All of us who follow a team, whether as fans or media, have our favorites. Often, they’re not the stars, the headline-grabbers. For me, they’re the grinders and glue guys – the ones who provide protection and open up space for the stars to shine; energize teammates when things are tough; underdogs who are bulldogs, making up in grit and determination what they may lack in high-end talent.
That’s why I has the sads for the departure of Mikey Eyssimont, who on Tuesday signed a two-year, $2.9 million free agent deal with the Boston Bruins. When he was included in the trade back in March sending Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde to Tampa Bay for three high picks (two 1sts and a 2nd), he felt like a throw-in – a warm body to fill a Seattle roster spot for the rest of the season and no more.
He turned out to be much more. In 20 games with the Kraken, he surprised with four goals (one a game-winner) and two assists, doing so while averaging just 10:26 TOI. He also brought – hockey term – sandpaper. He was aggressive on the forecheck, truculent with opponents, good in the room and articulate with the media.
Why else do we root for Mikey? Look no further than this essay he penned for NHL.com in February, just before coming to Seattle. “My routine as a forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning is pretty similar to what most guys do… except for one thing: every six weeks, I spend two hours at the doctor’s office to get infusion therapy for Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract.
“I’ve learned a lot about Crohn’s since I was first diagnosed eight years ago. And, actually, the most important lessons have nothing to do with the science of the disease. They’re all about how you navigate a challenge that you weren’t expecting – especially if that challenge is almost invisible to the people around you.”
Eyssimont was a key cog for Team USA at May’s IIHF World Championship. Eyssimont joined Kraken teammates Joey Daccord and Matty Beniers helping the U.S. win the gold medal at the tournament for the first time in 92 years. As I wrote at the time, “Eyssimont (1 goal, 2 assists, +3 in nine games) has helped his chances as a sparkplug on Team USA’s 4th line.”
IIHF / TSN / NHL Network Screengrabs.
He certainly helped his chances in Boston, Eyssimont’s fifth NHL stop as he enters his fifth season. “A lot of juice there,” said Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. “The competitiveness. Forecheck ability. Can get down ice. He’s also chipped in his fair amount of goals. Everybody you’ve talked to in terms of how Mikey shows up to practice every day. He’s a pain in the (expletive). I want him to be a pain in the (expletive) for us.”
But one GM’s juice is another’s empty squeeze. I asked Seattle general manager Jason Botterill about it.
Glenn Dreyfuss, DJLR: “Jason, I thought Mikey Eyssimont really stood out in his 20 games, and also at the World Championship. How come you couldn’t find a million-and-a-half dollars under the couch cushions to bring him back?”
Jason Botterill, Kraken GM: “He was a great Kraken. He brought a lot of energy to our group. A week like today (at development camp), a lot of kids that we’re really excited about moving forward. We’re trying to find the balance of making sure they’re protected, but we also want to make sure some of our young kids can have a spot in the lineup. We just didn’t think he was a fit at the very end.”
Now, Mikey Eyssimont won’t be an earth-shattering loss. And these are exactly the decisions Botterill gets paid to make. But he fit the identity the Kraken are trying to build of being harder to play against, in the mold of newcomers Mason Marchment and Ryan Lindgren. And he appeared an affordable yet superior option to tendering a qualifying offer to Tye Kartye, another easy-to-root-for player who’s defied the odds.
We’ll continue to root for you, Mikey.