An amazing set of wheels and a top end shot highlight his main strengths. Possesses great first step explosive acceleration. Skating is similar to that of a speed skater when he is really going as he bends almost 90 degrees at the waist with a wide stride which allows him to gain maximum push. Bag of dekes and quick lateral moves allow him to get to the dangerous areas of the ice with the puck on his stick. Very solid offensive creativity and better than average on-ice vision. Playmaking abilities are under-appreciated by many who see him as purely a goal scorer at the NHL level however he has the ability to set-up his linemates with a nice tape-to-tape pass. Speed and positional awareness also allow him to be effective as a defensive backchecker in breaking up offensive attacks from behind. Has great athleticism and the ability to move laterally with the puck is extremely troublesome for defenders. (May 2010)