The Vegas Knights, although they are still without multiple important players, was able to get Mattias Janmark back for yesterday’s game. However, did they make a mistake playing him?
The Vegas Golden Knights have dealt with more injuries that one could possibly think they’d have to endure at one point. With Mark Stone, Alex Tuch, Max Pacioretty, William Karlsson, and Nolan Patrick all being out, it’s safe to say their offensive talent will be lacking in just about every game. When you lose three players that consistently play in the top six, it’s a tough loss to handle and manage. However, Mattias Janmark felt like he was ready to return.
Injury after injury, the Knights have seemed to lose their entire forward core and it’s affected them deeply. Pete DeBoer has had to manage the Knights with such strategy and set up what should be a perfect game-plan. Prior to the game though, there was a fortunate surprise. After missing the last two games, Mattias Janmark was back on the ice for warm-ups and felt good enough to play tonight. How did he fare yesterday though?
Mattias Janmark’s Return Wasn’t Good Enough
After skating with the Knights prior to the game, Mattias Janmark made his return to the Knights lineup. Janmark’s season has been very insignificant thus far. After starting the regular season on the COVID list, and then missing the last two games with injuries, Janmark has barely seen the ice this season. However, if there were a game that we could use his return it was going to be this game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs always seem to underperform expectations that I’ve never quite understood. With Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Morgan Reilly, they have a lot of good pieces on both the offensive side and the defensive side of the puck. Nonetheless, The Knights were taking on Toronto tonight and were looking to build off a three-game win streak. That didn’t happen.
Mattias Janmark’s return was actually incredibly poor after doing very little to help the Knights. When you have just about you entire roster out as they are recovering from injuries, players like Janmark need to be able to step up and help create chances for the Knights, and his performance tonight wasn’t good enough.
First, He didn’t really play all that hard, or well, on the boards. When he was on the boards trying to get to puck to one of his team-mates, he ended up giving the puck away multiple times. Now there really isn’t a spot on the ice in which it’s good to turn the puck over, but while your in the offensive zone you have to capitalize off those opportunities. Instead it went the other way around and gave the Maple Leafs opportunities.
Next, the Knights were in desperate need for some offense and needed someone to just start putting shots towards the net. When you get shots on goal, good things can happen. Janmark, although sniping along the perimeter isn’t something he does a whole lot, still only had one shot on goal against the Leafs. When you have the ability to step up as a goal scorer like he did in the playoffs, that is your chance to really takeover and show that this is where your meant to be.
In conclusion, Mattias Janmark just wasn’t good enough. Now with him being a game-time decision, I’d assume he’s not 100% healthy which could account for part of it. However, if he isn’t healthy, he shouldn’t have been out there and risk further injury. Nothing about that game went well for Janmark.