The 19-year old has already dazzled Leafs fans and puck viewers with a brilliant preseason and start to the 2016-17 season, keeping fans on the edge of their seats with a unique blend of highlight reel skills and a high-octane engine.
Different factors contribute to player success, but smaller players seem to get the biased view of overcoming a size deficit. Intelligence — and not just hockey IQ — can make up for shortcomings, even if size is seen as one of them.
Smart players read plays quick with efficiency, are proactive instead of reacting to the play or players, and contribute little, unnoticed plays on a shift-by-shift basis.