everything i've been reading about him is positive, including this latest blurb on si.com.  check out this quote if you're not on the bandwagon yet:

"He's a bit of a hot dog," the scout said. "He loves whipping up the crowd. Beyond that, he's a classic Russian. Maybe not the fastest skater, but strong enough on his feet and very clever with the puck. He's got some moves...he's fun to watch. [And he] really thinks the game well. His size was always the issue [that hurt his draft stock], but he's got a big heart, a lot of determination."

big heart, determination, thinks the game well, i'm on board with that.  yeah we have a surplus of mighty mite forwards, but that ensures that there will be good competition in camp and i'm really hoping that 1 or 2 step up and play big.  maybe a year in manitoba for shirokov and then he can step into demo's shoes as the nifty forward on a team of speedy hustle guys.  in the future however, i'd really like it if management would make size more of a priority.