Five per cent: it害羞草研究所檚 a small number that produces huge dividends.
Listening to athletes and coaches over the years, I害羞草研究所檝e heard enough of them talk about that extra five per cent of effort that takes your game to another level.
It害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚t was definitely eye-opening,害羞草研究所� Joshua said on being singled out by Tocchet during camp. 害羞草研究所淚 was at a spot that they didn害羞草研究所檛 think I should have been at. I wasn害羞草研究所檛 aware enough that I needed to give more. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 disappointment (when it came to my reaction). It was fair and warranted and a 害羞草研究所榤ake sure it doesn害羞草研究所檛 happen again害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 where I didn害羞草研究所檛 meet the bar to begin with.害羞草研究所�
It wasn害羞草研究所檛 like Joshua believed his NHL career was at a crossroads, but it wasn害羞草研究所檛 exactly a vote of confidence in terms of a roster spot either.
害羞草研究所淚t was about job security. This could be it害羞草研究所o you害羞草研究所檙e fighting for your life (for a spot on the team) at that point,害羞草研究所� he explained.
It wasn害羞草研究所檛 until a few days after being scratched in a game in San Jose on Nov. 2 did Joshua feel he had turned the corner.
害羞草研究所淎 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,害羞草研究所� said the 27-year-old native of Dearborn, Michigan.
A big key in regards to 害羞草研究所榙oing all the right things害羞草研究所� was the extra work put in with assistant coach Mike Yeo.
害羞草研究所淵eosie害羞草研究所 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害羞草研究所檚 made a huge difference for me at this point of the season,害羞草研究所� explained Joshua.
When asked what the difference was in Joshua害羞草研究所檚 game from last spring to now, Tocchet singled out a change in his commitment level 害羞草研究所� or that extra five per cent.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 always been a committed guy but his commitment level now is a lot higher. He害羞草研究所檚 in the gym a lot or he害羞草研究所檚 on the ice with the (Sedin) twins or he害羞草研究所檚 with Yeosie or he害羞草研究所檚 in the video room. We don害羞草研究所檛 have to look for him 害羞草研究所� he comes and looks for us. Last year, maybe we had to look for him but now he害羞草研究所檚 knocking on our door and that害羞草研究所檚 a trait that I love as a self-starter. He害羞草研究所檚 a self-starter now. He害羞草研究所檚 matured into that,害羞草研究所� stated Tocchet.
If you want to know how much trust Tocchet now has in Joshua害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� including a season-high 18:10 in the 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena on Monday night.
Whether it害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 success.
害羞草研究所淚 love his hockey IQ 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 why he害羞草研究所檚 a first PK guy and that害羞草研究所檚 why we害羞草研究所檒l usually get him out in the last minute of a game,害羞草研究所� explained Tocchet. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 also really worked on his hands. If you watch him in tight, he comes out of the corners with the puck a lot more.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e connected. Very rarely when we are doing our game reviews that they are in our end and it害羞草研究所檚 like 害羞草研究所測ou害羞草研究所檙e making a mistake here.害羞草研究所� That (solid play) transfers into the neutral zone and into their offense. They害羞草研究所檙e always in a triangle and connected. It害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 the way they play the game and that害羞草研究所檚 why they害羞草研究所檙e successful,害羞草研究所� noted Tocchet.
害羞草研究所淲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害羞草研究所檙e starting to go against first and second lines in more of a defensive role but we害羞草研究所檙e still producing,害羞草研究所� added Garland.
害羞草研究所淲e enjoy both sides of the puck and we like to play real tight together 害羞草研究所� we害羞草研究所檙e never spread out 害羞草研究所� and they (Joshua and Blueger) are really responsible players who are easy to read off of.害羞草研究所�
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害羞草研究所檚 best overall success rate on the season at 87.1%.
* The Blackhawks were without the services of North Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 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. 害羞草研究所淗e tried to come (to Vancouver) - trust me. We had to tell him absolutely not. He wanted to come so badly. It害羞草研究所檚 only been like two weeks since he broke his jaw and he害羞草研究所檚 back skating and already skating quicker than anyone else on our team.,害羞草研究所� explained Hawks defenceman Seth Jones. 害羞草研究所淐onnor has been great for us this year. He害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� he害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所渢he Moj害羞草研究所� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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