Jason Robertson loves to shoot the puck, but even he was surprised a little bit by the career-high 10 shots on goal he had against Edmonton Saturday.
Still, the 23-year-old winger, who is a connoisseur of all things hockey offense, said that kind of day is simply a result of his dedication to the art of his craft.
“It’s just being creative with it,” Robertson said. “I practice it and spend my whole career shooting from everywhere. It’s been good, the puck has been finding me.”
Every practice he’s on the ice, Robertson is flinging pucks at the net. It paid off in junior hockey when he led the OHL in scoring with 117 points (48 goals, 69 assists) in 62 games his last year. He had a bit of an adjustment to pro hockey, but still put up 47 points (25 goals, 22 assists) in 60 games in his one season with the Texas Stars.
Video: Robertson on finding the back of the net
Since joining the NHL, he has an impressive 143 points (66 goals, 77 assists) in 140 games. He currently leads the Stars in scoring with 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists) in 12 games. That ranks seventh overall in the NHL.
New Stars coach Pete DeBoer said he’s still trying to figure out exactly how Robertson is doing it.
“He plays a quiet game, and then at the end of the night, you look at the scoresheet and his name is everywhere,” DeBoer said. “It’s quite a skill, he’s a unique player that way. That’s what this game is about, production, and it just goes to show you that sometimes you don’t have to look like you’re the hardest working guy on the ice, you just have to go to the right spots, and that’s what his game is about.”
DeBoer pointed to a goal that Robertson scored in Arizona when there was a mad scrum in front of the net, and the puck popped out and landed in front of Robertson, who tapped it into the net.
Video: DeBoer on his group’s continued success
“He finds a way to be in the right place at the right time,” DeBoer said. “On that second goal, all four guys are battling and working and he’s just standing off to the side and the puck bounces right to him. He’s got those kind of instincts. You don’t teach that, it’s pretty special.”
That said, Robertson puts in a lot of work to get the most from his skill set. He has quick hands and a great mind for the game, but he also fires shots from pretty much everywhere in practice. After not scoring any goals on one-timers last season, he dedicated parts of the summer to working on that area of his game. He already has a one-timer goal this season and he’s more comfortable unleashing that shot now.
“It pays off,” said the captain Jamie Benn.
Linemate Joe Pavelski said he sees the intricacies in Robertson’s game up close, saying he has a great seat to the exploits. Pavelski said he also knows how much work goes into getting those results.
“He really enjoys the game,” Pavelski said. “He’s a smart player, he studies, he watches a lot of stuff, so he has a good understanding and a good feel for the game.”
So how does that type of work manifest itself on the ice?
“He puts himself in a lot of great spots, he comes out with a lot of loose pucks, he battles and makes the right play most of the time,” Pavelski said. “He’s got that knack for finding the net and finding the open man. It’s a lot of fun.”
Video: Pavelski on the different ways Robertson can score
So what’s notable about the variety of scoring styles Robertson employs?
“He gets a few around the net, and then he can score with his shot, too,” Pavelski said. “You’ve seen that the last few games – he scores in a lot of different ways. That’s what you need. You don’t want to be that guy who can only score one way, so it’s good to see his game round out “
It’s one of the reasons Robertson has been able to not only maintain the fever pace with which he has started his career, but improve upon it. Yes, the Stars as a team are scoring more and creating more, but Robertson might be poised to be the one individual who makes the most of DeBoer’s way of playing hockey.
“He’s a treat to watch out there,” Benn said. “He just comes out every night and finds a way to get the job done.”
Video: Jamie Benn on the strong team effort tonight
And just like his knack for finding a good shot seems incredibly natural, he’s taking all of his success in a calm matter-of-fact manner.
“It’s just playing hockey for me,” Robertson said. “We’re playing great as a team right now, so it’s awesome to be a part of it.”
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
.