Samberg a shot-blocking machine

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This article was published 16/11/2023 (690 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There have been plenty of impressive individual accomplishments over the last couple weeks for the Winnipeg Jets.

Alex Iafallo’s four-assist game. Nino Niederreiter’s hat-trick. Mark Scheifele’s four-assist game. Kyle Connor’s hat-trick. Josh Morrissey’s four-assist game. Dylan Samberg’s nine shot blocks in a single outing.

Granted, one of these things might not be quite like the others. However, when discussing the above list with members of the hockey club, Samberg’s painful contribution carries equal weight.

“Those don’t go unnoticed by our guys and those are just as important as scoring some goals, just keeping them out of our net,” Jets assistant coach Brad Lauer said Thursday following the team’s practice.

“Our bench was excited for that. You gotta be brave to do that and he’s done a really good job of that.”

Samberg, 24, was a puck magnet last week against Nashville, with no other player on the Jets recording more than a single block in a 6-3 victory over the Predators.

“Sometimes, you just gotta sacrifice your body,” is how he described the outing. “Pretty much just pray to God it hits you, and pray to God it hits you in a good spot and doesn’t hurt. That’s pretty much all that’s going through your head.”

Samberg actually dreamed of stopping pucks for a living when he was a little kid growing up in Minnesota.

“I played goalie a lot as a kid. I loved it,” he said. “I tried it when I was really young, and was about to make the switch when my Dad said, ‘If you switch, you’re sticking with it. There’s no going back.’ I decided not to switch, but I always enjoyed playing.”

“Those don’t go unnoticed by our guys and those are just as important as scoring some goals, just keeping them out of our net.”–Brad Lauer

Given he’s made it to the NHL as a defenceman, history shows it was a wise choice. Old habits die hard, and Samberg is making his presence felt in his own zone this year. He’s up to 20 shot blocks through 15 games, second on the team to Dylan DeMelo (25).

His latest came in the waning minutes of the third period on Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devils, with the Jets up by a pair of goals. Winnipeg went on to win 6-3.

“Blocked shots is a big part of the game,” Samberg said of his puck-eating mentality.

“You’re starting to see more and more teams, especially on the defensive side, start to front those shots. Even if those shots are getting past the first layer they’re getting blocked by the second layer. That’s what transitions the offence.”

You can thank the current Stanley Cup champions for that. Equipped with a big, fearless back end, the Vegas Golden Knights have made shot-blocking an art form. The Jets have seen plenty of recent examples up-close, including in their five-game first-round playoff series loss last spring, and two defeats already this year in head-to-head meetings.

“I think you see a lot more teams trying to go that way,” said Lauer. “You gotta have the team to play like that. Not everyone is built that way. Blocking shots is always a part of the game. Some teams do it a lot better than other teams. For us, our guys understand the importance of getting in lanes. You can see that in the results of our games.”

Brenden Dillon (19), Morrissey (18) and Neal Pionk (17) round out Winnipeg’s current top five, while Niederreiter is the top forward with 12.

Former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba, now the captain of the New York Rangers, leads the league with 50 blocks already this year. Right behind him is Brayden McNabb of the Golden Knights, with 49.

“I don’t necessarily watch video on shot blocking, but you just have to try and make yourself look as big as possible,” said Samberg. “Guys are good, they’re always trying to be deceptive so you have to be aware of that. They’re always doing the fake shots and pushing or pulling. So, pretty much just get in the lane.”

When you’re able to thwart a potential scoring chance with your body, Samberg said it’s nice to get back on the bench — sometimes in great discomfort — and know it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Any time you do your job and your teammates recognize that, it definitely brings up your confidence,” he said.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg