Erik Haula has been saying it for a long time, but nobody was listening.
When I met the Finn with the steely gaze in October, he told me he was a top-six forward. Not every player will tell you that with previous season highs of 15 goals and 13:48 ATOI. Not every player will tell you that before they're promoted to James Neal and David Perron's line.
Apparently, I wasn't the first. A Minnesota Wild executive revealed to me recently that Haula had been telling them the same thing for years.
The 26-year-old doesn't have to say it anymore. We're seeing it.
He's fourth among Vegas forwards at 17:26 per game. For the first time in his career, he's drawing a regular power play shift, leading the Golden Knights with seven goals on the man advantage. Overall, he's on pace this season for 32.
For Gerard Gallant, in a season full of them, trying Haula between Neal and Perron has been one of his most rewarding coaching decisions. Since the trio's debut on November 2nd, they've actually led all Vegas lines in scoring with 40 goals.
"His speed makes a big difference on that line," observed Gallant.
Indeed, Haula's speed is a perfect complement for his supremely skilled but slower linemates. He can fly through the neutral zone with the puck. He can be first on the forecheck to retrieve the puck.
Haula embraces his role, "Be available all the time. They're great players."
Of course, you don't ring up 19 goals in just 46 contests, as Haula has, by just being fast. Neal rattled off, "He's got a great shot. He's a smart player. He does a lot of the dirty work. Gets to the net."
Tonight, Haula gets another crack at the Wild, after going scoreless in his first game against them on November 30th.
"I think last year in Minnesota was tough for him," Neal noted.
"We had good teams there. Top-six was set there," reflected Haula. "I did what I could. I was pleased with that. But just moving on, it's my fifth year. You want to see what you've got. I wanted that challenge for myself, to see if I could play top-six."
Haula called his shot. And he's put it in, over and over again this year.
Neal literally chortled when asked if he had noticed Haula's confidence in himself.
"Yeah, I think he is confident. In this game, you have to have that confidence. He wants to prove that he's the type of player he thinks he can be. It's a good thing."
Small example of why Haula works so well with Neal and Perron offensively. Haula's speed creates space for both, in this case, Neal #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/nm3vFIE09H
Let's be honest. The Golden Knights have four points on this road trip, but they could have zero.
Haula received a game-tying gift from Michael Frolik on Tuesday. Then last night, the league gave Haula another present, this time letting his putback stand after Neal literally broke his stick over Connor Hellebuyck's face.
But besides bank errors in their favor, Vegas has simply been outplayed by Calgary and Winnipeg. We'll get to that later.
Anyway, last night, the Knights escaped Bell MTS Place with a 3-2 OT victory. This was their 34th win of the season, which surpasses Florida and Anaheim's record for most victories in an expansion year.
Winning Play
The key to winning 3-on-3 overtime is often puck possession. With so much space out there, turnovers can quickly prove fatal. With that in mind, David Perron's OT strike couldn't have happened without the efforts of Jonathan Marchessault and Colin Miller.
After Reilly Smith goes high, Marchessault retrieves the puck in the corner, throwing it back to the point. Instead of trying to make a play and risking a turnover to Patrick Laine, Miller tosses it back toward the other corner, where he knows Marchessault can keep it.
Marchessault looks up at the clock and circles the zone, hoping for something to open up, eventually sliding it to Miller. Miller has a shot available to him but backs off. Blake Wheeler converges, almost forcing a turnover, but Miller fights him off, perhaps illegally.
Regardless, the important thing is that the Golden Knights still have possession. Neal claims it. Marchessault changes for Perron.
Here's the other key about puck possession in OT. Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien, who were already tired after hustling back from their own scoring chances, are left exhausted by Marchessault and Miller. This is Wheeler (bottom of screen) over 20 seconds before the end of the game.
Smith authors a terrific one-on-one play on a Hart candidate. As Wheeler is falling, he tries to retain control of the puck, instead of just sticking it forward. It's a natural instinct which the Vegas penalty killer takes advantage of.
Minuses
How guilty did Neal look after the Haula goal? This was not the face of a man who thought that he was getting away with it.
By my count, the Jets outchanced the Knights 13-8 at even strength. However, unlike recent contests against New York and Calgary, where Vegas was stuck in the mud in the neutral zone, Winnipeg didn't even let the visitors get started.
"They forecheck as hard as any team we've seen all year," admitted Gallant. "We had a lot of trouble getting out of our zone."
Of course, Kyle Connor's late game-tying goal was the result of the forecheck.
Here's a more hellacious example:
A couple things stand out on this forecheck, which included multiple Jets chances, transition off a Knights turnover, and finally, a Golden Knights icing.
It starts with an aggressive F1. Mathieu Perreault is the F1 and he forces Deryk Engelland to cough it up.
The home team was on top of the puck for most of the night. Shea Theodore thinks that Perron has some daylight, but defenseman Tobias Enstrom is right there. Then, Wheeler sails in and forces another Engelland turnover.
While it looks like Enstrom and Wheeler just swoop in out of nowhere, it's well-timed and intentional. They're fresh reinforcements for tired forecheckers and another layer of disruption for the breakout.
Vegas rolls into Minnesota today, looking for another gear.
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