Detroit Red Wings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#60 overall), Slovakian-born left wing Tomas Tatar(27) was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2013 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs for his part in Grand Rapid Griffins‘ championship win.
His 16 goals were a postseason best and he finished tied for second in scoring with 21 points.
He started the lockout season back home with SHK 37 Piestany until he was returned to the AHL to keep him closer to the parent club.
He pocketed a swift 5 goals and 5 assists before he returned.
Within the first couple of weeks of the NHL reconvening the small-ish 5’10” 185 lbs. forward was recalled and playing consistently in the show.
In 18 games in the shortened season, he proved his abilities to compete with 4 goals and 3 assists before being sent back down.
He was recalled and reassigned numerous times as a rookie but never appeared in a game until his sophomore season, when he notched a first big league goal in 9 appearances.
The still only 22-year old with four years of North American pro hockey playing experience has another campaign left on his 3-year entry level deal (two seasons of slides due to his young age) and will likely find himself with a full-time role in the show for 2013/2014.