The new general manager of the Nashville Predators, Barry Trotz, has just made the greatest gift to his recruiters, at the dawn of the draft.
“Take risks, choose hopefuls of great talent despite the question marks,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the hiring of his new coach Andrew Brunette. I can find third and fourth line players for you with no problem. Opt for players on your side who will get our fans out of their seats. »
Trotz’s statement clashes in the rather conservative environment of the NHL Draft. Recruitment managers can be understood in some ways.
It’s hard to justify keeping your job when the seven or eight players drafted in a year haven’t broken through. To improve his track record, the head scout will often have the reflex to opt for the player who is a little less endowed in individual skills, but whose chances of establishing himself in the National Hockey League are more certain.
This phenomenon is less present among the top ten choices where the values are safer, but can be observed more from the end of the first round, sometimes even earlier.
The Canadian’s choice of Ryan Poehling at 25th in 2017 illustrates this phenomenon well. Poehling confounded CH fans by scoring three goals in his first career game a few years later, but he was first known for his efficiency in all three areas, without being recognized as a great attacking center.
Poehling had just 13 points, including 7 goals, in 35 games at St. Cloud State University in his draft-eligibility year. “He’s a center with a good size who plays the right way,” said general manager Marc Bergevin after the choice. He has offensive talent and he doesn’t cheat defensively. We believe he is a player with whom we can win. »
The Dallas Stars attempted the home run the way Barry Trotz hopes they will in Nashville at No. 39. After getting Miro Heiskanen No. 3 overall and a goaltender immediately after Poehling No. 26, they took a risk with a highly productive forward in the Ontario junior ranks, 81 points, including 42 goals, in 68 games at Kingston, but whose poor skating would be a major obstacle to his progress. He was also one of the youngest prospects in his class, being born in July.
Some analysts didn’t even put Jason Robertson as a second- or third-round pick on their list. “He has the potential to play as part of an offensive line, but could also fail if he doesn’t adapt to the speed of the game at the next level,” Mark Scheig wrote a few weeks before the draft. Picking it early is a risk, but could pay off big. »
As expected, Ryan Poehling has successfully established himself in the NHL. He now plays center on the Penguins’ fourth line and had 14 points in 53 games last season. Pittsburgh got him almost for free since Kent Hughes traded him and Jeff Petry in the trade for Mike Matheson last year to free up payroll and renew Rem Pitlick’s contract.
Several mediocre skaters at the junior level have failed in the professional ranks. Robertson could have been one of those. He nevertheless made his talent bear fruit beyond expectations. The 23-year-old just had 109 points, including 46 goals, this season in Dallas. Only McDavid, Draisaitl, Pastrnak, Kucherov and MacKinnon got more.
To fish in such a reckless way, you also have to accept the low success rate associated with it. Nashville took a bit of a risk with Eeli Tolvanen in 30th due to the youngster’s short stature. St. Louis drafted giant Klim Kostin 31st overall despite the youngster’s repeated injuries and the risk of him remaining in Russia.
But he was the Blues’ second first-round pick, after Robert Thomas in 20th, which always makes risk-taking a bit easier.
The Predators weren’t patient enough with Tolvanen. They gave it up on waivers in December. The 23-year-old had 51 points in 135 games since the start of his NHL career. He has since launched his career in Seattle and amassed 27 points, including 16 goals, in 48 games in the second half of the season. Nashville nonetheless found itself empty-handed.
Klostin, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound giant, never became the big center the Blues hoped for. He was traded to the Oilers in October for same-age defenseman Dmitri Samorukov, still in the American League. Klostin has nevertheless found a niche with the Oilers on the third line.
The Predators have two first-round picks, their own at 17th and the Oilers’ traded Mattias Ekholm at 24th. They also have two second-round picks and three third-round picks.
It will be interesting to watch their strategy at the end of June, as will the Canadiens’ if Matvei Michkov is still available at No. 5 and with his first-round pick No. 31 or 32 depending on the Stanley Cup Finals result.
Michael Pezzetta is not a great hockey player. A modest sixth-round pick in 2016, he has amassed 26 points in 114 career games. That he is established in the NHL is already a feat.
At 25, he has just signed a guaranteed two-year contract, for $ 812,500 per season on the Canadian’s payroll. In the worst case, we can send him back to the American League and erase his salary from the mass. The risk is therefore not huge to trust him for two more years.
Failing to produce, Pezzetta brings a certain energy within a fourth line, does not seem to flinch when he is removed from training and accepts the cuffs on the face without flinching if it can serve the cause of the club. Pezzetta doesn’t shake opposing bullies, but her enthusiasm is contagious.
Four players were drafted by CH before Pezzetta in 2016: Mikhail Sergachev in the first round, William Bitten in the third, Victor Mete in the fourth and Casey Staum in the fifth. Few would have bet on his chances of playing at least 100 games in the National Hockey League with a season of 28 points in 64 games in the junior ranks at Sudbury in his year of eligibility.
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