Patrick WilliamsFeatures Writer, TheAHL.com
great amount of Shane Wrighthas focused its efforts this season on a less glamorous but still absolutely essential part of the game.
For a young forward in the AHL, that might look like defensive zone plays, tracking, angles, coverage and all the other elements that go into being a well-rounded National Hockey League player.
But Wright, a rookie with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, earned a spot on the AHL's Top Prospects team after recording 47 points (22 goals, 25 assists) in 59 regular season games.
And then there are moments like Tuesday night's Game 3 against the Hersheys, when Wright has a chance to showcase the world-class skills that earned him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and make plays that will get the crowd going.
With Wright's goal, the Firebirds were in full control of the game, winning 6-2 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 will be tonight (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, AHLTV, NHL Network) at Acrisure Arena, and Firebirds fans will get another chance to see Wright's impressive skills, of course, plus his speed and incredible shooting versatility, but Tuesday's goal showcased the elements he's been working on all season.
Wright used his excellent instincts and hockey sense to sense an opportunity to get the puck out of the defensive zone, then accelerated past a defender deep into the Hershey zone. Cole Lind He slammed on the brakes, pushed back Hershey's second defenseman, and found himself with enough space to cross unimpeded into the slot and take a shot. Hunter Shepard.
Wright added two assists in Game 3, giving him nine points in nine playoff games. He had four goals and one assist in eight games for the Kraken earlier this season, which was a preview of the kind of play Seattle fans will likely see this fall.
It's also been a year of confidence building for Wright.
“Knowing I'm good enough to play here and know I'm good enough to make a difference and be a strong player and impact the game” is an area of development, Wright explained.
“I'm learning every day, every game. [teammates]I've been talking to the coaching staff and I'm just trying to learn, grow, develop my game as much as I can and get better every day here.”
Last season was an eventful one for the 19-year-old Wright, who captained Canada to gold medals in the NHL, AHL, Ontario Hockey League and IIHF World Junior Championships before returning to the Firebirds to finish the season playing 24 games in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Wright didn't turn 20 until Jan. 5, so he needed to be eligible to be assigned to the AHL this season. And the Kraken's decision to send him to the Coachella Valley worked out well. First, he got to stay in one place and with one team, except for a late-season promotion to Seattle. And second, the Firebirds' head coaching job was up for grabs. Dan Bylsma When Wright takes over the Kraken bench in the fall, he and his staff will be tasked with perfecting Wright's game and putting the finishing touches he needs to become a Seattle staple for the next decade or more.
“I just thought this year was my chance to start my professional career and not worry about all the outside noise and predictions and draft position,” Bylsma said. “Just play hockey, play to my ability, hone my skills and get better.”
Wright has long been no stranger to hype and pressure. He joined the OHL at age 15 after being named “outstanding player” by Hockey Canada. Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad and John TavaresHe was the OHL's Rookie of the Year and overcame the intense pressure that comes with representing Canada in junior competition.
But last year's Calder Cup playoffs were different, and this spring has brought its own challenges. Wright missed six games with an injury, including the Western Conference final against Milwaukee, but he returned for Game 1 against Hershey, giving the veteran an even bigger role. Andrew Poturalski Though he's left that game, he remains a force and a quiet source of confidence for the Firebirds.
“It's very intense,” Wright said of the AHL postseason. “It's tough hockey. All the guys are good. It's a battle every night. You have to play well. You have to play sharp.”
There's no doubt that the intensity has benefited Wright, but he also needed normalcy, the opportunity to integrate with a team and develop off the ice.
Wright was projected by some to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, but was instead selected fourth overall. Juraj Slavkovsky, Simon Nemec and Logan Cooley.
Said Bylsma: “For an 18-year-old kid, leading up to the draft and projections, I think there's a lot that goes into getting into camp, mentally and physically, trying to develop that whole mental aspect. When we got him at the end of the year, he was still working through all those issues. This year was an opportunity for him as a person, mentally and physically, he's put all of that behind him.”
This season has seen Wright experience the ups and downs that come with the club's personal and team development throughout the season.
“Playing a 72-game American Hockey League schedule, he got a chance to do it over and over again, some good and some bad. He's going to continue to work on his craft. His game has grown exponentially this year.”
For years, Wright has mostly tried to blend in with his teammates. In Wright's typical postgame press conference, he elicits more of a response when the conversation turns to the success of his teammates. When it comes to his own play, Wright has been more reserved. Like the rest of his teammates, Wright came into this season trying to get over last year's Finals loss to the Bears in seven games. It was an experience to work with, but the Firebirds want to look forward and focus on winning a Calder Cup of their own in 2024.
Seattle is two wins away from claiming the Calder Cup and could have a chance to do so on home ice on Saturday. Either way, this series could be Wright's farewell to the AHL before he moves to the Kraken. His performance this season should improve his chances of being in Seattle's lineup full-time next season.
But this week I have another goal.
“Obviously we want to bounce back a little bit after last year,” Wright said before the series began. “We were so close last year. We were so close. We don't want to go through that again.”
Patrick Williams, a features writer for TheAHL.com, has covered the American Hockey League for nearly two decades for outlets including NHL.com, Sportsnet, TSN, The Hockey News, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and SLAM! Sports, most recently as co-host of The Hockey News On The 'A' podcast. In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
