November 10, 2014
Dobber
2014-11-10
Thoughts on Holland, Komarov, Bourque, Anderson, Scrivens vs. Fasth, Nyquist without Datsyuk, and more …
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Peter Holland has seen his ice time increase of late. At first it was due to the Joffrey Lupul injury, but lately it’s because he’s doing very well with it. I’ve had several conversations with several different people over the last two weeks about Holland, basically around my not giving up on him as a prospect. I mean, it’s clear to me that he’s not going to be a first line superstar, which was perhaps the ‘best case’ upside we had him pegged to be as an 18-year-old or 19-year-old. But when people use the ‘bust’ word, or the ‘fourth-line checker’ phrase, I stand up for him. His problem is that he hasn’t been good enough to steal a second-line job. Yet. But he also hasn’t had an opportunity like that fall into his lap either. Some players have that breakout year because there were a couple of key scoring-line injuries – and were it not for those injuries, those players would be AHLers today. And some players have that breakout because they’re so good that they force the matter. I don’t think Holland is in the latter group, but I also don’t think he needs a ton of help either. Just a couple of bounces that sees him get looks in scoring role. I think he’s developing, and he’s only 23, and a 30-point year this year could easily be followed by 40-plus in 2015-16. After that, he’s ready for a second-line role. But he’s a guy you need to be patient with.
Holland has five points and is plus-4 in his last six games. As long as Lupul is out, Holland will see time on the PP (two minutes last night). But more promising is the fact that he’s being used on the penalty kill. It shows the coach has faith in him.
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The Leafs managed to put prospect Josh Leivo into the lineup Sunday and, while his ice time was of course held down, he managed to score. Leivo is one of those prospects who makes a splash immediately upon being called up, before cooling off a couple of games later. But I think his future lies on the third line. For more observations on Leivo, his profile is right here.
L
23
0
BUF
67
11
36
8
D
28
8
TOR
67
9
35
9
C
33
6
EDM
68
8
33
9
R
29
8
WSH
68
10
33
10
L
29
9
WSH
68
10
32
11
C
29
0
COL
66
11
31
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Well, yesterday I asked how long Tyler Johnson would hold off Steven Stamkos in the scoring race, and although Stamkos closed the gap (two points Sunday versus Johnson’s one), he still trails by two points. Stamkos will have a 60-goal, 35-assist Brett Hull type of season. It won’t win the scoring title and may not even get into the Top 3, but he’s walking away with the Richard trophy unless Alex Ovechkin really finds his mojo.
Exhibit A:
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Boy, Oilers fans were crapping on Viktor Fasth‘s head up until a few days ago. Not really hearing much about him lately though…
I like Ben Scrivens better, as a fantasy owner. But not because he’s more talented. Fasth is more talented. But Fasth gets hurt a lot, I’m finding. Already. And with goalies, an injury not only means the time missed – but often he’s weak for a couple of games after he returns, too.
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Somebody wants to stay in the lineup. Matt Hunwick blocked seven shots by the Oilers Sunday. He also has five points in his last six games and had four hits on Saturday.
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San Jose out-hit the Blackhawks 29-13 Sunday.
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Brent Burns taking a chunk of Jason Demers‘ PP time has really impacted the latter’s production more than I thought it would. After a breakout 39-point season, Demers has just three assists in 14 games.
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So what does a great playoff performance buy you? Apparently, 13 games of bad hockey – and not a minute more. Rene Bourque has been placed on waivers by the Habs after just two assists and minus-9. He had eight goals in 17 playoff games just six months ago. Bourque is set to make $3.3 million this year and next, and then he’s a free agent in 2016. That’s a big price tag for a team to “take a flyer on”. The teams that are in the best shape to take a chance on him aren’t teams that are great fits. Columbus could claim him, let him help fill their roster for a couple of weeks and then waive him again when more players return. But such a change of scenery wouldn’t spark Bourque. I mean, his game has really gone downhill – it would take a Crosby or Malkin to get him rolling. And the Penguins have no cap space, so that’s out.
With two more points last night while Pavel Datsyuk is out of the lineup, Gustav Nyquist has seven points in seven games sans Datsyuk. With Datsyuk in the lineup, Nyquist has four points in eight games. Nyquist also has 36 goals in his last 72 games. Here’s his beauty from last night: