There was a lot of hype around the NHL debut of Connor McDavid last night for sure, but all the calls I am getting this morning are surrounding his wingers. Yes, Taylor Hall feels tailor made for the spot, but talking to sources I am not convinced that the Oilers are completely, 100% settled on this eventuality.
According to one source, "If the right winger can be found, a top 3 guy with experience, but still in his mid 20s, there is a move to be made. One of the other top picks (not named Hall) is available if such a player presents himself."
One team I heard connected with the Oilers is the Senators...The Sens have some good you talent on the Wing and a swap could prove intriguing...
On Provorov and Konecny....and Lehigh Valley...
It felt awesome last night to go and watch some hockey after what feels like months and months talking about it without watching it live. Last night I headed up 309 North and took in the Flyers/Islanders Split Squad game in Allentown and the the PPL Arena.
First off, the PPL Arena is phenomenal and very easy to get to. It is the home of the Flyers AHL affiliate, Phantoms, and I can't recommend enough taking the family to see a game there should you be in the area in the near future. It still has that new car smell to it.
As for Provorov and Konecny...
On Provorov...
Provorov looked nervous to start the game, but as he grew more and more comfortable his skill level and anticipation really shined through. He was ALWAYS a step ahead of most of the players on the ice, sometimes more than one step ahead. A great example was when he carried the puck into the offensive zone, dished the puck off, and went right to the net where he planted himself to set up a screen. Not a move often seen from a D-man. You might be thinking, "that sounds like a play where he gets himself caught," and for many d-men you would be right...But not Provorov. His speed is ridiculous and he uses it along with his hockey sense as a weapon.
On Konecny...
The most painful part of this NHL season for Flyers fans will be the day they send this kid back to Ottawa for one more year. He is going to be a fan favorite and I heard one fan say last night, "What a tease." Konecny can do it all and has a HUGE "it" factor to him. The best way to describe his play is he looks like he just flat out LOVES to play the game of hockey. He is always up on his skates and ALWAYS moving...and that makes him hard to match up against. He can be extremely sneaky...He isn't big, but he plays big. His hands are top 5 hands in any draft. He is surgical at high speeds with his stick-handling. He has that sense of "where the puck is going to be" that is rarely seen. Giroux may be the only Flyer in the last 20 years able to make the puck find him like a magnet in a similar way. The Flyers knew what they were doing when they traded up to get him....no question.
Other notes from the game (from the Flyers perspective..most of the Islanders top players were in Brooklyn)
*Lecavalier and Umberger both looked MUCH faster than the last time we saw them and Sam Gagner is a PERFECT fit with Vinny. Both players have a need to play with skilled players to be effective and it just works with the two of them.
*Medvedev will be much more of a force than I thought he could be. His game can best be described by "Large and Confident." His experience is blatant and honestly he is perfect compliment to the Wild Young Gun named Provorov. Medvedev on the point on the power play is scary. He has the size and skill to run that center point spot the Flyers use.
We will discuss all this and more on today's Buzzcast at 1pm.
Hey be sure to enter your team for another season of the HockeyBuzz Super League Fantasy Game!
It's the best fantasy game every created. Of course, we're a little biased. The HBSL is a hybrid between a salary cap game and a head-to-head fantasy game. Each week you create your 20 man roster based on the $71.4M NHL salary cap and the actual salary cap hits. You then face-off with a fellow hockey fan. At the end of the regular season, we throw the best 128 teams into a 7-week playoff.
There is a Season Ticket Holder bracket and a Free bracket.
HBSL STH Bracket
Entrants who were season ticket holders at the start of the NHL season are eligible for the following prizes:
Grand Prize: HDTV
Runner-up: Replica Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals Losers: Customized NHL Jersey
Quarter-Finals Losers: HockeyBuzz Shirt & $25 Amazon.com Gift Card
HBSL Free Bracket
Entrants that were NOT season ticket holders at the start of the NHL season are eligible for the following prizes:
Grand Prize: Customized NHL Jersey
Runner-up: HockeyBuzz Shirt & $25 Amazon.com Gift Card
Semi-Finals & Quarter-Finals Losers: HockeyBuzz Shirt
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