Home
Publications
SpezDispenser wrote:Hoping that one more year in the A under the watchful eye of whatever coaching staff we have down there will make Da Costa more ready for playing a 2-way game. There's no way he's gonna make it unless he commits to learning to play away from the puck. He's got nice skills, we all know that, but if he doesn't back check and use his stick to interrupt plays more, he'll be another Corey Locke.
I'm sure he knows that there's a ton more work to do, he needs to go to the same program that Hoffman does - both have a nice skill set, but both can be beaten along the boards with ease.
Neely mentioned Andy MacDonald as a player that Da Costa could round himself into - and that would be amazing, but the organization needs to commit to him and he needs to commit to listening to what his coaches say - and perhaps more importantly what Schwartz and guys like that tell him about his strength and conditioning.
I've caught bits and pieces of France playing this WC and the kid has made some stellar plays, but again - is beaten one on one a lot.
He's already done more in the NHL than Locke has, haha. Da Costa comes from France and a 2nd rate NCAA program, he has a ton to learn but the skill and talent is obvious. He may take 2, 3 seasons to get where he needs to be but he's an NHL player in waiting.
