FAMILIAR FACES IN UNFAMILIAR PLACES

We're back RHL fans! American Thanksiving has come and gone, and players have had the opportunity to rid themselves of that offseason rust and that is important as every game matters.  Just as important as knocking the rust off is getting familiar with new faces as this offseason was one that had many key players changing their home addresses as General Managers made trades a plenty in an attempt to better their franchise.  The following is a quick look at what I believe are the top players to find themselves in different surroundings and jerseys from last season.  
This years Top Twenty Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places are...

20. MATHIAS EKHOLM
Last season Ekholm laced his skates for the Winnipeg Jets, but in a trade to acquire draft picks the Jets decided to part ways with the veteran defenceman. This year Mathias finds himself a part of the Dallas Stars D squad along with Jared Spurgeon, Anton Stralman and Alex Edler, and so far has produced 2 goals and 3 assists in 24 games while being a -5. 
Not a great start but hopefully he can get himself better adjusted to his new situation or GM ODeezy might regret trading away his first round pick.

19. TJ OSHIE
The Arizona Coyotes GM was in search of scoring on the wing for his team this season. Welcome TJ Oshie.  Formerly a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Oshie has been was traded this offseason to the Coyotes for Dillon Dube and a future first round pick.  Steep price for the 36 year old winger but goals come at a price in this league.  With 1 goal and 6 assists in 21 games this season let's see if TJ can reclaim his scoring touch. 
Perhaps the change from sold out Scotiabank to a handful of fans in the Mullet University Arena takes a bit to adjust to.

18. ZACH HYMAN
Sharks fans have a few new faces to get used to this season. One being former Blue Jacket Zach Hyman.  Last season Hyman produced 20 goals and 22 assists in 82 games for the Blue Jackets.  After 26 games for the Sharks this season Hyman has scored 9 goals and added 11 assists for 20 points while being +9. 
I guess there's no breaking Hyman as the forward is well on his way to pass his totals from last season.

17. MICHAEL BUNTING
Another new face for Sharks fans, Michael Bunting was acquired this offseason from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a first round pick in last years draft along with Sean Behrens and a third round pick in the upcoming draft.  Last season Bunting only dressed for 3 games for the Avs which may be the reason for the needed change for the forward.  So far this season the young(ish) forward has been in the lineup for all 26 games scoring 9 goals and has 8 assists for a total of 17 points.
Not a home run yet, but Bunting is fitting in nicely with his new club.

16. JOSH MORRISSEY & WILLIAM KARLSSON
They were traded in a package deal, so we're going to look at them as a package deal. Josh Morrissey and William Karlsson were part of a massive blockbuster deal made this offseason between Calgary GM Boud and Seattle GM Lord Stanley. (Spoiler Alert: part of the return is the next entry in this article) A quality top pairing defenceman and solid top six centre should prove to be good additions to any lineup. With injuries limiting Karlsson to just thirteen games played as a Kraken so far he has 1 goal and 3 assists. Meanwhile his fellow trademate has suited up for all 23 games for Seattle and finds himself third on the team with 13 points.
So far it's been a rough initiation to the league as Seattle find themselves at the bottom of the standings. Perhaps it won't be long before it's time to release these Kraken. 

15. BRENDAN GALLAGHER & RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS
Coming the other way in the trade between the Flames and Kraken were Brendan Gallagher & Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.  Both players were acquired by the Kraken in the summers Expansion Draft, Gallagher from the Canucks and RNH from Dallas. Last season the two combined for 31 goals and 47 assists for their previous clubs.  This season the pair have combined for 14 goals and 21 assists for the Flames. 
It's still early but the move to Calgary has been a positive one for Gallagher, RNH and GM Boud.

14. VINCENT TROCHECK
This summer Trocheck made the move from Winnipeg to the leagues new expansion team in Seattle.  Now he finds himself centring the top line of the Kraken with future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane.  With 23 games under his belt with the new franchise, Trocheck seems to be slowly finding his place providing 5 goals (one short handed) while adding 14 assists for a total of 19 points. 
Still room to grow into his new role, but on a team that has managed to get only 7 wins in those 23 games (two courtesy of Trocheck game winners), Vincent has been one of few to find success in Seattle.

13. BO HORVAT
They say Bo knows hockey. Well, Bo knew Colorado, but does Bo know Nashville? He will soon as he is now as resident of the city and a new member of the Nashville Predators. GM Robby acquired Horvat at the summers Entry Draft in exchange for his first and second round picks (Ryan Chesley and Bryce McConnell-Barker) and since then the player has found himself on the top line of his new team.  Last season Horvat was almost a point per game with the Avs logging 29 goals and 47 assists for 76 points in 82 games played.  This season Bo seems to have found another gear barely not at the point per game pace with 10 goals and 14 assists in only 25 games thus far. 
It will be hard for him to keep up this pace all season, but theirs no question Bo has found a home in Nashville.

12. JOSH NORRIS
The Toronto Maple Leafs were not reluctant to make a big move this offseason, trading promising young defenceman Jamie Drysdale for a promising young centre in Josh Norris. Norris is coming off a 41 point season with the Calgary Flames, and at 23 years old seems ready to take the next step sooner rather than later. Proof being in his production so far this season with 9 goals and 10 helpers in 25 games. Looks like the youngster has adjusted well to being part of the Maple Leafs and playing in the Mecca of hockey.

11. JAMIE DRYSDALE
As we mentioned previously, Jamie Drysdale also found himself changing teams this summer. Then Jamie Drysdale found himself changing teams this summer. You read that right everyone. Drysdale was traded not once but twice this offseason, going from Toronto to Calgary to Nashville. Now a part of the Predators, Jamie has 1 goal and 4 assists in 25 games, and is +6 while playing on the bottom pairing. The numbers aren't record breaking, but at 21 years old Drysdale has the potential to be an elite defenceman for the Predators in the future.

10. PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS & MARTIN NECAS
Buy one get one free? Not really, but in another package deal Pierre-Luc Dubois and Martin Necas found themselves moving together this summer. Previously with the Washington Capitals, the pair of young forwards now lace them up for the Colorado Avalanche. PLD didn't have a great year with the Capitals netting only 7 goals and 23 points in 53 games played. 
The change has created quite an improvement for the centre with 9 goals and 15 assists in his first 24 games with the Avs, finding his old scoring touch in his new environment. Necas on the other hand had a fairly productive year in Washington with 47 points in 53 games played. That production doesn't seem to have come with him to Colorado as he has only 1 goal and 5 assists in the first 22 games of the season. A rocky start in the Rockies for Necas but it's still early in the forwards RHL career.

09. MARC-ANDRE FLEURY
It's not often you see Hall of Fame goaltenders moving creases, but this offseason saw just that when Marc Andre Fleury decided to test the free agent market. As teams lined up to sign the legendary netminder I couldn't help but think about how his agent was probably feeling his pockets swell in anticipation for the payday to come. It was the Philadelphia Flyers that landed the Flower with a contract of $5,650,000 for the next two years. Since then MAF has made his mark in the city of brotherly love starting in all 24 games and posting a GAA of 2.44 and SV% of 0.917 while adding 13 wins to his career total. 
With young backup Alexander Georiev waiting patiently for his turn the question I have is how durable can Flower be as Philly GM Jeremy clearly plans to lean on the veteran for most of the season.

08. SETH JONES
6'4" right handed defenceman anyone? Seems like a deal to sweet for GM Skuci to pass up. It may have cost him JT Compher along with a first, second and fourth round picks, but that was a price the Bruins were willing to pay for defenceman Seth Jones. Since arriving in Boston, Jones has amassed 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points in 22 games and has been a -7 while playing on the top pairing. 
Hopefully Seth can find his game in Boston and soon or the teams playoff hopes may disappear and Bruin fans may be wishing they still had that first round pick.

07. MIKHAIL SERGACHEV
Large right handed defencemen not what you're looking for? How about a puck moving lefty for the blue line? Next on this years list of relocaters is Mikhail Sergachev. Once a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sergachev now finds himself skating for the Calgary Flames. Wait.. *checks notes* Sergachev now finds himself skating for the Seattle Kraken. Just like Drysdale, Sergachev found himself part of a transaction not once, but twice this summer. Why? Because GM Boud likes to make writing these articles a pain in the ass perhaps. It may have also been in the General Managers attempt to rebuild the franchise as he acquired his third first round pick for the summers Entry Draft. It has been an ok season so far for Sergachev as he's been able to produce 3 goals and 8 assists for the new franchise and is one of the teams few players that doesnt hold a negative +/-.

06. NICK SUZUKI
Last season Nick Suzuki posted 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) during the regular season and 6 points (4 goals, 2 assists) in the playoffs for the Panthers before they were swept in the Conference Finals by the eventual Cup Champion Devils. 
Not a bad year for the then 22 year old forward, and this summer he heard what all players want to hear. "You're Going to Buffalo". .... Jokes aside, Suzuki joins a solid young core of players in Buffalo (alongside Mathew Barzal, Matt Boldy, Sam Reinhart and Troy Terry to name a few), and playing with the skilled young forwards has benefitted Nick as he has produced 23 points in his first 24 games with the team. 
The sudden increase in performance has Florida fans wishing he was still in a Panther jersey but look on the bright side Florida, he's still in the division so you'll have plenty of chances to see him playing against you.

05. AARON EKBLAD
Nick Suzuki wasn't the only blockbuster trade executed by GM Stuster this summer. The General Manager was also able to bring in defenceman Aaron Ekblad for a group of prospects including former first rounder Alex Turcotte. Aaron looks to be a good fit in Buffalo patrolling the blue line with an "A" on his sweater, and thus far the 26 year old has helped teammates find the back of the net 16 times while finding it three times himself. Enough to help his Sabres to wins in 14 of their 24 games played so far this season which has them second in the division at this point.Oh ya, he also notched a goal and an assist in his first game back in Calgary to add salt to Flames fans wounds. Take that Harvey the Hound!

04. BRAD MARCHAND
What would it cost in today's market to get yourself a rat you ask? A pro winger, a prospect and a 2nd round pick.  That's what General Manager VideoJ was willing to spend to make Brad Marchand a Duck (still a rat). Was it worth it?  Well, since then Marchand has been reunited with Patrice Bergeron and leads the Ducks in scoring with 27 points in 24 games played, helping Anaheim stay afloat as they stand fifth in the tough Pacific Division. 
Not a bad start to the season for Ducks fans, however rumour has it players are disgruntled with the GMs decision to re-brand the "Flying-V" as the "Flyin V-ideo-J" while on hiatus in South Africa, so only time will tell how the season unfolds in Anaheim.

03. PATRICK KANE
The Seattle Kraken wanted to start the franchise off on the right foot and certainly thought they did when acquiring future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane. General Manager Lord Stanley was able to make the big splash via trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and since then Kane has helped his new team to 7 wins.  Ok, not good, but he has been the teams leading scorer with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 23 games proving not even losing can keep Kane down. 
Hopefully the superstar can at least help the team move some merchandise before he wants to move himself.

02. NATE MACKINNON
"Ooh Wee", some would say "Nobody Does It Better" than this player. The summer trade that even had "Your Wife" asking "21 Questions".  Yes readers Im talking about Nate Dogg MacKinnon and how Vancouver showed him out the "Back Door" and onto the "Concrete Streets".  Last season Big Mack amassed 90 points for the Canucks but GM Patrick Johnson decided it was time to take his team in another direction and moved the star centre for Nick Suzuki (later traded to BUF), Aatu Raty and a a pair of draft picks (first and third) for the upcoming Entry Draft. 
It hasnt been a stellar start in Florida for Nate with 18 points in 24 games but he isn't paying taxes now so fuck Vancouver.

01. AUSTON MATTHEWS
Last but not least (obviously since he's number one on the list and in our hearts), the best player to have a change of address this offseason was the amazing Auston Matthews. The move that rocked the RHL world this summer. What GM moved the future legend and how soon after was he fired? Boud and he is in fact still employed by the Flames. Kidding of course, Calgary did manage to acquire two first round picks, Sergachev, Kent Johnson and Jesse Ylonen in the move, so there's that for Flames fans...  Anyways, since then AM34 has put up 21 points including putting in 10 goals in 22 games while playing with Sidney Crosby for the Wild.  Numbers that no doubt will only grow as the greatest American born player of all time makes Minnesota his new home. (Did I mention Crosby and Matthews... possibly the best combo of all time. Mainly because of Matthews)

And that RHLers is this years Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places. 
Untill next time, best of luck to all your teams unless you're in the Metro or Anaheim.

Written by Islanders League Insider Bot PacKenzie