Jackson Kunz | LW

[Devron]

This guy hasn’t even been on my radar for whatever reason. Looking him up here and wow do I like what I see. A year or 2 younger then most of his peers and lead the team in goals. Big boy too. 
 

I feel stupid for not following him this year. Hope he has a good start to college 

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

56 minutes ago, Devron44 said:

This guy hasn’t even been on my radar for whatever reason. Looking him up here and wow do I like what I see. A year or 2 younger then most of his peers and lead the team in goals. Big boy too. 
 

I feel stupid for not following him this year. Hope he has a good start to college 

He’s definitely one to watch next season at UND. Ideally he hits the ground running and can put together a freshman year like what we saw from Aidan McDonough. Similar player in many ways, as it’s his skating that’s the biggest issue, and will likely be the determining factor as to how far he can progress in his development and what kind of chance he has to successfully turn pro. Lots to like with Kunz, with the size, release, and offensive instincts. Just need to lighten up those heavy feet, and get a lot more efficient in his skating stride, and we might have another later round steal from that USHL/NCAA pipeline.

 

EDIT: The dream scenario is both McDonough and Kunz see dramatic improvements in their skating, and reach the ceilings of their talents. Would sure be nice to have some 6’3”, 220ish lbs forwards slotting into the lineup in the next few years. Kunz and McDonough are a couple big boys who would fit in rather nicely with our current young forward group, assuming they develop the wheels to really skate with them. Add in some continued improvements from guys like Gadjovich and MacEwen, and all of a sudden we’ve got some real size at forward, up and down the lineup, and with the offensive skills to chip in scoring, while playing a heavy game and being a handful for opponents.

Edited July 11, 2021 by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME

[Fred65]

On 7/11/2021 at 3:47 AM, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

He’s definitely one to watch next season at UND. Ideally he hits the ground running and can put together a freshman year like what we saw from Aidan McDonough. Similar player in many ways, as it’s his skating that’s the biggest issue, and will likely be the determining factor as to how far he can progress in his development and what kind of chance he has to successfully turn pro. Lots to like with Kunz, with the size, release, and offensive instincts. Just need to lighten up those heavy feet, and get a lot more efficient in his skating stride, and we might have another later round steal from that USHL/NCAA pipeline.

 

EDIT: The dream scenario is both McDonough and Kunz see dramatic improvements in their skating, and reach the ceilings of their talents. Would sure be nice to have some 6’3”, 220ish lbs forwards slotting into the lineup in the next few years. Kunz and McDonough are a couple big boys who would fit in rather nicely with our current young forward group, assuming they develop the wheels to really skate with them. Add in some continued improvements from guys like Gadjovich and MacEwen, and all of a sudden we’ve got some real size at forward, up and down the lineup, and with the offensive skills to chip in scoring, while playing a heavy game and being a handful for opponents.

I'd agree about needing some size. Here's waht I have difficulty with. In a Canucks Army interview McDonough he states this is all new to me, power skating classes. I find that shocking, kid you want to make it you need to take improvement and training seriously

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

50 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

I'd agree about needing some size. Here's waht I have difficulty with. In a Canucks Army interview McDonough he states this is all new to me, power skating classes. I find that shocking, kid you want to make it you need to take improvement and training seriously

I agree it’s really surprising he hasn’t done any power skating until now, at age 21. However, I’m choosing to see this as a positive, since he has the potential to unlock some major improvements. Just learning the techniques around proper posture, balance, centre of gravity, mechanics (knee bend, hip flexion, etc), lengthening and smoothing out his stride, and generating more power, could results in some dramatic improvements in a pretty short timeframe, if McDonough really works hard at it, and has a quality professional guiding him.

 

As to why a drafted player who’s already been through the USHL and NCAA has never taken power skating, that’s one I can’t really answer. These days, most people I know with kids in hockey are starting them super young and doing so many skating courses and camps, it’s really odd to hear about somebody just never getting the benefit of these kinds of resources, until this late an age.

 

But again, the optimistic take would be that there’s a ton of potential to unlock here, and McDonough could see some dramatic improvements with his skating. I’ve definitely seen it before, with young men who were pretty raw and untrained in their technique, before doing some targeted 1-on-1 work with a good skating coach. However, when it comes to achieving full potential in skating, I’d agree it’s better to be working with this kids from a young age, and over multiple years, rather than trying to break down and rebuild them as adults (and that goes for their technical form as well as the biomechanics).

[Fred65]

51 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

I agree it’s really surprising he hasn’t done any power skating until now, at age 21. However, I’m choosing to see this as a positive, since he has the potential to unlock some major improvements. Just learning the techniques around proper posture, balance, centre of gravity, mechanics (knee bend, hip flexion, etc), lengthening and smoothing out his stride, and generating more power, could results in some dramatic improvements in a pretty short timeframe, if McDonough really works hard at it, and has a quality professional guiding him.

 

As to why a drafted player who’s already been through the USHL and NCAA has never taken power skating, that’s one I can’t really answer. These days, most people I know with kids in hockey are starting them super young and doing so many skating courses and camps, it’s really odd to hear about somebody just never getting the benefit of these kinds of resources, until this late an age.

 

But again, the optimistic take would be that there’s a ton of potential to unlock here, and McDonough could see some dramatic improvements with his skating. I’ve definitely seen it before, with young men who were pretty raw and untrained in their technique, before doing some targeted 1-on-1 work with a good skating coach. However, when it comes to a in thechieving full potential in skating, I’d agree it’s better to be working with this kids from a young age, and over multiple years, rather than trying to break down and rebuild them as adults (and that goes for their technical form as well as the biomechanics).

You might be surpised how tight budgets are in the NCAA especially for secondary sports such as hockey, that's my experience any way. I know good, repeat good power skating coaches are few and far between and expensive for an amateur. But you'd think a promise of  reimbursement by Vcr would be surffice Let's hope he can enjoy the same benefits as Horvat did

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

38 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

You might be surpised how tight budgets are in the NCAA especially for secondary sports such as hockey, that's my experience any way. I know good, repeat good power skating coaches are few and far between and expensive for an amateur. But you'd think a promise of  reimbursement by Vcr would be surffice Let's hope he can enjoy the same benefits as Horvat did

Oh yeah, sorry, didn’t mean to suggest that his teams should’ve covered it, because that would actually be unusual. Sometimes you will see teams bring in outside skating coaches, and a rare few will even hire one to staff, but that’s really the exception. Even most NHL teams don’t have a skating coach on staff.

 

Was more just saying that it’s unusual for a guy who’s already as old and has achieved as much as McDonough, and has played at as high a level as USHL and NCAA, to have never done any offseason power skating to this point in his playing career. 
 

EDIT: I mean, every kid I grew up with who played did power skating at some point. And I’m old as ****.  But I’m also Canadian, so that’s maybe part of the reason. But compared to McDonough, most of us truly sucked at hockey (including me), so I’m just surprised he never got that kind of training along the way.

Edited July 13, 2021 by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME

[Fred65]

19 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Oh yeah, sorry, didn’t mean to suggest that his teams should’ve covered it, because that would actually be unusual. Sometimes you will see teams bring in outside skating coaches, and a rare few will even hire one to staff, but that’s really the exception. Even most NHL teams don’t have a skating coach on staff.

 

Was more just saying that it’s unusual for a guy who’s already as old and has achieved as much as McDonough, and has played at as high a level as USHL and NCAA, to have never done any offseason power skating to this point in his playing career. 
 

EDIT: I mean, every kid I grew up with who played did power skating at some point. And I’m old as ****.  But I’m also Canadian, so that’s maybe part of the reason. But compared to McDonough, most of us truly sucked at hockey (including me), so I’m just surprised he never got that kind of training along the way.

Power skating was a total waste for my self  But my kids all had Power skating and many hockey camps. In fact my daughter became a power skating coach herself   She has such a full stride, full extension, very few could beat her

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Fred65 said:

Power skating was a total waste for my self  But my kids all had Power skating and many hockey camps. In fact my daughter became a power skating coach herself   She has such a full stride, full extension, very few could beat her

...and taking/giving private power skating lessons costs a pretty penny too, right?  50$/hr on the cheap end? 

[Fred65]

16 hours ago, VancouverHabitant said:

...and taking/giving private power skating lessons costs a pretty penny too, right?  50$/hr on the cheap end? 

Very cheap. Most NHL players first of all rent the ice solely for themselves and it's not a group setting it's one on one. In the case of a university kid it'll be a maybe 10 week minimum

[Gawdzukes]

52 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

Very cheap. Most NHL players first of all rent the ice solely for themselves and it's not a group setting it's one on one. In the case of a university kid it'll be a maybe 10 week minimum

So should I send out a tweet saying Kunz comes from a super cheap family and he's not committed to hockey or his future at all?

 

I'm sure that's how Sekeras, Paterson, Taj, and that idiot Drance do it. 

[Fred65]

19 hours ago, Gawdzukes said:

So should I send out a tweet saying Kunz comes from a super cheap family and he's not committed to hockey or his future at all?

 

I'm sure that's how Sekeras, Paterson, Taj, and that idiot Drance do it. 

Hey do what u will, but one thing for sure hockey is a very, very expensive sport for youngsters to play and the chnace of becoming a pro rediculously rare. If you're parent with a couple of youngster, a mortgage, groceries and who knows medical expenses where does hockey fit into your budget ?. The Kunz family will do what it can but the pocket is not likely bottomless

[sockeye]

Wow, looking at his stats and reading about him, that's quite a progression from US highschool hockey.  Jackson Kunz looks like a smart draft pick. It's unlikely that he will make the NHL but I'll give Benning kudos for that pick.  

Edited July 18, 2021 by sockeye

[johngould21]

On 7/13/2021 at 9:44 PM, VancouverHabitant said:

...and taking/giving private power skating lessons costs a pretty penny too, right?  50$/hr on the cheap end? 

I'd guess that's just for the coaching, not including paying for icetime?

[Rick Blight]

23 minutes ago, johngould21 said:

I'd guess that's just for the coaching, not including paying for icetime?

In Calgary, my grandson's one on one training is $100 per hour and the one on one is really 5 players and one coach.

 

[johngould21]

24 minutes ago, Rick Blight said:

In Calgary, my grandson's one on one training is $100 per hour and the one on one is really 5 players and one coach.

 

Yikes, I guess I'd better go back to work.

[Kootenay Gold]

14 minutes ago, Rick Blight said:

In Calgary, my grandson's one on one training is $100 per hour and the one on one is really 5 players and one coach.

 

The cost of hockey has gotten crazy over the last 30 years.

 

In 1990 our local minor hockey association rented ice time over the Christmas Holidays (@ $32/hr) and a certified power skating coach (she was the wife of one of the Dr's in town) worked with a lot of the younger players (under 12) on the fundamentals of using your edges and your legs more efficiently. My son was playing defence and struggled to pivot or transition to skate backwards and the difference in just one week of an hour /day on the ice in his skating, was incredible. She had about 6 or 7 players on the ice for most of the sessions and she volunteered her time.

 

My how times have changed.

[Rick Blight]

1 minute ago, johngould21 said:

Yikes, I guess I'd better go back to work.

Yeah, it's pretty crazy. My daughter and son-in-law budget about $20K a year for his various camps, off ice training and focused "one on one" training sessions. The $20K also includes season fees for his U-18 (midget) team.

[johngould21]

At one time in Burnaby, all the swimming pools, fields, and arenas were user friendly free to Clubs and organizations. Something changed, and certainly not for the better. We had the largest swim club in summer swimming in the Province at one time, and all we had to pay for was coaching. Parents could spend all their time and energy on the most important part of the club, their kids the swimmers, waterpolo players, and divers. The same club now rents pool time, less than 25 years since we were involved in Summer Swimming. The parents are now playing well over double that we did, and have far less pool time. 

I was at Kensington Arena watching one of our friends kids game, and a parent on the executive of Bby. Minor was telling me that the city shouldn't be subsidizing ice time for hockey or figure skating. We were dumbfounded. It's a small price to pay for kids sports in cities and towns, imo!

Sorry, for going off topic

Edited July 18, 2021 by johngould21

[johngould21]

11 minutes ago, Rick Blight said:

Yeah, it's pretty crazy. My daughter and son-in-law budget about $20K a year for his various camps, off ice training and focused "one on one" training sessions. The $20K also includes season fees for his U-18 (midget) team.

Thus the term, million dollar babies...

[bigbadcanucks]

22 minutes ago, johngould21 said:

Thus the term, million dollar babies...

$1 million divided by $20,000 per year budget.  Equals 50 years of budgetary requirements.  That's a long time to develop a NHL player.