Bobservations: Improving on Faceoffs

When you ask Paul Gaustad to name the NHL's top players on faceoffs, he first identifies Boston center Patrice Bergeron. Next, he says Chicago's Jonathan Toews, then Philadelphia centerman Claude Giroux and Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf.

Formidable list, as formed by a 2000 seventh-round NHL draft choice in Gaustad who became "a student of the game" on the way to playing 12 seasons for the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators. He's too modest to say so, but Gaustad belongs in an elite group of centers himself who win or won nearly six of every 10 pucks dropped between two opponents at a rink's various circles and dots since faceoff win percentages were first recorded as an official NHL stat beginning in 2005-06.
Gaustad ranks No. 16 as measured since 2005-06 with career win percentage of 56.29, representing 10,107 wins against 5,689 losses. Bergeron currently ranks 9th at 57.8 percent, Toews is 13th at 56.98 and Giroux is 23rd at 55.59.
All providing credentials for why Gaustad is a consultant and adviser to the Kraken's hockey operations staff. That, plus he and Kraken assistant general manager Jason Botterill have stayed in touch since the two played together for the American Hockey League's Rochester (NY) franchise.

Gaustad calls Portland home, allowing convenient access to be on hand for Kraken practices when decided. He grew up playing youth hockey in the Pacific Northwest city and played for the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks. He has worked with any number of Winterhawks and younger-level forwards.
"Possession [which team ends up with the puck] decides who wins or loses a faceoff," said Gaustad during a phone conversation this week. "The center taking the faceoff is a quarterback in football.
"The center looks for what it is the other teams are going to execute, who the other player is talking to on the ice [immediately before the faceoff]."
When asked about working with Gaustad, veteran center Alex Wennberg said he is always open to new approaches to winning the draw. Gaustad works with a range of Kraken veterans like Wennberg, Yanni Gourde and Riley Sheahan (the latter two still in COVID protocol for this weekend's games) and younger players such as Morgan Geekie and Alexander True.
As a veteran with Nashville, Gaustad mentored Kraken forward Calle Jarnkrok, who was playing center for the Predators when breaking into the NHL.
"My first discussion with a guy is to discuss his approach, his strengths, where he might struggle and which opponents are challenging," said Gaustad (pronounced "GAW-stad" but over the years he picked up the nickname "Goose"). "I get a sense of what they are saying and feeling. It's not one visit and now you are awesome on faceoffs. There's technical factors but also the mental and physical approach."
Gaustad said he "appreciates working with the Kraken forwards, they're all curious and want to improve; that makes it easier." One standout pupil is Geekie, who has looked more in command on faceoffs since Gaustad appeared on the scene at the Kraken Community Iceplex.
"Morgan has an elite shot," Gaustad said. "There are amounts of pressure and different angles he puts on his stick blade [to create a range of shots). We have talked about associating his shot and the feeling of pressure and angles with his faceoff style.
"His 'learner speed' is a plus. He is physically gifted and picked up quickly [on associating his shot techniques with faceoffs]."
Gaustad said the better faceoff centers in the NHL have varied styles but are always adding to their faceoff "looks": You might be really good at one or two techniques - can you be good on three, four or five techniques?"

Interestingly, Gaustad said it is not always about winning a faceoff "clean," which is most evident when a center draws his stick blade and puck back to an awaiting teammate in the defensive zone to begin an exit from the Kraken end. Sometimes, a 50-50 battle can ensue, Gaustad says, allowing a teammate to seize the puck to make a play on offense or clear the defensive zone.
While Boston's Bergeron is a supreme winner of faceoffs (he currently leads the NHL with 62.25 percent wins), Gaustad said the "creativity" of Anaheim's Getzlaf pairing with former teammate Corey Perry changed how the entire league thought about "draw" techniques.
"They would be running offensive plays right afterward from the faceoff," Gaustad said. "That wasn't seen before."
For his part, winning faceoffs helped fuel a long career for Gaustad, especially starting out 20-plus years ago as young player from a then non-traditional hockey market. He played 727 NHL games.
"I had to become a student of the game and all of its details," said Gaustad, who works with the Kraken forwards in the video room, too. "I was very competitive, so I wanted to win every faceoff. I was watching video when it just started to be a thing in the NHL. Not a lot of guys were doing that, so I could use it to my advantage to see what the other centers were doing on faceoffs."