Midseason thoughts:
With Tarasenko and Provorov picking it up lately our two problem kids are out of the slump... a bit. While I am not worried about Provorov who is just learning still, Tarasenko post injury is still a big question mark. If he can't finish the season strong the question marks will get bigger and bigger(while the org is a mess).
We can't complain much looking at the Art Ross and the Richard race, right? My current favorite NHLer leads the league in points. Ovechkin is Ovechkin.
Sergachyov is picking it up. I am pleased with his development. We have a top pairing NT defenceman coming up.(We'd have such a great pairing of 98 guys, but I am worried now after a third injury in a row for Dronov
).
With the new generation of defencemen coming up I set my sight on them and forget about the aging guys who never were an adequate group for us.
Zaytsev gets underappreciated by Toronto fans while he does a ton of defensive work for them. I see Babcock burrying his offensive game forever, but he looks like a guy who can play in all situations by now and should be a real solid 2nd pairing guy for Team Russia. Ozhiganov is doing good too which is nice to see.
Zadorov with his usual attitude issues and hit first mentality... he could have become a great OD with his shot, but he just loves to hurt people too much. Still I see him as a valuable asset for the NT.
Orlov is being Orlov. Overrated by some.
Kiselevich looks good. Lyubushkin and Yakovlev are question marks still.
So far I see the D(NHL only due to the thread) as follows:
Sergachyov - Provorov (as expected)
Zaytsev - Orlov (same)
Zadorov - Ozhiganov/Kiselevich
As for established forwards all is well. Everybody is clicking more or less. I don't care much about the Kovalchuk situation as probably Kovalchuk himself too. Team and coach are a mess. That was his choice. He is a pro. He just does his job. Let's see if some team is bold enough to trade for him before the deadline. I am worried a bit about Buchnevich. I don't think the Rangers are a well coached team, but the whole rebuild thing will be work in progress for a long time. Hopefully Buch will find his stride.
No big surprises otherwise too. Nichushkin is a black hole on the offence and Stars fans start to realize what I was telling them before the season. The guys that wasted their careers in the AHL wasted their careers in the AHL. Goldobin is only good with Pettersson, but who isn't? Barbashev, Kamenev, Zykov, Scherbak, Soshnikov, Mamin - all wasted assets. Vitaliy Abramov who?
Gurianov gets some praise from the fans, but no real opportunity on a severly offensively undermanned roster
Svechnikov does show some promise but falls further and further behind rightful expectations that we had when he played in Russia. I am more confident than ever btw that Brind'Amour is not a NHL head coach. Oh and btw how the older Svechnikov doing? Is he an AHL superstar yet?
Goalies look good as always. We have the arguably two best backups in the league and the whole fuzz around Bob is nothing. He is probably not a Bluejacket next season and that's it, but what do I care? The big three is still doing good. I am not worried.