I think the issue is that people expect first round picks to score goals and put up points in the NHL, regardless of whether they have that offensive upside or not. Poehling was never really that guy. He did ok in College hockey, but nothing in his game screams upside. He's also worked on his skating it appears. I like everything else about his game.
Helly's gonna be 37 at the end of this deal. That's getting up there. Lots of miles on those legs as it is. Has any goalie played more minutes these last few years?
Yup. This guy, he's Ovechkin like in all kinds of ways, including a wicked shot. All world skills. Like I said, he dropped to 20th because he had Hodgkins lymphoma (plus the Russian factor). He was being talked about as a #1 overall in 2019:
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/526255/ivan-miroshnichenko
This is true, not a lot of high end talent in the pipeline.
But people have forgotten about Miroshnichenko. He fell to 22 because of the Hodgkins and then basically lost a year, but he is a high end talent. He was a consensus #1 or # 2 prospect prior to getting sick. Playing great in pre season apparently.
I think maybe this was misinterpreted. You see, when he's standing in front of the net looking for tips, he can turn his stick this way, or he can turn in that way. Two way player.
I think it's because knowledgeable hockey people are still to be found there. Like scouts, some insiders I guess.
This place is more of an organic community because of the way it started.
Bwahahahahahahahaha!
He might be the dumbest hockey player to ever play in the NHL! He's a menace.
So, the only thing that can help him "get it" is a stellar D partner who makes up for his braindead mistakes. And I'm not seeing anyone that fits the bill. Staal is too old and too slow, for example, to do all that needs doing with Risto out there.