San Jose Sharks defenseman Calen Addison has shown significant growth in his game over the last couple of months, and he feels it, too.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Calen Addison has shown significant growth in his game over the last couple of months, and he feels it, too.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Calen Addison has shown significant growth in his game over the last couple of months, and he feels it, too.
Addison had been a healthy scratch for a few games during December and January but has solidified himself in the lineup and on the first powerplay unit.
"I guess you could split the season up a little bit. I think just understanding what I need to do in every aspect of the game," Addison told THN today. "Whether that's the neutral zone, D zone, or retrieving pucks, anything like that."
Addison had always been seen as a good puck-moving defenseman but had some flaws defensively.
He's always shown flashes of his offensive skill during the season, especially on the powerplay.
He's added a physical aspect to his game, which he said engages him more across all aspects of the game.
"I think I'm on top of my game more when I'm engaged physically and kind of more pissed off, I guess you could say," Addison said. "Being calm with the puck but having that edge defensively gives me more of an edge offensively. When you're more mad or pissed off, going into a battle or a box out, I think it makes you more engaged when you get the puck too. I think that helps me a lot. Gets me more emotionally into the game."
Sharks head coach David Quinn agreed with his defenseman.
"There's been a definite improvement from a defensive standpoint. [He's] skating more. [He] looks more confident with the puck," Quinn said. "When the game starts, and you're thinking, I'm looking for contact, you tend to skate more when you want a collision, or you want to contact? Right. If you don't want one, you're hesitant to skate a little bit more. He's been much more physical. So, therefore, he's skating more because he's looking for contact. He's looking to close his gap. From all of that comes better play."
Addison recently showed this new edge to his game against Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Addison and Justin Bailey have become best friends this season. They sit next to each other in the Sharks' practice facility's locker room and joined the team around the same time.
Bailey made his Sharks debut on November 27th and Addison on November 9th.
"We didn't know each other at all till I got here. "He didn't get here for a little while after I got here too. We've become best friends," Addison said. "He's been awesome. Whether you're having a good or bad day, I think it's always nice to have a guy like that you can shoot sh*t with and forget about the bad times away from the rink. We're best buddies, too. So a guy like that helps a lot."
Many hockey players like disconnecting from the game while away from the rink. That goes for Bailey and Addison, which drew them to each other.
"We don't actually live too close. We just like to hang out and just chill. We went on All-Star Break together," Addison said. "I think we're pretty similar in a lot of ways and just like to relax and chill out when we leave the rink and forget about our job."
Addison has been quarterbacking the Sharks' first powerplay unit. Unless something drastic changes, Quinn will likely continue to deploy him in those situations, especially since there is a mutual agreement on improvement.
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