Scott Radley: New star leads Hamilton Bulldogs in OT thriller
The opening games of a season are notoriously terrible times to attempt to draw any conclusions about a team. Adrenaline can make a bad squad look pretty good or overhype a good team into looking unimpressive.
So, we won't make any grand pronouncements about the Hamilton Bulldogs yet. Even after starting with two wins including Saturday night's stirring 5-4 overtime victory in which they came back after trailing 4-1 with just 11 minutes left in the third period.
Except one.
Jan Mysak could be one of the stars of the Ontario Hockey League this year.
It's not can he be," says head coach Jay McKee. He is."
The 19-year-old, who averaged better than a point per game in a short stint with the Bulldogs prior to the COVID-19 break, was good on Friday in Oshawa during his team's 3-2 win. But, he was great on Saturday in the victory over Barrie.
His two goals and two assists were the obvious evidence of how strong he was. But he could have easily had another two or three goals had the puck not been bouncing around on him. Plus Mysak - his name is pronounced Yawn Mee-shock - dominated in the faceoff circle, won most puck battles he was in and showed world-class speed more than a few times.
Every single one of the 4,527 people who were in the building surely know his name today if they didn't before.
The fact that he's in Hamilton is a bit of a fortuitous break.
Because there were no OHL games last year, the Montreal Canadiens' second-round pick in 2020 was able to play 22 games in the American Hockey League on their professional farm team. He could've been assigned there again this season but the Habs decided he'd be better off here instead.
Some guys would have been upset with that. It is a step lower. Not him. He says the Canadiens have made it clear they have a plan for him
I appreciate that," he says. Because I have a lot of ice time here. You saw that today. So, I don't have a problem with that. I just want to be here as a leader, play my game and be better and better every day."
His play in the first two games isn't a guarantee he'll maintain this all year. There are no such assurances. But it shows how exceptional he can be at this level. And his attitude makes it likely the early indications are real. His leading by example also suggests he can make an impact even when he isn't scoring.
The effect he can have isn't just on the ice either.
In the dressing room after Friday's season-opening win in Oshawa, McKee was sharing a few post-game words with his players when he noticed Mysak had his hand up like a kid in class who wanted to answer the math question.
I jokingly said, You got a question, Jan?'" McKee says.
Nope. Instead, the alternate captain said he had a few words of his own to share. He stood up, told his teammates what a good win it was, mentioned that this was McKee's first win with the Bulldogs and handed him the game puck.
Then instead of just clapping and sitting in their stalls, (each player) got up and gave each coach a hug and a high five," McKee continues.
The coach says in all his years behind a bench, that's never happened before.
It's a moment I'll never forget," he says. Just having him say the things he said and the reaction of the players."
Ultimately though, Mysak is going to be noticed most by his play.
On Saturday, he opened the scoring. Then when Hamilton fell behind 4-1 after a sloppy middle of the game, he set up the goal that launched the comeback, scored the goal to tie the game, then set up the winner in overtime. After which, he was the first guy reaching scorer Artem Grushnikov to congratulate him.
McKee knew what kind of player Mysak was before now. He'd seen him from a distance before the play stoppage. So, he was probably not too upset when he learned No. 19 would be assigned to Hamilton rather than to Laval.
No," McKee says. No, I don't think anyone was upset about that."
Nor will anybody in black and gold be if this weekend was any indication of what's to come.
Scott Radley is a Hamilton-based columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sradley@thespec.com