"If there's one person Zack Kassian needs to look at ... it's Chris Higgins" - Torts

[blackpluto96]

I don't know if I necessarily agree. When Higgins is playing well yes... but thats not always the case. For a player like Kassian he should probably be zooming in on how Bertuzzi was playing in his hayday. Cause thats exactly what we want from him.

I believe Torts is referring to Higgy's attitude and work ethic, not the style of play. In addition to more playing time for Kass, he needs guidance and mentoring. Torts obviously sees that and is taking the right approach to develop Kass.

[Honky Cat]

What I notice with Kassian is that when he starts coasting..he's pretty ineffective...He has to initiate,rather than waiting for something to happen (like Higgins)....I think he'll hell figure it out sooner rather than later.

[Bananas]

Torts is definitely the kind of coach Kassian needs.

[Plum]

Wonder how Higgins will react from this one. Such a confidence boost for him if Higgins heard this but Kassian needs to go 100% in every shift and come off breathing very hard that is needed for success.

[theo5789]

I don't know if I necessarily agree. When Higgins is playing well yes... but thats not always the case. For a player like Kassian he should probably be zooming in on how Bertuzzi was playing in his hayday. Cause thats exactly what we want from him.

The way I see it is that Kassian has always been compared to Bertuzzi in his prime. All Kassian is shown and told to be is this superstar player without having that player show him the ropes and guide him to success. Kassian has shown he has offensive skills, but cannot fully harness an effective game. Kassian will become disinterested/float when things aren't going his way because he's expected to put up 70-80 point seasons which is just unrealistic at this point.

Being told to play with Higgins' work effect doesn't mean he will play like Higgins, but start to learn how to play an effective game and let the rest fall into place. You put in the effort then even when you're not scoring, you're doing something to help the team which builds confidence in himself in other ways than just putting up points. He will feel better about himself and will play with more passion and then the offense will come. At the very least, he has someone on his team that he can talk to and work with to get better. Plus Higgins is being shown some praise from his coach that is deserved.

[Bananas]

Stick 'em on a line together. Kassian plays well when his linemates are working hard. He feeds off his line's energy.

He showed that when he played with Archibald.

[Joe_Kerr]

I think he does mean play Higgins style of hockey, he goes out there skating full speed throwing his body around, getting in the dirty areas along the boards, has a good shot that he uses, and is good at spinning away from defenders, now Kassian could do all that but I think he has more talent so he would turn into a beeaast

[spook007]

Is this the same Higgins CDC wanted MG crucified for, for re-signing @ 2,5 /year w NTC?

Or the one lots of proposals put with Hansen on the 4th line??? Changed times...

[hockeywoot]

His work ethic, nose for the dirty areas, and defensive play. That's what Kass should take away from Torts' comments.

[ice orca]

Kass-Richie-Archi.. gonna be a good line, and all of them want to be Canucks.

[canadiangunner]

Dallas Eakins is overrated, he's arrogant and believes he's got a superior method which is totally unproven and proving to be a disaster in Edmonton. Torts is a good fit here but its still early wait till a 2 or 3 game losing skid comes along....still think the nucks need some more horses up front via trade.

[Drakrami]

thats the biggest change ive noticed in zack this year he is driving the play and he wants the puck last year he was just a passenger.

BECAUSE we got a new coach who will actually bench him if he looked lazy out there.

[Moonshinefe]

We've heard Torterella say several times how him and his coaching staff is working with Kassian to improve his game. I didn't feel this was happening, or if it was, was working out under AV. We've never seen Kassian put up some offensive numbers much playing on the lower lines, but he's been improving. It's good to see, this guy will be key for us in the long haul

[Boudrias]

Another guy who deserves credit in a big way is Stanton!

For all our talent on D, only Bieksa amongst our D is a stand up for the team kind of guy historically. And he's barely 200 lbs. For years no one other than him on the ice did any more than clutch and hold on from our back end when teams came to intimidate.

There was Stanton, staring down and making it clear to Phaneuf he could drop the gloves and it would be welcome. He locked horns, held his own and pushed him away from more than one scrum, also stuck his nose into conversations with Clarkson and McLaren during scrums. When was the last time we had that on D?

The team is standing up for each other. Lord knows it helped, how many boarding penalties or cheap elbows did TO try to throw? Orr and Clarkson reckoned because Burrows, at 185 lbs, goaded Kessell into a fight that gave them free reign to go after the Twins. Guys like Burrows have always been willing, but its been years since we had enough "bodies" suited to this type of game.

Thats why when Kesler or Burrows yapped, or took a dive, we got a bad rap. We were not prepared to fight our own battles, wanted the ref's to do it for us. Wow, a stand up game! I'm so very pumped!

Stanton has been pretty strong from the first game. A little surprised he hasn't dropped the gloves yet. I thought he might go on Sat night. Your point about Burrows is bang on. At 185 he cannot play a banging game every night and he did that for a number of seasons. To many times he was injured by the end of playoffs. He is more valuable on the ice but still delivers that edge that pisses opposing players off. When you stop and consider how Gillis has brought size into this lineup over the last 3 years it is considerable.

Back to Kassian. He dominated on a number of shifts against the Laffers. As you suggested earlier it became obvious to the Laffers that going physical on Van would not be easy. I think Archibald goes back to Utica as soon as Hanson is healthy. I say this simply because his development requires big minutes that he will get there. Sestito is the enforcer Van needs right now. He does have challengers like Archibald who will cost him his spot possibly next spring. I am watching Welsh closely. AT 210 he doesn't seem to know what game he wants to play. Has size and speed. Tough to be 4C when getting less than 5 TOI. I wish he threw more hits.

I don't see Schroeder or Booth bumping anyone in this lineup right now. I simply don't see Schroeder at 4C.

[stawns]

I don't know if I necessarily agree. When Higgins is playing well yes... but thats not always the case. For a player like Kassian he should probably be zooming in on how Bertuzzi was playing in his hayday. Cause thats exactly what we want from him.

oh god, no thanks. You think kassian floats? Bertuzzin wrote the users manual for floating

[stawns]

We've heard Torterella say several times how him and his coaching staff is working with Kassian to improve his game. I didn't feel this was happening, or if it was, was working out under AV. We've never seen Kassian put up some offensive numbers much playing on the lower lines, but he's been improving. It's good to see, this guy will be key for us in the long haul

You don't know this at all. Just because he doesn't feel the need to keep mdeia and fans informed of what he does in practice doesn't mean he wasn't doing it.

[Moonshinefe]

I saw some hate on this forum about Higgy earlier on when he had a bad stretch. People almost made him the new Raymond or David Booth! But yeah, he's back, and I stood by him because I know he comes out with more heart every game. He's one of our hardest forcheckers and he's always in the dirty areas winning puck battles for Kesler and the other boys. Torts clearly sees this, and yeah, if Kassian can gain that level of determination, he'll be much improved.

[Moonshinefe]

You don't know this at all. Just because he doesn't feel the need to keep mdeia and fans informed of what he does in practice doesn't mean he wasn't doing it.

Point taken, but clearly Kassian didn't accel under AV, just look at the results. Now I see Kassian playing bottom 6 minutes but fighting for his ice time, and I see him putting up some offensive points on those bottom minutes. Before he was mostly generating with the Sedins (aka anyone can do that).

[oldnews]

Nice to see Higgins getting some of the kudos and recognition he deserves.

So much nonsense posted about him on these boards - complaining about his consistency, his contract and his ntc.

He's an elite tweener - has produced top 6 numbers with 3rd line minutes - is an intelligent, outstanding two way player who shows up every shift - and is a proficient puck hound with a takeaway/giveaway ration among the NHL's elite over the years.

He has earned every word of it.

[oldnews]

oh god, no thanks. You think kassian floats? Bertuzzin wrote the users manual for floating

I love Bertuzzi, but that was certainly true of his game back in his days as a Canuck.

He has developed a lot more of a two way presence as a Redwing - but back in the WCE days, he was an absentee defensive player - parked out on the boards near the blueline on a regular basis waiting for an outlet pass as the undersized Morrison had to handle all the heavy lifting in his own end and provide the possession for Bert and Naslund.

That was actually the most obvious weak spot of the WCE - once teams focussed on a hard and heavy forecheck against that line, it really stemmed their production as they spent a whole lot of time pinned in their own end.

I remember wishing they would assign Bertuzzi to playing blueline in the (noncompetitive) offseason so he would learn to use his physicality and become a player who was difficult to play against in his own end of the ice. If he had that, the WCE would have been unstoppable - but as it actually was, unfortunately Bert was far more of a liability throughout his time here than Kassian, who was a better defensive player as a rookie than Bert ever was here.

I am very happy with the way Kassian has and is being developed. Too much (uninformed) claims about his defensive game - he has done a good job in revolving circumstances as a young player. Kassian had only 44% offensive zone starts last year - was more trusted by AV than people realize - and the same is true again this season - only 44% ozone starts, and yet he has had good underlying numbers, has generated positive possession/territory both seasons, and has been a better two way presence than people realize.

He's continuing to develop into a very well rounded player who can help his team in a wide range of ways.