“It looks like he’s attacking a little more — those little seams and attacking the net. I think he creates a lot of space for himself, but his ability to attack is what’s making him a little more dangerous this season. It was a great shot; he didn’t overthink it, he saw an opening and shot it. A little bit of luck going off the shoulder and in, but he saw a spot and took the opportunity, and maybe a year ago, he might not even have shot that puck.

That’s a shot he doesn’t get off very often in a game, but he took a calculated risk, and that’s what good players do, sometimes fueled by the confidence they have as well.”

“When you’ve gone through the mud like him — being a first-round pick, drafted by a big market in the NHL, grinding in the AHL, then getting traded to another huge market, finding his game, and then the suddenness of losing his father — I think that whole experience has made him stronger, in a ‘no one’s stopping me’ attitude. And that translates to the ‘don’t push my leaders around’ type of attitude, too.

Also, I think his hunger is what makes him who he is — like an ‘I’ve got this opportunity now with the Oilers, and nothing is going to stop me, and nothing will come between me and my dream of winning a Cup with this team’ kind of way.

It’s also not surprising he’s emerging as a leader. He’s been a captain for his teams in Russia, and in the World Juniors, he knows that his leading is about work ethic, doing the right thing, being there for teammates and being first on the ice and last off of it. He has leadership qualities; he may not be as vocal as some, but he’s got confidence now too, and now we’re talking about him as a leader on a team with two of the best players to ever play hockey. It’s just incredible to see.”