Jabobber Hockey

There were several notable trades and signings during the 2019 summer. Leading into the season, predictions abound as to whether a new face in a new place will succeed. The three or four games (most) teams have played have provided insight into how these players are adjusting. So far, the busy offseason has been beneficial for some players and teams, while for others it has not fallen into place yet. Let’s take a look at five players that packed a suitcase over the summer and pulled on a new sweater at the beginning of October.

James Neal, Edmonton Oilers – If you have been watching or following any hockey, you will have heard about James Neal. A known sniper, Neal has ten 20-goal seasons with four teams over his eleven-year career. But, for whatever reason, it did not click between Neal and the Calgary Flames last season. Neal scored only 7 goals in 63 games. Rumors suggested that Neal and head coach Bill Peters did not see eye to eye, and the emergence of Elias Lindholm relegated Neal to seeming irrelevance. Needless to say, that is not what Neal signed up for when joining Calgary. So, it was no surprise when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for Milan Lucic.

And, it should not be a surprise that James Neal has scored 7 goals in 4 games with the Oilers. Here is a player who has been a consistent 20-goal scorer for a decade. He has succeeded with pretty much every team, including back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Finals with Nashville and Vegas. That player has reemerged before our eyes playing alongside McDavid and Draisaitl. Neal lit the lamp four times against the New York Islanders and has scored in three consecutive games. The Real Deal will easily eclipse the 20-goal mark this season, and it would not be surprising to see him hit 30.

Kevin Shattenkirk, Tampa Bay Lightning – One of the quieter moves of the offseason, Kevin Shattenkirk signed a 1-year, $1.75 million deal with the stacked Tampa Bay Lightning. After six and a half years with the St. Louis Blues, Shattenkirk fulfilled his dream of playing for his hometown team the New York Rangers. But it seemed the right-handed defenseman never settled. After two years, the Rangers surprisingly bought out Shattenkirk’s contract. That lit a fire in the 30-year old, as he stated after the buyout that he was “pretty pissed off” and had a “chip on my shoulder.”

He joined the Lightning only a few days later and joined a star-studded blue line. With Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Mikhail Sergachev, Kevin Shattenkirk presented a no-risk opportunity for Tampa Bay. $1.75 million is a small price to pay for a potential 40-point, solid defenseman. So far, Shattenkirk has harnessed that “pissed off” energy, scoring 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 games. He is logging around 20 minutes a game and playing with Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman takes the pressure off of Shattenkirk. He scored a pretty goal last night after he stepped up in the offensive zone, dangled the puck under the defenseman’s stick, and slid it under Frederik Andersen. Shattenkirk looks like he is playing freely again, as if he too feels there is nothing to lose but a lot to prove. Four games into the season, Shattenkirk looks like one of the best signings of the summer.

Matt Duchene, Nashville Predators – All signs pointed to Matt Duchene signing with Nashville when he became an unrestricted free agent. After short stints with the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets, Duchene inked a 7-year, $56 million deal to join the Predators. Nashville fans hoped he would bolster and elevate the Predator’s offense, and in his first four games, he has done just that.

Duchene has notched 8 points (1 goal and 7 assists) to help lead the Predators to a 3-1 start. The 28-year old has found chemistry in Nashville, particularly with Filip Forsberg. Duchene found scored his first goal in yellow last night against Washington and added 2 assists. He has played around 18-minutes a night and fired a decent number of pucks toward the net each game. A 3^rd overall pick in 2009, Duchene has been an elite, if not consistent, player in the NHL for ten years now. But he has never found the right fit. Say what you want about his leadership in Colorado, he has yet to play on a top-tier team like the Nashville Predators. Duchene was probably just as excited about the opportunity to join the Predators as the Predators were to add him. That positivity usually bodes well on the ice, and so far, it has.

Justin Faulk, St. Louis Blues – Trade rumors surrounded Justin Faulk for quite some time. But the Blues made a bold move to add the right-hander to their blue line in exchange for Joel Edmundson and some draft picks. Faulk quickly signed a 7-year, $45.5 million contract extension, demonstrating his commitment to the Blues and the Blues’ aspiration to claim more Stanley Cups.

The Blues have started well at 3-0-1 and grabbed 7 out of 8 possible points. But Faulk has not looked comfortable. He has 1 assist in those 4 games and is even in the plus/minus category. These are not terrible stats but certainly not what fans were hoping for from a player who is expected to fortify the blue line and bring offense. But are expectations too high for Faulk? He has only broken the 40-point mark in one of his eight NHL seasons and certainly struggled his last two seasons in Carolina. Many are hoping that a change of scenery will reinvigorate the 27-year old. Lucky for Faulk, the Blues’ success bides him more time to find his footing, and time he does have. It is very early in the season, and it is easy to criticize one player who does not fit in immediately when other players across the league do. Keep an eye on Faulk in St. Louis because if he does step up, watch out for the Blues.

Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers – Expectations are high for the Florida Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky. He signed a whopping 7-year, $70 million contract with the Cats after leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets. Florida also added Brett Connolly and Noel Acciari to improve Florida’s powerhouse offense. Bobrovsky is supposed to shore up goaltending after Roberto Luongo’s retirement and propel the Panthers over the hump that has alluded them for so long. All the pieces – Barkov, Huberdeau, Trocheck, Ekblad, and now Bobrovsky – are in place.

But it has been a shaky start for Bobrovsky and the Panthers. They are 1-2, and Bobrovsky is sporting a .859 SV% and a 4.78 GAA. He was pulled after the first period in his third start and has struggled in his first three games. There were and are questions surrounding the two-time Vezina Trophy winner. Can he be consistent? Can he play well in the playoffs? It seems like it could go either way for Bobrovsky at this point. He is 31, and much of the pressure for success falls on his shoulders now. If he turns it around, he will be that Vezina-winner we have seen before. If he does not, he will be the goalie who has always struggled in the playoffs under pressure. In fairness, he did quiet critics last playoffs during the Blue Jacket’s incredible run. But with Sergei Bobrovsky, you truly never know what he could do.

^{Featured Image: Bruce Bennet, Getty Images}