Do you remember when Tomas Tatar was part of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final team? The former Vegas Golden Knights star had four goals and two assists in 20 games during his short stint. He came over from the Detroit Red Wings for a slew of draft picks, namely a 2018 first-round pick, a 2019 second-round pick, and a 2021 third-round pick.
Well, dear reader, it's time to get reintroduced to him again. The Slovakian forward is riding high with his surprising country, scoring a goal and an assist in four games. While he's not in the NHL this season (he has seven goals and 23 assists with Switzerland's EV Zug), he's still a notable presence on the international hockey landscape.
The Slovakian forward had 227 goals and 269 assists during his illustrious 14-year NHL career, making him an underrated goal-scorer. It didn't matter if it was with the Golden Knights, the Montreal Canadiens, or the New Jersey Devils. Tatar was a critical piece for many aspiring Stanley Cup-contending teams.
While that wasn't the case during his Golden Knights tenure, that doesn't mean that fans shouldn't cast the Olympian aside. After all, he's one win away from earning a medal, whether that's silver or gold.
Looking back at Tomas Tatar's time with the Vegas Golden Knights
The 2017-18 Golden Knights needed more scoring on the lower lines during their playoff run. They wanted a seasoned veteran who had some years ahead of him. Well, what do you know? There was a Slovakian star waiting in Michigan.
The Golden Knights traded draft picks to get Tatar. The problem? He was barely noticeable while with Vegas, posting meager numbers. Granted, that wasn't a problem since they made the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. Plus, Tatar had a good Corsi (56%, stats courtesy of MoneyPuck) and Fenwick (56%).
But that production seeped over into the postseason. Here, Tatar had a goal and an assist in eight games, firing seven shots on goal. Sometimes, it takes a little more production from your newest acquisitions to impact your Stanley Cup run. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with Tatar, who didn't work out.
Will Golden Knights fans see more from Tatar in Slovakia's game against the United States?
Honestly, this feels like watching Pierre-Edouard Bellemare riding off into the sunset. Like the French Olympian and Original Misfit, Tatar is out of the NHL and is playing overseas... in Switzerland. On top of that, he's far past 30 years old, indicating that his career is coming to an end.
While Tatar is still a decent offensive talent, he'll have his hands full against a solid United States team. That's especially true with the Americans' goaltender room being one of the tournament's best. Connor Hellebuyck is playing extremely well during the Olympics and there are other options aside from him.
Still, seeing the Slovakian Olympian play will be a friendly reminder of the Golden Knights' 2018 Stanley Cup run. Fans might remember Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, and Marc-Andre Fleury carrying the team to a Cinderella run. But they might also see why Tatar was a special talent... and what could've been.