PORTLAND – Not even Graham Mink could have predicted his season would go like this.

Looking to jump-start his career after a long legal hassle and brief jail sentence, Mink has done more than that.

“Personally, I’ve been very happy with the way things have gone,” said Mink.

He leads the team with 13 goals and seven assists through 29 games. He only scored 39 goals and 32 assists in 127 AHL games during the previous two years.

When Trent Whitfield and Colin Forbes were both summoned by Washington, Mink discovered he was the new team captain.

“It’s an honor,” said Mink, who arrived back from Christmas break to find the ‘C’ on his jersey in Worcester. “I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’ve gotten a lot of emotional energy and support from the guys in the room.”

Mink has become a dominant force on the ice and in the locker room. It’s a role few would have predicted a year ago.

“I’m really happy with him,” said Pirates coach Tim Army. “Most of all I’m happy with his maturity more as a person than as a hockey player. “

Mink has always been a big body and offensive force in front of the net, but he’s taken his game to a whole new level. Much of that, he says, is the ability to put a difficult chapter in his life behind him.

“I’ve got a lot more emotional energy,” he said. “I don’t have things hanging over my head, and that’s helped a lot.”

Mink was dogged by a legal charge stemming from an altercation in college while at Vermont. He ultimately spent a month in jail for an assault conviction.

He has successfully moved on. To begin the year, Army named him an assistant captain and has seen his presence with his teammates grow.

“I wanted him to be an assistant to support Trent,” said Army. “He’s sort of grown into that leadership role. There’s a fine line telling guys what to

do and holding the guys accountable. It’s the coaches job to tell guys what to do. It’s the captains responsibility to hold a player accountable in the room, and he found that fine line.”

Since being named captain, Mink has three goals and an assist in four games. Mink credits his linemates – Darcy Verot and Brad Parsons – and the chemistry they have together. Army says the fact that Mink has developed a better defensive game has allowed the threesome to go against some better offensive lines that have a hard time against Mink in the offensive end.

After two seasons of playing in the AHL, he was at the stage of his career where he needed to expand his game if he had any hopes of climbing the Capitals depth ladder.

“I want to play hard every night and continue to improve,” said Mink. “If I can do that and stay within myself every night than I’m happy with that. As far as personal accomplishments, they’re not as important to me as what the team does on the ice.”

Portland has turned around a struggling team and Mink’s play and leadership has been a key aspect of that success.

“I’m really happy with Minker on and off the ice,” said Army. “I’m really proud of him. I’m proud of, obviously coming from where he’s been in his life. It shows tremendous character because he’s been able to forge ahead and make himself a better person. To make yourself a better person, it makes you a better athlete.”

Hajt of his game

Chris Hajt got a chance to return home of sorts when he was recalled by Washington and played in Buffalo on New Year’s Eve. Hajt grew up in Buffalo when his father played for the Sabres.

“He was thrilled,” said Army. “When I told him, he was pretty excited.”

Hajt had not played in the NHL since the 2000-2001 season when he played a single game for Edmonton. He’s played a pair of games with the Caps entering the weekend.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve got guys that have gone up and made contributions,” said Army.

“That’s a real positive for us. To see Hajt go up and get a chance, he deserves it. I think he’s just been terrific for us the last year-and-a-half. He’s a guy that I’ve relied on off the ice as well as on.”

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