'We've Built That Trust'

Dennis Gilbert doesn’t need to be told twice. 

Whether it’s an injury, a shake-up, or even a trade – like the one saw Thursday with their Pacific rivals – he knows what an opportunity like this can do for him personally. 

“Every time there's a personnel change, different guys have to step up and fill some part of the void,” the 27-year-old said following Saturday’s morning skate. "For me, it’s pretty simple:

“I’ve been steadily building my game and along with that, comes trust with the coaching staff. I’m willing and able to help in different ways, like the penalty kill. And if I’m called upon for that, it would be awesome. 

“Whenever that next opportunity – that next role, or assignment – comes, you have to reach out and grab it.”

At surface-level, the concept isn’t new.

Carpe diem, right?

The thing is, Gilbert is now in Year 6 of his pro career, and with 188 of his 250 career games played at the American League level, he has a good understanding of what’s required to make inroads.

These days, the Buffalo native has become an NHL mainstay while authoring a story of spunk, grit and dedication along the way. But with Nikita Zadorov dealt to West Coast for a pair of picks only 48 hours ago, he’s no longer at a point where simply playing at this level is enough.

“When you're consistently in the lineup, it's easier to roll things over and build from game to game,” said Gilbert, who’s played in five straight after sitting the previous eight in favour of his good buddy, Nick DeSimone. “I think I'm playing well, but there are always things I like to go over with the coaches and improve upon. It's a constant chase. You're always trying to get better every day. Even our best players are doing little nuance things in practice so they can become 1% better the next day. It's a constant approach.

“But when I look back at things at a whole, that’s when you see the biggest progress.

“Last training camp, I got injured, started with the Wranglers, and then was bouncing back and forth the rest of the year. The year before that, I played the entire season in the AHL.

“I took that year in the American League to really work on my game and be effective at that level, and build on the things that I needed to become an NHL player. Whether that was being stronger defensively and being hard to play against, I was making sure that was a big part of my game.

“Since coming up and getting my chances last year, it's been about creating an identity and knowing what that is and being comfortable with it. If the coaches know what you can give and you expect that of yourself and can go out and deliver to the best of your abilities, you're going to have success. Right now, the biggest difference from last year is the comfortability, the pace – all of it, I think I've taken strides.

“It's a testament to the trust I’ve been building with the coaching staff.”

Gilbert – who had an assist in Thursday’s dramatic 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars – is averaging 12:54 in ice time this year. He’s proven himself versatile, as he began the year on a pair with veteran Chris Tanev and put up stellar results defensively. In fact, 13 games after they last played together, the duo still ranks firmly in the Top-20 among the league’s most effective tandems at shot suppression, and with a 60.6% expected goals rate.

Most recently, the 6-foot-2, 216-lb. brute has continued to give good minutes, but with more of a rotating cast of partners, with the now-departed Zadorov being his most common cohort. 

Tonight – and for the second straight outing – he’ll line up alongside Jordan Oesterle, who’s among many in the camp of those looking to turn heads and earn a full-time spot.

And with Ilya Solovyov (who was recalled from the Wranglers on Friday) and young Jeremie Poirier (when healthy) looking to do the same, the competition on the backend is beginning to ramp up.

“You can see it throughout our lineup with different guys getting chances,” Gilbert said. “Pospy (Martin Pospisil) and Zar (Connor Zary) came out and they've shown that they can create offensively, so at the end of the games, they're getting chances to do that.

“It’s the same thing with me.

“Last year, maybe the last 10 minutes of a tie game, I might not be on the ice very often or even at all. Now, this year, up a goal or a tie game, I've been getting shifts in the last six, seven minutes. 

“And because we've built that trust and they continue to put me in out in those situations, your confidence as a player keeps growing.

“So, it’s on me to keep that up.”