Nevermind 363 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Unfortunately, I haven't been able to see him play much this preseason. I'm sure some other members on this board haven't either. So it'd be great if those of you who've watched him can provide some analysis on his play style and potential ceiling. From my limited viewings, he reminds me of Antoine Vermette, but with hopefully higher upside. Also sort of like a faster Toews with not-as-good hands. It seems like he's great at rushing the puck up the ice, but could work on his shot and strength in the corners. Is this accurate? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jesusberg 1,256 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Unfortunately, I haven't been able to see him play much this preseason. I'm sure some other members on this board haven't either. So it'd be great if those of you who've watched him can provide some analysis on his play style and potential ceiling. From my limited viewings, he reminds me of Antoine Vermette, but with hopefully higher upside. Also sort of like a faster Toews with not-as-good hands. It seems like he's great at rushing the puck up the ice, but could work on his shot and strength in the corners. Is this accurate? Them's fightin' words 'round here. I'm inclined to agree with him needing to build some strength. While I think he could work on his shot, he's got solid accuracy and a good release. Could add more zip to it, though. In addition, I've noticed that he has a tendency to overskate the puck. He's pretty good at erasing his "mistakes", though. Just needs to refine a few things. 1 krsmith17 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rick zombo 3,739 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Picture Jesus on skates in a Griffins jersey. 6 Vladinator16, krsmith17, amato and 3 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kipwinger 8,756 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 The two guys I think of off the top of my head are Kyle Turris and Claude Giroux. He's a little bigger than Giroux, but otherwise I like those comparisons. He's fast, responsible, and sees the ice extremely well. He's a good shooter, and a great passer. Plus he thinks really quickly. I watched him do that little "toe drag/use the defenseman as a screen" move the other night. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but for a 19 year old to have the presence of mind to do that makes me think he processes the game at a truly high level. 1 Wheelchairsuperhero reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 He's very poised, has excellent vision and can read the game well. Really I think his greatest attribute is that he plays smart hockey (at least from what I've seen). I was at the first game against the Pens, 13 rows up. On one play, the puck bounced back behind the Pens' net where Pulkinen was skating with it and working his way to the weakside. Larkin noticed where a potential gap in zone coverage in the slot was about to form (he was at the half boards) and called out "Pulky!" as he was skating off the boards and toward the slot. A defender responded briefly to where Larkin called out from, which wasn't where he was going, and lost a half step on him in the process. By the time Larkin got to his spot Pulkinen was able to look up in response to hearing his name and spot Larkin arriving in the slot, wide open for a one timer. The kid didn't score on the play but it was an excellent example of how he can read the game at such a fast level. If you get a chance to watch him play, just follow him while he's on the ice and see how he responds to situations. He's a very smart player. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
