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Vegas Golden Knights Report Card: Erik Haula

By Andrew Steele-Davis

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 28: Jonathan Marchessault #81 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammate Erik Haula #56 after Marchessault scored on a penalty shot in overtime to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 during their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 28, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 28: Jonathan Marchessault #81 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammate Erik Haula #56 after Marchessault scored on a penalty shot in overtime to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 during their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 28, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 30: Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) defends against Vegas Golden Knights center Erik Haula (56) in front of Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros (74) during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Vegas Golden Knights, held on October 30, 2018, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 30: Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) defends against Vegas Golden Knights center Erik Haula (56) in front of Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros (74) during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Vegas Golden Knights, held on October 30, 2018, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Why The Grade

This one is simple. Erik Haula only played 15 games in 2018-19 before a serious knee injury cruelly put a brutal end to his year before it had even begun. You can’t account for injuries so it would be unfair to give the forward a low grade just based on that.

Instead, we’ve given Haula a C grade based on the fact that he was on pace to record at least a 30+ point season for only the third time in his NHL career. He also boasted a 62.6 CF% and a oZS% of 60.0, both impressive despite the small sample size.

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The 182nd overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft was a key figure on special teams for Vegas, and he was also an expert in the faceoff circle with a win percentage of 51.3 last year. He was used on the second-line with Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny for a small stretch during the early throes of the season, and his ability to play up and down the lineup was of huge benefit to the Golden Knights.

There is of course no point playing the ‘what if’ game but you do wonder what might have been if Haula was fit and firing on all cylinders for the postseason. He was expected to be ready for training camp, but any return won’t be with the Knights following his trade to the Hurricanes earlier this summer.

The Numbers

Games: 15

Goals: 2

Assists: 5

Points: 7

Plus / Minus: +1

ATOI: 16:35

PIM: 10

FO%: 51.3

Blocked Shots: 6

Hits: 11

Takeaways: 12

CF%: 62.6

oZS%: 60.0

Next Report Card: Mark Stone

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