Sutter on the top line, Panarin’s productive debut and more from opening night…

*

It’s only fitting that on opening night Carey Price would remind us why he is the MVP stopping 36 of 37 to help steal the game for Montreal. The Canadiens’ other stars also came out to play with PK Subban racking up three assists and Max Pacioretty scoring two goals.

Check out the Canadiens’ lines from last night courtesy of Frozenpool:

If these lines hold for the majority of the season then Tomas Plekanec is going to have a huge season. Maybe not 70 points huge, which is his career high, but definitely more than last season’s 60. That line with Plekanec, Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher is dynamite. The only question is whether or not there’s enough puck to go around as all three can really fire it. Plekanec led the way with six SOG, while Pacioretty had five. Just two for Gallagher.

Despite a goal for Alex Galchenyuk that second line did not look particularly good. That’s the way it goes with Alexander Semin though, he can look like he’s just coasting and then all of a sudden he’s dominating. It’ll take more than one game to really assess this line, especially with Galchenyuk adapting to the center position.

*

The Leafs really did outplay the Canadiens last night and we may yet see them have a lot of nights like this. They may not have a lot of talent but they do have a lot of professionals and are evidently well coached. Where things will likely go awry is when a couple of injuries occur and suddenly a competent veteran is replaced by something less than that, at which point the Leafs’ lack of stars will catch up to them because they simply don’t have anyone who can carry the load.

One of the promising aspects of being a well-coached team is good special teams and the Leafs surely had a good looking power play. Like he did with the Red Wings last season, Mike Babcock rolled his first and second power-play units evenly. The “top” unit managed a quick goal early in the second period but it was the second unit that impressed for much of the match.

That Babcock is rolling his power-play units is good news for Morgan Rielly owners because the top unit boasts only one defenseman and that defenseman is Dion Phaneuf. The second unit is quarterbacked by Rielly leaving Jake Gardiner out of the mix entirely, which doesn’t look good for his stock.

Check out the Leafs’ lines from last night:

James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri combined for the only Leaf goal. Kadri is finally getting deployed as the top centerman, which bodes well for his stock. Brad Boyes is currently the third wheel on that line but unless he produces that spot will be a revolving door.

Peter Holland is just a fourth liner but he skates on the second power play unit and had at least three golden opportunities to score. He really needs to carve out an offensive role on this Leaf team if he’s ever going to become a real fantasy asset. There’s a lot of talent there but he turns 25 this season. The clock is ticking.

*

Kevin Klein is picking up where he left off last season, sniping. He shot 11.8% last year but is now shooting 100% after one night. You just have to chuckle, I’ll be amazed if Klein can keep this magic going but all the power to him.

Oscar Lindberg had a nice debut scoring his first career NHL goal. Still questionable upside though as he skated on the fourth line with JT Miller and Victor Stalberg. Miller had two assists, but again, fourth-line duties. None of the trio skated more than Lindberg’s 13:53.

Check out all of the Rangers’ lines from last night:

The Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Kevin Hayes line has a ton of potential. They could be this year’s “triplets” in that they’ll outperform the resident star – Rick Nash – skating on another line and completely dominate at even strength. They didn’t do a particularly strong job of it against the Blackhawks but these are the defending champs. Stay tuned on this one.

Keith Yandle notched an assist in just 18:57 of ice time but the Rangers received no power play chances in this one so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to see reduced minutes as he did last season. Any hopes for a big season from Yandle rely on him receiving huge power play time because he’s well down the depth chart at even strength.

*

Artemi Panarin scored in his debut for the Blackhawks and indeed skated on a line with Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov. The outlook is good so far. It’s important to note that Panarin skated on the second power play unit, which lowers his ceiling.

Teuvo Teravainen skated on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa but like Panarin was limited to second unit power play time.

Brent Seabrook received time on the top power play, which makes him a strong asset if this continues but it’s hard to imagine the Blackhawks sticking with him if he doesn’t produce, not with so many other tantalizing options like those listed above.

Just 14:20 in ice time for Trevor Daley in his Blackhawk debut. He went minus-one and generally received poor reviews. He’s a lock to produce less than he did last season but right now he’s on track to be completely irrelevant in fantasy.

*

It was also nice of the Flames and Canucks to remind us that despite all the rule changes hockey is still stuck in the Stone Age in many ways. Just two seconds into the match Derek Dorsett and Michael Ferland squared off with some fisticuffs. The effect was akin to an opening act that bombs. And when Brandon Prust threw down with Brandon Bollig it was as entertaining as the commercial break.

Honestly, if PIM weren’t a fantasy category I’d have no time for fighting. It just puts what is otherwise the fastest sport out there on hold, which just detracts from the game. Once the animals were caged and the three ring circus came to a close an entertaining bit of hockey was played.

The Canucks had Brandon Sutter skating alongside the Sedins not just on the power play but also at even strength. Check out the Canucks’ lines:

Sutter is a huge winner from this move, at least until the Canucks realize he isn’t as good as the hype. He scored a goal and an assist and as long as he keeps producing he’ll hang onto this role, which makes 50 points possible. If he gains RW eligibility he suddenly becomes a coveted fantasy asset.This certainly detracts from Radim Vrbata’s value, though he still skates on the top power play unit. He’s probably in for a slide down into the mid-50s this season.

*

Karri Ramo made an excellent stop to rob Daniel Sedin but didn’t fare very well afterwards.

The Flames just got beat by the Canucks up and down the ice getting outshot 44-30. It was a replay of last season, minus the comeback win. Don’t be shocked if Jonas Hiller makes the next start on Saturday. Ramo didn’t get a lot of help, but he didn’t play very well either.

Dougie Hamilton had a tough night going minus-two and taking a couple of bad penalties. He skated 21 minutes alongside Mark Giordano so he’s been put in a great spot to succeed. Disconcertingly, Hamilton ranked fourth among Flame defenders in power play ice time.

The Flames’ top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Jiri Hudler combined for a goal off a bad turnover by Luca Sbisa, otherwise the Flames had next to nothing in the way of offense.

Sam Bennett was next to invisible in 12 minutes of action.

*

The Kings apparently signed Christian Ehrhoff to be a power play specialist as the defenseman led all Kings in power play ice time with 6:21 of his 20:29 coming with the man-advantage. Not a terrible notion as Ehrhoff played some of his best hockey as a specialist for the Canucks a few years back. The Kings went 0/6 on the power play last night, however, so the early returns are unsubstantial.

The Kings also had to love losing to Martin Jones, the guy they traded along with a first round pick for Milan Lucic. Lucic, by the way, skated on the top line but went minus-two. Didn’t the Kings already have an overpaid power forward whose best years came several years ago in Dustin Brown? I suppose they have two of those now. Yipee!

Remember when Drew Doughty’s minutes were supposed to get cut back? He skated 28 minutes last night despite the game being out of reach for virtually the entire third period. He got an assist on the lone King goal so that’s a positive.

*

Big Joe and Little Joe went nuts for the Sharks combining for two goals and five points on the night. They were joined by rookie Joonas Donskoi who scored one in 10 minutes.

Donskoi did not receive much in the way of power play time skating just 20 seconds with the man-advantage. Don’t fool yourself, just because he didn’t produce in the opener he has as much one-year upside as Teravainen and Panarin because of the company he keeps.

*

Jaroslav Halak remains questionable for the Islanders’ opener tomorrow but I’m betting he makes the start.

*

Check out Terry Campkin’s piece for Sportsnet focusing on Phaneuf’s fantasy prospects.

*

Thanks for reading. You can follow me @SteveLaidlaw.