Edmonton Oilers’ Mattias Janmark Has Become a Very Undervalued Asset – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

Many have wondered why the Edmonton Oilers continued to put Mattias Janmark in the lineup. The 32-year-old has provided almost nothing offensively over the past two seasons, scoring six goals and recording 30 points in 151 games. Despite the unimpressive output, head coach Kris Knoblauch continued to trust the Swedish centre.

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However, public perception of Janmark began to shift last season, as he was a crucial member of a penalty kill that struck fire in the postseason and helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup Final. Suddenly, Janmark, who had four goals and eight points in 25 playoff games, was being praised, and many wanted him to be re-signed for the following season.

Janmark did re-sign to a three-year extension. That seemed long and many criticized this new deal when his play was underwhelming again this season. Once again, many wanted him out of the lineup. Yes, he’s proving again in the playoffs why Knoblauch continues to trust him.

Janmark Finds New Gear in Playoffs

Just as he did a year ago, Janmark has elevated his game in the playoffs. Through 10 games, he’s already matched his regular-season output of two goals and has added an assist. He’s been providing offence despite averaging less than 12 minutes of ice time per game.

He also continues to be a steady presence in the defensive zone. He’s been a big part of the Oilers’ penalty kill throughout the postseason, averaging 1:33 per game. That ranks fourth amongst Oilers forwards, trailing only Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique, and Connor Brown.

Producing in the playoffs is not new for Janmark. When he was acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2021 Trade Deadline, he had just one goal and five points in 15 regular-season games. But, in the playoffs, he had four goals and eight points in 16 games, providing the team with solid secondary scoring through their run.

While his offensive production in the postseason has been a pleasant surprise to Oilers’ fans, Janmark has proven he can produce. While he hasn’t shown it during his time in Edmonton, he notched 15 and 19 goals in his first two NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars. Given the opportunity, Janmark can produce better numbers than most expect.

What’s notable is that Janmark hasn’t gotten a bigger opportunity in these playoffs. In fact, his role…