November 14, 2011

Dobber Sports

2011-11-14

 

I think Hagman will have an early impact in Anaheim, much like Jason Blake did. Nothing sustainable, but look for a two-week pop.

 

Crosby skates with Neal and Malkin in practice. But still no change in his status. Sullivan/Kennedy questionable for Tuesday

 

One game in with his new team and we can see Kris Russell's role on the Blues shaping up. He didn't eat any of the PP time of the other puck-movers (Shattenkirk, Pietrangelo and Colaiacovo), but he did get some PP time. Looks like he's giving the Blues some more puck movement in five-on-five situations, which is something they would need under a more defensive coaching situation. As Chris Nichols noted in the Ramblings yesterday, the Blues have two shutouts in three games under Hitchcock.

 

Incidentally, Halak has bumped his GAA and SP up from 3.58 and 0.843 to 2.78 and 0.882 in his last three starts (includes one pre-Hitch start). On the flip side, the team has managed to score just eight goals. We're getting a pretty good hint of things to come. I wonder how this team will do scoring-wise when/if Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwarz join them next year.

 

Meanwhile, the other half of that trade – Nikitin – tallied an assist in his Columbus debut and saw 2:41 of PP ice time, which was third among defensemen. Overall, his ice time was second only to James Wisniewski.

 

Mattias Tedenby has a lot of upside, but he's not getting the opportunities that he did last season. Under the new coach, he's seeing around 10 minutes per game and I don't see that changing unless a couple of key injuries happen.

 

Ryan Miller has a concussion. This certainly gives Jhonas Enroth a great opportunity to Tuukka Rask his way into the starting role (and perhaps Miller will Tim Thomas his way back into it next year?).  The hit on Miller is below, as is his priceless reaction to it.

 

So is this a two-week concussion or a 12-month concussion? If it's anything beyond two months, you have to think that Enroth will be one of the three Calder finalists. At this point, Craig Smith and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are the unanimous two favorites.

 

How important is Matt Read to the Flyers? He played 3:33 on the power play and 5:09 shorthanded, or 8:42 on special teams altogether. He played 8:05 at even strength. That's a great sign of confidence from the coach, we just don't want that confidence to start honing itself under the SH column. But his team-leading four shots, if it happens consistently, will see to it that he remains in the mix offensively.

 

Shea Weber isn't going anywhere. The Preds still have him after this year, as he is only an RFA next summer. So there is no rush in moving him, rumors be damned.

 

Last week was hilarious, reading all the Leaf chatter about their goaltending woes. Then Ben Scrivens comes in and wins a great game against the Blues, and a decent game against the Sens. I'm sure he can keep this team playing .500 hockey for three or four weeks until James Reimer returns. But signing Marty Turco would be beyond stupid and I don't see Brian Burke ever doing something like that. Perhaps a trade for Scott Clemmensen or Evgeni Nabokov – but nothing like that would ever happen unless the Leafs went on a 2-8-0 run and they then receive word that Reimer is out for a few more weeks yet. Certainly not after two losses and a Reimer return in 2011 still feasible.

 

Ryan Strome got off to a late start in the OHL, thanks to his extended stay on Long Island. But since arriving there, he has yet to be held off the scoresheet. Points in all 13 games that he has played, and 20 points in all. He had three points in Team OHL's game against Russia in the Super Series.

 

I'm noticing a spike in PP time for Matt Cullen and Kyle Brodziak of the Wild, in the absence of Guillaume Latendresse (concussion). Just food for thought. Nick Johnson is (and rightfully so) also seeing more ice time, and picked up an assist Sunday.

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Brooks Laich played a full game on defense for the Caps Saturday. A couple more of those and he'll get eligibility. With Caps' rearguards dropping like flies, it could very well happen.

 

Ian White is out for the next four games with a fractured cheek bone. Brendan Smith has been recalled, but Smith still has one game left on his suspension. So Smith could get in after Tuesday's game, if White's replacement Mike Commodore has a poor outing.

 

Evgeni Nabokov hasn't been playing terribly. But his record is weak and the other key stats – GAA and SP – are soundly trounced by Al Montoya. He has played well enough to be traded, but the teams that need a goalie have not stepped up with the right price as of yet.

 

How in the hell does Aaron Rome have five points in four games this season? And 21 PIM to go with it?

 

Matt Cullen takes a sweet pass from Clutterbuck:

 

 

Nichols discussed this yesterday, but here is the footage – Milan Lucic hammers Ryan Miller:

 

 

And Miller's great response:

 

 

 

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