Jonathan Marchessault: 3 Fun Facts

Which Golden Knight scored the most goals in the NHL last season?
Quick!
Don't look!
No peeking!
We'll give you a hint. It wasn't James Neal (23 goals). Nor was it David Perron (18 goals), or Reilly Smith (15 goals).
With the same number as goals as NHL MVP Connor McDavid (albeit far fewer assists), Jonathan Marchessault scored 30 as a member of the Florida Panthers.
Here are three fun facts to get to know Marchessault, who wears No. 81, better.

1. Was one of only 26 players in the NHL to score 30 goals last year
Which for the winger -now age 27- was 22 more than he had combined for in the rest of his NHL career. A late-bloomer who traveled through three organizations in four years prior to joining the Panthers last fall, Marchessault is a player who was never drafted, who was never supposed to succeed.
Jon Merrill, 3 fun facts](https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/jon-merrill-3-fun-facts/c-290857550)
But with a lot of hustle and hard work, the 5-foot-9, 174-pound winger has found a place for himself in the NHL still in his 20s, and figures to play on one of the Golden Knights' top two lines.

2. His name isn't easy to pronounce
Marchessault.
Say it slowly…
Mar-sha-so.
Or something like that?
Believe it or not, when he broke into the minor leagues in the New York Rangers organization in 2011, he actually went by Jonathan Audy-Marchessault. Although this often earned him the nickname JAM, he has since shortened it to just Jonathan Marchessault.
Way easier, right?
Brayden McNabb, 3 fun facts](https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/brayden-mcnabb-3-fun-facts/c-290885994)
3. Has a lot on the line this season
Marchessault has played for the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets, as well as in the New York Rangers organization. However, this is the first time in his career that he's ever come to training camp seemingly as a lock for a roster spot.
For Marchessault, who's an unrestricted free agent after the season, how he plays this season will probably dictate how the rest of his career pans out.
With 30 goals last year, Marchessault looks like he could become a late-blooming star in the NHL. Another strong showing this season (in a contract year) would give him stability he's never had before.
Although for a player that had never scored more than seven goals in a season before last year, the burden of proof is on him to prove that he wasn't a one-hit wonder in 2016-17.