Let's check back in 30 games and see if they actually play better in Calgary.
Most players who leave Torts over the years tend to regress.
The only one I can think of who made a jump was Karlsson when he went to Vegas, and that was both a shooting heater (23.4%), and getting major PT after he was behind two young centers in CBJ. After that outlier season he settled in as a 3C.
Torts/Briere do not emphasize strength and physicality, or they wouldn't have Brink, TK, MIchkov, York, Andrae, Drysdale and drafted Barkey, Ciernak, and trade for Pelletier.
Briere does like smaller players with "grit," since he played in a much more physical era as a small player who stepped up in big games. He was a "fight in the dog" type and wants that in his players.
Torts emphasizes aggression, wants D-men to attack the O-zone but he wants players who play hard off the puck, and are fundamentally sound. He's emphasized going to the dirty area around the net instead of floating on the perimeter.
Both want players who can win board battles and maintain puck possession. Strength plays a part, but it's also about knowing how to play with leverage, and the willingness to go to dirty areas where you're gonna get hit.
