The Arizona Coyotes made a move to add more center depth last week by claiming Adam Ružička off of waivers from the Calgary Flames. Through 39 games this season for the Flames, Ružička has three goals, six assists and nine points. More than just the stats though, what is Ružička like as a player? 240127_Tourigny_Postgame “Ruzicka is a left-shot centre who’s known for his characteristic power forward frame,” Raja Boury of The Win Column wrote. [https://thewincolumn.ca/2022/07/02/2022-calgary-flames-prospect-rankings-4-adam-ruzicka/] “He possesses excellent puck control ability and all round puck skill. He has a certain mastery towards controlling the puck on his stick and finding his teammates through his great passing ability. One thing that was noted in his scouting report at the time of his draft was that he was known to be particularly good at making unsuspecting backhand passes. “Ruzicka’s frame also allows him to be a real presence inside the face-off dot, and he puts his height and hockey IQ to great use when it comes to his overall puck possession and protection game. His finishing ability is another one of his strengths that cannot be overlooked. All in all, the gifts he owns have translated well into creating scoring chances, not just for himself but also for his teammates.” The 24-year-old center stands at a whopping 6’4’’ which he fully uses to his advantage while on the ice. “Ruzicka has always been a polarizing prospect for me,” Jason Bukala of Sportsnet wrote. [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/nhl-scouts-analysis-looking-at-the-flames-and-how-to-face-a-critical-summer/] “He has great size, above average skill, and he’s hard to knock off the play when he’s engaged.” Despite using his size at times, Ružička needs to be more physical, an aspect that will certainly help earn him a roster spot with the Coyotes. “Big body. Skilled,” via CapFriendly. [https://www.capfriendly.com/scouting-reports/report/adam-ruzicka-84351] “Excellent hands. Sturdy/Strong but not punishing physically. He would get more room if he was harder on pucks and leaned on opponents more aggressively in the trenches. Has the skill ... needs more will.” The potential is there for Ružička to thrive in Arizona, so time will only tell if all he truly needed was a fresh start to really get himself going.
