2021-22 Player Review: Mattias Janmark

Los Angeles Kings v Vegas Golden Knights — Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images

Janmark had an average season, and wasn’t as effective as prior years.

In the 2021-22 Player Review series, we will evaluate the 2021-22 performances of each key member of the Golden Knights. Players were evaluated based on overall performance in the regular season with regard to pre-season expectations and how that player performed in his particular role.

Mattias Janmark was acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2020-21 season in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, and this past season was his first full campaign in Vegas. He played a bit of a reduced role compared to what he’s been used to in the past, and his performance wasn’t as strong as the year prior.

Season In Review

Janmark skated in 67 games and posted a line of 9-16-25 averaging 14:21 a game. He missed 12 games with an upper body injury, and 3 games due to COVID-19. He was a bit of a utility player for the Golden Knights, and although he’s a center by trade, he was mostly deployed on the wing.

His overall GAR (goals above replacement) number this year was -0.2, and here’s a look at how he arrived there via Evolving-Hockey.com

Even Strength Offense — -0.1
Even Strength Defense — 0.1
Power Play Offense — -0.1
Shorthanded Defense — -0.2
Penalties Taken — 1
Penalties Drawn — -0.3

Janmark’s underlying numbers were also weak, as he had slash line that includes a 48.12 GF%, a 49.5 CF%, and a 51.38 xGF%. Defensively his impact was a little better than the year prior, but those improvements came at the sacrifice of offense which made him a pretty neutral low event player.

Looking Ahead

Janmark is 29 and a free agent, and given the team’s cap crunch it is unlikely that he’ll be back in Vegas. His effectiveness as a player has been on a slight decline over the past few years, and there’s no real reason to bring him back.

During the playoff push over the last 20 games of the season he had a line of 2-6-8, and this was during a stretch where he was playing 15:06 a game. It was during this period he had a bit of chance to make more of a case to stay, and while he wasn’t terrible given his role, it is hard to justify bringing him back for another year.

The trade for Janmark made sense at the time given what the Golden Knights were trying to accomplish, but like many other players in the organization, his time has run its course.