St. Louis Blues forward Zach Sanford roughly one year ago was faced with a decision no one on Earth wants to be in. He made his decision, and the result proved it was the right one.
Roughly one year ago, a day or two after finishing his first preseason game with the St. Louis Blues, Zach Sanford received a call from his sister informing him that his father had suffered a heart attack.
He was hospitalized, and the doctors were going to try therapeutic hypothermia, the lowering of one’s body temperature between 89-93 degrees to promote blood flow to the brain and vital organs, to help his recovery. The procedure has had some significant success, so the family was hopeful.
Faced with an impossible decision, rush home to be with dad and family or stay at camp and try to make the team, Zach Sanford did what he knew his father would’ve wanted. Stay and try to make the team.
Still, in his gear from practice, Zach Sanford received the call that his father didn’t make it and had passed. The St. Louis Blues put Sanford on a flight headed back to his hometown where Sanford was able to mourn the loss and be there for his family.
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When he returned to camp players like Jordan Kyrou and Sammy Blais had passed him up on the depth chart and were awarded positions at the end of camp on the big club.
Sanford was told that this was not a reflection of his abilities, it was just a result of circumstances and that he should go to the AHL focus on his game and be ready.
Sanford did just that and was called up on October 16 and centered a line with Ivan Barbashev and Sammy Blais. He was quickly promoted to man the wing on the second line of David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly, where he started to find some success, and where we all could begin to see flashes of Sanford’s ability.
After a rough start to not only his but the entire Blues team, Sanford was able to deliver the dream of every single hockey parent. He hoisted a Stanley Cup into the air, and I’m sure his father’s hands reached down to raise it with him! He even iced the deciding Stanley Cup Final Game 7 with a goal to put the Blues ahead 4-0 in the third period.
Sanford finished the season with 60 games played, eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points with a +/- of 8. He recorded a goal and three assists in eight playoff games. Not eye-popping stats by any stretch, but what really is intriguing is the way he amassed these points.
Sanford was streaky. When he was scoring, it came in bunches. When he wasn’t, he seemed to disappear into the fold and leave you scratching your head. I personally would cringe early on when I’d see him in the lineup. I will admit now, after the postseason and seeing flashes of what he can do I cringe less.
As the season progressed, you could see Sanford was beginning to understand more the importance of the two-way game.
Puck possession was coach Craig Berube‘s mantra, and you could see it starting to click with Sanford’s play. I believe last season, those flashes of offense, are what we will come to expect on a more consistent basis from Sanford going forward.
I love that he is paired with Perron and O’Reilly. Two pros who play the game the way Sanford thinks the game. Sanford is big enough to move opponents and get feisty.
He also has shown the where with all to make some great offensive plays. Working and learning from O’Reilly and Perron will only help Sanford’s career.
After all of that, what can we hope to see from Sanford for the 2019-20 season? I believe Zach Sanford has the ability to be like another Massachusetts born Blues alumni in Scott Young. With the Blues, Young put up around 50 points a season with a career 73 points in 2000-01. He was a 20 goal scorer every season but 2000-01 where he amassed 40 goals.
I see a lot of similarities in Zach Sanford and Scott Young’s games. Both taller and both bigger. Offensive minded guys who need a good supporting cast around them in order to be effective.
I’m not saying that Sanford is going to put up 40 goals at any time in his career, but the potential is there with the right cast around him like Young had in 2000-01.
Zach Sanford has earned a spot on the second line with O’Reilly and Perron. I believe this season he will hold onto that spot and start to become a consistent hockey player. He has the ability to be a 20 goal guy, and with Perron and O’Reilly as his supporting cast, he could get more. Time will tell. One thing we all know is that Zach’s dad knows there is more to his son’s game and is pushing him to prove it every day!