Every week, I'm going to bring you my thoughts and observations from the NHL action. I can't commit to a set number per week (though I'm going to aim for at least five), but I will say that quality over quantity will be the order of the day.
Without further ado, here's what I noticed this week:
- Going to start off with the big story today, the Flyers firing head coach Peter Laviolette and replacing him, at least on the interim, with assistant coach Craig Berube. The Flyers have stumbled out of the gate to an 0-3-0 start and have played poorly in doing so. They dropped their home opener to Toronto, then getting shelled at Montreal and last night losing to a rebuilding Carolina team. They have been outscored 9-3 in their outings this season and have been unable to sustain offensive pressure. The Flyers did hold the Hurricanes to two goals last night, but Carolina pretty much did whatever they wanted, outshooting Philadelphia 34-18 in the win. Neither Steve Mason nor Ray Emery has impressed in net so far, though there are still 79 games to go for the Flyers. Perhaps the coaching change is what they need to get fired up, we'll see tomorrow night when they host Florida.
- Two surprises in the Western Conference in the first week, with Colorado and Calgary getting through without a regulation loss. The Avs have looked impressive so far, spanking Anaheim and then playing a sound fundamental game in their win against Nashville. Both tilts were at home, so I can't be too sure until I've seen them play a good team on the road. The Flames are arguably the bigger surprise, picking up four points and sitting in a four-way tie for first in the Pacific Division. They went on the road and beat Columbus in a good game, and their two losses have come against Washington and Vancouver by way of shootout and overtime, respectively. The troubling situation with the Flames, however, is that they have not been able to hold leads. They blew a 3-0 lead against the Caps and a 3-1 lead against the Canucks, but luckily were still able to salvage a point from each.
- I know that Toronto's 3-0-0 start probably isn't what everyone expected considering the teams they beat (Montreal, Philadelphia, Ottawa), but I'm here to tell you that you shouldn't be surprised; this is a good hockey team. They've had the right mixture of scoring, toughness, and timely goaltending thus far and I have to think that it'll only improve once David Clarkson returns from his suspension. Mark Fraser is going to be out for a while with a knee injury and now we should see the NHL debut of Morgan Rielly. I'm interested to see how he fits into the dynamic of this team and what skills he brings to the table.
- I feel like I'm the only one who looks at the Oilers' 0-2-0 start, in which they've allowed 11 goals, and says "par for the course." I didn't jump on the bandwagon before the season started, and I haven't been given a reason to change my mind yet. Quick, who leads Edmonton in goals? If you guessed Boyd Gordon, you're correct, and you've either watched their first two games or you're a hell of a guesser. Gordon's a good player, don't get me wrong, but he isn't a goal scorer. He's a third or fourth line center who provides tough minutes, excellent faceoff skills, and shot blocking. Having him lead your team in goals is not a sustainable system. It's also a problem when your fourth line is the only one with a +/- above zero. Edmonton has continued to be terrible defensively (against Winnipeg and the John Tortorella-led Canucks, no less) and they're going to make their home at the bottom of the standings until that changes.
- Has any team looked more impressive than the St. Louis Blues so far? I say no. They chased Pekka Rinne in the opener against Nashville with three first period goals en route to a 4-2 win, and then shellacked the Panthers 7-0. Everyone is doing their part for the Blues. The forwards are driving possession, they're getting contributions from the backend on the scoresheet, and Jaroslav Halak has been solid in net. I think the key for St. Louis is that no one player is carrying the group; this is a team effort, through and through. Just look at the stats that the Blues' players have put up in their first two games. They're also 3-for-8 on the man advantage so far and their penalty kill has been perfect.
- I'd be remiss if I didn't include some notes from the Pucks for Schmucks fantasy league. We here at PfS are proud to say that the two writers on this blog won this past week, and we went 1-2 in points as well. I wasn't very happy with the team I got at the draft (which I missed because I was at work), but thanks to strong play on the waiver wire I've constructed a roster that I feel much more confident in. George's team got a big week from Marc-Andre Fleury, who has allowed only one goal so far for the Penguins. You can view our league here.
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