Bench Life Sports

Born: 1/1/1987 (28 years old) Taber, Alberta, Canada
Drafted: 1st round (8th overall) in 2005 by San Jose Sharks
Teams: San Jose Sharks (2007-2011), Minnesota Wild (2011-2013), Winnipeg Jets (2013-14), Calgary Flames (2014-15)
Position: Right Wing
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 205 lbs
Shoots: Right
Full Hockey Reference Bio

2015 Stats
GP    G    A    P    +/-    PIM
12     0     0    0     -7      4
Hockey DB Profile for Full Career Stats

The Signing
On August 24 the Leafs signed Setoguchi to a Professional Try Out contract.

What he brings to the team
Setoguchi certainly has experience as a top-6 forward and scoring threat. At the height of his career he scored 31 goals, with 65 point in his 2008 season with the San Jose Sharks. He followed that season up with 20, 22 and 19 goal campaigns in injury-shortened 2009-2011 seasons. Setoguchi used to be a highly coveted sniper and he was part of the package traded to the Minnesota Wild for star defender Brent Chewbacca Burns in 2011. Since 2011 he has only scored 24 total NHL goals causing his stock to plummet. He hit rock bottom when he cleared waivers last season when Calgary sent him down to the AHL after just 12 games. After 19 AHL games his season was cut short when he checked into rehab with undisclosed substance abuse problems.

When training camp opens he’s definitely a comeback story to keep an eye on.

Why he’s on the bench

Once upon a time Setoguchi was a 30 goal scorer with San Jose. But those days are long gone. To wave that season around as proof of Setoguchi’s current talent is like Uncle Rico from Napolean Dynamite obsessively holding onto his dreams of winning state. It’s been seven years, get over it. If Setoguchi can reclaim any of his previous form he could be a nice pickup. Although expectations should be tempered. In terms of PTO reclamation projects think David Booth rather than Mason Raymond. Any semblance of value he shows will just add to the Leafs stockpile of players on one year deals to be flipped for picks at the deadline.

Other Stuff

Random Facts:
-Setoguchi is Half-Yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese Canadian)
-He scored his first two regular-season NHL goals on October 29, 2007, in his first NHL game vs. Dallas making him the first Sharks rookie ever to score two goals in his first NHL game

If Setoguchi gets cut at training camp and fades back into obscurity at least his existence will have provided this weird interpretive dance performed at his wedding reception.

One of the dancers is former Sharks teammate and current Dallas Stars defenseman Jason Demers. Another dancer is former Leafs disappointment Kris Versteeg who seems to be in euphoric bliss after winning the Stanley Cup with Chicago. I hate that he’s happy. I hate that I hate that he’s happy. Let’s just get this season over with…