9 players putting In underrated seasons
Mike Smith
The Phoenix Coyotes took a bit of a risk when they charged Mike Smith with the task of replacing Ilya Bryzgalov for this season, but he has delivered that for sure. Having failed to hold down a starting job for both Dallas and Tampa Bay previously, Smith has shouldered the burden this year and his stats rank up alongside the best. Currently tied 4th for wins with a .925% save percentage and 2.32 goals against average tied with guys like Tim Thomas and Pekka Rinne who have been mentioned as possible Vezina finalists.
Dan Girardi
Ok so how can a guy who played in the All-Star game be considered underrated? Well, whilst he was nominated to the game by the league Girardi was nowhere in the fan voting tallies. He’s been colossal for the Rangers this season, ranked 3rd in the league for average minutes a game and 7th in both hits and blocked shots. Despite being matched up against top lines he’s also got a plus minus rating of +13 and chipped in with 23 points.
Alex Pietrangelo
Sophomore Pietrangelo has built upon an outstanding rookie year to now be considered St Louis’ top defenseman in the incredible season they are having. Leading the team in minutes as well as game winning goals displays an excellent two way defenseman who has been coming up big in the clutch for the Blues. At 6”4 he’s an imposing presence as well and if the former 4th overall pick continues to develop in this way he’ll be some player.
Matt Carle
Chris Pronger’s absence with concussion for most of the season has really hurt the Flyers, but Matt Carle has done a big job stepping into that void along with Kimmo Timonen. Although he has low hit totals due to not being the biggest Carle blocks shots and eats up minutes whilst also being a solid puck moving defenseman who picks up plenty of assists. It looks like Pronger won’t be back in time for the playoffs (If it all) so expect to see Carle continue to play a big role.
Niklas Kronwall
As much as it pains me to show some love to a member of the Detroit Red Wings, Kronwall is much more than the guy you see dealing out monster checks. He’s an aggressive player alright, but also skilled with the puck and a capable member of Detroit’s powerplay unit who can score goals. Again he ranks highly in hits/blocked shots and really is just an impressive all around defenseman.
Loui Eriksson
This one is borderline, I know a lot of people recognise just how good Eriksson is but often he won’t draw the attention that some flashier but less productive wingers might. With the puck he’s just an extremely smart offensive player who is on pace to get over 70 points for the third year running. Did I mention he is also an excellent penalty killer too?
Blake Wheeler
Underused as a member of the Boston Bruins, the trade to Atlanta/Winnipeg has seen Wheeler’s production increase greatly as a member of a top line. An imposing 6”5 power forward, the Jets are reaping the rewards of combining him with Evander Kane. His 54 points lead the team and is a factor in the Jets being in the hunt for an unexpected playoff spot. On the other side of puck he throws that sizable body around finishing checks and creating turnovers.
David Desharnais
Undrafted in 2007 thanks to his size (5”7 180lbs) despite a prolific junior career, Desharnais has had to work extremely hard since then to earn his place in the NHL and has rewarded the Montreal Canadiens for giving him that spot in what is now his second season. Out of nowhere he is now their joint scoring leader with Max Pacioretty and although it has been a poor year for Montreal, Desharnais has certainly been a pleasant surprise.
Ryan O’Reilly
Comfortably eclipsing Colorado’s more recognised centers Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene, O’Reilly has broken out in spectacular fashion for the Avalanche. Playing on a line with rookie Gabriel Landeskog his offensive numbers look set to at least double this time around. He has always been seen as a smart defensive player and has shown that again this season by being up there with Toews and Datsyuk in number of takeaways.