At the end of the Hawks practice today pending UFA Viktor Stalberg, wearing a white practice jersey symbolizing that he is still a scratch, skated his own version of "suicides" stopping on occasion to release a killer wrist shot into the upper twines of the net with surgeon-like precision...
This is the same Stalberg who, on the opening day of these playoffs with the Hawks struggling to get their game in shape took the puck in overtime and flew into the Wild zone drawing over the defender and then placing a perfect puck onto the stick of Bryan Bickell and as they like to say..."History was made."
Since then...Bryan Bickel has gone on to become the story of the playoffs scoring 7 more goals and contributing 5 assists in 18 games of the playoffs...and Stalberg is sitting in the press box.
Viktor Stalberg had a down season by his standards this year putting up 9 goals and 14 assist in 47 games. Bryan Bickell, oddly enough also scored 9 goals and 14 assists this season in 48 games.
Down season or not, that makes Bickell and Stalberg tied for 4th in scoring on the Hawks forwards behind Hossa, Kane, Toews, and Saad.
Last season Stalberg put up 21 goals and 22 assists for these Hawks.
Why is he not playing?
Well early on in these playoffs he was playing but saw very limited ice time on the 4th line...and he's not really a 4th line type of player.
The guy has speed to burn and can be very dramatic. Boston is a team who is best attacked with speed. The Maple Leafs showed that clearly.
Is all of this making Stalberg's stock drop as a UFA? Not sure. I am starting to hear the Alexandre Daigle type comparisons...and he does possess Daigle speed and flair, but I would say he is way more consistent...
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