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The objective of any rebuilding franchise is to someday have a core of expertise that’s able to competing for the Stanley Cup, and a secure of creating prospects that may both step up into the line-up when known as upon or be traded for veteran gamers who will help you get excessive. This expertise is available in all varieties, from top-line superstars to bottom-pairing defensemen, and in a hard-cap league, this depth could be tough to handle 12 months in and 12 months out.
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Back in 2018, the Tampa Bay Lightning had been a group within the midst of a Stanley Cup push, as they exited their lengthy rebuild by making the playoffs in three-straight years from 2014-2016. However, they missed in 2017 resulting from numerous accidents, however rebounded rapidly and had been again on the top of the playoff picture because the 2018 Trade Deadline approached. While they had been well-built with a deep core of scoring expertise and first-year starter Andrei Vasilevskiy within the internet, it was clear that their defensive corps wanted some assist.
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This led then-Lightning common supervisor Steve Yzerman to go all-in and pull off one of many largest blockbusters of the season by buying Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller from the New York Rangers for a plethora of prime prospects and picks. This commerce has been talked about loads of occasions previously, so I received’t re-hash an outdated matter, however the brief model is Tampa Bay received back-to-back Stanley Cups with McDonagh and property acquired within the Miller commerce, the place the Rangers noticed comparatively minor success from the picks and gamers they acquired, however nonetheless managed a fast roster rebuild and are again in competition.
Howden Saw Meager Success With Rangers
One such prospect was Brett Howden, the twenty seventh total decide within the 2016 Draft by the Lightning. At the time of the commerce, Howden was a key piece, as he was steadily creating right into a middle-six centerman who might use his 6-foot-2 body to put down hits whereas contributing within the offensive zone as properly.
The Rangers wasted no time bringing Howden to the NHL, as he performed 66 video games for the storied franchise all through the 2018-19 season, the place he posted 23 factors in roughly quarter-hour of ice time every evening. While this wasn’t an excellent begin, it wasn’t dangerous both as he was taking part in within the prime hockey league on the earth at solely 20 years outdated.
However, Howden was unable to take that subsequent step in his profession. He continued to play in a restricted position for New York in the course of the shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons however solely posted a handful of factors whereas trying like a legal responsibility in his personal zone. This led the Rangers to commerce him to the Vegas Golden Knights in the summertime of 2021, who had been within the means of acquiring underperforming prospects who nonetheless had the potential to seek out their method within the NHL with a change of surroundings.
Vegas Provided Howden a Perfect Role
In the seasons that adopted, Howden settled right into a significant depth position for the Golden Knights. While he doesn’t play each evening, he averages roughly 12 minutes of ice time when he’s known as upon and is seeing a relative uptick in scoring with this restricted time on ice. He can also be rounding out his recreation, as he broke 100 hits for the primary time in his younger profession in 2022-23.
However, it’s the playoffs the place Howden actually discovered his kind. Heading into the Stanley Cup Final, he performed in all 17 video games for Vegas, the place he performs a restricted position on the penalty kill, posted three objectives and 6 factors, and laid down 51 hits in 14 minutes of ice-time every evening.
These numbers will not be series-changing, however they showcase significant contributions from a low-cost depth participant, which is the whole lot that the Golden Knights can ask for. This is a cap-strapped franchise that wants each participant on their roster to contribute in the course of the common season, and the truth that Howden was capable of step up his recreation for the playoffs is big.
If this play continues, he might issue into greater than just one playoff run for the Golden Knights, which is a superb end result for what was, finally, a minor commerce by the franchise on the time.
Lightning Could Use Players Like Howden
When it comes proper all the way down to it, the Lightning would commerce the identical bundle of picks and prospects to the Rangers once more with out hesitation, as that was a transfer that helped put them excessive and win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Sometimes in these trades, you quit a superb participant like Howden, however the threat is worth it if you’ll be able to attain your objectives.
Despite this, you possibly can’t assist however take a look at what Howden brings to the Golden Knights proper now and never see how he might slot into the Lightning’s ahead corps instantly. The group not too long ago broke the financial institution to accumulate a younger energy ahead for his or her backside six (albeit Tanner Jeannot had a better record than Howden), however this exhibits how a lot the group values these gamers who make the franchise tougher to play in opposition to within the postseason.
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However, had he caught round with the Lightning, it’s unlikely that Howden would have been capable of take that subsequent step in his profession resulting from how deep their ahead corps was. This means you possibly can take a look at his success with the Golden Knights and assume “What If?” with out worrying about what was misplaced. Tampa Bay received two Cups with components from that commerce, in any case, so it was a worthy transfer by the franchise.
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