Evaluating Filip Forsberg's Dazzling Goal in Chicago
Filip Forsberg is perhaps one of the league's most underrated players, where he is an elite player with the ability to score in a variety of ways inside the offensive zone. Not only that, but Forsberg brings an innate ability to score using small area stick handling, as he did last night in a rush sequence goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. Forsberg nearly went end-to-end on this entire sequence here, where he was able to cut through all of Chicago's defenders and get in route to the net with ease. He did so by splitting the defenders with speed initially, and then beating Petr Mrazek effortlessly with a backhand-forehand maneuver, allowing him to score on the far side of the net. What I really notice most about Forsberg all the time is his ability to showcase high end ability to take control of the play.
He can do this individually, where he can take control of sequences by driving the middle lane or attacking through the outside lanes in the neutral zone, and then adding a touch of deception to maneuver around defenders the way he wants to.
Forsberg is off to a hot start this season, where he is coming off a career offensive year last season with 94 points. This season, he is off to an 82 point pace, where he is in for what looks like another electric offensive season. Coming off that season where he had so much production, it isn't much of a surprise that he has continued that into this season. Here on this sequence, we see the sequence start behind the net and Nashville getting up to speed with their routes on the breakout.
Carrier exits up the middle on the breakout, and then fades to the outside lane in the neutral zone. Quickly realizing Nyquist is available as a pass option, he pings Nyquist right on the tape with a crisp pass. Nyquist is in a tricky situation here, with him trying to maneuver on the offensive blue line without speed to gain entry. Forsberg is forgotten about as the eventual F2 into the zone, where Connor Bedard is trying to close on Nyquist through the track back. TJ Brodie also tries collapsing on Nyquist, so Nyquist being double teamed opens up an option elsewhere. That ends up being Forsberg here, where he does an initial maneuver that allowed him to get through defensive coverage with ease here in multiple ways:
Elite goal from Forsberg here, as he singlehandedly was able to maneuver through 3 Blackhawks players in this situation. It eerily reminisces McDavid's goal against the Rangers in some ways, with how he managed to split multiple players in tight here. He did a great job splitting through Nolan Allan's stick and then managed to get the puck into space for himself, which allowed him to eventually maneuver around Mrazek as well.