Little guys are back in fashion. More and more smaller players are becoming impact players in the NHL, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by fans, scouts and GMs alike. Smaller players routinely attain success far above that which their draft positions would indicate. Bigger, less skilled players have clogged up the ice and cancelled each other out.
Goal scorers are at a premium.
Many coaches now realize that the best way to beat the various locks and traps is through sheer skill and guile, not brute force. But the reality is that some small players make it big while others fade into oblivion despite equal success at the junior or minor levels. We'll try to answer those questions here today. The difference between 5'11 and 6 feet is one inch. Some teams also doctor their size stats to make a better impression on scouts.