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Kellan Tochkin Talk


ilikecanucks

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Obviously there are some pre-disposed intelligence quotients at play, but any scout will tell you you can't teach a player what was given to him by "god" but you can certainly improve his hockey ability and IQ.

This is why players with alot of talent and poor strength and size fall a long ways in drafts and players who may not have as much skill but are blessed with natural size and strength tend to go higher. But, obviously it only goes so far. I contend that players like Tochkin are just too weak to ever play a regular shift in the NHL, just like another former Everett Silvertip, Zach Hamill. The guy was an 8th overall pick but he's too damn weak to play in the NHL. terrible pick by the Bruins!

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Surprised there isn't a topic dedicated solely to Kellan.

Quietly he is putting together a very good season on a very good Everett team.

Through 71 games he has 27 goals (up from 20 last year) and 67 points (4 back from last years totals).

He has however shown more willingness to compete shift in and shift out. He is a +23 and has 64 penalty minutes, which to me shows he is getting more involved.

Its nice to see he is grabbing the bull by the horns in terms of getting involved at both ends, and is shooting and scoring more often, and is also getting time on the PK.

Definately a good addition to a previously shallow prospect pool.

A long playoff run is likely in the cards, as Everett is a solid team.

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It'd be interesting to see what sort of numbers he'd have put up had Schroeder joined Everett this past season. I heard Tochkin's skating needed work but had good hockey sense, which Gillis likes in his players. If he can improve his skating and strength he could be a solid depth guy and a decent player for the Moose. I'm sure the Canucks strength and conditioning program will help him a lot in those areas.

The ability to read plays and anticipate what is going to happen could be a huge factor for any player to have success, 'cos the game is so fast, so a lot of guys just don't have the time to think out there. I also think that maybe that ability, or "hockey sense/IQ" as we like to call it, is linked to a person's own "general" intelligence, which most likely is linked to genetics. Sort of like "natural ability" or "talent" as we know it. Training and lots of video-based instruction and analysis does help, but the potential to develop that hockey sense has to be there in the first place too, I think. However, this is getting into complicated territory, so I won't delve any further since I'm not that familiar with this topic . tongue.gif Interesting discussion though.

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It'd be interesting to see what sort of numbers he'd have put up had Schroeder joined Everett this past season. I heard Tochkin's skating needed work but had good hockey sense, which Gillis likes in his players. If he can improve his skating and strength he could be a solid depth guy and a decent player for the Moose. I'm sure the Canucks strength and conditioning program will help him a lot in those areas.

The ability to read plays and anticipate what is going to happen could be a huge factor for any player to have success, 'cos the game is so fast, so a lot of guys just don't have the time to think out there. I also think that maybe that ability, or "hockey sense/IQ" as we like to call it, is linked to a person's own "general" intelligence, which most likely is linked to genetics. Sort of like "natural ability" or "talent" as we know it. Training and lots of video-based instruction and analysis does help, but the potential to develop that hockey sense has to be there in the first place too, I think. However, this is getting into complicated territory, so I won't delve any further since I'm not that familiar with this topic . tongue.gif Interesting discussion though.

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yea, it's fun to discuss. I wish I thought Tochkin was a diamond in the rough, but from what I've seen of him (which is alot), he'll have to get ALOT stronger to ever have a shot at the NHL. At least the kid knows what his weaknesses are and how to improve. Get your Oompa Loompa a$ to the weight room Tochkin, and take some high-powered supplements while you're at it! tongue.gif

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laugh.gif

So what do you think of Tochkin? His skills, strengths and weaknesses? It's nice to get a first-hand account of what a player's like, especially since we in Vancouver don't get to see them much or at all.

Do you regularly follow the Silvertips then? I'm assuming you do, and in that case can you also tell us what Ellington is like? Skating, decision-making, passing, puckhandling, mental toughness and reliability, etc.? Again, I don't think many people have seen much of this kid, and with him being a 2nd-round pick D-man it'd be nice to know what he can do and how he projects as well. Our current prospect depth on the blueline is not too great right now, lacking a real blue-chip prospect back there on defense.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I dunno why most sites i've read up on says that " Kellan needs to work on his skating" stuff like that. From what i've seen from the camp last year he was a pretty decent skater, doesn't blow anyone by or anything but not slow and lumbering by any means. He does have good hands though and i guess his stats would attest to that ..but they are right in some cases about his size. There was a lot of drills when his stature was clearly an issue..but this can remedied with more proper instruction from canucks development

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I dunno why most sites i've read up on says that " Kellan needs to work on his skating" stuff like that. From what i've seen from the camp last year he was a pretty decent skater, doesn't blow anyone by or anything but not slow and lumbering by any means. He does have good hands though and i guess his stats would attest to that ..but they are right in some cases about his size. There was a lot of drills when his stature was clearly an issue..but this can remedied with more proper instruction from canucks development

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The Canucks seem to disagree with you, as he was placed on the Salmon Kings roster. Usually not a good sign.

I'm more concerned with Rai's defensive game. His skating is good, but not as OMGAWESOME as some folks are making it out to be.

I'm rooting for him, but some people are getting way too excited over his one overage season.

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I thought Wellwood was a decent skater; he's pretty agile out there on the ice and has decent speed. I don't know anything about skating technicalities or the mechanics of it and I won't pretend to, but he gets around the ice well enough to do his job. If Tochkin turns out to be anything like Welly then this signing would be a huge success already, considering Tochkin went undrafted and we got him for free.

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