After six days of hockey, some teams and players appear to have their act together, while others are stumbling out of the gate.
Don't look now, but Ted Nolan is making Garth Snow look like a genius. Who would have thought mixing rugged-veteran Bill Guerin with Mike Comrie, Richard Park and Andy Sutton make for a solid team? Not even a great fiction writer could foreshadow the great start they've put up. The League named Comrie second star of the week as he registered six points in two games. The Isles did lose to the Capitals, but then again who hasn't?
It appears as if George McPhee's team could be the cream of the crop in the Southeast Division this year. Many writers labeled Washington to be a "dark-horse" candidate, but local Caps writers picked this team to make the playoffs. I, for one, wrote this team off long ago. How could you not? It appears as if they didn't improve that much from last year. Through three games, Ovechkin and crew have proved me wrong.
Last Friday I saw Glen Hanlon's team in-person wax the Thrashers, a team who missed the memo that the season has started. During the course of the game, I remember thinking to myself how good Nylander looked as well as rookie Nicklas Backstrom.
Then again, they might have looked good against the Thrashers lack of defense. I have to say that the Thrashers are the biggest disappointment so far this season. Bob Hartley's team has posted three goals in two games...Repeat, three goals in two games.
Scoring three goals in two games? Sure, scoring droughts happen, but when a team gives up eight goals in these two games? Nothing good ever comes from this. The fact is, 19-year-old Bryan Little has been the best player for the Thrashers this season. Imagine how little (pun intended) offense Atlanta would be generating if he started the season in the AHL?
It doesn't get any easier for the Thrashers as they host Ottawa and their high-octane offense on Wednesday.
It seems as if Ottawa can score at will. Their top line of Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson are in the top three in every scoring category. If they continue this production, I may have to re-visit my earlier predictions.
A week into the season, Atlanta, Florida and Buffalo are the three teams without a win. Yes, Phoenix has one for those who went to check the standings.
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3 comments:
Calgary doesn't have a win either.
Washington seems to really be looking good all round. And now that they have moved Backstrom to the wing and stuck Kozlov up on the first line it's looking like he'll be trying for a possible career year.
Hey, I'm interested in linking up with your blog. E-mail me at everythinghockey@gmail.com if you want to.
The Thrashers biggest need was a top-line C, and did they make any attempt to sign any of the several who were free agents this off-season? NO...management needs to loosen up the pocketbooks just a little to give this team the talent it needs to win.
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