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This could be Shane Wright’s season to show what he’s made of in the NHL.
Granted exceptional status to play in the OHL at 15, Wright stepped into the league and ripped it up. His 66 points were behind just John Tavares as an exceptional status player, tying Connor McDavid’s output in eight fewer games. But his season was cut short due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, which subsequently cancelled the following OHL season, leaving Wright out of hockey for over a year right before his draft year.
Widely regarded as the NHL’s top prospect heading into his draft year, Wright put up 94 points in 63 games in the OHL. His intelligence and tactical play were often the first things referenced in his scouting reports. That said, questions about whether his skill level was high enough or whether he had the dynamic elements in his game began to arise.
On draft day, Wright’s stock fell to the point where the once-presumptive No. 1 pick fell to fourth overall and the Seattle Kraken.
A famed staredown of the Montreal Canadiens’ draft table, an up-and-down year in the OHL and a strong AHL rookie season have led us to this moment.
Wright has made the Kraken’s roster out of training camp after a very strong pre-season. His body is maturing, and his physical tools caught up to his intelligence. With Wright slotted in as the team’s third-line center and potentially already moving up the second line, he’s maturing into his NHL role just as the Kraken are maturing into their existence as an NHL franchise.
Matty Beniers and Shane Wright have swapped spots in the #SeaKraken lineup. Read more about what this means on @TheHockeyNews https://t.co/reRFdYsxaW
— Julian Gaudio (@juliangaudio89) October 10, 2024
Wright built a relationship with new coach Dan Byslma, who was with him in AHL Coachella Valley last year and during their back-to-back trips to the Calder Cup final. In last year’s run, Wright was one of Bylsma’s go-to forwards when healthy, putting up 13 points in 12 games. The step everyone in Seattle wanted Wright to take was finally taken.
Having Bylsma’s trust will go a long way for the NHL rookie. Having a relationship that goes back almost two years, Bylsma won’t feel forced to throw Wright in the dog house after a mistake or two. The coach knows what Wright is capable of, and he understands how to motivate him. The relationship is part of what will help Wright achieve success in his first full NHL season.
Shane Wright scores the shootout drill winner and gets a hug from Will Borgen pic.twitter.com/S9lQikEOjs
— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) October 10, 2024
At the end of the day, there is only one person who can truly make a difference in whether Wright has a good season. It’s him. It’s all on him.
Whatever he has to use as motivation, Wright must ignite the fire inside of him to make sure that he’s able to take his game to the next level. Perhaps it’s feeling spurned by the Canadiens and the other NHL teams that passed on him at the draft or feeling dissed as the murmurs of him being a bust percolate in social media circles that will push him to silence the doubters.
With Seattle’s second and third lines looking fairly interchangeable, it will be on Wright to ensure that his line plays as much as possible and finds themselves in prime offensive situations. On the third line is Eeli Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstrand, while the second line has Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle.
Related: Reaction: Jordan Eberle Is The Exact Leader The Seattle Kraken Needed
Wright has always shown he can complement his linemates, and those players should be no different. They bring skill and finishing ability that Wright hasn’t had the chance to play with in his NHL stints. Having two capable NHLers with some offensive success on his wings will greatly benefit Wright.
So, what exactly should we be expecting from Wright this season? It’s not unreasonable to expect Wright to challenge the 50-point plateau. Twenty goals isn’t out of the question, either. Wright should get a decent amount of power-play time, and Seattle is poised to see its offensive production jump after a massive dip in its shooting percentage last season.
We may never see the ‘exceptional player’ that Wright was once deemed, but the skills and intelligence that earned him that honor are still very much part of his game. The massive layoff because of COVID-19 may have stunted his growth, but it didn’t stop it.
Wright has arrived at the NHL level. Now, it’s time for him to show us what he has in store for the league.
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News Summary:
- Shane Wright Is Set Up For A Huge Year On The Seattle Kraken
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