NEWARK, N.J. — It might sound unbelievable, like a made-up statistic an agent would invent to promote a player.
Stick checks.
While it’s not a stat that will be in fantasy hockey leagues, it actually reveals a lot about a player’s reach, timing, and ability to anticipate plays.
It’s not a flashy skill, but it perfectly describes Kevin Bahl’s style of play.
Despite missing nine games this season, the impressive 24-year-old Flames player is at the top of the league, averaging 2.3 stick checks per game.
“I’ll take that,” Bahl said with a smile when he heard about leading in this category.
“At least I’m leading in something.”
Acquired last summer with a first-round draft pick in the Jacob Markstrom trade, Bahl, who is 24, has already surpassed expectations.
Bahl’s playing style is similar to his personality: he’s a quiet defenseman who focuses on solid defense, which works well with Rasmus Andersson on the Flames’ primary defensive pairing.
Andersson’s comment on his teammate shows how well Bahl, originally from New Westminster, B.C., has integrated into the team.
“It seems like he only has two brain cells, and they’re always fighting,” Andersson joked, making sure Bahl could hear him.
“He’s huge, and sometimes it feels like his stick is super long. He has a great reach, and his stick is everywhere. He even pokes the puck away from me sometimes.” Andersson laughed.
Bahl’s long reach is helped by his height, six-foot-six, which allowed him to request a two-inch extension for his stick from the league.
It often gets in the way of opponents.
As the stats suggest, he uses it to disrupt numerous offensive plays.
“Yeah, it seems like a new stat,” Flames coach Ryan Huska commented.
“He has excellent stick skills. He’s not the type of defender who will physically dominate opponents, but his size and stick allow him to quickly close gaps and take away space.
“He knocks away a lot of pucks, which helps his partner get control more easily. We’ve been relying on our top four defenders a lot recently, and they’ve been very effective. Kevin has been a significant part of that.”
Only two Flames players average more ice time than Bahl’s 21:17, highlighting his importance to a strong defensive team that depends heavily on its defensemen.
Without him, it’s uncertain how effectively the Flames could have completed their top four.
The trade that brought him to Calgary might become General Manager Craig Conroy’s best deal, providing the team with a foundational defenseman, opening opportunities for Dustin Wolf to develop, and gaining a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
Bahl is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. He has expressed his love for Calgary and his intention to stay with the team for a long time.
He returned to New Jersey on Thursday for the first time, where a strong four-goal effort in the third period kept the Flames close to a wild-card spot in the West, thanks to a 5-3 victory over Markstrom’s Devils.
It was in New Jersey a year prior that Bahl turned a strong training camp into his first full NHL season, tasked with defending against top opposing lines.
This was a significant challenge for a player in a position that usually takes years to master.
“It was a very similar role to what I have here,” said Bahl, a second-round pick by the Coyotes in 2018, who achieved a plus-90 rating over two years with the Ottawa 67’s.
“I was nervous when I first came to Calgary, but I also felt confident because of the significant minutes I played the previous year.
“I learned a lot, and I know I can still improve. It’s always about getting better each season.”
Coach Huska mentioned he was pleasantly surprised by Bahl’s playmaking abilities, which were more evident than initially expected for a defensive-minded player.
“For a young player, he has been much more effective than we anticipated,” Huska stated. His team will finish their four-game road trip on Saturday afternoon against the Islanders on Long Island.
“I would take two, three, or even four more players just like him if I could.”
