Look, mom, I'm a winger!

[Janikka]

I've been playing forward for a while now. Playing RD was pretty tough at times but I've come to notice that LW/RW is really difficult in this game if you're not already good! I got off to a really nice start but that was the sort of honeymoon phase that I'm sure we're all familiar with in one form or another. Since then I've encountered the harsh reality where I struggle against a team that knows how to defend.

I've tried to learn from watching the better forwards play. These Pleemakers and Adetikkis and Joukkis and Penatskis and Patzlafs and Lamsas (shout out to the hidden gem!) make it look so easy. Whenever I try to draw inspiration from that and pick up the controller again, I'm just reminded that those guys have played the forward positions a lot and that it's in those guys' DNA to do well.

I even spent a while in practice trying to teach myself some sweet "jonne" hands. The end result of that is I can do a few pointless dekes that I'll sometimes spam without any good reason. It kind of resembles a cheap slapstick comedy act that gets booed off stage rather than calculated challenging of the defense. Another thing I'm trying to get better at is protecting the puck when the passing lanes are all taken away. The window for making a decision is often too narrow for my brain. It's really challenging for me to try and create space for my teammates or myself out there.

I came from having played nothing but RD since NHL 11. I'll keep at this forward thing despite the frequent frustrations that I know I'll continue to have. I have to hope there's light at the end of the tunnel and that it's not just an enforcer defenseman about to crush my hopes and dreams of ever being a decent forward.

It's certainly been humbling so far and I have some newfound respect for all you good forwards out there. I used to think you have it easier than defenders do, not having people track your team's goals allowed back to your own mistakes on the ice and just getting to basically relax and have a good time realizing your offensive vision. Actually, you're at constant pressure to get something done, to create chances and win the game for your team amid a tight defensive trap and minimal space to do your thing in the offensive zone. Anyway, it's nice to see the game I've been playing for so long and so much from this new perspective!

[I_Alex28_I]

Try Goalie Every idiot can let himself shoot with flying black things.

[Janikka]

I actually did try goalie. I just prefer not to talk about it anymore. You see, my budding goalie career was stifled by NOS in a game where I allowed 12 goals. That game was the Vietnam to my Lyndon B. Johnson, marring my time as goalie forever.

[Tanski87]

I wanna be a fwd too! 😯

[Janikka]

The transition is really easy to make, Tanski. What you do is you just tell everyone that you're a forward now and you're not going back on defense, so everyone else just needs to adjust.

[Tanski87]

10 minuuttia sitten, Janikka kirjoitti:

The transition is really easy to make, Tanski. What you do is you just tell everyone that you're a forward now and you're not going back on defense, so everyone else just needs to adjust.

Well I am a gm, soooo... 🤔

[MCH_98]

Tanski and Lamsa to switch positions for next ECL?

[Tanski87]

26 minuuttia sitten, MCH_98 kirjoitti:

Tanski and Lamsa to switch positions for next ECL?

That would be simply unfair. We would be too dominating with Kantor like defensive playmaker as a D. 😟

[Tehh]

But can he do it on a cold rainy night in stoke?