Written By: Katelyn Huh
Edited By: Cameron Schoffro
Coming off strong performances playing for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and in the BCHL, which included a 104-point season in a 48-game span, Tyson Jost was a highly ranked prospect expected to be selected in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft. Among North American skaters, he was ranked 16th by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and was ultimately selected 10th overall by Colorado Avalanche GM and Hall of Famer Joe Sakic.
At the time, Jost seemed to be another top-notch addition to the list of rather up-and-down players Sakic had drafted over his tenure as the Avalanche GM. While Colorado had obtained superstars in the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, a majority of picks within the last decade or so from Sakic hadn't necessarily made a splash within the Avalanche organization, or in the NHL, for that matter.
Tyson Jost could have been an exception. After all, Sakic had nothing but high praise for him at the time when he was drafted. Most notably, it was Jost's leadership ability that captured Sakic's attention, the Colorado GM commenting, "he's captain material," with Sakic continuing to commend Jost's offensive play and good vision.
In Tyson Jost's first seasons in the NHL, though, he hadn't exactly met expectations. While he was able to debut with the Avalanche just a year later in 2017, Jost also encountered several setbacks in his rookie season, suffering a lower-body injury and being assigned to Colorado's AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.
The next few seasons weren't much better, despite Jost's strong work ethic and determination, he continued to be unproductive on the scoresheet. In the 2018-19 season, Jost eventually found himself struggling to find a consistent spot on the lineup, spending time between the starting roster and the Avalanche's new AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles; he finished the season with just 26 points in 70 NHL games.
For many Avalanche fans, it was difficult to see such a highly regarded prospect struggle in their first few seasons, and it didn't take long for trade rumours to circulate in conversations surrounding the young centre. In 2020, with the trade deadline looming at the end of February, coupled with the lack of significant improvement in Jost's offensive production, many expected Jost to have played his last game in Colorado.
Sakic, however, had other plans, and as the trade deadline passed, Tyson Jost remained a Colorado Avalanche. At first glance, keeping Jost was viewed as a questionable decision to many, only accentuated by the qualifying offer he ended up receiving for the 2020-21 season. So despite all arrows pointing otherwise, why has Tyson Jost remained as long as he has?
Locker Room Presence
While not an official statistic for any athlete in any way, shape, or form, the term "locker room presence" plays an unspoken role in just about every sport imaginable. To put it simply, it's hard to work with difficult players, who may disrupt the chemistry of a team. It's not unheard of for a good player to suddenly be traded on account of not "meshing" with a team, or not possessing the “right” attitude. A single player with bad locker room presence could ruin the dynamic of an entire team, which can then translate into the game itself, while the opposite could have just as prominent of an effect as well.
Tyson Jost, unquestionably, has great locker room presence. In fact, his lack of time on ice can't account for his time on camera, and throughout his career with the Avalanche, he's often seen either dancing in locker rooms, interviewing his teammates at events, or more recently, giving a tour of one of the NHL bubbles during the 2020 playoffs.
Jost appears to be genuinely liked by his Avalanche teammates, and undoubtedly by Sakic as well, as his insistence on keeping him ventures further into risk rather than reward. His former teammates and coaches share the same sentiment. "He's just got a certain personality about him that's infectious with the other guys and that everyone wants to be around," Jost's head coach at North Dakota said, with Liam Finlay, a former teammate, adding, "he's fun to be around and he's fun to hang out with."
It wouldn't be surprising if Jost's personality and attitude provide his teammates with a morale boost in the locker room, whether it be through pre-game antics or mid-game pep talks. Either way, it seems as if Tyson Jost's role extends beyond the ice, and that perhaps his locker room presence plays a bigger role in why he remains in Colorado after all.
Sakic's Vision
Another answer could be the fact that Sakic himself still believes that Jost could become the player he expected him to be. At the end of the day, Jost is 23 years old with a lot of hockey-playing left. Some experts have speculated that Colorado isn't the system that Jost needs and that he could potentially thrive better in another organization with a different playing style. Sakic would want to argue otherwise, maybe time is what's needed most rather than a complete change in environment.
Considering how young Jost was when he first began playing in the NHL, it's a reputable excuse. It might take longer and more conditioning for him to develop further, and perhaps patience is the winning strategy. Sakic's vision for Jost is entirely still possible, he could one day be a prominent contributor for this team, and if not necessarily captain, a potential leader both on and off the ice.
Sakic may be having a hard time admitting that he might have been wrong about Jost, but this seems to be unlikely. There is reason to believe Sakic thinks Tyson Jost is worth more investment and stands out above other past draft selections that have been either dealt or demoted since his tenure as GM. As it turns out, Sakic's own words after the trade deadline passed speak for itself: "sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make."
The Future
At over 190 pounds, Jost isn't known for being the fastest skater on the ice, especially when he shares a bench with a player like Nathan MacKinnon. Though what he lacks in considerable speed he makes up for in physicality, his strengths are found in defending the puck and on the penalty kill.
2020-21 started in a similar fashion as years prior in terms of scoring, but Jost seems to have found more of his game as of recent. He has continued to gain consistency in minutes and found his spot, spending lots of time as the third line center. His first two goals both fell in the past month while racking up several assists in the process. Many hope to see this as a potential spark for Jost, or at least a sign that he may be beginning to find a place in this star-studded Colorado roster, but unfortunately, it may come too late.
Despite having signed that one-year qualifying offer, he'll most likely be available to take in the expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken, and there will be nothing Sakic can do if Seattle does end up selecting Jost. However, if Jost remains in Colorado after the expansion draft, it's hard to see Sakic letting go of Jost, considering Jost will continue to come at a cheap price.
Nevertheless, Jost will soon need a breakout season to cement himself as being worthy of that 10th overall pick, whether it be in Colorado, Seattle, or another team entirely. The question is, will that time ever come? Avalanche fans hope so, and as stated before, Jost has quite enough time in his age to have that type of a season. Though on a team of stars and stars in the making, it will be harder for Jost to find the spotlight in Colorado, and unfortunately for Sakic, time is starting to run out, and his original vision for Jost may soon be left as a mere what-if.
References
- Kiszla, M. (2020, February 27). Spared from trade at deadline, Tyson Jost rekindles that loving feeling with Avs in victory against Buffalo. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2020/02/26/tyson-jost-loving-feeling-nhl-trade-deadline-kiszla/.
- MacDonald, S. (2019, November 25). 'Josty? I love that guy': Former junior and college teammates share thoughts on Tyson Jost. Mile High Hockey. https://www.milehighhockey.com/2019/11/25/20981695/josty-i-love-that-guy-former-junior-and-college-teammates-share-thoughts-on-tyson-jost.
- NHL.com, & Sadowski, R. (2016, June 27). Avalanche first-round pick Jost 'captain material'. NHL.com. https://www.nhl.com/news/joe-sakic-praises-avalanche-first-rounder-tyson-jost/c-281074608.
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