Barely old enough to drink, Paul Stastny isn’t your typical NHL rookie.
He has never played minor-league hockey. He eats lunch at least once a week with an NHL Hall of Famer. And looks like he belongs in college and plays like he belongs in the NHL.
The former University of Denver All-American has been so steady and productive during the first three months of his Colorado Avalanche career that it’s easy to forget he’s a rookie.
Stastny has appeared in all 42 games, mainly as a third- and fourth-line center and a penalty killer. He has 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points.
Most thought Stastny, an innocent, sheepish-looking Canadian who turned 21 on Dec. 27, would be playing in for the Albany (N.Y.) River Rats of the American Hockey League.
He was a long shot to make the Avalanche in training camp. Nobody gave him much of a chance, figuring he would crumble under the pressure of trying to match the accomplishments of his father, Hall of Famer Peter Stastny.
It didn’t take long for Stastny to dispel his doubters.
Stastny caught the attention of Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville with his playmaking ability, superb vision and patience with the puck. And he earned the respect of his new teammates with his poise on the ice and maturity in the locker room.
“I didn’t really go in with expectations,” Stastny said of his approach in training camp. “I just wanted to have the same mentality. I just tried to make it a tough decision for the coaches.”
When Stastny left Denver after his sophomore season, the consensus was that he had made the wrong decision. He had played only two seasons in the U.S. Hockey League, and his strong supporting cast at Denver included Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Carle, now with the San Jose Sharks organization.
The Avalanche prefers that prospects spend time in the AHL or the East Coast Hockey League, although Quenneville left the door open for Stastny. Of course, Stastny walked through it.
“Watching him in camp, he proved he’s an NHL hockey player,” Quenneville said. “He’s terrific with the puck . . . down low, his vision, his strength in the puck areas, seeing and making plays. The puck seems to follow him around, much like his dad.”
But, says Stastny: “I don’t put pressure on myself to be like my dad. I’ve got the genes he gave me, and I’m fortunate to have that.”
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