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3 hours ago, Canuckster86 said:

Yup I think Bouchard will have a productive career, fixing skating is not that hard in todays world if the player is motivated.

Wow.   Really?   Wow.   Sorry dude, skating may be about the hardest thing to develop.   You either have the quick twitch muscles or you don't.   If what you say is true, every "Dane Fox" out there with hands would be scoring 40 goals in the NHL.

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13 minutes ago, Rob_Zepp said:

Wow.   Really?   Wow.   Sorry dude, skating may be about the hardest thing to develop.   You either have the quick twitch muscles or you don't.   If what you say is true, every "Dane Fox" out there with hands would be scoring 40 goals in the NHL.

So much harder for a defenseman too.

 

You've got to be a great multi-directional skater.

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What’s interesting about Hughes’ game is that he doesn’t have to be on the score sheet to be a game changer. 

 

The way that that he gains possession and carries the puck has so much value in today’s game.  Best part is...  even though there are parts of his game that are already considered elite, he’s just scratching the surface of what he’ll become. 

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8 hours ago, Hutton Wink said:

Bouchard certainly SHOULD look like a man against boys, would not be good if he didn't.

I am 6'2, 205 and felt small next to him at the draft. He already has a pro players body, but obviously needs to develop his foot speed. His hockey IQ can make up for some of his speed, but ultimately it could be his downfall. I just hope the Coilers did not get the dman they so desperately need.  

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12 hours ago, Canuckster86 said:

Yup I think Bouchard will have a productive career, fixing skating is not that hard in todays world if the player is motivated. Adding Size and a booming shot is impossible on the other hand.

 

Hughes will dangle and wow us, Bouchard was the safer all round choice if we wanted to go that route

Bouchard can’t skate very well, because he’s got really slow feet.  He’s going to “bustaroo”.  Very glad we got Hughes.  

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From what little can see here, the challenge for Hughes may be simplifying his game.  In some of the highlights shown, especially the first one where he brings the puck up towards the blue line and walks the line to the boards on the other side, he would have got crushed in the NHL game.

His skating is so much better than the juniors and minor league players that he holds the puck for a long time and will go for a skate.  In the NHL that lets the trap get set up and will get him into trouble at times.

Very exciting player, can't wait to see his game develop into an NHL game.

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3 hours ago, Odjick29willkillyou said:

I am 6'2, 205 and felt small next to him at the draft. He already has a pro players body, but obviously needs to develop his foot speed. His hockey IQ can make up for some of his speed, but ultimately it could be his downfall. I just hope the Coilers did not get the dman they so desperately need.  

Like with any player, just need to find a good partner for him that complements and covers for deficiencies.  Seems there's only a few (like Tanev) where their partner doesn't matter so much in their effectiveness.

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Quinn and EP both have such quick hands...they don't have to be big to get the puck back with a stick check.

 

Player's pull a move on either one and think they are in clear....only to discover that the puck is going back the other way without them...

 

There won't be to many guys getting around those 2....with the puck....

 

Bo and Brock are no slouches at the stick check either....just not as magical as those 2....

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12 hours ago, DeNiro said:

So much harder for a defenseman too.

 

You've got to be a great multi-directional skater.

100%.    Soooo many Dmen that dominated at CHL level had, at best, mediocre pro careers and the limit for them was their skating.    

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Im just going to say it. When I look at Bouchard yes he is a big guy but he has a short legs and a really big torso. Dobson however had the ideal frame with the long legs that translates to professional hockey better. Jake Virtanen, Taylor Hall are a couple of other examples. You need long legs with powerful strides in todays NHL game. Bouchard is said to have skating issues not because he is weak on his feet in close but because with his short legs he won't be able to catch up to speedy NHL players. He makes up for it with a big power shot and smart accurate passing. He will most likely need to be paired with a really fast defence parter. All that said the perfect defence partner for him might be Q. Hughes. 


Hughes skating is on a completely different level which makes him a potentially elite prospect. He glides around effortlessly like Bure did. It is a very very rare talent. As he gets stronger in the next few years expect him to be a game changer on a nightly basis for us. 

 

Hughes should have gone third and possibly second IMO. We hit the jackpot by getting him at 7

 

I hope we land another Elite prospect at next years draft. 

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19 hours ago, MoneypuckOverlord said:

well not surprised.  A lot of Nucks fans wanted him. 

He's who I wanted us to take. Once Hughes was available was pretty sure we were taking him, though. Can't say I'm disappointed. Should be interesting to see how their careers pan out.

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42 minutes ago, Psycho_Path said:

He's who I wanted us to take. Once Hughes was available was pretty sure we were taking him, though. Can't say I'm disappointed. Should be interesting to see how their careers pan out.

I’m sure they’ll both have great careers.  (Bouchard & Hughes).  However there’s no question between whom will make fans sit on the edge of their seats on a nightly basis. 

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18 hours ago, Rob_Zepp said:

Wow.   Really?   Wow.   Sorry dude, skating may be about the hardest thing to develop.   You either have the quick twitch muscles or you don't.   If what you say is true, every "Dane Fox" out there with hands would be scoring 40 goals in the NHL.

I just look at current Canuck Bo Horvat, skating was his so called knock when he got drafted. He improved that by working and continuing to work on his skating. Not an issue now.  

 

As for a D, they can also make up for some speed by having good IQ and being able to play the angles.

 

Maybe Dane Fox isnt motivated? Guy is who knows where now, he also wasnt a top 10 pick like Bouchard or Horvat, so mentioning him is kind of useless in my opinion. He was a undrafted free agent signing, that had inflated numbers because he played on McDavid's line.

 

I know where you are coming from, but your comparison is irrelevant IMO, 2 completely different prospects. 1 lead his team in scoring as a D playing huge minutes the other was a leach on a top line with a generational player

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5 hours ago, Canuckster86 said:

I just look at current Canuck Bo Horvat, skating was his so called knock when he got drafted. He improved that by working and continuing to work on his skating. Not an issue now.  

 

As for a D, they can also make up for some speed by having good IQ and being able to play the angles.

 

Maybe Dane Fox isnt motivated? Guy is who knows where now, he also wasnt a top 10 pick like Bouchard or Horvat, so mentioning him is kind of useless in my opinion. He was a undrafted free agent signing, that had inflated numbers because he played on McDavid's line.

 

I know where you are coming from, but your comparison is irrelevant IMO, 2 completely different prospects. 1 lead his team in scoring as a D playing huge minutes the other was a leach on a top line with a generational player

Dane Fox was just but one example.   I could give you 50 names each year if you like.    This is particularly true at the D position.   I wish the kid lots of luck but skating is a concern and in today's NHL if you are a D and have slow feet, you are a pylon.   I hope that is not the case for this kid.

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5 minutes ago, Rob_Zepp said:

Dane Fox was just but one example.   I could give you 50 names each year if you like.    This is particularly true at the D position.   I wish the kid lots of luck but skating is a concern and in today's NHL if you are a D and have slow feet, you are a pylon.   I hope that is not the case for this kid.

I just had this conversation with my boy tonight. We talked how for every Bo that can improve there skating there are ten players that cant. Not just speed but edge work is everything for a dman. You are reacting most of the time so if you cant turn and angle quickly you are in tough. It's really starts at a young age and is very difficult to improve on.

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1 minute ago, rekker said:

I just had this conversation with my boy tonight. We talked how for every Bo that can improve there skating there are ten players that cant. Not just speed but edge work is everything for a dman. You are reacting most of the time so if you cant turn and angle quickly you are in tough. It's really starts at a young age and is very difficult to improve on.

I think people underestimate what a skill skating actually is.

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