Joel Eriksson Ek

Last Season

Nineteen goals and 51 points in 70 games, plus-16, seven of the goals on the power play, on nineteen minutes a night. He spent 69 percent of his five-on-five time with Boldy, whose career year happened alongside him.

The Finesse Game

Better hands than his reputation allows. He tips pucks, he finishes in a crowd, and he has a genuinely good backhand in tight — which is where a centre who lives in front of the net does most of his scoring. On the power play he is the net-front man, and the deflections are a real weapon rather than a hopeful stick.

He is not a rush player and does not create off the entry. What he does is hold pucks below the goal line, win them back, and let his wingers work. The passing is unshowy and mostly correct.

The skating is adequate rather than good — heavy strides, respectable straight-line speed, and no separation gear.

The Physical Game

This is why he plays. Six-three and 207, and he goes to the hard parts of the ice every shift: net front, corners, in front of his own goaltender on the kill. He blocks shots and takes cross-checks without retaliating.

He plays a punishing style and has missed time in most seasons because of it. Seventy games is roughly his normal.

The Intangibles

A first-round pick who took years to produce and became a complete player in the meantime. Coaches use him against top lines, on both special teams, and in the last minute of a one-goal game.

The read is straightforward: he is the most valuable player on this team who will never lead it in scoring, and his body is doing work that shortens careers.