Tim Riggins Scouting Report

[Jayhawk 93]

words: 606

 

One would expect having a nickname like BIG RIG would bring about a certain perception of Tim Riggins Style of play, Body size, or care for danger. Big Rig seems to be something that is Very Large and hits very hard. However, having a big frame and soft hands has become synonymous with Riggins. At 6 foot 6 inches and 220 pounds. This young forward would have you assume he was made for the bump-and-grind game. Yet his 218 points in two seasons leave you wondering what else this youngster has to offer. 

 

Let’s take a look at his regular season production. Despite having a huge body frame, Riggins was not known for his hitting. That’s not to say he didn’t hit. He had 122 hits in his first season and 145 in his second. His physical game is there but nowhere near what you would assume. Instead, you find a player that can is hard to knock off the puck. His stick handling is solid but not mind-blowing, or Jaw-dropping.  Where this player excels is in the defensive aspect of his game. In his first season, he finished with a plus 10 in the plus/minus category. Might not seem impressive, but it was a solid start for the rookie. He ranked 27th out of 50 in the league that season. He was also third on the team in penalty minutes played with 215. In his second season, he found his groove and finished 3rd in the league in plus/minus with a plus 49. First and second were tied with 52. 

As much as his defensive game is solid, his offensive game is something that drives teams crazy. His rookie season saw him score 29 goals ( 33rd in the league), 62 assists ( 10th in the league ), and 91 points ( 21st in the league. ) Many thought his stats were a direct result of his line-mate, Alex Stroheim. Stroheim finished first in Goals, assists, and points with 150. However, Riggins would come back in his second season without Stroheim ( Stroheim was called up ) and dominate the league. Riggins finished 3rd in points with 127, 1st in goals with 65, and 10th in assists with 62. He was 3rd in plus/minus, 4th in Powerplay goals, and first in Hat-tricks with 7!

 

Offense was not an issue for Riggins. Couple that with his Defensive game and he can dominate any game. At least any regular season game. Like any youngster, you question how will they handle pressure. While regular season pressure can be a lot for some, it was not for Riggins. However, playoff pressure is another thing entirely. 

In the S86 playoffs, Riggins looked like a shadow of the regular season play. The rookie played in 14 games before Mexico City got bounced. In those 14 games, He had 6 goals and 6 assists, he finished with a plus/minus of 0. While that’s not horrible, in many games he looked overwhelmed. During the S87 playoffs, His performance was better as a whole. In 17 games he picked up 20 points ( 7 goals, 13 assists), but ended with a plus/.minus of -2, a first in his VHLM career. 

 

Riggins is a player with a huge upside to his game. If developed properly and coached well, he could very well become a valuable piece to any team. He’s a team-first player, willing to play where needed. He can play the penalty kill, the power play, the bottom 6, or the top 6. Once he gets to the VHL he’ll need to not be overwhelmed by the lack of experience that other players have.