LATEST | Adam Foote reveals what to expect from Hronek and what they expect from him

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Felip Gosselin
March 23, 2023 (3:47 PM)

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Filip Hronek, the long-awaited right-handed shot defenseman, will be getting his first audition in Vancouver tonight as he returns from an injury he suffered back in Detroit.

Adam Foote has been the defensemen coach ever since the new staff came in place and revealed what had impressed him the most when he witness the team's newest acquisition's first stride in practice:

«Hronek comes out in practice the first day and I was chuckling. I knew his compete (level), but when I saw him with his hands always in front of him and how smooth he was with the puck ... I loved it because the other Ds are, like, looking at him.''

It seems like Hronek is already leaving a mark on his new teammates. Foote even made quite a statement when he talk about what he and Tocchet were expecting out of him:

«I think he's going to bring that element of making big plays. And he competes and he's fast and he's smart. I think he's a big piece for us.»

The coaching staff seems to be having quite the excitement about the team's new gem. There is still no confirmation on where he'll be playing tonight, though Foote did say he would get a few shifts on the team's top pair alongside Quinn Hughes. However, in the long run, it is expected that the pair will be split up, in order to have a more balanced top6.

Hronek is expected to drive the play and have a similar effect to what Hughes does on the 5-on-5. If he can be as productive, we can surely expect a boost from the team's whole offense, especially since the NHL is now all-about transitions.

SOURCE: Iain MacIntyre / Sportsnet