When the puck drops on the 2024-25 season for the Anaheim Geese, Mason McTavish will probably be coming into his third full season within the NHL. After a strong rookie season and a second hampered by harm, lulls, and self-discipline points, the time is now for the previous Olympian, World Junior champion, and now-veteran of 153 video games to cement his standing as a high younger ahead within the league. The Geese have many gamers billed with that potential, and shortly sufficient, one (or some) of them will hopefully make that leap and really break into star, or famous person, standing. May it’s McTavish this season? Fairly probably.
McTavish Began 2023-24 Crimson Sizzling Earlier than Cooling Off Midseason
Whether or not by design or not, McTavish started final season with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome as linemates. Leo Carlsson, Trevor Zegras, and Alex Killorn, who made sense as linemates for McTavish, weren’t out there to start the marketing campaign. That didn’t matter, because the McTavish-Strome-Vatrano mixture was the most effective line for the Geese early on. It was the final word shock that every of them completed the season’s first 5 weeks as near-point-per-game gamers, and the Geese went 7-4-1, together with a six-game profitable streak.
The McTavish-Vatrano connection persevered whereas the previous was wholesome, however accidents grew to become a priority for the 2021 third-overall choose in December. He missed video games in bunches the remainder of the way in which earlier than struggling a closing vital harm in a win over the Calgary Flames on April 2 that ended his season. In whole, he wearing 64 video games and accrued 42 factors (19 targets, 23 assists), almost similar to the 17-goal, 26-assist marketing campaign a season prior (albeit in 18 fewer video games.) To offer a way of how briskly he began, and the way slowly he ended, think about the truth that half of his factors got here within the staff’s first 20 video games. His rise to stardom appeared properly forward of schedule and was in early talks because the NHL’s finest sophomore, a category that included Wyatt Johnston, Matty Beniers, and Owen Energy. His closing 44 video games, nonetheless, had been riddled with accidents and scoreless streaks.
2024-25 Gives a Restart for Core Beset by Accidents and Self-discipline Points
Few Geese had been spared from the harm bug final season. A lot of them had been simultaneous, leading to an absurdly low variety of video games the place Zegras, McTavish, Killorn, Carlsson, Vatrano, and Terry had been all within the lineup collectively. We by no means actually noticed what this high six ahead group may do, and, let’s be sincere, this revamped group was one of many few issues followers needed to see from the 2023-24 Geese. It’s a compelling bunch given the mix of creativity, dimension, pace, and of completion that exists amongst them.
Self-discipline was additionally an enormous situation final season, McTavish included. He served 86 penalty minutes, certainly one of 5 Geese with greater than 80. That’s remarkably dangerous — you’ll be able to’t have that many gamers with such vital penalty minutes, not to mention your star gamers, and count on success. The Geese took 399 minor penalties final season, 26 greater than the following staff. It was an enormous motive they misplaced a lot. Nonetheless, the most effective factor a few lengthy summer season and a brand new season is the reset that it provides to this group. It’s a reset McTavish, amongst others, ought to take full benefit of.
McTavish Ought to Flourish in a Prime Function for Geese
McTavish’s torrid begin to final season was no fluke. He has point-per-game potential written throughout him. He has a finisher’s mentality with the scale, energy, and want to get to the soiled areas to attain. He’s surrounded by an explosive group of offensive weapons that may solely get higher with time, as he’ll. He ought to get high line minutes, together with high power-play unit minutes, and ample alternative to show he generally is a key weapon for the Geese this season.
Associated: Geese’ 2024-25 Breakout Candidates: Mason McTavish
Given the chemistry with Vatrano, it’s cheap to imagine that duo will stay in place, a minimum of to begin. There will probably be many choices to finish that line. If McTavish is saved at middle, then Cutter Gauthier couls be deployed on the wing. If McTavish is positioned on the wing, they will strive Zegras or Carlsson at middle. Perhaps the newcomer Robby Fabbri will get a glance. Pairing him with an equally-explosive playmaker will maximize his potential, however whoever it’s, McTavish has the power to make his teammates higher. This all begs the query, how will he fare, and what ought to we count on?
What Lies Forward in 2024-25?
The Geese will probably be taking part in from behind lots once more this season, which is able to give gamers like McTavish the liberty to make use of their offense and creativity to make performs. They’ll want that from him. With a wholesome roster, and a full season of Olen Zellweger and Gauthier, McTavish and your complete Geese offense ought to look a lot better.
Maybe it’s not cheap to foretell he’ll double his output and eclipse the 80-plus level mark, however he ought to get shut. A 20-goal, 45-assist season is a good expectation and properly inside attain for the still-developing 21-year-old. The underside line is the Geese want a few of their younger expertise to change into point-per-game gamers if they’re to begin profitable extra video games. McTavish, who’s coming into a contract yr after an up-and-down season, is one of some with that capacity, so search for him to return in hungry and able to prepared the ground.
