Rebound goals in mind for stars
Nylander and Subban among big names aiming for bounce-back seasons
Whether they’re returning from injury, looking for a fresh start with a new team or simply seeking redemption, several NHL stars are out to prove their worth this season. Here’s a look at some of the players looking to bounce back in 2019-20:
JAMES NEAL: The 32-yearold left-winger readily admits that things didn’t work out with the Calgary Flames last year. His seven goals and 12 assists in 63 games was a career-low. The slump followed a full decade of putting up 20-plus goals per season with an array of teams. Now the Whitby native is donning yet another jersey after being traded to Edmonton for left-winger Milan Lucic in July.
SHEA WEBER: After spending the first chunk of last season recovering from foot and knee surgery, Weber, 34, is looking forward to starting the year healthy. The Canadiens captain still managed to register14 goals and 19 assists in 58 games for Montreal last season, but the point total was a far cry from the career-high 56 points he put up for Nashville in 2013-14.
P.K. SUBBAN: A lot has changed for the 30-year-old defenceman since he put up a career-low 31 points in Nashville last season. Not only did Subban get engaged to ski racer Lindsey Vonn, he also found himself a new home. In a bid to free up cap space, the Predators dealt the Toronto-born blue liner to the New Jersey Devils in June. He joins a club stacked with offensive talents, but whether Subban will be able to replicate his career-high 60point season for the Canadiens in 2014-15 remains to be seen.
WILLIAM NYLANDER: Missing the first two months of last season due to contract talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs seemed to hamper Nylander’s game. The 23-year-old rightwinger signed a six-year, $41.77million (U.S.) deal on Dec. 1, then finished the year with seven goals and 20 assists in 54 games. Nylander will be looking to prove he’s worth the cash, which should be possible if he plays with Auston Matthews.
PATRIK LAINE: The Finnish forward is coming off a disappointing season with the Winnipeg Jets. He may have accumulated 50 points in 82 games, but 18 of his 30 goals came in November alone. The 21-yearold right-winger still hasn’t signed a contract for this season, so when, or if, he gets back into the Jets lineup is unclear. But when he hits the ice, Laine will be looking to reproduce his 2017-18 numbers, where he had 70 points in 82 games.
ANZE KOPITAR: Last season was not kind to the Los Angeles Kings and Kopitar was no exception. The 32-year-old Slovenian centre had 22 goals and 38 assists to lead the club in scoring, but that was down from 2017-18, when he put up 92 points and was nominated for the Hart Trophy as most valuable player. He’ll be looking to recapture some of that magic under the Kings’ new bench boss, Todd McLellan.
JAMIE BENN: Dallas GM Jim Lites publicly ripped into Benn and fellow forward Tyler Seguin last December, saying they “are not good enough.” Benn finished the season with 27 goals and 26 assists in 78 games. The 30-year-old Victoria-born left-winger added 10 points in the playoffs, but the performance was still well below the 89 points he tallied in 2015-16.