Pat Svoboda on the Rise

[StamkosFan 72]

Pat Svoboda on the Rise

 

Pat Svoboda is pumped after netting his first power play goal; the Swede, who is having a much-improved sophomore campaign, had been receiving ample time on the man advantage, but with no results to show for it. The bulky right winger has 17 goals and 21 assists in 37 games; with the season halfway over, he has a shot to pass 70 points, perhaps even approach 80 if he heats up again. At slightly over a point per game, he is perhaps one of the most improved players since the previous season. He has racked up 151 shots; always known as a volume shooter, pacing for 300 shots total on the season could signify excellent shot generation and advanced metrics.

 

He is contributing outside of offense as well, using his enormous, bulky frame to his advantage. It has been repeatedly noted that his hits are up after hardly so much as touching another player last year. When asked about it, Pat Svoboda quoted the song Runnin’ Wild by Airbourne, saying, “I’m running on rage, I’m out of control. My anger for you is like hot burning coal.” In spite of admittedly having a temper, he has exemplified discipline, only drawing two minor penalties thus far. These penalty minutes are much less than the numbers his teammates have accrued, with Rylan Peace taking 17 penalty minutes and Elias Dahlberg taking 28 penalty minutes. Svoboda has also sacrificed his body to keep the puck out of his own net, blocking 24 shots, surpassing his total last year of 21 blocked shots. He is not afraid to get in shooting lanes and pressure the opposition into getting rid of the puck early. He may be on a middle of the pack team that doesn’t lend itself to a high plus-minus, but his +4 rating is third best on the Davos roster.

 

His pace has slowed since the start of the season, and his shooting percentage has dipped to 11.26%, but he is one of only four players on Davos with a double digit shooting percentage. His goal and point totals merit praise as well, as they are both third best on his team, over multiple more-established players. His stats stand up comparatively well to his teammates and similarly aged players around the league, and the Swedish right winger is proud of it.

 

“I think my season is going pretty well right now, and I think HC Davos as a whole has taken a big step forward. Every aspect of my game has intensified and bloomed. You get a few good matches under your belt and you build some confidence. You just get into a rhythm and things start coming to you naturally, it snowballs. I’m starting to feel as though I belong in Davos, and that takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders. It’s a relief to demonstrate my potential and to be wreaking havoc on the ice game after game. Opposing defenders and goaltenders are starting to worry about me when I step off the bench, and that’s exactly how I want them to feel,” said Pat Svoboda.