Most popular question of the day Tuesday is "Why didn't Tyler Biggs make the cut?"
At 6'2, 211 pounds it's not hard to figure out that Biggs relies on his strength to generate offensive opportunities specifically around the crease, but what he brings usually more than anyone is intensity and in speaking with the coaches they felt he didn't bring enough this weekend.
Personally, I thought he showed great intensity as did most of the scouts I spoke with who were also quite surprised he was sent home. So, maybe this was just an incident of them always hearing how intense he was and therefore having really high expectations for him.
In addition, he was put into a fourth line grinder role in every game he played…and he's not a fourth line grinder. He's a top six power forward who can clean up the garbage around the net. With the National Team Development Program, he played a lot of time with JT Miller and Rocco Grimaldi - who were not so coincidentally paired up as linemates on the top line of Team White. These are guys who know how to get the puck to the net, once it's there, Biggs can pounce on the rebound, win the puck battles and either put it in himself or dish it out to someone else. During this camp, he was put with guys who aren't known for their offense and are role players who can wear down the opposition.
While Biggs tried to take it upon himself to play a more physical role to create time and space for his linemates, it's still difficult to generate offensive opportunities that way if no one is getting the puck to the net. It's a bit of a double edged sword.
So as Biggs prepares to move to Oxford in the next few weeks and join the Miami University hockey program, the USA Hockey coaches and staff made it clear that no one has been cut from this team and that everyone will still be evaluated over the first two months of the season to see who will be invited to Selection Camp in December and it's up to them to do everything they can to earn a spot.
I have no doubt that Biggs will be a force for the RedHawks and garner serious consideration for this team come December.
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I also got a lot of questions about Jarred Tinordi…
He hasn't been playing bad, but it's hard to say he's been playing well considering he's been spending so much time in the penalty box. It's really out of control. He needs to reign that in and stop trying to take the easy way out of sticky situations and simply just work harder, move his feet and use his 6'6, 220 pound frame effectively and not recklessly. If he can do that and play a more disciplined brand of hockey, he will go far in his NHL career.
I hate to sound like a broken record here, but I still don't think the OHL is the best fit for him developmentally. Scouts have noted that this was an off year for him, but the only thing off about it is that OHL teams typically have a run-and-gun style of offense with very little defense. He is monumentally bigger and stronger than most of his opponents and while he's playing 25 minutes a game against the oppositions best two lines, I think he'd be more prepared to play (and make an impact) in the NHL if he were playing against guys who were older and better able to challenge him physically which is what will happen next season when he goes pro…but I digress!
What I like about watching him play at this camp is that he's being challenged and that's why you're seeing him play so undisciplined…he just hasn't learned how to handle playing against guys who are physically on his level yet, but in time…that will come. Whether it will come in time for him to be relied upon for this team is unknown. Right now, Stephen Johns is a better option in the role of BAMF defensemen simply because he has shown more discipline.
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Some thoughts on other guys you have asked about….
- Nick Bjugstad has filled out his frame a bit from last year and is a bigger physical presence on the ice. Haven't seen it directly result in much offense, but he's definitely doing a lot of little things right.
- Kenny Agostino is playing through an issue with his left elbow, but had a great showing - along with the rest of his linemates - in their game against Finland.
- Stefan Noesen and Shane Prince (for the Ottawa fans) are playing ok. Neither has really stood out, but neither is playing poorly either. The USA Hockey staff is big on guys who compete every second of every shift and they've played hard every game. I wouldn't consider either a lock for this team just yet.
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USA plays Sweden tonight. Jack Campbell is scheduled to play the whole game with Derek Forbort, Connor Murphy, Stephen Johns, Shane Prince, Jared Knight, Stefan Noesen and Brian Ferlin getting the night off.
Julie
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