A forgotten prospect for a period of time, center Lukas Sedlak made a name for himself last year with the (then) Lake Erie Monsters.
He had an average but solid regular season. What he was able to do during the Monsters' playoff run is what catapulted him into the fourth line this year. He was simply dominate during that run, he nearly put up a point per game during that time.
Outside of those that paid attention to the Monsters' Calder Cup run, Sedlak, by the numbers wasn't anything impressive. Making the Blue Jackets out of camp felt like an oddity and a move that would be corrected quickly if he didn't play up to NHL standards.
He surprised a lot of people this past year.
What did we expect?
Almost nothing.
If you have followed along with Sedlak over his entire playing career, the run in the playoffs looked like an aberration. Why wouldn't you think it was anything but that?
He never dominated the QMJHL and in the AHL he never scored more than 20 points. Taking the next step after the playoffs would be a huge task. Especially if he wanted to prove that he wasn't just an outlier.
Anything more than a quick demotion to the minors would've been considered a success.
What did we get?
A lot more than anyone else could've anticipated.
Sedlak beat out multiple other skilled players to make the Blue Jackets. From game number one, he made an impact throwing his body all over the ice and being the fourth line center Columbus needed.
In 62 games last season, Sedlak scored seven goals and helped out with seven assists for a total of 13 points. The numbers don't pop out and scream at you. With Sedlak, anything he does is beyond the numbers.
Playing a large portion of his season with Scott Hartnell and Sam Gagner, he was given the task of centering a line with two NHL veterans on it. Both are natural scorers and Sedlak is more of a defensive stopper.
They ended up being a great fourth line. Possibly even the best in hockey this past season.
To add to the Sedlak praise, he was also a monster in regard to shot differential. By posting more than 52% CF at even strength, he was in the company of Brandon Saad and Zach Werenski when it came to teammate rankings.
After such great success despite late season injuries, Sedlak has set himself up to have an even bigger role next year. Bottom-six scoring punch and grit that doesn't stop.
With his growth, who is going to stop his rapid climb up the organizational ladder?
| GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | GWG | OTG | S | S% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGULAR SEASON | 62 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 12.3 |
| PLAYOFFS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Memorable Moment
His first NHL goal came against the Detroit Red Wings and it was a dandy. Sedlak worked hard in front of the net and the puck found it's way onto his stick. He back handed it in for the goal.
Contract Status
According to CapFriendly.com, Sedlak has two years left on his deal. The deal expires at the end of the 2018-19 season. He will be paid $825,000 a year over the course of his new contract. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of his deal.
| GRADE | B |
