If you’ve been paying attention to the Nashville Predators this season, you’ll know that Jeremy Lauzon is racking up an impressive collection of hits. In fact, Lauzon is currently on pace to break the NHL record for most hits in a season.
But Jeremy Lauzon isn’t chasing history, in fact, he was surprised that he was on track to break an NHL record when I told him about it after practice one morning last week, “I’m not chasing hits to try to break the record, I just try to play hard and help my team win every night.”
The record, according the NHL, is 382 and is currently held by Matt Martin, who set it back in the 2014-15 season when he played with the New York Islanders. Some sources list Robert Svehla as the record holder–Svehla recorded 386 in 2001-02 with the Florida Panthers. Of course, the NHL started keeping official statistics on hits in 2005-06.
However, it doesn’t really matter which number you want to look at as the record, Lauzon’s current pace has him walking a tightrope that could allow him to break both. As of publication, Lauzon has recorded 315 hits in 66 games–that’s a little over 4.7 hits per game. At that rate, he’ll finish with 391 hits.
While Lauzon has always been a physical player, and his hit totals have increased every season; he’s far outperforming his previous production:
21-22: 224 hits in 66 games
22-23: 250 hits in 67 games
23-24: 315 hits in 66 games
Surprisingly, he attributes his increased physicality to an improvement in his skating, “I think my skating got way better over the summer. I’ve been able to close quicker and cut down the space on my opponent. I like to play a physical game, so when have a chance to finish my check, I do.”
When players come back from the offseason, it’s easy to ask them what they worked on during their time off. The most common answer is “skating”. Usually, I consider this to be a reflection of their desire to be faster than the competition or to skate with more finesse. It’s not normally something I associate with a player wanting to close faster in order to lay a big hit. However, it’s interesting to consider how Lauzon is leaning into his role on the team. To Lauzon, hitting isn’t just about being physical, “I feel the best when I’m involved physically. Whenever I get a couple of big hits at the beginning of the game, I always feel more confident moving forward in the game. It’s a big part of who I am as a player.”
Physical play isn’t new for Lauzon, he continued, “it really started when I was in Juniors. Maybe I wasn’t finishing my checks as much as I do now, but I always prided myself on being a hard player to play against.”
While improved skating is certainly playing a role in Lauzon’s game this season, there’s another factor and that is former Predators defender and current Predators Professional Development Coach Mark Borowiecki. “He was a physical defenseman his whole career; he’s a great resource to have around. He’s pumped about the way I’m playing right now.”
The Predators faced a lot of criticism when they traded a second round pick in exchange for Lauzon. They faced even more when they signed Lauzon to an extension during the summer of 2022. However, his focus on strong defense and making more room on the ice for his teammates has silenced a lot of those critics. While he may not be an offensive powerhouse, he’s having his best offensive season yet (6-7-13).
Overall, Lauzon likes how his season has gone so far, “I think I’ve created a little reputation around the league. Guys don’t want to play against me, when they come around the corner, they know what they’re going to get. I like the way I’ve been playing; I like being physical.”
It’s easy to see how Lauzon’s hard-charging play brings a lot of energy and excitement to the ice each night. His focus may not be on records, but his focus on improving from year-to-year and using his talents to help his team is certainly paying dividends. If the by-product yields an NHL record, well, that’s just icing on the cake
–featured image via Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire–
