Something to Prove: The NHL’s Top Candidates for One-Hit Wonderdom
The concept of a ‘one-hit wonder’ exists in many disciplines. In music, it defines a group that has only a single hit to their name. In the National Hockey League, a one-hit wonder would be a player that simply had a great season, or significant portion of a season, and was simply unable to ever follow it up for the rest of his career.
After last season, these players are at the greatest risk of becoming deemed one-hit wonders, and therefore are the players with the most to prove:
Michael Leighton: Leighton’s heroics in net were the major reason behind the Philadelphia Flyers’ Stanley Cup run. Leighton was nearly impenetrable during the second and third rounds of the playoffs, but is he an elite goalkeeper?
During the season, Leighton was a respectable 16-5-2 with a goals-against average of 2.48. Unfortunately, this was Leighton’s first winning season in his seven-year career and he had only had 18 total wins before coming to the Flyers.
The Flyers are hoping that Leighton has come into his own, but the two-year contract they signed him to this off-season reflects their uncertainty regarding Leighton’s abilities.
Jimmy Howard: Howard played a crucial role in the Detroit Red Wings’ late-season resurgence. Howard had never had a full-time NHL job prior to this season, and was a second-round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to last season, Howard had a total of nine appearances with a record of 1-5-0.
After Red Wings starter Chris Osgood floundered to start the season, Howard was put in. He proceeded to win 37 games, with a 2.26 GAA and save percentage of .924. Can Howard be that consistent again? The Red Wings are counting on it, but with Chris Osgood at backup and 2008 first-round pick Thomas McCollum doing well in the minors, do not expect much sympathy for Howard if he starts poorly.
Matt Moulson: Moulson began last season as a 25-year-old undrafted free agent. Although Moulson had done well collegiately at Cornell and had played consistently in the AHL, he was unable to secure any NHL interest.
Luckily, Moulson was childhood friends with that year’s No. 1 draft choice, John Tavares. Tavares convinced his New York Islanders to allow Moulson a tryout. Moulson not only made the team, but went on to lead them in goals.
Moulson is approaching 27 years of age and unless he can put in a performance like last year’s, it’s doubtful his NHL career will continue.
Jussi Jokinen: The Finnish left wing has earned the distinction of being the NHL’s best shoot-out scorer. Unfortunately, he has had trouble transitioning that skill over into actual game play for the Carolina Hurricanes. As of 2008-09, Jokinen had never scored more than 17 goals in a season, a total far too low for a one-way forward.
Jokinen then erupted in 2009-10 and managed career highs of 30 goals and 65 points. Centre Rod Brind'Amour is now gone, so the pressure is on Jokinen to produce another offensively fruitful season, especially if the Hurricanes are to make the play-offs this year.
Patric Hornqvist: Hornqvist is perhaps the most surprising person on this list. The Nashville Predators eventually took him as a seventh-round pick. Somehow Hornqvist went on to score 30 goals. He may be a one-hit wonder though, as he has never scored more than 23 goals at any other level of play.
Hornqvist is just 23 years old, and if the youngster can maintain a similar performance, it will be like winning the lottery for the Predators. He is currently a restricted free agent, but he’ll be back in Nashville for next season almost certainly.
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