DarthEbriate

Dahlin's shot blocked. Would rather see them work it to the sides and down low rather than just relying on a point shot... but alas. The better team won. Mostly good effort, though.

He always seems to have slow starts after breaks, whether the beginning of the season, coming back from injury, or after a 4 nations faceoff. But he can be streaky great for long stretches.

Tagebacca's been known to rip peoples' arms off.

When, though?

Manufacture better mask clasps. Because if I'm KOZAK! If I'm a goalie with a 3-2 lead in game 7 of the Final and the opposition goalie is pulled, 15 seconds to go... I'm faking the mask damage for a cheap whistle.

Once, during a line change on the fly. Not every single entry regardless of situation.

I think he's starting to prove he'd be claimed on waivers.

It took a few seasons, but one year Reinhart returned with a slapshot capable of beating a goalie. The good thing for Benson is he's always going to be around the nets so he doesn't need a cannon, just an average shot.

I was thinking he could get 15-50-65 and replace JJP's complete production. But if he gets the requisite PP time, I might need to raise expectations. He sees things most other players on this team don't see. Just need guys to go to the slot and keep their stick ready to shoot.

Manhattan is the former. Perfect brandy Manhattan is the latter. Very few know it, but it's a lovely drink. And you can go maraschino or emphasize the dry with an olive.

Martinez also a tasty cocktail.

I'd even mix Rossi with rye. Or with a dry Rossi and a brandy.

Yup. If you're gonna do anything, go do it. No. The Habs built a really solid squad. Dare I say it, they can go from bottom-feeders to make the playoffs, to win the division this season.

But that guy is not Geertsen. No one cares that the Sabres have a guy who can't play at this level. Xhekaj can play. Tom Wilson can play. Noesen can play. They just also happen to be willing to take liberties. If someone takes a cheapshot, you want everyone on the ice addressing him. And after they jump him initially, you can have a staged fight from Kesselring, Greenway, Zucker, maybe Doan, etc. Because so far, we've seen nothing from Geertsen to believe that he's willing to take liberties toward the opposition. And he couldn't skate well enough to catch up to them anyway.

The Habs are fast and very talented. Demidov has a release. Kapanen is big and goes to the front of the net... what we dream Wahlberg could be. These two teams will be fun to watch for the next 5 years. Metsa for Slafkovsky was a good trade.

Östlund. Throw a few wild punches, then go for the turtle hug and let the linemen jump in. It'll be fine.

Maybe he gives them some sort of placebo effect. But yes, against Florida it was meaningless because it was a close game they were trying to get back into. Where he could be of use is in Rochester so Mrtka doesn't have to take cheapshots from guys 5 years older than him just because he's tall.

Baby steps. It's so fun to watch them have a defender backing off at the blue line, then drop pass back to center ice, and have to hold up to avoid the offside, only for the next skater to take the puck -- with speed, but now having to dodge their own player to enter the zone. Then get hung up on the now-stopped defender, and lose it to get chipped back down the ice.

If there's no consistency, it's just another "this is how we win." But -- Doan, Benson, Zucker, and a handful of others can drive that consistency.

Blergh. He's been good on the PK with Kozak.

The issue being that only Krebs and Kozak are currently healthy (unless Greenway dresses tonight).

Hmm. If Greenway was about to come back, who exactly is Östlund stepping in for? Did another player get dinged up last game?

Maybe Power if he takes off this year. Samuelsson as a 3rd pair defenseman is going to be overpaid, particularly if Kesselring is a legitimate top-4 and can be locked up long-term at $6-7M on his own and Muel could be replaced next year by Johnson/Novikov combined for $1.7M. Failing to buy out Samuelsson for 750k this past summer could end up being a pretty big issue when he's only in the lineup 40 games a year and LTIR-stashing is no longer an option for the playoffs.

Do fines count toward future hearings (for when he tries to slew-foot a Leaf)?

I think you need some more parameters there. Most points as a right-handed D over 6'7"?