How? do they do drills for that. Is there a skills camp to improve ones gritt? IMO you ether have it or you don't. You can't teach someone to lay their body on the line for the win, some will run through a brick wall for the win, others turn away when it starts to get tough. IMO if it was coachable we see A LOT more guys that were soft but have been coached into being more gritty. I cant recall one.
- burn

You can teach a guy to play relentlessly. Absolutely. Lots of guys change their style like this. Look at Steve Yzerman for one... He learned to play a grittier, more defensive game.

MacT was a great coach for teaching guys to block shots and whatnot.

Those attributes are very coachable.

You can't teach a guy to go out and score 30 goals.

You can teach him to check and compete night in night out.

- Dallas Eakins

Quit that you hoho
- AdamFrench

cody franson got a bit more physical and tougher this season, but it may have just been due to more playing time
- MetroidPrime

Nail Yakupov improved immensely in this aspect as the season went on also.

Kulie for Big Byfuglien.... Bring in Penner and Wellwood UFA.

3rd Line:

Penner Wellwood Byfuglien

Awesome!

Nazim Kadri... Another example of a soft player who got a lot grittier

Nazim Kadri... Another example of a soft player who got a lot grittier
- robin_steele264

nah, kadri has always had that fiesty'ness to his game.

Kulie for Big Byfuglien.... Bring in Penner and Wellwood UFA.

3rd Line:

Penner Wellwood Byfuglien

Awesome!
- Jimmy_wiener

please god no!

penner would be getting hurt cooking wellwood 30 pancakes / breakfast

nah, kadri has always had that fiesty'ness to his game.
- big_dion

He's improved bigtime.


Even Kessel has gotten better at the other side of his game.

please god no!

penner would be getting hurt cooking wellwood 30 pancakes / breakfast
- big_dion

That Breakfast table would be awesome to sit at. Chuggin the Maple Syrup. One pack of Bacon each and 6 Eggs. GSP`s Rush Fit on the TV in the background.....I think its a Hell of a line when you look at it, No??

Nazim Kadri... Another example of a soft player who got a lot grittier
- robin_steele264

Nope. Always was gritty.

He's improved bigtime.


Even Kessel has gotten better at the other side of his game.
- robin_steele264

I saw Kessel hit a guy once last year. It was pretty awesome, Ive got to say!

Nope. Always was gritty.
- burn

My point stands.

One thing you can't teach is pure skill.


Everything else is coachable. If not... Hire a better coach.

He's improved bigtime.


Even Kessel has gotten better at the other side of his game.
- robin_steele264

for sure hes improved, but i aint just saying it to bug ya...kadri has always had that edge to his game, from jr, to the canada tourney, to marlies/leafs...i think its just become more noticeable with increased confidence, ice time, and having orr/mclarent/fraser on the bench...of course carlyle/eakins didnt do him any harm.

but yeah, when you notice it on kessel...coaches do have some influence, as do the guys playing around them...

what i mean by that is...if your out there being a wussy and loligaggin it, and the rest of your team is playing die hard hockey, sacraficing the body and what not...and your not, well....i dont think the other guys think too fondly of that.

therefore; kessel has picked up his 2 way game, and my god i almost fainted a few times when i saw him lay a couple hits, or force big turn overs.

for sure hes improved, but i aint just saying it to bug ya...kadri has always had that edge to his game, from jr, to the canada tourney, to marlies/leafs...i think its just become more noticeable with increased confidence, ice time, and having orr/mclarent/fraser on the bench...of course carlyle/eakins didnt do him any harm.

but yeah, when you notice it on kessel...coaches do have some influence, as do the guys playing around them...

what i mean by that is...if your out there being a wussy and loligaggin it, and the rest of your team is playing die hard hockey, sacraficing the body and what not...and your not, well....i dont think the other guys think too fondly of that.

therefore; kessel has picked up his 2 way game, and my god i almost fainted a few times when i saw him lay a couple hits, or force big turn overs.
- big_dion

Agree.

Good coach will hold players accountable on that.

Agree.

Good coach will hold players accountable on that.
- robin_steele264

yep for sure, thats why i liked both eakins and carlyle, they seem to both hold guys accountable, and go about it the right way...not like Wilson who would throw guys under the bus to the media.

ron wilson, honestly, is a horrendous coach.

yep for sure, thats why i liked both eakins and carlyle, they seem to both hold guys accountable, and go about it the right way...not like Wilson who would throw guys under the bus to the media.

ron wilson, honestly, is a horrendous coach.
- big_dion

Love hearing what Eakins had to say yesterday.


Fitness and compete levels are non-negotiable.

Love hearing what Eakins had to say yesterday.


Fitness and compete levels are non-negotiable.



- robin_steele264

unfortunate to see him go from the leafs organization. but can't hold him down forever.

perfect situation for him in edmonton

unfortunate to see him go from the leafs organization. but can't hold him down forever.

perfect situation for him in edmonton
- dragus84

yeah i agree.

hes great with the young guys.

they have tons of skill, but they need to upgrade their fitness, as much as i chirp the size of their forwards, they really do need to add some muscle/weight...even guys like st louis are small but are tough lil buggers, and not a joke to move off the puck.

kadri still needs to work on this...but its vastly improved.

Love hearing what Eakins had to say yesterday.


Fitness and compete levels are non-negotiable.



- robin_steele264

There is only a couple teams I could bare to see him go to... Edmonton being one of them. I hope he does well

Love hearing what Eakins had to say yesterday.


Fitness and compete levels are non-negotiable.



- robin_steele264

For sure. Last week my buddy here in Edmonton asked me about Eakins and I told him that he would be the fittest (frank)er on the Oilers when he arrived, but wouldn't let it stay that way for long. And given his slight resemblance to Charlie Sheen, he always wants to be winning

Love hearing what Eakins had to say yesterday.


Fitness and compete levels are non-negotiable.



- robin_steele264

Sounds like the Jets shoulda snagged him.

Sounds like the Jets shoulda snagged him.
- Atomic Wedgie

302 (frank)ing pounds.... can you believe this???

Sounds like the Jets shoulda snagged him.
- Atomic Wedgie

Sounds like the Jets shoulda snagged him.
- Atomic Wedgie

What the Hell would Eakins have done with: BYFUGLIEN, Wellwood, Antropov????

Pretty slow round these parts eh?