Nik Antropov Returns
GP W L OT PTS GF GA
12 5 4 3 13 40 47
What a week, it ending up being a bad one but with plenty positives to build off of. Ottawa is not worth mentioning yet, if this happens and we are past game 60 I will comment. Saturday night showcased the return of Nik Antropov. Antropov is a highly underrated player who has been negatively branded because of his inability to remain healthy. Over the past 6 seasons, a career that began as a 20 year old in the ‘old bash em’ crash em’ NHL, Nik has honed his skills on becoming a very creative and knowledgeable NHL player who is now a physical force on the ice. More so, Antropov has incredible vision, his ability to find open teammates is one of his many assets, proven during last years final 14 game stretch, being a key component to the wins, as well as Mats Sundin’s 4 goal game. Antropov has much more to offer as well. He is everywhere on the ice, his skating ability does not flow as well as a Spezza, but with his 6’6 statue, reach and knowledge, puck position is his by forcing numerous turnovers and plenty interceptions. Antropov I believe is a perfect fit to eventually find himself back aside Sundin. By uniting Antropov, Sundin, and Wellwood, this will put the teams top three offensively creative forwards in on one unit. With Antropov’s turnover ability, these players will obtain puck possession instead of chasing it around the ice as has been the case in games past. Although Wellwood is a great digger (surprising for his size), his reach limits his ability to win pucks on the defensive side. Antropov is still working his way into the lineup under a new coach, I feel after time it will reveal that he is a perfect fit that will help both Wellwood and Sundin.
The Montréal game was a beauty, I can not remember seeing a faster Leaf team forcheck in my 20 Leaf years. At one point of the start of the third, the Leafs had the Habes pinned for the opening 3 minutes. However, after blowing another big lead, questions still remain on the defensive end, the Leafs are continually being burned by the NHL elite, and are unable to breathe on most breakouts. I have already spoken on McCabe, my question is now is who is the other anchor, White or Gill? This is one question that can’t be answered until they are separated, and in which case they may both improve as the experimentation will be over and a healthy Leafs D will include both Kubina and Colaiacovo.
12 5 4 3 13 40 47
What a week, it ending up being a bad one but with plenty positives to build off of. Ottawa is not worth mentioning yet, if this happens and we are past game 60 I will comment. Saturday night showcased the return of Nik Antropov. Antropov is a highly underrated player who has been negatively branded because of his inability to remain healthy. Over the past 6 seasons, a career that began as a 20 year old in the ‘old bash em’ crash em’ NHL, Nik has honed his skills on becoming a very creative and knowledgeable NHL player who is now a physical force on the ice. More so, Antropov has incredible vision, his ability to find open teammates is one of his many assets, proven during last years final 14 game stretch, being a key component to the wins, as well as Mats Sundin’s 4 goal game. Antropov has much more to offer as well. He is everywhere on the ice, his skating ability does not flow as well as a Spezza, but with his 6’6 statue, reach and knowledge, puck position is his by forcing numerous turnovers and plenty interceptions. Antropov I believe is a perfect fit to eventually find himself back aside Sundin. By uniting Antropov, Sundin, and Wellwood, this will put the teams top three offensively creative forwards in on one unit. With Antropov’s turnover ability, these players will obtain puck possession instead of chasing it around the ice as has been the case in games past. Although Wellwood is a great digger (surprising for his size), his reach limits his ability to win pucks on the defensive side. Antropov is still working his way into the lineup under a new coach, I feel after time it will reveal that he is a perfect fit that will help both Wellwood and Sundin.
The Montréal game was a beauty, I can not remember seeing a faster Leaf team forcheck in my 20 Leaf years. At one point of the start of the third, the Leafs had the Habes pinned for the opening 3 minutes. However, after blowing another big lead, questions still remain on the defensive end, the Leafs are continually being burned by the NHL elite, and are unable to breathe on most breakouts. I have already spoken on McCabe, my question is now is who is the other anchor, White or Gill? This is one question that can’t be answered until they are separated, and in which case they may both improve as the experimentation will be over and a healthy Leafs D will include both Kubina and Colaiacovo.
posted by LEAFER at
7:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home