Kevin Fiala
ON-ICE VALUE
Top-Six Forward
STRENGTHS
Shot: Fiala possesses a lethal shot. He can unload one-timer bullets and often picks corners with his heavy wrister. More importantly, he isn’t wasteful. He displays good shot selection, recognizing when he has time to lean into a shot and when he’s better off simply pulling the trigger. He has a knack for spotting quality screens and filtering his shots through traffic too.
Skating: While he doesn’t rank among the absolute fastest skaters in the league, he’s smooth, fluid and can pull away from defenders once he has a step on them. He also knows how to switch gears on the rush in order to create some space for himself.
Vision: He may be a goal scorer, but he won’t insist on shooting if he can find a better chance for a teammate. He flashes nice touch and is deceptive with his passes because opponents expect him to unleash a shot every time he touches the puck. He’s more balanced than his production may suggest.
WEAKNESSES
Defense: Though Fiala works his tail off to generate scoring opportunities, he doesn’t care much for chance suppression. His positioning is suspect, as he gets mystified by the puck and flies the zone in hopes of pushing the pace. A bit more patience in the defensive zone would benefit his overall game.
Inconsistent: One of the reasons he may be viewed strictly as a finisher is that his engagement level fluctuates from game to game. He’s a very capable playmaker and puck-handler who can apply a ton of pressure on the opposition, but some nights, he’s content to run on autopilot and merely act as a trigger man.
