November 28, 2014

Craig Smith on the top PP unit, Joe Thornton is still elite, Eberle has no one-timer and more…

 

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Remember to get your lineups set early today as the Rangers-Flyers game drops at 1:00 pm Eastern. It would be a truly Black Friday if you forgot.

 

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Mike Fisher made his return to the Nashville lineup last night, skating 12:44 on a line with Olli Jokinen and Derek Roy. That would've been some line back in like 2007. (And yes, I made that joke about the Jarret Stoll line in yesterday's ramblings. If these teams can keep running back tired material, why can't I?)

 

With Fisher back, Matt Cullen took a seat in the press box. You've got to like the depth the Predators have going for them, which bodes well for Pekka Rinne who was amazeballs last night, stopping 37 shots including an overtime penalty shot for a shutout win. I never would have expected things to go this well for Rinne but I'm a believer.

 

I snapped up Craig Smith yesterday as an injury replacement because I've liked the run that he is on. After going scoreless last night, he has 10 points in his last 14 games, which isn't fantastic but it's an improvement on his early production.

 

More importantly, Smith has been skating on the top power play unit with Mike Ribeiro and Colin Wilson of late. The Shea Weber/Roman Josi pairing quarterbacks that power play unit. I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity while it lasted as it's only a matter of time before James Neal and Filip Forsberg find their way back onto the top power play unit. But right now Peter Laviolette is trying all combinations as the Predator's power play is easily their weakest link as a bottom-10 unit.

 

Smith did reward my pickup with a five SOG night. I'll take it.

 

Forsberg, by the way, could seemingly care less where he plays. Check out his slow spin around Taylor Hall to cash the OT winner: