Jared Spurgeon
Jared Spurgeon is an anomaly, he defies all laws of the NHL when it comes to the capability of what a player his size as a defenseman should be able to do. He appears to be getting better with age, and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Wednesday was another solid performance for number 46, complete with a highlight reel goal that stood up as the game winner. He paired with both Jonas Brodin and Ryan Suter at different points in the game, and looked solid no matter where they put him on the ice.
Spurgeon was not on the ice for any goals against, he finished as a +1 in 20 minutes of ice time and looked ready for the preseason to be over already.
His goal was almost classic Spurgeon, pinched down below the goal line and confusing Winnipeg’s defense better than most forwards in the league can do on most nights.
Hendricks released a shot from the side boards that ricocheted through traffic and ended up on Spurgeon’s stick. Jared went to go back up the side boards, but instead turned it around behind the net. He walked out front, out of the reach of the stick of Laurent Brossoit, and sniped the wraparound over the goalie’s shoulder.
It was a true thing of beauty, and looked like a play we should be expecting to come from Granlund or Eriksson Ek, or even Zach Parise. When you have a player as skilled defensively as Spurgeon, who can do something like that in the offensive zone, it’s a real gift for the entire team.
It looked like Bruce Boudreau may seriously be considering Spurgeon with Brodin for opening night, but I don’t think it matters for Jared at this point. He is proving he can produce as a shutdown guy just as well as an offensive guy. And even provide offense as a shutdown guy.