Minnesota Wild: Pominville Producing Up and Down the Lineup
Jason Pominville seems to have shaken the demons of the first half of last season, as he’s continued solid play thus far this season. Head Coach Bruce Boudreau has counted on him to be move up and down the lineup to match up better with opponents and he’s came through with solid production for his new bench boss.
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Jason Pominville might have won the award for least favorite athlete in the Twin Cities at the half way mark last season. He did score his first goal for the Minnesota Wild until his 21st game of the season on November 28th in Dallas. For someone who was brought in to score goals he just wasn’t. He was trying but it just wasn’t happening.
It wasn’t the start Pominville envisioned or was proud of. As he told Michael Rand of the Star Tribune that “You get off to the start I had, and name me one guy who had my start who winds up having a good year.” He goes on to explain how that start affected him “It’s tough to get behind the 8-ball. You lose confidence, you’re trying to find your play and get back to where you’ve had success, but you get away from it because you’re trying to overdo things or overthinking.”
The fans didn’t care though they just wanted results. After all, here is a guy who was being paid $5.6 million to play hockey and that was the best he could do? To many Pominville was supposed to be a player who was immune to this sort of thing. I really thing had he been making half the money he did people would not have been so tough on him.
So much was the bad feelings for Pommer that most people almost forgot that he was the Wild’s best player in the push for and during the playoffs last season. He seemed to still be the topic of buyout talk (which a buyout was never going to happen) and trade talk around the water coolers of the State of Hockey.
This season has been off to a different start. Pominville through seven games has three points (2 goals and 1 assist), not really setting the world on fire but contributing solidly. He came into this season with a question mark and seems to be answering it with improved performance that could see him tally over 20 goals this season which is much more of what we need from him.
Also I’ve been impressed with his flexibility. Already in this young season he’s moved up and down the lineup a lot and has brought energy to the different lines he’s played with. My thought here is that Boudreau knows the Pominville is a strong veteran who can play with just about anyone. It’s good to have a player like that to do what the team needs.
He’s responded by notching goals with two different lines and has been able to fill in on a top six forward position or bottom six. That says a lot about the character of Pominville to be a veteran who is thriving in all different parts of the lineup and doing it with a smile on his face.
So is Pomiville earning his $5.6 million, I’ll let you be the judge. But what you need to give the guy is the credit he deserves for staying with it and making it back to the land of productive scoring. He’s a big part of this team whether you know it or not, and I’m sure Boudreau is glad that he’s still here. The Wild bench boss knows what Pominville can bring and wants to use it when he explains that “I know he’s a very important cog in our machine and hopefully we’ll be able to use him to the best of his abilities and in the best situations. Anytime you have a former NHL captain, I’ve found out they are quite responsible and they’ve got great character.”
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