For most hockey players, the mentality going into a game is to score a goal every night. But this past year, for Washington Capitals Zac Funk, it wasn't just a mindset; it was reality.
Funk put himself on the radar with 67 goals in 68 games this past year with the WHL's Prince George Cougars, and he's eager to keep the good times rolling as he begins the next stage of his career with Washington.
"They were frontrunners... they were really personable, they wanted me from the start," Funk said. "I always wanted to be a Capital."
The 20-year-old can score — a lot. He's also a speedy, versatile forward who takes good care of the puck and has good hockey sense and a knack for the net.
Those fundamentals have always been a part of his game, but this past year, he truly kicked things into higher gear.
On top of his 67 goals, he added 56 assists for 123 total points, a huge jump from the 13-goal, 26-point output he had just a season prior.
"I needed to do something different, because I wasn't having the success I wanted," Funk said. "I had to make a decision for myself to put everything out there."
And that he did. Funk put in the work, fine-tuning his skating, working on his passing and shooting and concentrating on all the little details. It led to a standout season with Prince George as he capitalized on his final year of junior hockey.
"It was a good situation. I worked harder. It was my last year of juniors; I wanted to make something for myself," Funk said, adding, "I didn't really realize until I kind of, at the end of the year, Iooked at my stats and stuff, kinda saw how well I was doing. It was a nice testament to what I put in."
His performance led to interest from several NHL teams, but he decided pretty early on in the process that he wanted to sign with Washington after establishing a good relationship with Danny Brooks and seeing what the team was all about.
The 6-foot, 210-pound winger also got to experience life in the pros toward the end of the year, as he earned a tryout with the AHL's Hershey Bears. That experience has motivated Funk, who had a strong development camp in D.C. last week, even more.
"Longevity's very important. Everybody at that level takes care of their body, it's a different level from juniors to here, it's cool to see," Funk said.
Looking ahead, Funk is ready to make a statement at training camp in September, and he knows that he'll have to fight for every other chance he gets from this point on — and he's excited for that challenge.
"I gotta earn everything I get here," Funk smiled. "We'll see."
