Veteran forward Jason Pominville spent nearly eight seasons of his career in the NHL hoping to rekindle some magic with the Buffalo Sabres in their quest for that elusive Stanley Cup trophy.
Now he has a similar goal with the Minnesota Wild, a team that qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in five seasons by winning its final game of the season to outlast the hard-charging Columbus Blue Jackets.
It's no easy task, but Pominville, the former captain of the Sabres, possesses an energy and infectious spirit that has already rubbed off on his new teammates. There is some concern about the hit to the head Pominville took from Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown on April 23, but the hope is he will not be sidelined too long. In fact, he may be ready for Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
The timing of his acquisition was impeccable; forward Dany Heatley would go down with a season-ending shoulder injury less than 24 hours after general manager Chuck Fletcher traded for Pominville.
When healthy, Pominville helped elevate a line with Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Kyle Brodziak.
"He's a guy that, right from the start, really embraced himself in the way we want to play the game," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "I think that by him going out and really buying into the way we want to play, has really helped him fit in with the rest of the group and have some success here early."
Yeo shifted the 30-year-old right wing around while his team was battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, but Pominville wasn't fazed by it all, maintaining that level of play that was expected when Fletcher acquired him in a deal that sent two prospects and two draft picks to the Sabres.
Pominville said it doesn't matter where Yeo plays him, so long as he's able to contribute to the team's success.
"If we need a goal, I can be on the ice for that, if we've got to prevent a goal at the end of the game, I can be on the ice for that," Pominville told the Pioneer Press. "I think it's just being a reliable guy at both ends of the rink."
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.