Player Preview: Matt Beleskey

December 31, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Bracken Kearns (38) moves the puck against the defense of Anaheim Ducks left wing Matt Beleskey (39) during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Weaknesses:

Matt Beleskey plays a very physical, demanding brand of hockey, but he’s not the biggest guy in the world (actually, he’s a tad bit smaller than the average NHL player). Injuries have been (and probably will continue to be) a concern: he has spent many seasons full-time with Anaheim, but Beleskey has yet to play the full slate of games with a variety of ailments (concussion, broken thumb, shoulder surgery, abdominal). Although he’s aggressive and likes to engage in puck battles, Beleskey is not a true two-way winger and needs more defensive polish if he is to truly become such. He’s also not a true goal scorer either because he’s an inconsistent finisher at the net: he has the instincts of a scorer but does not always capitalize on his goal-scoring chances. The defensive aspect keeps him from being an effective checking line player, but the lack of great offensive production make it that much tougher for him to carve a niche on the top-six. He’s also not the best skater, and can become a liability on the ice (both offensively and defensively) when he stops moving his feet.