Jack Finley is competing for a roster spot with the St. Louis Blues, and while his defensive game is excellent, coach Jim Montgomery wants more from his 6-foot-6 center.
Jack Finley provides stability, bringing a calming two-way game for the St. Louis Blues, but if you asked coach Jim Montgomery, that isn't enough.
"Excellent penalty-killer, excellent defensively," said Montgomery. "He's got to learn about building the momentum of the game. There's no momentum tilts when he's on the ice."
It's a fair criticism for Finley, who, in 22 games with the Blues last year after being claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning, posted just two assists while averaging 11:00 of ice time.
He threw just 15 shots on goal in those 22 games, and the Blues were outscored 4-1 at 5-on-5, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. Just five goals in total over a 22-game span. As Montgomery mentioned, he's not hurting the team in any way, but he isn't changing the game either.
"We're not going to give up anything, but we're not creating big hits, we're not creating momentum, we're not getting our fans in our home building into the game," Montgomery continued. "We've spoken to him about it - 'You're fighting for a spot, you've got to create some momentum for us.'"
With a 6-foot-6 frame, Finley has the tools to be a momentum shifter. The 24-year-old was a second-round draft pick of the Lightning in 2020 but has never really been a high-end point producer. In the AHL, his career high was 32 points in the 2023-24 season, and in the WHL before that, his best point total was 50 points in 60 games.
Expecting him to be a point-per-game player in the NHL is unrealistic, but Montgomery isn't asking him to do that. Finley can remain potent defensively while adding physicality to his game. He can serve as a sparkplug for his team when needed.
Finley's direct competition is Oskar Sundqvist and Pius Suter, two reliable veteran centers. Finley needs to stand out; he needs to do something better than they can.
If not, Finley will find himself on the trade market, on waivers, or back in the AHL. With two pre-season games remaining, Finley has little time to prove himself as he enters make-or-break territory.
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