The 24-year-old embraced a top-6 role and had 35 points in his first full season in the NHL with the Capitals.
Last summer, the Washington Capitals rolled the dice in a big way, giving up a second-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Justin Sourdif. Critics at the time were skeptical, with Sourdif costing quite a bit for not having played full-time in the NHL yet.
However, the Capitals knew what they were getting, and almost a year later, the rest of the league saw, too, as Sourdif burst onto the scene and cemented himself as one of the top rising prospects to keep an eye on.
"I definitely took a lot of heat for trading for him, so maybe I should (take credit now)," general managed Chris Patrick joked earlier in the year.
The 24-year-old appeared in 78 games for the Capitals, picking up 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points, along with a plus/minus of plus-17. Though he started out as a winger on the powerhouse fourth line, Sourdif moved into a center role when Pierre-Luc Dubois went down with injury, and established himself as a top two-way pivot who could plug in on the top-6.
Among Capitals players with at least 32 games played, Sourdif ranked fourth in scoring-chances for percentage (52.79) and led all forwards in goals-for percentage (62.67) and high-danger goals-for percentage (64.29) at 5-on-5. While averaging 14:44 minutes per game, he took on more responsibility at both ends of the ice, and got time on special teams, too.
Sourdif's standout rookie campaign earned him a couple of votes for the Calder, and he also earned a second-place vote for the Selke as the NHL's top defensive forward.
Going into next year, Sourdif is a name to watch who can take on an even bigger role as the team gets younger and looks to add more scoring up front.
He adapted just fine to the highest level and showcased his shot, skating, positioning and hockey IQ, all which will serve him well in his sophomore year. Then, there's his work ethic that makes him stand out even more.
"Just being a quality, quality young man that works his butt off and is so coachable, you can tell he was raised on just his heart and how he treats other people," Spencer Carbery said. "It's exactly in line with the people that we want to be a part of this organization."
Sourdif was a player that Washington admittedly had its eyes on for years, and for good reason. Look for him to continue to break out come fall.