| | The Matchup: Paul Kariya vs. Steve Kariya
The Question: How do these guys do it?
Paul Kariya
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Steve Kariya
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Kariya brothers prove good things come in small packages
Paul and Steve Kariya, while separated by nearly four years, are very much alike as players. The brothers each have incredible focus and rely more on their mental skills than their physical gifts. They are business-like, dedicated and professional.
It remains to be seen if Steve, a rookie with Vancouver, can achieve the same level of success as Paul, a three-time All-Star with Anaheim. Canucks coach Marc Crawford has already praised Steve for the professional attitude he brings to the rink everyday. Even as a rookie, Steve is held as an example for the rest of the team on how to approach the game. That's extraordinary, something Steve definitely gets from his older brother.
Paul is a focused, well-prepared athlete who regularly uses visualization to see himself succeed in different situations. Steve does the same thing. They train together during the summer, and Paul helps Steve any way he can. But then Paul leaves Steve alone to play and learn to love the game.
Physically, even though Paul is small, he is big compared to his younger brother. Paul is 5-foot-10 and about 180-185 pounds. He has had six years in the NHL to mature, put on some pounds and develop his upper body. Steve, however, is 5-foot-7 and about 160-165 pounds. Crawford said Steve is like a rubber ball. Sure, he goes down when he gets hit. But he bounces up so quickly that you almost have to do a double take to see if he actually went down. He never quits and keeps going. His intelligence will find the shortcuts on what he needs to do to survive, and then thrive, in the NHL.
I covered Steve playing for Maine in the NCAA finals last year and include myself among the people who thought there was no way Steve could play in the NHL right away. I thought he at least had to play in the minors first and build himself up. His size was a huge mark against him going into the NHL draft, but Vancouver took a chance, signing him as a free agent. The Canucks made a wise choice because Steve has shown the intelligence and ability to adapt quickly to the NHL.
Steve has good speed, quickness and hands, but he is still a notch behind Paul in all areas. Steve would acknowledge his deficiencies because Paul is the best in the world in those categories. Paul has world-class acceleration and top-end speed. Steve doesn't get to top speed and maintain it the way Paul does. Paul is at top speed in three steps and just flies. Steve darts around, slows down, speeds up, and then slows down again. I haven't seen him maintain his speed wall-to-wall like Paul.
Paul didn't shoot very much his first year in the league because he always perceived himself as a playmaker first then a goal scorer second. Players like that are almost loathe to shoot sometimes. But then-Ducks coach Ron Wilson did Paul a favor by telling him he needed to shoot the puck in order to be successful. The shots don't always go in, but they produce scoring opportunities on rebounds. Since then, Paul has been near the top of the league in shots on goal. Last year he led everyone in the league by more than 100 shots.
For Steve, who doesn't have quite the same shot yet as Paul, why not shoot the puck more? Maybe his game is a little different, or he still lacks the confidence with the puck, or he is deferring to teammates and passing more, but he doesn't shoot enough. He should learn from his brother that shooting is a good way to create scoring chances for his teammates as well. The goals and assists will increase the longer Steve plays in the league. Like his brother, he just has to feel his way around and continue to gain confidence in his game.
Brian Engblom is a color commentator and analyst for ESPN's NHL coverage. He played 11 seasons in the NHL. | |
ALSO SEE
In the Corners: Kariyas have competitive fire
Kariyan conflict: Brothers to become foes in NHL game
Vancouver (11-11-6) at Anaheim (7-16-2) 10:30 pm EST
Brian's Barometer: Ducks stars adjust to win
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mark Messier says Steve has all the tools of a great player.
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Steve explains his brother's advice.
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 Paul says he's proud to have his brother in the NHL.
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