Optimism Promotes Creativity and Innovation
One quality that I have always admired about Hampus Lindholm is his optimism. He always has a smile on his face, even when things aren’t going the way he or his team had hoped. Positivity is infectious, just as negativity is, and it creates a healthy environment that promotes growth.
With growth comes the ability to be more creative and innovative while still being smart and putting your team first. While Lindholm may not take as many risks as his offensively minded teammates on the blueline, he seems to have found the perfect balance between being both offensively and defensively minded.
This has encouraged him to craft his game so that he can be both logical and inventive without putting too much at stake. This allows him to be consistent, reliable, and maintain a fresh perspective on the ice while still being able to surprise the opposition and still catch them off guard.
Isn’t that exactly what we want for the younger generation that’s up and coming in the Anaheim Ducks organization? They need an environment that is conducive to healthy growth. They need other players around them that are willing to be humble, admit their wrongdoings, and encourage those around them. The “Ducklings” need players they can model themselves after, not just on the ice, but off the ice as well. As they get more comfortable in their new role, they need to learn how to be both creative and innovative. So, why not learn from a player who fits that role to a T?