Knights trade for center paying off — just not that one

The Golden Knights’ trade for a center already appears to be paying off.

No, not that one. Not Jack Eichel. He’s getting closer to making a return from neck surgery but has yet to appear in a game for the Knights.

The trade that’s looking shrewd 48 games into their season is the other one they made for a former first-round pick from a New York-based team. It’s the one for Brett Howden.

The 23-year-old was acquired for a fourth-round pick from the New York Rangers with little fanfare July 17. The deal was made the same day the Knights acquired former No. 2 overall pick Nolan Patrick.

Howden has taken top billing on the ice, however. On a per-minute basis, he’s become one of the team’s most productive forwards.

“(Howden’s) growth has been fantastic in my eyes,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Any young guy that gets traded, you come in and you’re trying to feel your way and get used to things. I think he played that way early.”

But as time passed, that tentative play has vanished. “As he got more comfortable, I think you’re seeing what he’s really capable of,” DeBoer said.

Howden was selected 27th overall in the 2016 draft but never found his footing in New York.

His production and ice time declined each of his three seasons with the Rangers until he scored seven points — including just one goal — in 42 games last year. That made him expendable this summer.

The Knights decided to take a chance. They acquired him hoping their environment and style of play could do for Howden what it’s done for so many other players over their five seasons. Provide a fresh start and a boost in production.

So far, Howden is following in the footsteps of center Chandler Stephenson, defenseman Alec Martinez and so many of the Knights’ expansion-draft picks. He’s come in and found a role that suits him.

In his case, it’s being on Knights’ fourth line that forechecks hard but has more skill than in years past, thanks to a rotating cast that includes Howden, Patrick, left wing William Carrier and right wing Michael Amadio.

“We try to be an energy line,” Howden said after the group scored twice against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 29. “We try to chip in whenever we can. … we want to be good defensively, shut the other line down. The way we’re working, the battles that we have in the corner, we’re coming out with pucks and going hard to the net.”

That mentality has led to impressive production for Howden despite playing only a career low 10:24 per game.

He has eight goals and nine assists in 35 games. He’s already one away from his career high in goals and six off his career high in points. He’s making the most of every shift he gets.

Howden’s 2.46 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five is the third best on the Knights behind captain Mark Stone (3.46) and left wing Max Pacioretty (3.00), according to the website NaturalStatTrick.com. The team’s scoring-chance percentage, high-danger chance percentage and expected goals-percentage all improve when he takes the ice.

Those metrics show Howden seems to have found a formula for success, even if his contributions eventually do start to tail off. He is unlikely to keep shooting 23.5 percent for the rest of the season — his career high is 14.1 and the NHL average is 9.5 — but if he keeps playing the same opportunities will still come.

Enough to keep the Knights more than happy about their trade.

“He’s hot, let me tell you,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said after Howden scored for a fourth consecutive game Feb. 8. “He’s winning draws when we need him to. He’s playing defensive minutes, taking some of that pressure off our top line. He’s really found his stride.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.