In the past, Martin Chromiak was talked about mainly in connection with his dangerous shot. Whether it was in a power play or simply from the first after a good pass from a teammate.
According to experts, on the contrary, he was a little behind in the defensive part of the game.
However, this season in Ontario, California, he is maturing into a complex hockey player who has understood that the path to the NHL leads through details that the average viewer may often overlook.
The fact that he is doing well with this transformation at the Los Angeles farm is confirmed for Denník N by people who follow his progress from the immediate vicinity.
Cam McGuire, media manager for Chromiak’s Ontario Reign AHL team, notes that Chromiak’s speed has been a key factor in his increased scoring this season.
“His first two steps after kicking off are among the fastest on the team. That allows him to break into chances that other players might not even get to,” says McGuire.
Marek Novotný, a scout for Central Europe from the McKeen’s Hockey portal, also joins in, saying that Chromiak is no longer dependent only on his current form, but is able to perform consistently in every single game.
“This season you can see that he is maturing as a player and his hockey intelligence has moved to a higher level. He reads the game very well, can keep the offensive pace of the whole formation while remaining responsible in defensive duties.”
Chromiak has already experienced three multi-goal games this season, and combined with defensive responsibility and ferocity, this makes him a candidate not only for a potential debut in the NHL, but also for a place in Slovakia’s Olympic nomination to Milan.
In the second case, we will know the final decision this afternoon after 2:00 p.m.
In the text you will read:
- what was Chromiak’s quality that most intrigued McGuire;
- what is the biggest difference in his game compared to the past;
- how an injury to the Kings’ first team could help his chance of a lifetime;
- why his representative nomination makes sense and what is his advantage over players from Europe.
The proof of his improvement was the goal in the last game
Although Martin Chromiak also stands out in terms of numbers this season – he collected 23 points (13 + 10) in 32 games – probably the most important change has occurred in his playing style.
Media manager Cam McGuire highlights the player’s hockey maturity and strong attention to detail.
“He’s a very reliable player that you can put on the ice in any situation. He’s very consistent overall. You just know what you’re going to get from him every game,” says McGuire.
The confidence he’s gained through consistent productivity allows him to dictate the game, not just adapt to it.
This progress was fully manifested in the last game against Iowa, where Chromiak scored two goals in his team’s 3-0 win. Thanks to this, he was declared the second star of the evening.
Especially with his backhand bluff after a solo escape, he showed the technical maturity he had built up through hard training.
But no less important was what happened even before, when he was able
