to reference is The Hockey PDOcast.  They've done a marvellous job compiling various plays from Hughes and Pettersson.  When you see the same type of play over and over again you start to realize tendencies and tactics, and how they're used on the ice.  You can bet there are video coaches on opposing teams showing these exact videos ahead of a Canucks game.  

 

 

 

 

[Elias Pettersson]

Thanks Bob for sharing these videos.

 

Thoughts from watching the videos:

 

1.  We now have a system in place to win the Stanley Cup.  Under Boudreau, we were playing pond hockey.  The new system is the main reason why we are so successful now.

 

2.  We now know why Kuzmenko was scratched and ultimately traded.  He didn't fit Tocchet's system.  Like not even close.  I'm sure he'll have success elsewhere, but we are going for the cup, so we needed everyone to buy in.  Kuzmenko tried really hard to buy in, but I think his skillset just wasn't going to work within Tocchet's system.

 

3.  Lindholm I think is the perfect player in Tocchet's system.  The 2nd line was the only line that was dragging us down.  So it needed to be fixed.  Petey and Mikheyev have the speed to play the system, Kuzmenko did not.  However, when you take out Kuzy and add Lindholm to that line, all of a sudden you have maybe the best line out of the 4.  So, getting Lindholm was definitely the key to upgrade Petey's line and turn it into a dominant line within Tocchet's system.

 

4.  Quinn Hughes is the unicorn that makes our team unique and special and better than all of the others.  No disrespect to Cale Makar, but IMO Hughes is the closest thing we have seen to Bobby Orr since, well Bobby Orr.  I can see Hughes winning multiple Norris trophies, maybe 4-5 depending on how Makar plays the rest of his career.  

[Miss Korea]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Thanks Bob for sharing these videos.

 

Thoughts from watching the videos:

 

1.  We now have a system in place to win the Stanley Cup.  Under Boudreau, we were playing pond hockey.  The new system is the main reason why we are so successful now.

 

2.  We now know why Kuzmenko was scratched and ultimately traded.  He didn't fit Tocchet's system.  Like not even close.  I'm sure he'll have success elsewhere, but we are going for the cup, so we needed everyone to buy in.  Kuzmenko tried really hard to buy in, but I think his skillset just wasn't going to work within Tocchet's system.

 

3.  Lindholm I think is the perfect player in Tocchet's system.  The 2nd line was the only line that was dragging us down.  So it needed to be fixed.  Petey and Mikheyev have the speed to play the system, Kuzmenko did not.  However, when you take out Kuzy and add Lindholm to that line, all of a sudden you have maybe the best line out of the 4.  So, getting Lindholm was definitely the key to upgrade Petey's line and turn it into a dominant line within Tocchet's system.

 

4.  Quinn Hughes is the unicorn that makes our team unique and special and better than all of the others.  No disrespect to Cale Makar, but IMO Hughes is the closest thing we have seen to Bobby Orr since, well Bobby Orr.  I can see Hughes winning multiple Norris trophies, maybe 4-5 depending on how Makar plays the rest of his career.  

 

Kuzmenko's game relies entirely on a east-west style game.  There is a place for that to succeed in the NHL (just look at him last year), but certainly not on a team that Rick Tocchet is trying to build.  Pettersson has some strong east-west tendencies to his game as well (and has occasionally been criticized by Tocchet for this), but his overall playing style is obviously radically different from Kuzmenko.  And what are some of Lindholm's strengths?  Speed and forechecking.  Realistically there was no other trade option for this Canucks team.

 

Regarding the comparisons to Cale Makar, I've made it clear in the past how much of a fan I am of him, and also how I think he has been outperformed by Quinn Hughes this season.  Something I noticed in these videos is that Makar helps the Avalanche in the exact same high cycle scissor play in a 2-3 offense, but he goes the other way.  Hughes (left-handed) usually starts on the left side and peels back into the middle to initiate a scissor play, creating more time and space to make an efficient play.  Makar (right-handed) starts on the right side... and then initiates a scissor play to cut right along the wall.  You can tell in this PDOcast video below that Makar and Hughes are obviously practicing the exact same drill in practice but Hughes' tendency is to cut back into the middle while Makar's tendency is to cut down the boards.  The outcome is the same - the defenders are utterly confused and left eating snow.  I think both options work to their strengths.  Makar is a more explosive, physical skater who uses really short, sharp cuts to quickly create & exploit gaps in the defence.  Hughes is a smoother, more patient skater who prefers the open ice to spread the play further out and attack up the middle.  Adam Fox (and to an extent, Erik Karlsson) is an extreme contrast to someone like Makar - extremely slow and extremely patient, content to just wait forever until the defender cracks.

 

 

I also feel it necessary to point out that for all the praise Hockey Psychology has given Quinn Hughes this year, Hockey Psychology has been a firm believer in Cale Makar as the NHL's best defenceman.  But it's great to see him use the exact same individual/team qualities to describe Hughes/Canucks as he does Makar/Avalanche.

 

 

 

Edited February 6 by Miss Korea

[Elias Pettersson]

I think we are lucky to have both Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar playing right now at the same time, and we can see them together in the NHL.  This is the equivalent of watching Gretzky and Lemieux, Crosby and Ovechkin.  Coffey and Bourque.

 

With defenders, when Bobby Orr won his 8 Norris trophies, he really only had one competitor, Brad Park.  That was pretty much it.  Coffey had Bourque and a few others as well.  It's amazing that Bourque won so many Norris trophies with so much competition.  

 

I think Hughes and Makar will end up the same as Coffey and Bourque.  One of them will win more Norris trophies than the other, but both will be first ballot hall of famers and both will be remembered as this generation's Coffey and Bourque.  Makar has already won a Norris trophy and a Stanley Cup and even a Conn Smythe.  I am hoping that this year Hughes can match him, trophy for trophy...

[DeltaSwede]

Great share. 

Not having played hockey on a serious level on my own I've always felt I drag behind on understanding the systems at play. This was really insightful and it does make me question myself why I wanted to keep Kuzmenko around incase he would bounce back or "get it". Probably wasn't going to happen knowing what I know now. 

Sort of dreading when Kuzmenko turns it up for another team and the online response to that but nice to have this sort of thing to fall back on.  

[Alflives]

2 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

 

Kuzmenko's game relies entirely on a east-west style game.  There is a place for that to succeed in the NHL (just look at him last year), but certainly not on a team that Rick Tocchet is trying to build.  Pettersson has some strong east-west tendencies to his game as well (and has occasionally been criticized by Tocchet for this), but his overall playing style is obviously radically different from Kuzmenko.  And what are some of Lindholm's strengths?  Speed and forechecking.  Realistically there was no other trade option for this Canucks team.

 

Regarding the comparisons to Cale Makar, I've made it clear in the past how much of a fan I am of him, and also how I think he has been outperformed by Quinn Hughes this season.  Something I noticed in these videos is that Makar helps the Avalanche in the exact same high cycle scissor play in a 2-3 offense, but he goes the other way.  Hughes (left-handed) usually starts on the left side and peels back into the middle to initiate a scissor play, creating more time and space to make an efficient play.  Makar (right-handed) starts on the right side... and then initiates a scissor play to cut right along the wall.  You can tell in this PDOcast video below that Makar and Hughes are obviously practicing the exact same drill in practice but Hughes' tendency is to cut back into the middle while Makar's tendency is to cut down the boards.  The outcome is the same - the defenders are utterly confused and left eating snow.  I think both options work to their strengths.  Makar is a more explosive, physical skater who uses really short, sharp cuts to quickly create & exploit gaps in the defence.  Hughes is a smoother, more patient skater who prefers the open ice to spread the play further out and attack up the middle.  Adam Fox (and to an extent, Erik Karlsson) is an extreme contrast to someone like Makar - extremely slow and extremely patient, content to just wait forever until the defender cracks.

 

 

I also feel it necessary to point out that for all the praise Hockey Psychology has given Quinn Hughes this year, Hockey Psychology has been a firm believer in Cale Makar as the NHL's best defenceman.  But it's great to see him use the exact same individual/team qualities to describe Hughes/Canucks as he does Makar/Avalanche.

 

 

 

Makar struggles defensively. Great with puck on stick and attacking but gets caught in the wrong side of the puck a lot. He does have rosy red cheeks though. 
 

[IBatch]

2 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

I think we are lucky to have both Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar playing right now at the same time, and we can see them together in the NHL.  This is the equivalent of watching Gretzky and Lemieux, Crosby and Ovechkin.  Coffey and Bourque.

 

With defenders, when Bobby Orr won his 8 Norris trophies, he really only had one competitor, Brad Park.  That was pretty much it.  Coffey had Bourque and a few others as well.  It's amazing that Bourque won so many Norris trophies with so much competition.  

 

I think Hughes and Makar will end up the same as Coffey and Bourque.  One of them will win more Norris trophies than the other, but both will be first ballot hall of famers and both will be remembered as this generation's Coffey and Bourque.  Makar has already won a Norris trophy and a Stanley Cup and even a Conn Smythe.  I am hoping that this year Hughes can match him, trophy for trophy...

We sure are lucky.   As for Orr and Park, they were the guys going hammer and tong in the early 70's, but there was another young kid making noise in the Ottawa valley coming up to challenge.    The cornerstone of the NYI dynasty, back then 20 was normal draft age so you knew what you were going to get, and Potvin didn't disappoint.   Park went from playing second fiddle to Orr (no shame in that) to Potvin (also no shame in that either) with Robinson also in the mix.     One thing he did do, that isn't really talked about, is took a young rookie who had all the physical attributes and skill set to become a great player, and showed him how to actually do it.  

 

     Parks mentorship can't be understated, Borque needed cleaning up, and to his credit, he soaked all of Parks tutelage up like a sponge.   Not sure he'd be the same player he became without it.   

 

Makar and QHs, have waited a long time to see anything that resembles Coffey and Borque.   First half Coffey was the clear winner, second half Borque, both guys incredible athletes.   It's great to have this in the league again.    Started to think we wouldn't see it. 

 

The only thing Makar and QHs don't have, is the physicality of those two guys.   Coffey was a Gordie Howe hat trick sort.   Borque came in at 6' and 215,  all muscle, ended up playing 220-225 and at the end 225-235.   Could lay a huge hit,  and score a big goal.    They have all the rest though. 

 

QHs ... I hope you're right too.   He's special.   Like those guys were special. 

Edited February 6 by IBatch

[IBatch]

5 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

 

Kuzmenko's game relies entirely on a east-west style game.  There is a place for that to succeed in the NHL (just look at him last year), but certainly not on a team that Rick Tocchet is trying to build.  Pettersson has some strong east-west tendencies to his game as well (and has occasionally been criticized by Tocchet for this), but his overall playing style is obviously radically different from Kuzmenko.  And what are some of Lindholm's strengths?  Speed and forechecking.  Realistically there was no other trade option for this Canucks team.

 

Regarding the comparisons to Cale Makar, I've made it clear in the past how much of a fan I am of him, and also how I think he has been outperformed by Quinn Hughes this season.  Something I noticed in these videos is that Makar helps the Avalanche in the exact same high cycle scissor play in a 2-3 offense, but he goes the other way.  Hughes (left-handed) usually starts on the left side and peels back into the middle to initiate a scissor play, creating more time and space to make an efficient play.  Makar (right-handed) starts on the right side... and then initiates a scissor play to cut right along the wall.  You can tell in this PDOcast video below that Makar and Hughes are obviously practicing the exact same drill in practice but Hughes' tendency is to cut back into the middle while Makar's tendency is to cut down the boards.  The outcome is the same - the defenders are utterly confused and left eating snow.  I think both options work to their strengths.  Makar is a more explosive, physical skater who uses really short, sharp cuts to quickly create & exploit gaps in the defence.  Hughes is a smoother, more patient skater who prefers the open ice to spread the play further out and attack up the middle.  Adam Fox (and to an extent, Erik Karlsson) is an extreme contrast to someone like Makar - extremely slow and extremely patient, content to just wait forever until the defender cracks.

 

 

I also feel it necessary to point out that for all the praise Hockey Psychology has given Quinn Hughes this year, Hockey Psychology has been a firm believer in Cale Makar as the NHL's best defenceman.  But it's great to see him use the exact same individual/team qualities to describe Hughes/Canucks as he does Makar/Avalanche.

 

 

 

Coffey was a better skater.   Know the footage is grainy.   But his highlight videos stand up to today's highlight videos of Makar, EK, QHs or whomever.   Makar reminds me of Coffey, minus the extra extra Coffey brought.   Was like having a 60 plus goal scorer, playing on defense.    He was every bit a superstar, when in PIT, that Mario was at the time.     And almost as much a superstar as Wayne Gretzky was in EDM.    Then went to Detroit and won a Norris and at 34, was 3rd or 4th in Hart votes.   Makar is very good, but he's not that good.    The Orr stuff, only Coffey matched up.   Let's see Makar score 35-40 first. 

 

At 24, Coffey broke Orr's seemingly unbreakable, goal scoring record.    He was  at that time, considered on par with Gretzky. 

 

The extra extra were the tough as nails part,  Coffey was scrappy, and the end to end rushes, not as frequent by Makar.   Same with the grabs and holds and hits. 
 

Edited February 6 by IBatch

[Kevin Biestra]

1 hour ago, IBatch said:

Coffey was a better skater.   Know the footage is grainy.   But his highlight videos stand up to today's highlight videos of Makar, EK, QHs or whomever.   Makar reminds me of Coffey, minus the extra extra Coffey brought.   Was like having a 60 plus goal scorer, playing on defense.    He was every bit a superstar, when in PIT, that Mario was at the time.     And almost as much a superstar as Wayne Gretzky was in EDM.    Then went to Detroit and won a Norris and at 34, was 3rd or 4th in Hart votes.   Makar is very good, but he's not that good.    The Orr stuff, only Coffey matched up.   Let's see Makar score 35-40 first. 

 

At 24, Coffey broke Orr's seemingly unbreakable, goal scoring record.    He was  at that time, considered on par with Gretzky. 

 

The extra extra were the tough as nails part,  Coffey was scrappy, and the end to end rushes, not as frequent.

 

 

Yeah Coffey really gets overlooked and underestimated now.  The way Lemieux was the only guy to flirt with Gretzky's 200 point seasons (Lemieux had 199), Coffey was one point off Orr's points in a season (139 vs 138) and actually beat his goals (48 to 46).  Not before or since those two was a 50 goal scorer from the blueline even conceivable.  They are the only two to score 40 and both blew that mark out of the water.  Another reason I was glad to see Doug Wilson finally get into the Hall of Fame (he was next up with 39 goals in a season if I remember right and still possibly the best shot from the blueline in league history, and that's including Iafrate and MacInnis).

 

Ray Bourque was Mr. Consistent...best in the league or close to it every one his 20ish seasons.  Coffey on the other hand was the best ever or close to it and close to the best that could even possibly be imagined for 10 or so.

 

Edited February 6 by Kevin Biestra

[IBatch]

16 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

 

Yeah Coffey really gets overlooked and underestimated now.  The way Lemieux was the only guy to flirt with Gretzky's 200 point seasons (Lemieux had 199), Coffey was one point off Orr's points in a season (139 vs 138) and actually beat his goals (48 to 46).  Not before or since those two was a 50 goal scorer from the blueline even conceivable.  They are the only two to score 40 and both blew that mark out of the water.  Another reason I was glad to see Doug Wilson finally get into the Hall of Fame (he was next up with 39 goals in a season if I remember right and still possibly the best shot from the blueline in league history, and that's including Iafrate and MacInnis).

 

Ray Bourque was Mr. Consistent...best in the league or close to it every one his 20ish seasons.  Coffey on the other hand was the best ever or close to it and close to the best that could even possibly be imagined for 10 or so.

 

Coffey and Gretzky were my favourite players growing up.    Was more of a Coffey fan then Gretzky, because of how he skated more then anything, but also because he was mean, stood up for himself, and because at the time anyways, was compared to Orr.    Borque for sure was Mr. Consistent.   At a tier that few players ever approached.     Coffey had the hands and shot and passing ability to match his feet.   That's uber rare.  Only a couple guys in history really.   You can era adjust it all you want.   Won't matter. 

 

Edit:  It's nuts that EDM let him go.   Would be like Makar getting traded after COL wins their cup.   Coffey had to deal with a lot of stops on the way.    Gretzky managed fine without him, and Coffey managed fine without Gretzky.    And both guys, made those around them, better.   Mario doesn't get as many points and neither does Coffey or Francis and whomever.    Coffey was part of the trifecta of scoring going the way it did with Mario and Gretzky during that era. 

 

Babych and Murphy also were drafted the same year.   Was a pretty great time to be a fan. 

Edited February 6 by IBatch

[Kevin Biestra]

16 minutes ago, IBatch said:

Coffey and Gretzky were my favourite players growing up.    Was more of a Coffey fan then Gretzky, because of how he skated more then anything, but also because he was mean, stood up for himself, and because at the time anyways, was compared to Orr.    Borque for sure was Mr. Consistent.   At a tier that few players ever approached.     Coffey had the hands and shot and passing ability to match his feet.   That's uber rare.  Only a couple guys in history really.   You can era adjust it all you want.   Won't matter. 

 

Edit:  It's nuts that EDM let him go.   Would be like Makar getting traded after COL swim their cup.   Coffey had to deal with a lot of stops on the way.    Gretzky managed fine without him, and Coffey managed fine without Gretzky.    And both guys, made those around them, better.   Mario doesn't get as many points and neither does Coffey or Francis and whomever.    Coffey was part of the trifecta of scoring going the way it did with Mario and Gretzky during that era.   

 

Babych and Murphy also were drafted the same year.   Was a pretty great time to be a fan. 

 

 

Yeah it was like Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins both going solo after Genisis.  They did just fine.  And I guess Messier was Mike + the Mechanics, did all right too.

 

Coffey was probably my favorite non-Canuck player at the time.  Some like the Islanders dynasty and 80s Flames I came to respect and admire after the fact when the rivalries and battles were a little less fresh.  Edmonton was so far ahead of us it didn't really feel like a rivalry...it was more like watching your home team against the Harlem Globetrotters in an exhibition match.  Heh, I remember at one point in the 80s the Canucks played the Vancouver Police Department team...and lost.

 

It was a heck of a draft year for defensemen.  Those three guys and also James Patrick (would have been a mega millionaire in today's game), Craig Muni (led the NHL in +/- one year I think), Ric Nattress (the best 7th defenseman in NHL history perhaps), Craig Ludwig (shinzilla) and Doug Lidster.

 

Edited February 6 by Kevin Biestra

[IBatch]

28 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

 

Yeah it was like Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins both going solo after Genisis.  They did just fine.  And I guess Messier was Mike + the Mechanics, did all right too.

 

Coffey was probably my favorite non-Canuck player at the time.  Some like the Islanders dynasty and 80s Flames I came to respect and admire after the fact when the rivalries and battles were a little less fresh.  Edmonton was so far ahead of us it didn't really feel like a rivalry...it was more like watching your home team against the Harlem Globetrotters in an exhibition match.  Heh, I remember at one point in the 80s the Canucks played the Vancouver Police Department team...and lost.

 

It was a heck of a draft year for defensemen.  Those three guys and also James Patrick (would have been a mega millionaire in today's game), Craig Muni (led the NHL in +/- one year I think), Ric Nattress (the best 7th defenseman in NHL history perhaps), Craig Ludwig (shinzilla) and Doug Lidster.

 

Get it.   As a young kid, it was too tough to not get caught up in the Oiler craze.   Most of school was ga-ga for everything Oilers.   Not a lot to cheer for between 82 and 89.   89-90 came with some hope though.   EDM was still a champion though.   Their remnants, beating us in 94 was tough to take.    I'm sure if that team stuck together, 8-10 cups wouldn't have been out of the question.   Stupid good.   

Edited February 6 by IBatch

[Kevin Biestra]

1 hour ago, IBatch said:

Get it.   As a young kid, it was too tough to not get caught up in the Oiler craze.   Most of school was ga-ga for everything Oilers.   Not a lot to cheer for between 82 and 89.   89-90 came with some hope though.   EDM was still a champion though.   Their remnants, beating us in 94 was tough to take.    I'm sure if that team stuck together, 8-10 cups wouldn't have been out of the question.   Stupid good.   

 

If the Oilers had stuck together until 1994 I think the only things that might have beat them were Steve Smith and maybe the Penguins.

 

Edited February 6 by Kevin Biestra

[boziffous]

9 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

2.  We now know why Kuzmenko was scratched and ultimately traded.  He didn't fit Tocchet's system.  Like not even close.  I'm sure he'll have success elsewhere, but we are going for the cup, so we needed everyone to buy in.  Kuzmenko tried really hard to buy in, but I think his skillset just wasn't going to work within Tocchet's system.

Last season though, Kuzmenko put up good numbers for Tocchet. His goal scoring actually increased last season after Tocchet took over as head coach. So why did Kuzmenko seemingly fall off of a cliff this season after having success playing for Tocchet last season? Appreciate any insight into this. @Elias Pettersson @Miss Korea

[Elias Pettersson]

59 minutes ago, boziffous said:

Last season though, Kuzmenko put up good numbers for Tocchet. His goal scoring actually increased last season after Tocchet took over as head coach. So why did Kuzmenko seemingly fall off of a cliff this season after having success playing for Tocchet last season? Appreciate any insight into this. @Elias Pettersson @Miss Korea

I don’t think Tocchet really implemented his system until this year. Last year for those 40 games or so i

think he mostly watched and learned. Our team as a whole was not playing this well and this disciplined last year even under Tocchet. 

[Miss Korea]

15 hours ago, boziffous said:

Last season though, Kuzmenko put up good numbers for Tocchet. His goal scoring actually increased last season after Tocchet took over as head coach. So why did Kuzmenko seemingly fall off of a cliff this season after having success playing for Tocchet last season? Appreciate any insight into this. @Elias Pettersson @Miss Korea

 

If I could think of just one reason... If Kuzmenko could change one thing in the past... I think he would've chosen not to go to Bali and just trained in St. Petersburg or Moscow.  Since training during the regular season consists of a lot drills and maintaining fitness, I believe summers are important for hockey players to develop strength & conditioning, plus individual skills.  But since Kuzy spent most of his offseason in the most tropical climates imaginable, I think his training was negatively affected.  Dan Milstein talked about some kind of ghetto training regimen where he was lifting wood in lieu of weights.  Rick Tocchet was reportedly pissed to about this - he had a set plan on what Kuzmenko should've worked on, and when that didn't happen it was the beginning of the end.

[Mrwipeout]

2 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

 

If I could think of just one reason... If Kuzmenko could change one thing in the past... I think he would've chosen not to go to Bali and just trained in St. Petersburg or Moscow.  Since training during the regular season consists of a lot drills and maintaining fitness, I believe summers are important for hockey players to develop strength & conditioning, plus individual skills.  But since Kuzy spent most of his offseason in the most tropical climates imaginable, I think his training was negatively affected.  Dan Milstein talked about some kind of ghetto training regimen where he was lifting wood in lieu of weights.  Rick Tocchet was reportedly pissed to about this - he had a set plan on what Kuzmenko should've worked on, and when that didn't happen it was the beginning of the end.

 Kuz was benched at the end of last season already, the warning signs was there already back then. 

[Sativika]

Many thanks, Miss Korea. I've hit on a couple of those 'Hockey Psychology' vids. But I'm more of a fanboy, so I check out Locked On Canucks and other such YouTube podcasts.

 

Great to view these vids together. I've been educated. Thanks. And with that....................

 

Looking at the Hughes vids, dude has his signature moves to be sure; predicated by his talent as a top grade skater and stick handler. Most notably his quick turn to the left move. Yea. Defenders can key on that, but Huggy's arsenal includes so many other moves. Needless to say, it's hard to defend a D man like him. So glad he's ours!

 

Also the, 'The Vancouver Canucks are playing TERRIBLE hockey .. THIS is why..' vid was an eye opener. The implementation of RT's system was sorely needed and obviously works for this group of players. Sadly only RT type players need apply and sadly Kuzy had to go. Out with east/west Kuzy, in with north/south Lindy. Win win for both parties it seems. 

 

I look forward to many successes to come with our Canucks. Yeehaaaaa!!!!!

[Alflives]

1 hour ago, Mrwipeout said:

 Kuz was benched at the end of last season already, the warning signs was there already back then. 

Boudreau benched Kuz Missile too. Kuzzy is a likeable player and fun to watch but he’s not a guy a club will win with. He’s no where near what a Phil Kessel brought. 

[Bob Long]

On 2/6/2024 at 5:59 AM, IBatch said:

Coffey was a better skater.   Know the footage is grainy.   But his highlight videos stand up to today's highlight videos of Makar, EK, QHs or whomever.   Makar reminds me of Coffey, minus the extra extra Coffey brought.   Was like having a 60 plus goal scorer, playing on defense.    He was every bit a superstar, when in PIT, that Mario was at the time.     And almost as much a superstar as Wayne Gretzky was in EDM.    Then went to Detroit and won a Norris and at 34, was 3rd or 4th in Hart votes.   Makar is very good, but he's not that good.    The Orr stuff, only Coffey matched up.   Let's see Makar score 35-40 first. 

 

At 24, Coffey broke Orr's seemingly unbreakable, goal scoring record.    He was  at that time, considered on par with Gretzky. 

 

The extra extra were the tough as nails part,  Coffey was scrappy, and the end to end rushes, not as frequent by Makar.   Same with the grabs and holds and hits. 
 

 

Was Coffey better, or better compared to his peers so it stands out a bit more? There are so many good skaters now and Quinn still stands apart. 

[Miss Korea]

@IBatch @Kevin Biestra @Elias Pettersson 

 

You guys are definitely showing your age - when I think of Ray Bourque, I only visualize him as a grizzled vet in a Colorado jersey.  I didn't even know Coffey was still playing at that time - he retired the same year as Bourque.  Almost 40 years later, I feel like we're starting enter a true golden age of defencemen.

 

Speaking of Paul Coffey... Kris Knoblauch has been praised but I don't think Coffey gets enough credit for turning the Oilers season around.  Their D-zone coverage on even strength and PK have become one of the best in the entire league.  Their depth players still aren't scoring but they're absolutely shutting opponents down.  

 

 

[Kevin Biestra]

5 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

Was Coffey better, or better compared to his peers so it stands out a bit more? There are so many good skaters now and Quinn still stands apart. 

 

Coffey is the best skater I have ever seen.

[Elias Pettersson]

1 hour ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Coffey is the best skater I have ever seen.

I agree. He was effortless. Didn’t even look like he was trying. For sure he was a better skater than Hughes or Makar. Not sure about Orr. Plus Orr had 8 knee operations so I don’t think he was ever at his best. He literally won 8 Norris trophies on one leg. 
 

Mike Gartner was the fastest skater I ever saw. Pure speed. I think he would still be faster than most people today. 

 

Pavel Bure was the fastest skater with the puck on his stick. He would go end to end on a regular basis. 

[IBatch]

2 hours ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Coffey is the best skater I have ever seen.

Second that.   

[IBatch]

34 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

I agree. He was effortless. Didn’t even look like he was trying. For sure he was a better skater than Hughes or Makar. Not sure about Orr. Plus Orr had 8 knee operations so I don’t think he was ever at his best. He literally won 8 Norris trophies on one leg. 
 

Mike Gartner was the fastest skater I ever saw. Pure speed. I think he would still be faster than most people today. 

 

Pavel Bure was the fastest skater with the puck on his stick. He would go end to end on a regular basis. 

All star games put some of it on the table.  Was a 17 year vet Gartner really at his fastest?  No.   And that year, if you wanted to be in that part of the game, you had to qualify.   A dozen guys qualified with 13.5 second times.   Hedican was one of them, and nobody was saying he was the fastest, just very quick.   Bure was the fastest skater with the puck.    I don't remember Gartner enough to say yes or no on that.   Just that he was fast.    Coffey was the fastest backwards skater i've ever seen.