Ducks 2017-18 Player Review - Ondrej Kase

With the upcoming season less than two months away, AnaheimDucks.com is featuring a different Ducks player throughout the month of August (in numerical order). This annual Player Review series will highlight key stats while also keeping an eye on the 2018-19 campaign. Next up is forward Ondrej Kase.

The 2014 NHL Draft was in its final stages, deep in the seventh round, with only a handful of selections left on the board. More than 200 players were chosen before the Ducks made their final pick at No. 205, and only five more would be announced after them.
Ondrej Kase was their guy - a 6-0, 165-pound wing who spent the majority of the 2013-14 season with Chomutov in the Czech Republic's top league. He recorded seven points (4g/3a) in 37 games with Chomutov, and also skated for their junior team, recording 15 points (5g/10a) in seven games. At the conclusion of the draft, Anaheim's Director of Professional/Amateur Scouting Martin Madden gave the lowdown on Kase, who was the eighth-ranked European skater on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings.
"He's a really smart, skilled offensive winger," Madden said at the time. "He's got competitiveness, determination, hockey sense and skill."
Fast forward to the 2017-18 season, and Madden's words were validated.
Kase had a breakthrough sophomore campaign with the Ducks, setting career highs in several offensive categories, including goals (20), assists (18), points (38), plus-minus (+18) and game-winning goals (5). He ranked tied for second on the club in goals and game-winning goals, and tied for third in plus-minus. Kase registered his first multi-goal game of his career within the first month of the season (October 24 at Philadelphia) and was successful on his first career penalty shot (in the same game) to become the youngest player in franchise history (21 years, 350 days) to score on a penalty shot.
He had a pair of career-high three-point games, including February 15 at Chicago (1g/2a) and January 13 at LA (2g/1a). He also posted a career-best three-game assist streak (1g/3a) from January 17-21.
Head coach Randy Carlyle refers to him as the club's "energizer bunny" for his tireless work ethic. "He can play with pace, can make plays in small areas, can create space for himself, and he's not afraid to go into those areas," Carlyle said. "He's a fearless player for his size. And he goes into the areas and can make plays with good players."
HIGHLIGHT
Video: COL@ANA: Kase dekes past defender, pots OT winner
It was hard to single out just one 'highlight' goal among the 20 he scored last season, but his overtime winner against the Colorado Avalanche on April 1 was certainly among his biggest.
With the Avs and Ducks both fighting for playoff positioning in the final week of the regular season, the game was immensely important for both clubs. It took a third-period rally for the Ducks to even force overtime, down two goals before Adam Henrique and Ryan Kesler scored 1:36 apart to tie the game at three apiece. Then, in the early stages of overtime, Kase delivered. After receiving a pass from Ryan Getzlaf in the defensive zone, Kase raced up the ice with Josh Manson on a 2-on-1 against Avs defenseman Sam Girard. Flying down his off wing, Kase made a quick deke to avoid Girard's stick, walked in on goaltender Jonathan Bernier and chipped a shot over his right shoulder to give the Ducks the all-important extra point.
The victory vaulted the Ducks into third place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Kings and two points in front of the Avs.
After the game, Kesler couldn't help but laugh as he spoke of his exuberant teammate. "He's a special talent. We know how good he is and how good he can be. That's the stuff he does. He does something stupid every night. That was definitely pretty stupid."
OUTLOOK
Contract negotiations continue for Kase (and Nick Ritchie), according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Bob Murray at a recent Orange Alliance member Q&A event. There remains the possibility that negotiations could go into September and even into the season, but the Ducks GM is hopeful the deals are done before then. "This is the one time where we have a little leverage," he said to Orange Alliance members. "Nowadays when you don't get very much leverage with the players, you have to take advantage of it. We'll fight the good fight and be fair with them. But it could go just like with Hampus [Lindholm] and Ricky [Rakell]."