A lot has been written about Jarrod Lakemore's hot start to the season (12 goals in 10 games) and how he looks ready to take the next step and be the focal point of Buffalo's offense. But this isn't too surprising. Lakemore, playing in his fourth season, has slowly increased his production each season and is just about to enter the prime of his career. On closer examination however, Lakemore's first three seasons where he was mostly a physical presence and role player, have actually been very underrated.

The clearest example of this is in Lakemore's rookie season. Playing third line minutes with no power play time, Lakemore still managed 50 points in his rookie season while also being asked to be part of the top PK line. Buffalo's PK that season was a respectable 83.7%, and also scored shorthanded 14 times. True, Lakemore's numbers were nowhere near as gaudy as Bergmark, Hargreaves, or Salad, who deservedly led the rookie of the year race. But that season Buffalo would make an incredible cup run, and Lakemore stepped up his game further in the playoffs. He would lead the team in hits and shorthanded time on ice, while putting up 22 points in 21 games, good for second on the team. Yes, that Buffalo run was built largely around defense and goaltending, but you could easily make a case for Lakemore as having the best postseason of any Buffalo forward as they won the cup. So while this current season may mark Lakemore's breakout season by many, don't forget that Lakemore has already proven his value for Buffalo early in his career. (281 words)