Five notable NHLers in the midst of surprising cold streaks
We’re past the one-month mark in the 2022-23 NHL season, so we’re starting to build a reasonable sample size for struggling players and teams around the league.
And like every year, there’s no shortage of notable players falling below expectations.
Today, we’re looking at five players that have played big roles for their teams in the past or were expected to and have fallen short. There’s still plenty of time for course correction, but these five players will need to get on the right path sooner rather than later:
Juuse Saros, G (Nashville Predators)
So much of Nashville’s success last year revolved around Saros’ play, and he ended up as a Vezina Trophy finalist. But of the 26 goalies with at least eight games played this year – essentially, most of the league’s starters – Saros’ .897 save percentage at 5-on-5 is 24th, and his minus-4.26 goals saved above average is 25th. You can’t sugarcoat his performance – he’s not getting the job done, and the team in front of him isn’t good enough to make up for his shortcomings. The 27-year-old has had a handful of ups and downs in his career, and right now, it’s definitely on the low side.
Andrew Mangiapane, LW (Calgary Flames)
Mangiapane went from earning some Team Canada Olympic consideration last year to scoring just twice in 12 games this season. He had 35 goals last season, but in the past 65 games since Jan. 1, he only has 19. That means 18 of his 35 last year them came in his first 29 games. So the winger known for putting pucks in the net hasn’t done a lot of that recently, and now he’s fallen deeper in the lineup as a result. The Flames look a bit different without Johnny Gaudreau and Matt Tkachuk and Mangiapane was supposed to be one of the biggest reasons why the Flames were supposed to stay near the top of the standings. Instead, they’re in the midst of a six-game losing streak, with Mangiapane failing to record a point in any of them. Jacob Markstrom also deserves a shoutout – or an anti-shoutout – for his struggles between the pipes in Calgary, too.
Michael Bunting, LW (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Life can be easy when you play with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. But if you’re not producing, people notice. Bunting has just six points in 14 games, with just one assist in the past eight. He’s been bumped down to Toronto’s third line, too, going from around 19 minutes a night to under 15 regularly. The NHL’s leading rookie scorer in 2021-22 is up for a new contract, so he’s simmering down at the wrong time. Matthews and Marner have struggled at 5-on-5 this year, so it’s not all on Bunting, but he’s not playing at the same level he did a year ago.
Jack Campbell, G (Edmonton Oilers)
Signing Campbell to a five-year deal worth $5 million per season was risky, given the 30-year-old battled injuries last season. That being said, Campbell’s season has been downright ugly. He has a 6-3-0 record, but his .896 save percentage and minus-4.68 goals saved above average are among the worst at 5-on-5. Goaltending has been a touchy subject for the Oilers in recent years, especially with Mike Smith being as shaky as he was for years, but Campbell was supposed to fix that. It’s still early, but he needs to be much better.
Eeli Tolvanen, RW (Nashville Predators)
After projecting to slot into Nashville’s top six this season, Eeli Tolvanen has been a healthy scratch four times this season and has just three points to show for. His ice time has dropped significantly, and with one game played since Oct. 23, it’s clear how the struggling Predators view him right now. Tolvanen had a high ceiling at one point, making the Olympic all-star team in 2018 as a 19-year-old. Ever since, though, he has struggled to remain an impact player with the Predators, scoring a career “high” 23 points in 75 games last year. To Tolvanen’s credit, though, you can’t produce if you’re not playing. It’s starting to seem like the Tolvanen experiment is already fizzling out at 23, so you have to think the Preds will look to move him to a new home sooner rather than later.
—
POINTSBET IS LIVE IN ONTARIO. PLAY NOW!
Think you know sports? PointsBet Canada is live in Ontario!