KLINGBERG A STAR WORTH NOTING
Dallas defenceman can score, but is that enough to merit Norris consideration?
A year after Brent Burns finished in the top 10 in scoring and two years after Erik Karlsson was tied for fourth overall, the NHL’s top defencemen are back doing what their job title suggests: defending.
Neither Victor H ed man nor Drew Doughty, the presumptive favourites for the Norris Trophy, is in the top five in overall scoring. They were not even in the top four among defencemen heading into Wednesday’s slate ofgames.
So where does that leave John Klingberg?
The Dallas Stars defenceman, who has led his position in scoring all season, had 57 points in 70 games heading into Wednesday’s game against Toronto. That was good enough for a tie for 43rd overall. But it’s probably not good enough to land him many first-place Norris votes, not with how good Hedman and Doughty have been.
The other thing hurting Klingberg is the 25-year-old rarely killspenalties—heranksseventh among Dallas defencemen in short-handed ice time — and is still viewed as one-dimensional. The problem is, that one dimension isn’t quite at the Karlsson or Burns level.
“He plays both ends of the ice, which most people probably don’t see because he has such good numbers offensively,” St. Louis Blues defenceman Alex Pietrangelo countered. “Playing against him, he’ s a guy you circle. He’s a guy who, once he touches the puck, something ’s going to happen every time. He can do damage every shift. You want to key in on him. He’s having a heck of a season, lemme tell you.”
Dallas defenceman Marc Methot, who for years watched Karlsson get criticized over his lack of defence, agreed that Klingberg is more than just what his offensive statsshow.
“He’s very underrated in cutting guys off and using the wall and his speed to take away time and space from forwards who are coming into the zone,” said Methot, who compared Klingberg ’s skill set with that of Karlsson.
“I probably would have been reluctant to say that, even during training camp, because I hadn’t seen him play enough. But yeah, he’s just so dynamic with the puck and he’s so good at finding the net from the point.
“He’s not a heavy guy. He’s very tall, but he’s very lean. I don’t even know if he’ s 180 pounds. He’s a terrific skater, it gets him out of trouble.”
JONES TURNING HEADS
I’ve got K ling berg behind H ed man and Doughty, but Columbus’ Seth Jones will win at least one Norris Trophy before his career is complete. He’s that good. And at 23, he’s that young. Jones, who has three game-winners in his last three games, has 14 goals, is in the top 10 at his position in scoring and is averaging close to 25 minutes per night.
UNDERRATED PLAYERS
According to an NHLPA poll released last week, Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom is the league’s most underrated player. But for me it’s Mark Stone, who has 62 points in 58 games on an awful Senators team. Put him with players who can produce and he’dbeastar.
PLAYOFF PROTECTION?
Matt Martin has played once in the last 20 games. But if the Maple Leafs meet the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, the question will be whether he gets back into Toronto’s lineup.
I’d personally rather have Kasperi Kapanen or even Andreas Johnsson. Then again, I also wouldn’ t want Brad March and rabbit-punching Auston Matthew sin the face like he did to Daniel Sedin in the 2011 Stanley Cupfinal.
UNANIMOUS TOP PICK
As we inch closer to next month’s NHL draft lottery, is there any way wingers Andrei Svechnikov or Filip Zidina overtake Swedish defenceman R as mus Dahl in as the No .1 pick?
“Zero chance,” said North American Central Scouting ’s Mark Seidel. “There’s always somebody who will try to put a spin on it and try to create drama, but there’ s no way he doesn’t go first. In the scouting community, he’s at the (Connor) McDavid and (Auston) Matthews level. I haven’t talked to a guy who wouldn’ t pick him at No .1.”
PICK YOUR POISON
I asked Seidel whether the Senators, who owe the Avalanche a first-round pick in either 2018 or 2019 as part of the Matt Duchene trade, should give up their selection if they fall outside the top three.
“That’s a risky play,” Seidel said .“You don’ t want to miss out on a guy like Jack Hughes (who is the projected No. 1 pick in 2019). But this year’s draft is much stronger than next year’s. The guys in the four-to-eight (range) are difference-makers. They could be all-stars.”
REST AND RECOVERY
The worst time to get injured is right before the playoffs. But the best time to come back from an injury is right before the playoffs.
Just ask Chicago’s Patrick Kane, who missed the final month of 2014-15, but looked refreshed when he returned for Game 1 of the post-season, scoring 23 points in 23 games en route to winning a Stanley Cup. That bodes well for Toronto’s Auston Matthews, as well as Boston’s Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy.
NO EASY OPPONENTS
Toronto fans are griping that the Maple Leafs (third-best record in the East) will likely play the second-place Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, but it doesn’t get much easier in the West, where Minnesota (fourthbest record) looks like it could see Winnipeg (second-best).
“It’s going to be a dogfight,” said Wild forward Eric Staal. “But it’s the same for everybody. Everyone’ s leg it. Everyone that gets in there—even the teams that the No. 1 and No. 2 (seeds) are going to face — are going to give it to you. That’s just the way that it is.”
COVETED GOALTENDER
The most intriguing UFA this summer is not John Tavares or Rick Nash or even Joe Thornton. It’s Carter Hutton. The St. Louis Blues backup goalie, who has played 30 games, has a leaguebest 2.02 goals-against average and .934 save percentage for a team that gave up on the playoffs. The only downside is he’s 32. But if Scott Darling can get a fouryear, US$16.6-million contract, expect Hutton to get paid.
Playing against him, he’s a guy you circle. He’s a guy who, once he touches the puck, something’s going to happen every time. He candodamage every shift.