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The Patrick White Report : Baby Steps |
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Our Minnesota Gophers expert provides us with his second update on Vancouver's 2007 first round draft pick, Patrick White. Check out how White continues to make baby steps in the right direction and check out what grade our expert gives White so far this season.
By: Anthony Lang
Pat White continues to make small steps in the right direction. In the last three games i have been to he is looking to shoot first now(and shooting), driving to the net and asserting himself better on the ice. In the Saturday game vs MSU Mankato he did not score a goal. But drew two penalties and added an assist. All by doing simple things. Drive to the net, dump and chase and fight through traffic. His goals in an exhibition game vs u18 team and on Friday vs MSU Mankato were scored right in front of the net. He was 2-0 on face offs on Saturday vs MSU Mankato. If not for an injury and a match penalty he would have had more face off attempts. Instead we went with 3 lines and placed White on Wheeler's wing. Things looked good for him there. Wheeler having a responsible player in White on the ice was able to play more like a wing. Both White and Wheeler had some nice cycles. On the season he has a .549 face off percentage. Very solid for a freshman. White is using his body a little more. Again all the games have been on olympic ice. He is at least bumping his guy after he passes it away. Going after more checks and just generally initiating more contact out there. Looking good in corners. He still needs to adjust to either olympic ice or the speed of the college game. Many young players that have come through see all the ice and try and slow the game down. The feel they have more time in more space and see open ice and think they have time or can skate a few more strides. In reality, there are still just a few key spots worth anything on the rink. White gets caught skating in to a bad angle, leaving a little extra meat n his passes and stops and thinks a little too much for me. He needs to be a little crisper with his decisions even with the extra space. Having played high school primarily last year it is evident he still needs time. Only game time experience will do. Things are coming around. I would grade him so far this year as a C NCAA player. In any one category I would not grade him lower than a C-. But his highest grade would just be a B- , that for his corner work. He is not lacking in any aspect. All he needs to do in the next few weeks is continue to play the way he is. Pick up the college game and go from there. Cannot teach experience. For freshman the next bench mark is typically Christmas break. We will have played at Mich and Mich St, few more conference games. Will have had games on the smaller rinks. Away games usually change a player as well. White is right on schedule to be a solid contributor to this team.
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