The NHL has “paused” its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s unclear if it will resume. With one eye still on the future, the Post-Gazette is looking back at what each Penguins player did in 2019-20, starting with the captain, No. 87, and counting down by jersey number.
With his skates planted firmly on the edge of the crease, Patric Hornqvist is — in the most endearing sense of the word — a pest.
To opposing goalies, he’s like those Christmas lights in your neighbor’s yard that have been up for months. The gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe. The text message notification that just won’t go away even though, what the heck, all of the text messages are read!
But to Penguins players and their fans, Hornqvist’s willingness to stand in front of the net, create chaos and take punishment makes him almost invaluable. Even as age and injuries take their toll on the 33-year-old, his energy in the locker room is contagious, his enthusiasm obvious.
When Hornqvist missed 17 games this season during two separate stints on injured reserve, the Penguins tried a couple different fill-ins. Zach Aston-Reese and Stefan Noesen did their best Hornqvist impressions. But none of the understudies could quite replicate the energy Hornqvist brings.
This season, the Penguins cast Hornqvist in a variety of roles. He played next to star centers like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at different points. Other times, he slid down to a bottom-six role.
He embraced both opportunities and currently stands fourth on the team in goals (17) and seventh in points (32). Had the season continued as planned, Hornqvist would have almost certainly hit the 20-goal mark for the ninth time in his career.
For a player who has won the Stanley Cup twice and racked up more than 700 career games, the most improbable stat about Hornqvist is that, despite his aggravating playing style, he never logged a fighting major ... until this year.
During a Nov. 22 contest, Hornqvist allowed himself to get thrown around by New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson in what was officially his first NHL bout. While he got five for fighting, it was more like a wrestling scrap than a boxing match.
A few weeks later, Hornqvist got his money’s worth. He and Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug came out of the penalty box during an especially chippy game at TD Garden and started throwing haymakers.
Even with his first two official bouts on his card, Hornqvist will never be considered an enforcer. Nor should he. What the bouts did show, however, was that even though Hornqvist might be on the back nine of his career, he still has some fight left.
DEFINING MOMENT: Officially, Hornqvist’s three-point performance on Feb. 16 wasn’t a hat trick. Try explaining that to the thousands at PPG Paints Arena who chucked their hats on the ice during the Penguins’ 5-1 rout of the Red Wings.
Hornqvist was initially credited for three goals. But only after the game did the official scorer give the first one to Sam Lafferty instead.
STAT THAT STANDS OUT: In the NFL, the last overall pick is called “Mr. Irrelevant.” Drafted by Nashville with the final pick in the 2005 draft, Hornqvist has been anything but. This season he surpassed fellow Swede Kim Johnsson (739 career game) for the most games played by a last overall pick. Hornqvist currently sits at 770 career games.
IF THE SEASON RESUMES: Where will Hornqvist play? The Penguins have utilized the veteran right winger on all four lines at different times this season. But with Jason Zucker, Conor Sheary, Patrick Marleau and Evan Rodrigues in the fold, the most obvious spot would seem to be on the third line next to center Jared McCann or Nick Bjugstad.
LONG-TERM OUTLOOK: Hornqvist, who will turn 34 on New Year’s Day 2021, is signed through the end of the 2022-23 season on a hefty deal that pays him $5.3 million per season. While he’s still a productive player, it’s fair to wonder if his physical playing style might take its toll sooner than some of the Penguins who don’t make their living getting clobbered in front of the net.
Mike DeFabo: mdefabo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDeFabo.
PENGUINS ON PAUSE SERIES
March 30: No. 87 Sidney Crosby
First Published: March 31, 2020, 3:19 p.m.
