The 14th installment of our 25 Montreal Canadiens in 25 days series focuses on power forward Zack Kassian.
Of course, labelling him a power forward at the NHL level is a matter of perception. Some would argue he’s been anything but that since being drafted 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2009. Others would point to Vancouver’s decision to trade skilled forward Cody Hodgson for Kassian, and then Montreal’s move to acquire him this summer, as evidence that respected hockey minds value Kassian’s power style.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle – and at just 24 years old, Kassian still has time to develop into a more consistent force.
Kassian has produced at a respectable clip of .33 points per game in his limited NHL experience. And he was very successful in lower levels of hockey.
He was a feared player in junior, scoring 24 goals, 39 assists and adding 136 penalty minutes in 61 games with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes in 2008-09 before moving on to help the Windsor Spitfires to a Memorial Cup victory in 2010. He also had strong showings internationally, winning gold with Team Ontario at the 2008 World Under-17 Championship and scoring two goals and an assist in five games as part of a silver medal bid for Team Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championship.
Kassian was then instantly successful at the pro level, scoring 23 goals and 47 points in 59 AHL games split between the Rochester Americans and Chicago Wolves.
And while at least part of the reason why Kassian hasn’t yet reached his full potential as an NHLer is injuries, that’s not the only thing holding him back. When the Canucks traded him to the Canadiens, Vancouver GM Jim Benning mentioned Kassian’s unwillingness to physically engage the opposition.
“We’ve given him every opportunity to be successful,” Benning said. “He has been through three different coaches now. At some point, the player has to be responsible for taking the next step.”
The Canadiens are rolling the dice that Kassian will take the next step with them. Now that Kassian is on an expiring contract, it could be his last chance to prove he can thrive at this level.
Who: Zack Kassian l No. 8 l Third line, right wing (shoots right) l 6-foot-3 l 214 lbs l Age: 24 l @zkassian9
Acquired: Trade (2015) for forward Brandon Prust
Contract status: 2 years, $1.75M AAV (expires 2016)
2014-15 Stats: 42 GP | 10 G | 6 A | 16 P | 12:37 TOI | 49.8 CF%
Career stats: 198 GP | 35 G | 31 A | 66 P | 12:34 TOI | 50.0 CF%
The book on 2014-15:
Benning’s definition of ‘opportunity’ might not be the same as Kassian’s.
How would one score regularly without ever getting an opportunity to play with offensive players?
Kassian, a Windsor, Ont., native, saw less than 16 minutes of ice-time in 39 of 42 games with Vancouver in 2014-15, and he averaged just 39 seconds per game on the power play.
Considering his marginal role, it’s practically a miracle Kassian even managed to score 10 goals.
A back injury kept him out of several games in November and a broken finger forced him to the sidelines for all of December. And despite missing all that time and being scratched on a number of occasions upon his return to action, it didn’t seem to hurt his confidence.
Nine of Kassian’s 16 points came in February, and when he stayed in Vancouver past the trade deadline, there was hope he could make an impact in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
But another flare up with his back deprived Kassian the opportunity and his season came to an abrupt end on March 14.
Off-season updates:
Kassian spent his off-season recuperating from injury and training hard to be ready for next season.
He summers in Muskoka, Ont., where he was hardly surprised to learn that he was traded on July 1.
2015-16 outlook:
Former Canucks teammate Alexandre Burrows believes in Kassian’s potential.
“He’s got good hands, a strong body, a good shot and good vision,” Burrows told Quebec-based news outlet TVA Sports in August. “He can be a 20-25 goal scorer in the NHL.”
There’s no time like the present.
Kassian’s all but assured a spot next to Lars Eller on the Canadiens’ third line to start the season, and if he comes into his own, he could compete for some ice-time on the top two lines. That would enable him to manage the type of production Burrows believes he’s capable of.
“I can play physical, I can grind it, and I like the cycle game, but at the same time, I like to make plays and I like to score goals,” Kassian said on July 2.
The only thing standing in the way is injury, but as he told reporters at the Canadiens’ annual golf tournament on September 10, he’s coming into training camp with a clean bill of health.
If Kassian can remain healthy and follow through on his promise, it’ll go a long way toward solidifying Montreal’s depth up front.
