Yes, Konstantin Shafranov was skating today for the first time this season at the optional skate.
``We'll see how it goes for the next week or two and see how he feels about it,'' Komets general manager David Franke said. ``We'll see what our roster situation is at that time, too.''
My guess, it's going to take a lot longer than two weeks for Shaffy to get back into game shape even though he takes care of himself really well. He's still got the best hands on the team.
* Artem Podshendyalov skated at practice today with no problems from Saturday's injury.
* Brandon Warner is on his way to the doctor to get his shoulder checked out. It popped out on him with about eight minutes left in Saturday's game off what he said was a clean hit, but he played four shifts after that. He said he had a similar injury last year and missed a week, and is afraid this one might be a little worse.
* The CHL is reviewing Danko Mironovic's hits on Brandon Naurato and Brett Lutes from Saturday night and will let the Komets know ``as soon as possible'' if there are any further penalties coming.
* Franke said he has not talked recently with Matt Syroczynski, and that potential move is on the back burner now and unlikely to happen.
Comments
Thanks for the update, Blake. I feel kind of silly because I was asking some of the questions you just answered on the last thread. By the time I entered my comments this new thread appeared.
Shaf is probably the fastest skater on the team also...
Not even close anymore.
I don't think he'd touch Pods, Francis, or Musselwhite. There are others I'd say he could probably smoke on the ice just from effort levels alone though.
not sure this is good or not?? can shaf still do it is the big question...we've seen one old timer not do so hot with this league...
Hey Blake, the second hit from Saturday was on Brett Lutes. Nathan Lutz is with Mississippi.
Hey Brokenglass. You're right. Lutz is with Mississippi. Maybe Danko has long legs.
Practice doesn't count Blake! LOL.
If he can keep up in this league, that's not too shabby for a forty + guy.
In the past I'd have said that Shaf could skate circles around everyone else on the team....but now, with Schrock, Francis, Musselwhite and aPod...no way. Those 4 rock.
I'm not sure which "Konstatin Shafranov" you've been watching No-Touch Icing and BlueLineBaby. The one who has played the last couple of years was no way a fast skater.
He was a player who was deft at stickhandling, passing, and having "soft hands". Those skills tended to make up for his lack of speed.
Laughable at best Alan.
"Laughable at best"? Really? If I'm wrong I will surely admit to it. What do others out there think?
Blake, I think we trust your wisdom on such matters. The question is speed. Do you consider speed an asset for Shaf or would you agree with me that his other skills made up for his lack of speed.
(Don't confuse an ability to stickhandle and maneuver the puck in traffic with "speed". That is a skill.
Shaf is the quickest thinker on the team, but by far from the quickest skater.
I'll side with Alan on this one. Shaf is awesome, best puck handler on the ice, great assist man and scorer, but saying he has speed on the ice... If last year's speed is still his speed now compared to others on the ice, he isn't fast. That doesn't mean he wasn't/isn't an awesome player. It just means that even Old Man Time can catch up to skaters on the ice.
I think it's Shaf's hands with the puck around a defender that makes him look fast (because the dman is frozen trying to decide which way to go) but actual speed...no way
I'll just go ahead and state the obvious, hockey is not a speed-skating competition. If a player makes everyone else look "slow", then he's "fast-er", and has more "speed". I still maintain that he is a fast skater. You can disagree with me and that's fine, doesn't mean you're right, or I'm right, just means we see it two different ways. I wouldn't mind seeing him out there to see how much "speed" he has compared to others in this league.
I think that's a problem a lot of players have in this league. They are fast, but have subpar skill, but that's the name of the game with this league and this level - developmental. And I think that tips the scales on the judgement of the actual talent that's out there. But, it gives us something to talk about.
I don't think anyone said he doesn't have the skills, or that this game is a speed-skating competition.
Alan originally said that the Shaf that played the last couple of years was "no way a fast skater."
You came back with "Laughable at best Alan."
Other than the skating speed, you both agreed on everything else about Shaf from what I could read. Yet, you came back and said "hockey is not a speed-skating competition." I guess I'm just lost as to what you are disagreeing with Alan about.
I agree, Shaf can probably out-handle almost anyone in this league, but if he is on the wrong end of the ice when the play is developing, that doesn't really matter. Fast or not, he's a lot faster than I am on skates and always will be.
You know what? I forgot one other aspect to Shaf's game. He has terrific hockey instincts. He can always find the open spot on the ice to receive the puck and can also "see" the play develop before it actually does and feed the puck to the proper spot for a good scoring chance. He truly has a "feel" for the game. I sense the same instincts with Podshendyalov although I have only seen him play twice.
Thanks for everyone's input. I wanted to see if anyone else was watching the game as I do or if I was missing something.
Like No-Touch Icing said, no one is right and no one is wrong, we just see it differently.
I disagree...Anyone who doesn't agree with my thoughts is wrong and I'm always right :)
...blogs...
Well, I have been waiting for this day. Heard this rumor a few days ago and I must say I am quite pleased. Though he might not skate as fast as some of the young guys, he definitely has the skills and the experience to out think some of these less experienced players. If this does happen, it should be interesting to see. VIVA LA #24
"I think it
There are many fast skaters at this level but what makes a great NHL skater is speed plus stick handling. Take a look at Pavel Datsuk. His stick handling in a word, "sick". Russian hockey players are taught at a very young age different techniques for stick handling. Now, finally some of these techniques are being taught to our young players. One thing the Russians do is to not only move the puck on the heel and toe but they actually move the stick with the puck. Makes a lot of sense but guys like Shaf and Datsuk have perfected this.