For those of you who have inquired about the three (3) key habits I eluded to as an add on to @RegressedPDO: What's Wrong With Patrick Sharp? http://wp.me/p47bKq-4y article this morning - which may help create a skill habit context to her number illustration. Over the years I have studied Patrick Sharp as part of my work with Patrick Kane. When he was playing at his best, he had the following distinct skill habit attributes, which have steadily eroded in recent years, as @RegressedPDO so eloquently illustrated. Those attributes are as follows:

1. Patrick Sharp, dating back to his PHI days has never been a puck possession player. One of the best things that happened to him was his trade to CHI, because CHI promptly moved him from Centre to the Wing, which allowed him to play a give and go game with an elite puck possession player - initially with Patrick Kane and more recently with Marion Hossa. When I say elite puck possession, I mean a player who has multiple times in the OZ in which he has the puck for constant possession more than 4 seconds in duration. This is a key component for Patrick Sharp, he needs the time to hit the offensive zone seams and quiet areas.... which brings me to point #2.

2. Sharp is a gifted shooter who excels at sliding or jumping into seams in the OZ and shooting off the pass. When he was playing with Kane this was steadily apparent as many of his goals were shots off the pass and or breakaway plays - both of which lend itself well to his sense of offensive puck support timing with a possession player.

3. 10 Foot game, this is his double edge sword. When he plays with possession players, his other contribution is his ability to force seal contact turnovers. Seal contact turnovers are key because they extend possession sequences. Possession sequences is what really elite possession players want on their line as it allows them to get multiple possessions in a single sequence, this creates rhythm in their game - string of possessions off the pass. This is Sharp's big contribution to Kane and Hossa. He sustains possession sequences and rotates into seams. Match made in heaven....up until you aren't playing with a possession player....

So what's wrong now, well injuries derailed his momentum and mobility. As he worked his way back into he lineup he couldn't find his timing. In reaction to lack of production Coach Q drops him in the lineup. Once he plays a few shifts outside a line that doesn't have 88 or 81 the possession timing is thrown further out of whack. Now instead of sliding into seams, he is "standing around" with longer and longer stretches of time where no passes are coming his way in those seams. In reaction to "standing around" and the frustration of not getting the puck in those seam windows, he compensates by starting to "chase the puck" for contact more to force more turnovers. Now instead of extending possession sequences he is in never-ending cycle of going from one board battle to the next.

The slippery slope chain reaction of his habit sequence in the OZ goes something like this...

1. Chases contact
2. 50/50 board battle sequences
3. Higher effort output with no shots
4. Adapts to carrying the puck more
5. Shots come less off the pass and more off the carry
... departure from asset base

Rather than when he was good the skill habit chain reaction in the OZ was something like this ...

1. Seal Contact
2. 10 foot pass to possession player
3. Rotate into seam
4. Shoot off the pass
5. Track to extend possession sequence
6. Repeat

What's wrong with Patrick Sharp is his current game habits are in conflict with his asset base. He is not a player who can dictate conditions on the ice, he is a parter on a line not a centrepiece. Must play with the right type of player - elite possession player - whom he can read their possession habits and dial in his timing with so he can do what he does best.

With this insight, it wouldn't take long to look throughout the NHL and see any number of players who are suffering from similar disconnects. Thats why players who can successfully absorb multiple personnel in line combinations and still produce have my utmost respect. Patrick Sharp is an unreal talent, however, like many players who play in the NHL, he must find a way to adapt his game to changing personnel, role and ice time and find a way to continue to stay true to his asset base. What's clear now is, he must evolve or ...

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