NHL training camp: Paul Stastny among new faces in new places
The anticipation continues to build as NHL training camps begin, but that anxiousness fans are feeling may be nothing compared to that of players looking to make an impact on new teams this year. There was a lot of activity in free agency and on the trade market this summer, meaning there are a lot of new faces in new places.
Training CampCamp Preview: Prospects to watch
Seeing how certain players fit with their new teams is all part of the excitement of a new season. It’s also an important part of training camp. The general manager did the job to bring the player in, now it’s the coach’s turn to make it work with the rest of the lineup. When the preseason games begin, some of that picture becomes clearer as we’ll get a glimpse of where coaches are putting certain players and with whom.
With that in mind, here’s a look at 10 players joining new teams this summer that will be of particular interest to watch this preseason. Some of these players aren’t necessarily the biggest acquisitions of the summer, but could prove to be important pieces for their new teams.
Paul Stastny (St. Louis Blues): What makes Stastny so interesting is how he handles the pressure of a big contract and playing at “home.” The talented center did a lot of his growing up in the St. Louis area while dad Peter worked for the Blues. Stastny already has experience playing on an especially expensive contract as he was under a lot of pressure thanks to his last contract with the Avs. When his production dipped, Stastny drew some ire. Now with St. Louis, Stastny has a new kind of pressure. He’ll be viewed as the piece that was missing last year and could be expected to help lift the team over its recent postseason hump and is a “local hero” on top of that. A good training camp could help him get off to a good start and ease the transition to his new team, though Stastny may experience a slight honeymoon phase with the fan base as there’s quite a bit of excitement surrounding him. The expectations couldn't be higher for the new $7-million-per-year man.
Ryan Miller (Vancouver Canucks): Though Ryan Miller was brought in to be a No. 1 goaltender, he’ll certainly face some interesting competition in Vancouver’s camp from incumbent Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom. Miller also has to show that he’s bounced back from his late-season collapse and playoff disappointment with the Blues. Miller will also face a lot of new challenges having spent nearly all of his career in the Eastern Conference. From Vancouver's more extensive travel to the quality of Pacific Division opponents, Miller can't afford a slow start. With what he’s being paid, he’ll be expected to keep the restructured Canucks afloat as the team looks to bounce back from the disaster that was last season.
Mike Ribeiro (Nashville Predators): After his unceremonious buyout from the Arizona Coyotes, Ribeiro has a bit of reputation rebuilding to undergo in Nashville. The Predators are giving him a real chance to start over and if he can seize that opportunity, he’ll help Nashville’s offensive woes. Ribeiro was just dreadful for the last half of last season after an extremely promising start. Off-ice issues were at the root of his ouster in Arizona, so he'll probably be watched extremely closely in Nashville. A year prior to his buyout, however, he was averaging a point per game with the Washington Capitals. The offensive potential Ribeiro possesses even at 34 will help a Predators team that is playing under the more offense-friendly Peter Laviolette. Ribeiro also will have a chance to build back up some chemistry with former Dallas Stars teammate James Neal and could be a suitable replacement for the injured Mike Fisher as the team’s No. 1 center.
Ales Hemsky (Dallas Stars): While Jason Spezza is going to get all of the attention heading into camp as an impact addition, it sounds like the initial plan is to put Hemsky on the top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Hemsky is a skilled playmaker and he could thrive in that kind of situation. The preseason should be all about getting him comfortable on the wing with two of the league’s more dynamic scoring talents of a season ago. If Hemsky frees up Seguin and Benn to shoot even more, that could be a full-on assault anytime they’re on the ice. Watching how that trio works together will be especially interesting as preseason games get started.
Dave Bolland (Florida Panthers): After signing a huge contract with the Panthers this offseason -- one that was widely panned -- Bolland is going to have some work to do right away. First off, he has to show that he’s back to full strength after his scary ankle tendon injury last season. Bolland didn’t look terribly effective late last year after he made it back into the Maple Leafs lineup. He had two goals in eight games and saw his ice time limited. It’s expected that Bolland will be among the leaders for the Panthers, which is going to be full of quite a few promising young players next year. Seeing which players are paired with him and how he handles the added responsibility will be worth tracking.
Nick Bonino (right) has tough task in replacing Ryan Kesler in Vancouver. (USATSI)
Nick Bonino (Vancouver Canucks): Having to replace Ryan Kesler, the guy he was traded away for, is going to be an awfully tall order for Bonino. Odds are, he’ll be the Canucks’ No. 2 center after the strong season he had with the Ducks last year. How the Canucks structure their second line under new head coach Willie Desjardins is a bit of a mystery, but Bonino is should figure prominently in the team's top six. After scoring 22 goals last year, Bonino proved he could be a solid forward in the league. The Canucks need him to be a producer to give the top line of Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and (probably) Radim Vrbata some relief. Training camp will be especially important for Bonino to familiarize himself with the team and whichever players end up joining his line.
Brian Gionta: The Buffalo Sabres may have made one of the savvier signings when they picked up Gionta as a free agent. Here’s a guy that has been part of some successful organizations, has won the Stanley Cup and most recently served as the captain of the NHL’s most storied team. His wealth of experience is going to help guide this team through the rebuild its currently undergoing. He could be of serious help to the litany of young players the Sabres will have to lean on and should help a team that was offensively challenged last year. Gionta has been saying all of the right things since he signed, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him possibly end up as the team’s captain by the time camp ends.
Michael Del Zotto (Philadelphia Flyers): Another player looking to resurrect his career, Del Zotto had to wait some time before a team took a chance on him in free agency. The Flyers have a lot of money sunk into their defense and haven’t been getting the results to match. Del Zotto is on a prove-it contract (one year, $1.3 million), which means he’s going to have to earn his spot in the lineup, but he does come at a bargain. There were points last season where Del Zotto ended up as a healthy scratch for the Rangers before he was traded to the Predators, who then declined to give the defenseman a qualifying offer to keep him. This is a guy with a 41-point season in his recent past. Finding that offensive touch again will help give the Flyers some depth on the back end and a new look, but Del Zotto first has to prove he can be that kind of player again.
Jori Lehtera (St. Louis Blues): The Blues may have drafted Lehtera back in 2008, but he’ll only just be getting his first taste of NHL action at age 26 after years playing in Finland and the KHL. It sounds like Lehtera is likely to center the Blues’ third line which features Vladimir Tarasenko and the still-unsigned Jaden Schwartz. So if Schwartz ends up holding out, which is possible, that might limit the reps Lehtera gets with his new linemates. Lehtera is one of the real wild cards coming into this season. He had some big success in Europe and was a standout on Finland’s bronze-medal team at the Olympics. If he can make the transition to the NHL, the Blues have an extremely impressive group down the middle. Adjusting to the North American game is going to be the real key to his preseason.
Mark Fayne (Edmonton Oilers): Fayne is one of those steady defensemen that almost never gets noticed. The Oilers badly needed help on the back end and Fayne could be just what the doctor ordered. The real question, however, is how much of Fayne’s success as a serviceable shutdown defenseman was due to the system he played in with the New Jersey Devils. Managing the transition away from New Jersey’s shot-suppressing system can be particularly challenging for defensemen. With the Oilers paying Fayne $3.6 million per season, he’s going to have to adjust rather quickly to provide some real stability on the blue line.
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