Kesler getting better all the time
By Jason Botchford, The Province
April 26, 2009
When Paul Kariya was trying to make a return, Ryan Kesler couldn't help but think about what he went through two years ago.
Kesler had the same procedure on his hip, done by the same doctor at the same time of year. He made it back in time for the first game of the playoffs.
It shouldn't be viewed as a slight to Kariya, who didn't make it back. Every player and every situation is different. But the fact Kesler returned in 10 weeks after a surgical procedure that was supposed to sideline him 12 to 16 indicates the drive within him. It's that type of inner fight that proves to be invaluable in the playoffs, where skill isn't always enough.
"I think I'm one of those character guys," Kesler said. "My biggest strength during the playoffs is: You are not going to out-work me. And you're definitely not going to out-will me for that puck. That's the way I try and play in the playoffs." So far, it's showed. Kesler finished the first round with one point, an assist. But that doesn't come close to indicating the impact he had. In long stretches, Kesler was a force. He led the Canucks in hits (12) and blocked shots (9). Those stats are a product of his will, something Kesler has long had. The difference in the past two years, and what made him team MVP this season, is that his skill, power and on-ice vision started catching up.
"Now, I'm more relaxed out there. I'm confident I can make the plays," Kesler said. "Before it was always 'Go, go, go. Chip it in. Hit someone. Change.' Now, the coaches have given me a lot of confidence to just try and make plays out there.
"When I came in [to the NHL] I was like this water bug that skipped across the ice," said Kesler, who now weighs 205 pounds, 25 more than what he played at as a rookie. "The weight has made a difference. I had to gain power in my skating to carry this weight." All the way back to the 2003 NHL draft, where the Canucks took him with the 23rd overall pick, Kesler's ceiling was expected to be checking forward. But after a 59-point breakout season this year, no one has a handle on his potential. At times, it seems limitless.
"You can get pigeon-holed into being a third-line player, a guy with limited skill who has a good sense of defensive responsibility," Kesler said. "As a player coming into the league, I was that. But I developed into the player I am today.
"After each year, I got better offensively and I kept my defensive responsibility the same. I evolved." Some of it goes back to that 2007 hip surgery. During his rehab, there were countless lonely days spent in a gym and on a bike. Kesler learned a lot about himself, about mettle and grit.
"The playoffs, that's what motivated me. I just wanted to get back for the playoffs," Kesler said.
"Looking back now, it was a lot of hard work. There was a lot of time spent on the bike. It's a lot harder than going to practice and practising for 30 minutes every day.
"It's definitely something you look back on and see that you learned from the experience. I'm proud of what I did. I came out of it a better person." Kesler's evolution has been fascinating. For four seasons every part of his game has improved steadily. His skating is more powerful; he sees the ice so much better; he put more one-on-one moves in his tool belt; and finally he learned how to shoot to score.
"I used to just shoot to get a shot on net to create a rebound," Kesler said. "Now, I take that extra second to look at the goalie and see where the opening is.
"That has to do with confidence and being patient on the ice." Kesler as a forward is as versatile as you will find in the NHL. This season, he's been able to make a smooth transition from shutdown centre to goal-scoring winger.
"Guys seem to think I score more on wing here," Kesler said, laughing. "That's what [teammates] started saying the last game when I played centre.
"They were saying I'm more of a playmaker at centre, not a goal scorer. It doesn't matter to me." Did Kesler see this season coming? "I'd like to think I did," Kesler said. "You like to think you will improve from year to year but it's really the situation and the opportunity that's given to you.
"I knew coming into this year, I'd probably still be pegged as a third-line centre. I knew I'd probably have to fight to be a top-six guy with power-play time. But I got that opportunity and I flourished with it."
jbotchford@theprovince.com
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