Justin Schultz quietly contributing on Penguins' blue line
Pittsburgh appears to be just what Justin Schultz needed.
The Penguins acquired the 26-year-old rearguard from the Edmonton Oilers - where his career never took off - in February, and rewarded Schultz with a one-year contract after a strong run en route to the Stanley Cup.
Fast forward to this season, and Schultz continues to prove his worth in black and yellow.
Coming off a three-point night versus the Bruins on Wednesday, Schultz is up to 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 30 games this season. That's two points behind Penguins' No. 1 Kris Letang, and more than the likes of Nick Bonino, Chris Kunitz, and Carl Hagelin.
Schultz's boss has taken notice:
Sullivan on Schultz: "He’s quietly playing real effective hockey for us at both ends… We’re really encouraged with his overall game."
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 15, 2016
Schultz signed with the Oilers out of Wisconsin in 2012 with tremendous hype, as Edmonton hoped he was the top-pairing defenseman every team covets. He wasn't, though, and Edmonton eventually shipped Schultz out of town for a third-round pick and salary retention.
While it's foolish to compare the Penguins' overall team success to the Oilers', perhaps a cutback in ice time has helped rejuvenate Schultz.
In 248 games with Edmonton, Schultz averaged just over 22 minutes per game, compared to only 15:57 in 47 games with Pittsburgh.