If he grows up and quits worrying about “Top 6” and his stats, he could be a damn good player. He’s gonna learn the hard way that most teams won’t tolerate that childish video-game mentality. He’ll either man-up or find a spot on the second line of a KHL team
This, IMO, is the foundation that all of Bura’s issues spring up from!
Every one of these youngsters, that were absolute superstars in their hometown, and beyond, before hopping onto pro NHL ice for the first time, were all coddled, had enormous amounts of praise heaped upon them, some even practically worshipped, like young gods! Simply what would seem like an endless reservoir of adulation, limelight, and the like!
It’s certainly easy to understand why most all of these “superstar rookies”, come into their first NHL training camps, thinking they are the Jesus of all things hockey! Indestructible, and cockey!
Coaches and team mgmnt, have been quite aware of this phenomenon, for years, and have learned, over time, just how to handle these individuals, generally allowing the natural “realities”, of playing pro hockey, work their magic, humbling, ways.
This normal “educating”, (LOL), process, works quite well, and has for decades, on MOST of these youngins, one way or the other!
I emphasize MOST, because there are those rookies that are SO full of themselves, without having the inner character to realize, at some point, that they are, “no longer in Kansas, anymore”! They’re in the big leagues!
They don’t get coddled anymore, instead, they get roughed up! Their “go to” moves don’t work like they did in junior leagues, BUT MAINLY, the common thread for their demise is leaning on their individual understanding, way too much, dismissing advice from players and coaches, with a stubborn unwillingness to truly believe THEY have to change! They’re heads are filled with a lot of “if onlys”, that blame other things, and convince themselves, are the REAL reasons that their performance is sub par!
Immaturity, over confidence, lack of discipline and character, or just plain growing up, are the phrases we commonly hear.
Bura was an absolute poster boy for this type of rookie-itis!
I have yet to see any other Caps youngster, be extended such longsuffering, patience, and an endless abyss of “resets”, from coaches and mgmnt, as Andre Burakovsky!
He would be the last person on earth, to be able to claim that he wasn’t given enough opportunity! (But I’d wager he still believes that very notion)! LOL
I believe the Caps, by virtue of the quick Hagelin signing, have signaled whom they believe is Bura’s replacement. With Dowd, Boyd, Stephenson, DSP, Jaskin?, getting he 4th line look!
Rush
