The Miami Herald writes that at 19 years old, Erik Gudbranson is learning a lot about life, including his craft as a defenseman in the NHL.
Gudbranson played just his 24th professional hockey game Sunday. It came against the famed Rangers at the “world’s most famous arena.’’ It is at Madison Square Garden where the Panthers’ prized prospect-turned-regular might have learned more about what it takes to make it in the NHL than he did in any of his previous games or weeks of training camp.
The NHL is a league of give and take. In one moment, Gudbranson is celebrating after scoring his first NHL goal. Not long after, he’s limping off the ice after taking a couple of rough hits. Mind you, Gudbranson laid out some doozies of his own. Yet the picture of him slowly skating off the ice pretty much summed up Florida’s 6-1 loss to an unforgiving Rangers team that night.
“Some of the goals were bounces, some were mistakes,’’ Gudbranson said after a game in which he left with less than 10 minutes remaining. He said he sustained a charley horse and should be back in the lineup Tuesday against the Devils. “I take full responsibility for the third goal. It was just one of those games, and they’re tough to be in. You need to bounce back in the next one.’’
Gudbranson played in Florida’s first 11 games before being “given a break,’’ by coach Kevin Dineen. Gudbranson watched six of the next 10 games from the press box as Ellerby replaced him in the lineup. Gudbranson got back on the ice on Nov. 23 and hasn’t sat since. He played in his 10th consecutive game Sunday.
“He’s played extremely well the past two weeks,’’ Dineen said. “I went through a long experiment, and I know it’s no fun for Keaton right now. … I felt Gudbranson’s body of work was deserving of staying in the lineup. He’s building confidence.’’