|
Quick Hits & Bits. Sabres, Ladd, Carter, Leafs, Booth, Schenn,+Best Player? |
|
|
|
|
|
Happy Monday Campers...
Monday's Quick Hits and Bits
*Blue Jackers Jeff Carter has a hairline fracture on top of his right foot (per Aaron Portzline) and could miss Tuesday's game...maybe more..Hopefully it's not too serious. What is interesting from the "rumor" perspective is how this could affect Brassard, who late last night I was hearing could be heading to Montreal..What a great fit Brassard would be in Montreal.
* Name the four top power play percentage teams in the NHL right now: The only four teams with their percentage greater than 30%...answer below...
* Three sources, including two in Winnipeg, have confirmed they are hearing the Sabres have serious interest in Andrew Ladd.(e3) This is intriguing on several levels, but I can tell you this much...if Ladd is available, Florida will also be offering up a ton for Ladd's services. Important to note: Winnipeg isn't shopping Ladd at all...in fact there are people I know up there who feel he could be the key player to help Winnipeg make a playoff push. The Jets do like Derek Roy I am told...
* David Booth, an American Born Sniper, could be on his way to join other Americans playing in the great white north...The Leafs I am told have Booth high on their list...more so than Turris or Brassard.
* Brayden Schenn looks serious about being NHLer.. Schenn's play for Adirondack in the AHL has been improving "exponentially" (hat trick in his last game) and it is now apparent he is healthy and ready for his NHL return to Philadelphia. However, a healthy line-up could make life tricky for Laviolette and Holmgren. The decision on Couturier is already a difficult one, and apparently the Preds and Flyers have had discussions about bringing a forward to Nashville. There is plenty of logic to that combo right now.
* Canucks and Turris "closer still..." Ok I am not saying a deal is done, or even going to say we know a deal will get done, but the more folks I talk the more I feel confident that this rumor is well beyond your typical "I heard from so and so " rumor. Plenty of fire with this smoke.
*They have Dipietro. They have Nabokov...and yet sitting atop the NHL in G.A.A. having played in 3 games is the NY Islanders Al Montoya with a striking 1.35 G.A.A having allowed 4 goals in 3 games. Wow. Always happy to see Montoya do this. Great guy who has paid his dues and done everything that has been asked of him in his journeyman career.
*The Ducks have places Nate Guenin on waivers..
and finally...
Phil Kessel Tearing it up!
Don't look now, but the guy the NHL Network loved to have be the last picked in the All-Star draft a year ago is currently tied atop the NHL with John Tavares for Goals (5) and points (8). He however has Tavares beat by ALSO leading the NHL in +/- at a +7. Funny how a certain someone once told me Kessel "doesn't have the mind to even know his own end exists."
As I said to that now current NHL GM then (and I still feel now,) "Phil Kessel has world-clas speed and world-class hands and he is also is very, very young still." I fully believe the crazy circumstances of Kessel's early career have made it appear he is older than he is. He is only 24 and has already notched 30+ goals three seasons. Kessel is solid and the Leaf fans are starting to come around.
I would never compare Kessel to Yzerman, but when Stevie Y was young people also said he lacked a defensive game...
The Top 4 Power Play Teams.
#4 Ottawa 30%
#3 Colorado 30%
#2 Nashville 30.8%
#1 San Jose 33.3%
more to come...
Join the Discussion:
»