SUNRISE, Fla. - Nick Bjugstad is starting to feel like his old self again.
After posting a career-low 14 points during a 2016-17 campaign fraught with injuries, the 25-year-old forward reinvented his game with remarkable results this season, setting new career highs in points (49), assists (30) and games played (82).
2017-18 Season Rewind: Nick Bjugstad
"It was a jump from last year, I'll say that," Bjugstad said after cleaning out his locker at BB&T Center in April. "I feel like I grew as a player and the coaches allowed me to grow. I kind of re-identified myself after a tough year. It took a little bit. It wasn't all gravy right away.
"But as it went on, I felt a lot more confident and felt like I was helping the team out a lot more. I can take some good, good stuff from this season. There's still stuff I have to improve on. I'm 25 now, but I think I can continue to improve and take it to the next level."
A natural center for the majority of his career, Bjugstad made the switch from the pivot position to the wing this season, removing some of his responsibilities in the faceoff circle and below the goal line. After starting as the team's third-line right wing, he was quickly bumped up to Florida's top line, where he spent the majority of the season alongside All-Star center Aleksander Barkov.
The pairing of Barkov and Bjugstad proved mutually beneficial to both players, as Barkov also went on to set a new career high in points (78) and assists (51). With Bjugstad, Barkov's Corsi For rating of 54.04 at even strength was nearly four percentage points better than without him.
Likewise, Bjugstad's Corsi For also jumped about four percentage points with Barkov, a positive sign that the pairing proved to be fruitful for both players, as Bjugstad's shoot-first mentality and 6-foot-6 frame payed well with Barkov's pass-first mindset and otherworldly playmaking abilities.
When both players were off the ice, Florida controlled just 47.75 percent of shots at 5-on-5 play.
"Any pass you throw at him he's going to catch and any time you're open he's going to find you," Bjugstad said of Barkov. "It's pretty nice being on the wing. He's just like [Jonathan] Huberdeau. They're skilled, smart players. When you've got a center like that that can skate, is so smart and has such good hands, you've got to be ready at all times."
While Barkov certainly helped bring out the best in Bjugstad, the former first-round pick cites a clean bill of health as one of the biggest reason for his impressive bounce back. He suited up in a career-low 54 games last season, making it nearly impossible for Bjugstad to find his groove.
"It was up and down all year," he said.
But after spending the majority of his summer on the ice in his native Minnesota competing in Da Beauty League -- a 4-on-4 league made up of NHL players and top amateurs -- Bjugstad came into training camp feeling great, with the goal of playing all 82 games topping his long to-do list.
"I thought about it a lot this summer," Bjugstad said. "My routine of working out, stretching, I just kind of changed it. Obviously, injuries are no fun for anyone, but I found for me it's hard to come back after missing 10-15 games… I need to be on the ice. This year, obviously, with the training staff we have it allowed me to play 82 games for the first time."
His game back on track, Bjugstad hopes to be a major contributor for the Panthers in 2018-19.
"This is a group that I want to go to battle with," he said.
COOL STAT
For much of the season, Bjugstad was a statistical anomaly.
He scored 18 goals at even strength before finally potting his lone power play goal of the season in a 3-0 win over the New York Islanders on March 26, ending his long run as the league's highest-scoring player without a goal on special teams.
But this lack of luck with the man advantage shouldn't overshadow the quality numbers he chipped in at even strength. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, Bjugstad ranked first on the Panthers in shots (190), second in goals (18) and third in points (41) at 5-on-5, while also leading the club in scoring chances (184) and high-danger scoring chances (83).
In short, Bjugstad made things happen on offense at even strength.
BEST GAME
Bjugstad scored his first-career NHL hat trick to help the Panthers take home a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lighting on March 6.
"It was just one of those where it was finding my stick," Bjugstad said after the game. "Barky [Barkov] and Dads [Evgenii Dadonov] were finding me. It feels good. It obviously would have been better with a win, but that's a good squad over there. If we can compete and we come back from deficits, that's very telling, especially at this point in the season. We didn't roll over."
After already lighting the lamp in both the first and second period, Bjugstad sparked Florida's comeback in the third, cashing in on a rebound from the doorstep to cut the Lightning's lead to 4-3 just 21 seconds into the final frame.
"He was a monster," Panthers coach Bob Boughner said of the performance. "He was taking pucks to the net and dragging people on his back. Since I've been here, that's the best game I've seen Nick play. We needed a performance like that."
GOAL OF THE YEAR
This was one of many goals that highlighted the Bjugstad-Barkov connection.
With the Panthers trailing 1-0 midway through the second period in Chicago on Dec. 12, Barkov lifted a long pass through the air from deep in the defensive zone towards a wide-open Bjugstad at center ice. After kicking the loose puck to his stick, Bjugstad skated in all alone on goaltender Corey Crawford before undressing him with a nifty backhand to make it a 1-1 game.
