What makes Zack Kassian such a great player

The NHL has an array of good players. There are also those that are looked at and classed as great. Often, greatness is easily recognised and, often, people tend to agree who the greats are. When it comes to Zack Kassian, things aren’t quite that straightforward. In Kassian, we have a player who can turn it on and deliver. We also have a player who, perhaps, hasn’t lived up to his full potential.

At Betway sports, there are already plenty of opportunities for us all to put our money when our mouths are and to predict the kind of season Kassian and the Oilers will have. Maybe before you commit this money, and place your bets, it’s worth exploring just why Kassian is held in high regard.

A skilled skater

While Kassian may well be viewed as a player who excels in terms of his physical presence, what is often overlooked is his level of finesse. You will be hard pushed to find a player in the Oilers who can match the skating ability of Kassian. He has the skill set that sees him skating at speed, but also making turns where other players simply fail.

This ability, which sees him being one of the skating elites, is an important factor when it comes to his overall gameplay. It sees him as one of the most successful forecheckers in the NHL and means that he is a menace to opposing teams.

Natural scoring ability

Anyone who knows anything about Kassian and the Oilers will know that his last few seasons have been a bit of a mixed bag. There have been times when scoring has appeared to be an innate gift when Kassian just couldn’t miss. Then there have been times when he has experienced droughts that have seen some question the extent of his capabilities.

When you look at Kassian overall, rather than in isolation during any particular season, he shows himself to be one of the best at getting the puck into the back of the net.

A temper in need of taming

Temper can often be reframed as passion and there is little doubt that Kassian displays plenty of passion. The issue that he has is that this often boils over and leads to that temper rearing its ugly head. Few can forget how this temper saw him coming face to face with Tkachuk while playing against the flames. This performance saw him being rewarded with a suspension.

Fortunately, these types of outbursts are decreasing in their frequency. This allows Kassian to, instead, display his true qualities as a sportsman.

The Oilers would be lost without him

There are some that have questioned Kassian’s contract with the Edmonton Oilers. The reality is that these people have perhaps missed what this player is all about. If you take Kassian out of the Oilers team, what you are left with is a team that is lacking.

In truth, Kassian adds an extra dimension to the team. Those that recognise his greatness will just hope that he can add consistency to his other skills.