5 NHL stars who will underachieve in 2018-19
By Kyle McKenna
Our predictions for which NHL players will surprisingly underachieve in the 2018-19 season.
There comes a point in time when NHL all-star caliber skaters and goaltenders hit a wall during their respective careers.
These star NHL players experience a decline with their performance levels on the ice due to various reasons, such as being overpaid and joining a new club via unrestricted free agency, or the simple fact that a skater may have overachieved the year prior and there’s no avoiding a down year moving forward.
Here are five NHL players who will underachieve in 2018-19.
5. David Perron
The Vegas Golden Knights hit the jackpot with a number of skaters they acquired during last year’s NHL Expansion Draft, but don’t expect a handful of those players to have repeat performances in 2018-19.
One of those Golden Misfits who will underachieve next seasons happened to be on the of the Knights’ leading goal-scorers from last year’s improbable expansion season. Forward David Perron recorded a career high 66 points in 2017-18 with Vegas (16 goals, 50 assists), and the Sherbrooke, Quebec, native was rewarded with a four-year contract but from the St. Louis Blues.
Perron, 30, was originally drafted by the Blues back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft with the 26th overall selection, but don’t expect his return to St. Louis to play out any better than his first tenure with the club.
In his 11 NHL seasons, the winger has only recorded more than 50 points in a campaign on three occasions. Sure, Perron’s contract isn’t terrible ($4 million annual average value), but the chances are that the right-handed shooter will see a notable decline in his offensive production. The timing was right for the Knights and Perron last season to team up and exceed expectations, but the veteran may find himself struggling to adjust to a lesser role with a St. Louis team poised to make a run at Lord Stanley.
Yes, his playoff experience stands out in comparison to other skaters on the Blues’ roster, but St. Louis may regret signing Perron by the end of 2019.