a few thoughts the morning after..
..cann't imagine worse special team play than we have had these first 9 games
..we have now allowed 8 PP gaols and 1 shorthanded goal. 9 in 9 games. while allowing only 11 5 on 5 goals.
..we have actually scored more empty net goals (5) than PP goals (3).
..we have had 3 5 on 3 PP's where we didn't score.
..even strength 5 on 5 we have outscored opponents 22-11. the most scored es of any team and the 2nd fewest allowed es.
...if we aren't going to be an upper half PP team we HAVE to be a top 10ish PK team, and it's looked as bad as the PP (almost)
..i don't have the answers. wish i did.
..our first line is just so damn good.
..every other line has been so damn bad (minus smith)
..breakdown of our scoring by line by 5 on 5 es non empty net looks like this;
1st line; 12 (forsberg 4, arvy 6, johansen 2)
2nd line; 3 (fiala 0, turris 0, smith 3)
3rd line; 2 (hartman 1, bonino 0, jarnkrok 1)
4th line; 2 (salomaki 0, sissons 1, rinaldo 1)
...hard to believe how bad bonino has looked offensively, while admittedly looking great defensively.
...jarnkrok has looked like playoff jarnkrok, invisible
..fiala is pressing and has looked downright awful. and very bad on the PP halfwall
..we are simply getting nothing outside the top line. we have truly become a one line team. depth. we still badly need better forward depth.
...as much as i would hate to breakup that top line, it might be worth considering moving one of them to the second unit to at least try to develop depth. and it might actually get someone else going being moved to top line.
...how can fiala be a -4 on a team that is +11 even strength?
...subban has not played well. people don't want to hear this but he hasn't
...josi hasn't looked good at all this year.
...ellis and ekholm have outplayed these two significantly in both ends honestly.
...i cann't help it, i still worry about a full time game after game saros. size and rebound control i still have questions on, not his athletic ability.
...over so many years of watching hockey i have just seen so many goalies flame out after looking great their first 50 odd games or as a backup spot starter.
