Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek masters the art of net-front presence

NEWARK, N.J. – Stand at the top of the crease, right in the goaltender's sightline.

Be wary of stick whacks to the back and pucks flying at the body as fast as cars drive the freeway.

Deflecting those shots completes the task, but creating havoc is also a job well done.

With responsibilities like that, reporting to the front of the net on the power play comes off as more of a punishment than a privilege.

But the payoff is worth the price, and the Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek has proven he can cash in.

"It's not a bad thing to be there," Marcus Johansson said. "It's fun. It's where goals happen and where a lot of stuff goes down. So, it's a fun role, and Ekker is one of the best at it."

This post isn't new for Eriksson Ek, who has been a fixture on special teams for the past few seasons, but his early effectiveness has been eye-catching.

There was the puck he tipped down to himself before depositing it into the net during the Wild's opening-night victory over Florida on Oct. 12. Then in a victory at Montreal on Oct. 17, Eriksson Ek wired in his own rebound despite being surrounded by three Canadiens players. Later that game, he swooped in from the side to stuff in a shot.

"You have to find something that you're really comfortable [with] and know how to do," said Eriksson Ek, who scored 12 of his 23 goals on the power play last season. "For every player it's different."

Why is essentially being a target for pucks in his comfort zone?

"Good question," Eriksson Ek said. "It comes natural. Still, it's a lot of work. I've played around the net a lot, so I think that's where it comes from."

Although having this office means occasionally getting hit — with shots from teammates and sticks jabs by the opposition — the cost of admission to the front of the net has actually declined over the years.

That's when Tomas Holmstrom, circa the early 2000s with Detroit, turned the net-front duty into an art form, the winger thinking and moving like a goalie.

"Holmstrom set the standard for what a net-front presence should look like," said Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft, who was on the Red Wings' staff during Holmstrom's career.

Before Holmstrom, former North Star Dino Ciccarelli was Detroit's screen. When Ciccarelli left for Tampa Bay ahead of Holmstrom's rookie season, Holm­strom saw a chance to take on a gig he had already had in Sweden.

"You know you're going to take a beating," said Holmstrom, a four-time Stanley Cup champion who retired in 2013 after 1,026 games and 243 goals (including 122 on the power play). "But when the puck comes to the net, all the loose pucks, that's your puck. Never let your eyes go away from the puck. Follow the puck.

"And most important, even if you get cross-checked, never leave the net. Fight for your space and drive the defense crazy. That's pretty much how I did it. The more they cross-check, the more I knew the better job I did."

"The puck comes loose. Everybody's whacking and not always at the puck," Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. "At your feet, your hands. Yeah, they do it all. That's why I think guys get mad at him, too.

"He just stands there, takes it, and keeps going. That's what makes him so good."

A functioning power play is dependent on many factors.

In a typical 1-3-1 formation, the quarterback organizes the attack along the blue line. In the middle of the zone is the bumper deploying passes, and on the flanks are the shooting lanes.

But having someone in front of the net elevates everyone's contributions.

With the best penalty kills denying 80% of opportunities, this assignment isn't just indicative of size and strength.

Skill is also a prerequisite, and Eriksson Ek checks that box, too.

"He's got the whole package," Johansson said. "He's smart. He's strong, and players like that don't come around very often."