From my vantage point at the arena, there wasn't much effort. Greiss played very well or CAR would have had 10 goals. I didn't like Nelson's game - seemed like physical contact was forbidden. Same for most of the team actually. I thought MDC had a good game from a defensive standpoint. But really, he will never be the scorer we had hoped. His role is best suited as a shutdown guy. Sadly, Clutter looks like he's about done.
If we didn't already know this after last year's playoffs, CAR is a very good team, and even more improved over last year. Dzingel adds even more speed to an extremely fast team, and Gardiner was a nice pick up. The Canes made us look like we were playing in slow motion. They would make 3 passes before the Isles would even react.
And if they don't find someone to play with Barzal, his career will be wasted here. Teams are figuring him out, as when he is out there, other teams just keep him to the outside until they can force a bad pass or take him out of the play against the boards. No one else out there is on his plateau, so no plays are developing as he looks for something to open up.
I just don't see any structure. No one is in position, no one seems to know where they should be or where their teammates will be on the ice. I know Lou was aiming high with Panarin, and I know some may argue there was no imperative to sign other FA's given the team's point total last year. But I feel the Isles had to lay it out on the line every night to accomplish what they did last year. I think that they don't have it in them, without an addition of talent, to do it again. Even additions of players on Dzingel's level, decent scoring and lots of speed, would have helped.
It might sound like I'm saying the sky is falling, but I think this team is going to have a hard time, and will be a fringe playoff team at best. Unless Lou does something. Bring up a kid or two, make a trade for scoring, I don't know....