Five per cent: it含羞草研究社檚 a small number that produces huge dividends.
Listening to athletes and coaches over the years, I含羞草研究社檝e heard enough of them talk about that extra five per cent of effort that takes your game to another level.
It含羞草研究社檚 probably the best way to describe why Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua is now playing the best hockey of his four-year NHL career.
Joshua, if you recall, was challenged by head coach Rick Tocchet in training camp in Victoria because of his sub-standard conditioning level.
Joshua got the message loud and clear, made the necessary adjustments and now has a career-high 12 goals. Not bad considering we are not even at the All-Star break yet.
含羞草研究社淚t was definitely eye-opening,含羞草研究社� Joshua said on being singled out by Tocchet during camp. 含羞草研究社淚 was at a spot that they didn含羞草研究社檛 think I should have been at. I wasn含羞草研究社檛 aware enough that I needed to give more. It wasn含羞草研究社檛 disappointment (when it came to my reaction). It was fair and warranted and a 含羞草研究社榤ake sure it doesn含羞草研究社檛 happen again含羞草研究社� type of thing. I feel like the standard was different. To have this type of season, they expected a lot more out of everyone and that含羞草研究社檚 where I didn含羞草研究社檛 meet the bar to begin with.含羞草研究社�
It wasn含羞草研究社檛 like Joshua believed his NHL career was at a crossroads, but it wasn含羞草研究社檛 exactly a vote of confidence in terms of a roster spot either.
含羞草研究社淚t was about job security. This could be it含羞草研究社o you含羞草研究社檙e fighting for your life (for a spot on the team) at that point,含羞草研究社� he explained.
It wasn含羞草研究社檛 until a few days after being scratched in a game in San Jose on Nov. 2 did Joshua feel he had turned the corner.
含羞草研究社淎 week after I got scratched, it finally clicked in on what needed to be done. If I keep doing these things, good things will happen. It was just making sure I was doing all the right things and doing extra things every day to the point where they were happy and I was happy with myself,含羞草研究社� said the 27-year-old native of Dearborn, Michigan.
A big key in regards to 含羞草研究社榙oing all the right things含羞草研究社� was the extra work put in with assistant coach Mike Yeo.
含羞草研究社淵eosie含羞草研究社 have to give him credit. He helped turned my game around. We watched a lot of video and he helped me focus on a lot of things I could do better. It含羞草研究社檚 made a huge difference for me at this point of the season,含羞草研究社� explained Joshua.
When asked what the difference was in Joshua含羞草研究社檚 game from last spring to now, Tocchet singled out a change in his commitment level 含羞草研究社� or that extra five per cent.
含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 always been a committed guy but his commitment level now is a lot higher. He含羞草研究社檚 in the gym a lot or he含羞草研究社檚 on the ice with the (Sedin) twins or he含羞草研究社檚 with Yeosie or he含羞草研究社檚 in the video room. We don含羞草研究社檛 have to look for him 含羞草研究社� he comes and looks for us. Last year, maybe we had to look for him but now he含羞草研究社檚 knocking on our door and that含羞草研究社檚 a trait that I love as a self-starter. He含羞草研究社檚 a self-starter now. He含羞草研究社檚 matured into that,含羞草研究社� stated Tocchet.
If you want to know how much trust Tocchet now has in Joshua含羞草研究社檚 game, all you have to do is look at the increased ice time Joshua is getting along with linemates Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger.
In the nine contests leading to the Nov. 2 San Jose game, Joshua had one game in which he eclipsed 15 minutes of ice time. That was the season opener in which the Canucks drubbed the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 8-1.
Since the start of December, Joshua has played in 23 games. He has exceeded 15 minutes or more of ice time in 15 of those games 含羞草研究社� including a season-high 18:10 in the 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena on Monday night.
Whether it含羞草研究社檚 providing some scoring, protecting a lead late in the game or increased minutes with the first penalty-kill unit, Joshua has become a key part of the team含羞草研究社檚 success.
含羞草研究社淚 love his hockey IQ 含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 why he含羞草研究社檚 a first PK guy and that含羞草研究社檚 why we含羞草研究社檒l usually get him out in the last minute of a game,含羞草研究社� explained Tocchet. 含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 also really worked on his hands. If you watch him in tight, he comes out of the corners with the puck a lot more.含羞草研究社�
Teamed with Garland and Blueger, Joshua and his linemates have arguably become the Canucks second-best line. The trio has combined for 43 points in the last 17 games. More importantly, the hockey club has gone 12-2-3 during that span.
含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e connected. Very rarely when we are doing our game reviews that they are in our end and it含羞草研究社檚 like 含羞草研究社測ou含羞草研究社檙e making a mistake here.含羞草研究社� That (solid play) transfers into the neutral zone and into their offense. They含羞草研究社檙e always in a triangle and connected. It含羞草研究社檚 not like one guy is here, one guy is there and the other guy is at the blueline. They have a tight triangle and that含羞草研究社檚 the way they play the game and that含羞草研究社檚 why they含羞草研究社檙e successful,含羞草研究社� noted Tocchet.
含羞草研究社淲e just play the system. We just stick with it. I think when we were put together, we were going against third lines and had a lot of success and now we含羞草研究社檙e starting to go against first and second lines in more of a defensive role but we含羞草研究社檙e still producing,含羞草研究社� added Garland.
含羞草研究社淲e enjoy both sides of the puck and we like to play real tight together 含羞草研究社� we含羞草研究社檙e never spread out 含羞草研究社� and they (Joshua and Blueger) are really responsible players who are easy to read off of.含羞草研究社�
OVERTIME
* The Canucks got two first period goals from Pius Suter and Quinn Hughes in coasting to the 2-0 win over Chicago. Thatcher Demko made 31 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season for Vancouver.
* The Blackhawks power play failed to score in five attempts as the Canucks penalty kill unit continues its strong play as of late. In the past 20 games, the unit has only allowed seven opposition goals in 61 chances for an 88.5% kill rate. To put that into context, Los Angeles has the league含羞草研究社檚 best overall success rate on the season at 87.1%.
* The Blackhawks were without the services of North Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 Connor Bedard. The rookie sensation broke his jaw in a game in New Jersey on Jan. 5 and has been out of the lineup since that time. 含羞草研究社淗e tried to come (to Vancouver) - trust me. We had to tell him absolutely not. He wanted to come so badly. It含羞草研究社檚 only been like two weeks since he broke his jaw and he含羞草研究社檚 back skating and already skating quicker than anyone else on our team.,含羞草研究社� explained Hawks defenceman Seth Jones. 含羞草研究社淐onnor has been great for us this year. He含羞草研究社檚 electric offensively and he brings a lot of things to the team that we are obviously missing with him out of the lineup. The way he can carry the puck up the ice and his vision for the game 含羞草研究社� he含羞草研究社檚 super smart. The injury was unfortunate but we hope to have him back soon.
* Next up for Vancouver is a date with the St. Louis Blues Thursday night at Rogers Arena.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 含羞草研究社渢he Moj含羞草研究社� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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