I don’t think it’s quite the same as overall IQ, which includes things like instincts, anticipation, etc., but I think players can absolutely be taught better methods to take advantage of things they notice on the ice, safer ways to handle certain situations, etc. I think for example that that’s one of the key things Brad Shaw did with Risto. A major thing he worked with him on was turning his ability to hit from sometimes unproductive — pulling him away from the play and allowing opponents to get ahead of him without coverage — to productive — prioritizing opportunities and methods that allowed him to separate his opponent from the puck and gain possession himself. Those kinds of changes are absolutely coachable, where they’re more strategic adjustments to make a player’s strengths more valuable than actually trying to teach instincts.

For me I think it is possible with him. Partially as he usually makes the right reads… you see it in the AHL, he is not a “low IQ” player there… but he has more time.

In the NHL he has less time and takes too many risks, so it is more about risk management and cutting down on bad giveaways.