Kraken forward Shane Wright’s heart is in the right place, as is his game at the moment.
He is oblivious to the fact, and couldn’t care less, that he’s presently keeping pace with the top overall pick at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal.
“It doesn’t mean anything at all, we’re in different situations,” Wright told me on Monday. “I just focus on my own game.”
I was unaware of the comparison as well, until press box pal Glenn Dreyfuss pointed it out to me, and then I pointed it out to Wright. Again, it’s not something he’d ever be interested in or concerned about, but future developments would definitely mean a lot to team managements, particularly those of the Kraken and the Montreal Canadiens.
I recall a hush coming over the Bell Centre when the Canadiens chose big winger Juraj Slafkovski with the 1st-overall pick, when everyone was expecting Wright to be the shoe-in.
Slafkovksy has two goals and 13 assists this season, a big drop off from the pace he set last year with 20 goals and 30 assists.
Part of it might have to do with the fact the Habs have dropped off this season in their rebuild; in last place in the Atlantic Division with a minus-31 goal differential.
Then again, the Kraken aren’t exactly the Vegas Golden Knights or the Edmonton Oilers at this point. Wright, seemingly having taken the next step in finding his overall game, is hopefully helping to steer them in that direction with seven goals and seven assists so far this season.
He seems like a different player the last three weeks.
“The preparation, stuff I do off the ice, how I prepare and take care of my body, I think I’m kind of figuring out a good routine, just kind of settling into things,” Wright said. “I’m just trying to be the player I know I can be and going out there and having fun.”
Shedding expectations can be difficult. Wright says he’s done it. He’s over it. He was considered a teenage phenom prior to joining the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League in 2019. After two full seasons of major junior hockey, the pundits naturally assumed he’d go 1st-overall and light up the pro’s.
Everyone develops at their own pace. In the meantime, the outside noise and criticism from the “haters” out there, can be daunting.
By the way, 2nd-overall pick Simon Nemec, D-man of the New Jersey Devils, was just sent down to the Utica Comets of the AHL. It’s tough to crack the Devils D-corps, what their management considers the strength of their team.
“Maybe he just turned 20, he’s got a long career ahead of him,” Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald told the media on Monday about Nemec in the American League. “Right now we’re just plugging (along) pretty good, and 20-year-olds just aren’t sitting in the stands and watching. They’re gonna play.”
The pace setter from the 2022 Draft this season is 3rd-overall pick Logan Cooley of the Utah Hockey Club. He’s posted seven goals and 19 assists in 30 games.
Growth and maturity are huge factors for all of them moving forward. The Kraken can hope that when the mock re-draft is done after five or six seasons, Wright is at the top.
Anything is possible.
