The Skill Set Is Already There
Dalibor Dvorsky looks like a star in the making, but he has one big hole to fix. He entered his second NHL season with high hopes after a solid rookie year. The young center from Slovakia has shown he can score and play defense at the same time. He was a top player in junior hockey and even captained his country at the world juniors. Before coming to St. Louis, he put up big numbers in Sweden and the OHL. In a strong early campaign, his final minor league stop yielded 21 goals and 45 points.
He has a shot that can beat any goalie with power and accuracy. He handles the puck well when moving up the ice or cycling it in the zone. His size and instincts make him a threat in both ends of the rink. He is not a bad skater, but he is not fast enough to be elite. The Blues need him to be more than just decent if they want to win big. He needs to close the gap between his talent and his feet.
The Numbers Tell a Clear Story
The data shows exactly where Dvorsky struggles against the rest of the league. NHL EDGE recorded his maximum skating speed at 21.58 miles per hour during his rookie season. That number was below the 50th percentile for all NHL players. It was the only time he broke 21 miles per hour in a single burst. Yahoo Sports reports he recorded only 15 skating bursts at speeds from 20 to 22 miles per hour. This stat also ranked below the 50th percentile.
The 50th percentile was also undercut by his skating speed ranking, which ranged from 18 to 20 miles per hour. Being a speedster is not the only way to succeed, but it helps a lot. It is hard to reach your full potential when you are below average in a key area. Dvorsky plays deep in the defensive zone, so he needs speed to get back into the play. If he improves his skating to a league-average level, his game will get much better. The gap is small, but it matters a lot in a fast league like the NHL.
What Needs to Happen Next
Dvorsky proved he can score on the power play, netting five of his 12 goals with the man advantage. But the Blues added new players this off-season, so he might not be on the top unit right away. He has to produce in even-strength situations to stay on the ice. Speed improvements will help him do exactly that. He has great tools, but faster feet will take him to the next level.
He could try to use more crossovers to generate power, just like Connor Bedard does. Or he could train to be quicker in a straight line. The choice is his, but the result must be the same. He needs to be a step faster to become a high-end two-way center. The Blues fans have seen what happens when a player fills every gap in their game. Dvorsky is close, but he cannot stop now. The work starts today if he wants to be a star tomorrow.
