Ontario Reign: Aatu Jamsen’s Season Review

The 22-year-old winger didn’t play in every game due to two separate injuries and as a healthy scratch (development purposes), but did record 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in 36 games while deployed in a bottom-six role with occasional time on the second power-play unit. His 11 points were on pace for a 22-point season in a full 72-game AHL season. There’s not much to look forward to with seventh-round picks because the chances of them making the NHL are extremely slim, but watching Jamsen play, you can see the flashes of creativity he possesses, along with his skating ability. He’s not a fast skater, but glides at his own pace with good edge work. His creativity with the puck led to Marco Sturm having confidence in deploying him as the fourth-line center for three games in December because of it, and the need to have the puck on his stick more to do so.

His best game of the season came on December 15th in a game against the San Jose Barracuda, recording a Gordie Howe hat trick in the third period in a 5-4 shootout victory for the Reign.

Now, back to the two areas I was focusing on when watching him play. His season played out almost as I expected. I thought he adjusted ‘okay’ throughout the year to the smaller ice rinks in North America, but struggled adapting to the physical aspect of the game, which was expected. Listed at 6’2″, 175 lbs on the AHL website, getting stronger, especially with the puck and along the wall, should be a point of emphasis this offseason.