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Ten NHLers who need to step-up in 2021 |
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The story of Zdeno Chara's departure from the Boston Bruins allows each of us to draw our own conclusion about which party acted more nobly.
Some argue it was insulting to ask Chara, even at age 43, to play a reduced role when he was still a highly respected leader and a dependable defenseman. Others say Chara overreacted. He can't play forever and the Bruins had to start thinking about Life After Chara.
My take is there isn't much to see here. The Bruins believed they had a plan that worked for everyone: Chara was going to be a Bruin, but he would rest more, play a little less. Chara just wasn't ready to work part-time. It was differing viewpoints not a wrongful termination.
Whatever conclusion we reach, the bottom line is the Bruins are now changed. It's time for someone to step up, to accept an expanded role or climb another rung or two on the development ladder.
When Torey Krug left Boston to go to St. Louis, the consensus was that Matt Grzelcyk needed to step up for the Bruins' to deal with his departure. With both players gone, it's Charlie McAvoy, 23, who needs to take a sizable jump in his development. He has already been an impact player, but now it's time for him to become the star performer. He's capable of that. Chara's departure opens the doors for McAvoy to be the force on the Bruins' defense. Here are players from other NHL teams who need to rise up for their teams to thrive:
Matt Murray (Ottawa Senators): Everyone appreciated this trade from the Senators' perspective. Murray has championship rings, and he's only 26. He still fits, from an age perspective, into this rebuilding team. But the truth is we don't know where Murray is at as a goaltender. He had a down-and-up season a year ago, evidenced by an .899 save percentage. The Senators need consistency from Murray.
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames): Some fans have turned on Gaudreau on Calgary. The organization needs more from him. Gaudreau, 27, netted 12 even-strength goals last season. The Flames need 20+ even-strength goals. He needs to play every game like he's an offensive force. That didn't happen last season.
Ryan Johansen (Nashville Predators): The Predators have too many question marks this season. They need their No. 1 center Johansen to play at a higher level -- a significantly higher level -- than he did last season. In 68 games, Johansen posted 32 points. He has the talent to be above 60 points. You can't win in the NHL with your No. 1 center registering 22 assists. Johansen had 50 the season before.
Dylan Storme (Chicago Blackhawks): With Jonathan Toews sidelined with illness and Kirby Dach for the regular season with a fractured wrist, the Blackhawks need Strome, 23, to continue to mature into a consistent scorer. He's had 89 points in his first 116 games with the Blackhawks. With increased playing time, he should be able to record 55+ points.
Tristan Jarry (Pittsburgh Penguins): After 62 games with the Penguins, he's been anointed as the team's No. 1 goalie. In 2019-20, Jarry posted a .921 save percentage. He looked ready. But being a candidate to be a No. 1 is different than being the No. 1. In a shortened season, the Penguins need Jarry to be Mr. Consistency.
Josh Anderson (Montreal Canadiens): As much as believe Montreal should receive high marks for this trade, we can't be sure how much offense he will produce. He's two seasons removed from a 27-goal campaign. But in the two seasons before that, he had 29 and 30 points, respectively. What the Canadiens need from Anderson is for him to stay healthy, be hard to play against every game, score at least 18 to 20 goals and register close to 40 points. Can he do that?
Torey Krug (St. Louis Blues): Krug was brought in to replace Alex Pietrangelo's offensive numbers. The Blues will be happy if he is the same 50-point defenseman he was in Boston. He will be under more pressure in St. Louis than he was in Boston, but Krug thrives in the pressure. Krug generally exceeds expectations.
Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars): Benn had moments during the playoffs when he looked like the Benn of old. The bottom line: With Tyler Seguin missing the start of the season, Benn can't be a 39-point scorer like he was last season. He needs to score at 25 goals.
Kelly McCrimmon (Vegas Golden Knights): We wouldn't normally put GMs on this list, but we will make an exception. It feels like he needs to step up his game from last summer. Based on connecting with Vegas fans and talking to people around the league, McCrimmon image damage to repair. As much as fans appreciate having Alex Pietrangelo, they wondered what McCrimmon was doing often in the offseason. The Fluery situation was messy. The Golden Knights certainly didn't plan having both Robin Lehner and Fleury at this point. Several general managers groused privately about how the Golden Knights handled trade talks
Blogger •HHOF Writer's column on the NHL • 
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