Renewed optimism finds its way to my posts.
Koskinen looked great yesterday. He was making saves an NHL goalie needs to, and more. The goals they scored were unstoppable, mostly.
I don't know how their PP is struggling. It looks wildly better than ours. Very fast crisp passing, dangerous one timers, hustle. They looked so damn good. I think it's time to move McDavid to the other side of the ice and try that.
I've been incredibly hard on Klefbom the past few seasons, and rightfully so IMO, but this year he looks like a legit top pairing defender. Very impressed with him. Hope he keeps it up.
Garrison and Benning should not be playing. Gravel and Bouchard should be in for them. Watching Benning rifle pucks around the boards when there are open passing options is rage inducing. Contrast to Bouchard's effortless tape-to-tape zone exits and it still has me wondering why Bouchard isn't playing every game. I get they want to keep him around as long as possible ... hopefully they will keep him around. I think he is our second or third most valuable defenceman at the moment. On a team that is in a playoff spot, you can't afford to give that player up for fear of what happens 2 or 3 years down the line.
Lucic too. It's like bizarro world this season. Lucic is flying out there at times. What the hell am I watching? Hasn't been terribly efficient at generating scoring opportunities, although his points so far are back on pace to where they need to be. It looks like he has found some sort of groove on the third line.
I wanted to mention that Nashville shows a good example of wanting to ice the best team possible instead of caring about reputation, contract, etc. It seemed like we had Lucic on the 1st and 2nd lines far too often last year, but Nashville has had Bonino on the 4th line.
Hopefully Koskinen's great game inspires Talbot. He needs to get back on track.
Kassian looks absolutely done as a hockey player. Looks terrified out there and the only way he can ever be effective is if he's fearless. No surprise Friedman mentions his GM can start contacting teams for a trade. We have too many other winger options at lower salary for him to be worthwhile given his current play. Sorry buddy.