Tristen Robins Has His Groove Back

Laat year had to be a tough season for Tristen Robins. After making his NHL debut at the end of the 2022-23 season with the San Jose Sharks, Robins looked to build on that for the 23-24 season.

Instead a preseason injury kept him from making his season debut until right before Christmas and it looked like he never got back up to speed as the season went on. He ended up with seven goals and 11 assists in 42 games for the San Jose Barracuda.

This season, Tristen Robins looks like he is ready to go. In the first two games of the Barracuda season, Robins scored and assisted on two other goals. But more importantly he has his jump back in his game.

Robins is at this best when he can skate and pressure the opposing team into making a mistake and then capitalizing on it. This is what makes him such a good penalty killer.

His ability to quickly cover ground and pressure the other teams into making mistakes has been a skill that he has really developed since coming to the AHL. Now that he has is fully healthy, he can utilize his natural talents to go with the skills he has learned.

On his goal on Sunday, Robins does a good job of utilizing his speed as he is turning the corner to give himself space before the shot. While this is a goal that Phoenix Copley wants back, Robins was able to square himself up to the goalie and find some daylight. This goal was a reward for utilizing his strengths.

On the Filip Bystedt goal, the Barracuda are having a sloppy defensive shift that saw players running into each other and several failed clearing attempts. Robins takes advantage of a shot hitting Jake Furlong and then left all alone. He recognizes what is happening and all the clear ice he has on the left side and pushes the pace.

It would have been very easy to pass it to Kasper Halttunen and let him take a shot, but Robins recognizes that Bystedt (not even in the frame) is coming to support. Copley has to respect Halttunen as a shooter and Jack Miller is pushed out of position because of Robins cutting towards the middle. It leaves an easy goal for Bystedt.

This is all because of Robins ability to not only diagnosis the play, but now utilize his speed to take advantage. Robins has reached the level where his skill and ability to read the game are now even, especially compared to last year where he struggled through injuries.

If Robins can stay healthy, the post hype breakout season could be upon us.