Watching Oilers and Nucks. Luongo gives up 4 in first 15 min. Crazy action.
- TrueGrit

Canada is going to have to score a ton to even medal at these Olympics. Their goal tending is not so good.

Canada is going to have to score a ton to even medal at these Olympics. Their goal tending is not so good.
- Elbows15

Yup. 4 goals in a preseason game and Team Canada is doomed. They may just pull out of the Olympics tomorrow.

The 2010 games were played on a NHL size rink. I think you are forgetting how well Buff moves.
- Elbows15

Interesting. You are right.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/...ill-be-nhl-sized-1.602236

Canada is going to have to score a ton to even medal at these Olympics. Their goal tending is not so good.
- Elbows15

If the Blackhawks could score enough to win with Crow I'm pretty sure Team Canada can.

Yup. 4 goals in a preseason game and Team Canada is doomed. They may just pull out of the Olympics tomorrow.
- RickJ

Check their record on Olympic size ice.

Interesting. You are right.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/...ill-be-nhl-sized-1.602236
- EKolb13

Well.. uh..thanks.

If the Blackhawks could score enough to win with Crow I'm pretty sure Team Canada can.
- rollpards19

With all the Hawks going I hope Canada, Us and the Swedes don't make it to the medal round.

Check their record on Olympic size ice.
- Elbows15

Canada generally doesn't do too badly in most hockey competitions no matter what the size of the ice is. And I do know they have won the Gold in the Olympics 8x out of 20 which isn't too shabby.

The 2010 games were played on a NHL size rink. I think you are forgetting how well Buff moves.
- Elbows15

Yeah sure.... now.....after working with two skating coaches. I think you're forgetting how slow he was then.....

Yeah sure.... now.....after working with two skating coaches. I think you're forgetting how slow he was then.....
- yahoodi

Byfuglien has always had good speed, his only issues have always been decision making, intensity and motivation. No coach can increase speed dramatically in an NHL player. Coaching generally improves the ability to use the edges for better balance, turning and stops and starts. If coaches could increase speed why are there so many pylons in the league?

Byfuglien has always had good speed, his only issues have always been decision making, intensity and motivation. No coach can increase speed dramatically in an NHL player. Coaching generally improves the ability to use the edges for better balance, turning and stops and starts. If coaches could increase speed why are there so many pylons in the league?
- paulr

Yeah.... This is false.

Part of the reason....Nay most of the reason that the hawks moved Buff from D to wing was that he was too slow and could be easily beaten to the outside. When Atlanta traded for Buff, he asked to go back to defense. They agreed on the condition that he work all summer with their two skating coaches. They helped him get better burst. To get to his "speed" quicker".

There are many things you can work on to increase your skating. Burst, stride, stamina. Everyone in Camp is talking about how much Jimmy Hayes skating has improved. It's not just about speed.

Yeah.... This is false.

Part of the reason....Nay most of the reason that the hawks moved Buff from D to wing was that he was too slow and could be easily beaten to the outside. When Atlanta traded for Buff, he asked to go back to defense. They agreed on the condition that he work all summer with their two skating coaches. They helped him get better burst. To get to his "speed" quicker".

There are many things you can work on to increase your skating. Burst, stride, stamina. Everyone in Camp is talking about how much Jimmy Hayes skating has improved. It's not just about speed.
- yahoodi

Your statement Byfuglien being slow is what i referred to. Byfulien has never been slow is my point. Byfuglien's agility is amazing for a big man but it is also limited because he is a big man. Coaches can help improve agility but not if the player decides to put 40 or 50 pounds on. Skating coaches can help the intial step and turns and such but they cannot improve speed in a dramatic way.

Yeah.... This is false.

Part of the reason....Nay most of the reason that the hawks moved Buff from D to wing was that he was too slow and could be easily beaten to the outside. When Atlanta traded for Buff, he asked to go back to defense. They agreed on the condition that he work all summer with their two skating coaches. They helped him get better burst. To get to his "speed" quicker".

There are many things you can work on to increase your skating. Burst, stride, stamina. Everyone in Camp is talking about how much Jimmy Hayes skating has improved. It's not just about speed.
- yahoodi

I was watching Hayes especially from pretty close up against Detroit after reading about his improvement. It's obvious he has much better foot speed, but his stride might be the worst in the league. Give him credit for working during the summer, but those short choppy strides are going to limit him from ever playing as big as he is. He needs to get his feet farther apart to make his effort more efficient and make him stronger on his skates. Guys with their feet so close together are a piece of cake to knock off balance, especially in front of the net. Tall is nice but reach is his big advantage. To use it effectively he needs to be able to get his center of gravity lower. That's all in the stride first, then the foot speed helps him cover more ground. Watch Leddy as he covers more ground in a lot less strides than Hayes does.

JJ- I know you mentionned Morrow once upon a time. I am surprised if the Hawks are interested they did not invited him for a PTO at least. Unless Stan and Q want the influx of youth into the bottom 6.

If the Blackhawks could score enough to win with Crow I'm pretty sure Team Canada can.
- rollpards19

Great Point! I mean CC almost gives up 2 goals a game.

Yeah.... This is false.

Part of the reason....Nay most of the reason that the hawks moved Buff from D to wing was that he was too slow and could be easily beaten to the outside. When Atlanta traded for Buff, he asked to go back to defense. They agreed on the condition that he work all summer with their two skating coaches. They helped him get better burst. To get to his "speed" quicker".

There are many things you can work on to increase your skating. Burst, stride, stamina. Everyone in Camp is talking about how much Jimmy Hayes skating has improved. It's not just about speed.
- yahoodi

OK. Believe it! I mean, skating but too early to declare that he makes the opening roster.

Now what about Beach. Had balance on skates issue; that was why he lost so much board battles. Last year he was better, according to comments seen in various places. Worked on skating over summer again?

For additional insight into the explosiveness stand still to burst up ice, see the feature on Letang's training. I believe it is one of the stories under the Penguins preview in the NHL.com recently concluded 30/30 days NHL preview.

Toews in the headlights and other photoshop masterpieces.

http://sports.yahoo.com/b...erfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I was watching Hayes especially from pretty close up against Detroit after reading about his improvement. It's obvious he has much better foot speed, but his stride might be the worst in the league. Give him credit for working during the summer, but those short choppy strides are going to limit him from ever playing as big as he is. He needs to get his feet farther apart to make his effort more efficient and make him stronger on his skates. Guys with their feet so close together are a piece of cake to knock off balance, especially in front of the net. Tall is nice but reach is his big advantage. To use it effectively he needs to be able to get his center of gravity lower. That's all in the stride first, then the foot speed helps him cover more ground. Watch Leddy as he covers more ground in a lot less strides than Hayes does.
- 6628

Overall I would agree with your assessment on Hayes. Its somewhat comparable to a golfer needing to improve his/her technique at setup to hit it longer and straighter.

But there have been loads of players who forged a career for themselves in the NHL despite skating deficiencies. What I want to know about Jimmy Hayes is whether or not he really is a hockey player, a kid that wants to make it no matter what, someone who can contribute at the NHL level playing a role that he becomes very good at. That's what I expect Scotty, Barry Smith and Q to decide. I don't think it will be a "let's give him a chance, he's all we have right now" scenario.

They already know he's never going to be Peggy Fleming.

This video cleary shows the speed inadequacies of Dustin Byfuglien...

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ture=youtube_gdata_player

This video cleary shows the speed inadequacies of Dustin Byfuglien...

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ture=youtube_gdata_player
- Ogilthorpe2

That was also about 60 pounds lighter than he has been lately, but no doubt he is a force and talent to be reckoned with when he has his focus.

This video cleary shows the speed inadequacies of Dustin Byfuglien...

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ture=youtube_gdata_player
- Ogilthorpe2

He had the puck, and he didn't have to work to get it, came right to him.

This video cleary shows the speed inadequacies of Dustin Byfuglien...

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ture=youtube_gdata_player
- Ogilthorpe2

Bro, he's a wing in this viddy from three years ago. Go watch some current film of him playing D sixty pounds heavier. Ugly is what I would call it.


Here ya go
http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=m...%2F0%2F1005937%2Fclip%2F0

Overall I would agree with your assessment on Hayes. Its somewhat comparable to a golfer needing to improve his/her technique at setup to hit it longer and straighter.

But there have been loads of players who forged a career for themselves in the NHL despite skating deficiencies. What I want to know about Jimmy Hayes is whether or not he really is a hockey player, a kid that wants to make it no matter what, someone who can contribute at the NHL level playing a role that he becomes very good at. That's what I expect Scotty, Barry Smith and Q to decide. I don't think it will be a "let's give him a chance, he's all we have right now" scenario.

They already know he's never going to be Peggy Fleming.
- RickJ

I hear ya Rick and agree that there are a lot of guys who weren't great skaters who have played in the show. But the good ones had above average vision and anticipation. They got a good jump, knew their limitations, and had a knack for knowing exactly where to go to be most effective. At the end of Olczyk's playing days when the hawks were awful, many nights he was their best forward for the reasons i mention. So let's hope Hayes has a better head so that his feet don't matter as much.

Bro, he's a wing in this viddy from three years ago. Go watch some current film of him playing D sixty pounds heavier. Ugly is what I would call it.


Here ya go
http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=m...%2F0%2F1005937%2Fclip%2F0
- Beaver-Warrior

That may be, but he's reportedly in the best shape of his life now, and besides which, Yahoodi said he was slow in 2010...which clearly he wasn't.

That may be, but he's reportedly in the best shape of his life now, and besides which, Yahoodi said he was slow in 2010...which clearly he wasn't.
- Ogilthorpe2

Buf wanted to be fast on his skates when he wanted to be fast on his skates. Also when playing for hawks, he did log average minutes - thus he had some additional energy reserves when needed. I remember in one OT, Buf went coast to coast with speed and scored spectacularly