From what I saw, Kessel skated his ass off, especially in overtime. Just couldn't bury one. There was one play where Perron had Kunitz cross-crease for an easy pass but Perron being snakebitten wanted to try and exercise the demons.. all he had to do was pass it and game over.. I thought Kessel was going to bury one before having to backcheck on that rush. Mindboggling to see all the Leafs fans talk about how he doesnt backcheck or play defense.. where in all the games I've watched, it's been quite the opposite. Not physical, but solid with his stick, and definitely makes the effort to get back and make a play.
- j.boyd919

Its the Paul Martin brand of defense. All stick work and positioning. I agree with you. Kessel has been a very solid back checker for us and makes conscious efforts to cause turnovers. My favorite is how when Toronto fans heckle us and him, and we explain this to him, there response is always something along the lines of well it was only one game. When we say that he's been doing it all year, their response becomes "no you're wrong Kessel doesn't play defense". Those Toronto people are nut jobs.

Its the Paul Martin brand of defense. All stick work and positioning. I agree with you. Kessel has been a very solid back checker for us and makes conscious efforts to cause turnovers. My favorite is how when Toronto fans heckle us and him, and we explain this to him, there response is always something along the lines of well it was only one game. When we say that he's been doing it all year, their response becomes "no you're wrong Kessel doesn't play defense". Those Toronto people are nut jobs.
- Victoro311

Again, I wouldn't skate my ass off for that team and their fans. If you're not Doug Gilmour/Dave Keon, then you're worthless and need to work harder.

Do it again but win this time.

Its the Paul Martin brand of defense. All stick work and positioning. I agree with you. Kessel has been a very solid back checker for us and makes conscious efforts to cause turnovers. My favorite is how when Toronto fans heckle us and him, and we explain this to him, there response is always something along the lines of well it was only one game. When we say that he's been doing it all year, their response becomes "no you're wrong Kessel doesn't play defense". Those Toronto people are nut jobs.
- Victoro311

Kessel has been much better defensively than they made him out to be. Thought he would be more impressive offensively though. He doesn't pass well, can't one time effectively, and handles the puck very poorly for a top paid winger. Seems to need a good deal of time/space to get his shot off.

Kessel has been much better defensively than they made him out to be. Thought he would be more impressive offensively though. He doesn't pass well, can't one time effectively, and handles the puck very poorly for a top paid winger. Seems to need a good deal of time/space to get his shot off.
- jfkst1

Give it time, Mr. J. Everyone except Malkin was having a terrible year under Mike Johnston. Expecting everyone to turn it around immediately the day Sullivan was brought in was unrealistic, but the boys are starting to wake up now. Sidney Crosby is once again dominant. Perron is doing just about everything right except he's over thinking his shots. Hornqvist is playing his game again, he just needs to be put on the right line. I think Kessel and Perron are in the same situation except that Kessel is a much better player so the issue isn't as blatant. He's snake bitten and still on a hangover from a system that neutered his creativity and offensive prowess. He's going to start scoring quite soon, I think.

Over the first 20 or so games I kept saying that we'd be fine by the new year. I kind of stopped believing it because of how poorly we kept playing and then dropping 4 straight when Sully first came on board was demoralizing. I wish I had stuck to my guns, because low and behold, right on new years eve we had a break out game and it looks like we're building off of it

The 2016 NHL All Star jerseys look like the digital template before adding any design.

Malkin is an All-Star. Letang in, too. Sid didn't make the cut.

The 2016 NHL All Star jerseys look like the digital template before adding any design.

Malkin is an All-Star. Letang in, too. Sid didn't make the cut.
- Johnny Wrath

Unfortunately Crosby didn't deserve it up until very recently, and I like that people didn't send guys on name alone. Although I'd say Letang hasn't quite deserved it until recently either.

Unfortunately Crosby didn't deserve it up until very recently, and I like that people didn't send guys on name alone. Although I'd say Letang hasn't quite deserved it until recently either.
- Victoro311

Faulk, McDonagh, and Letang anchor the Met D. Fleury left off in favor of a Capital and Schneider.

I am going to go out on a limb and say Crosby is probably ok with missing the all star weekend. I never sensed that he enjoyed them, just tolerated it because the league put his face on the front of everything all those years.

Faulk, McDonagh, and Letang anchor the Met D. Fleury left off in favor of a Capital and Schneider.
- Johnny Wrath

John Scott is in the all star game. Why are you speaking as if it has any actual relevance to how good players are? Sid is probably happy to have the time off

Faulk, McDonagh, and Letang anchor the Met D. Fleury left off in favor of a Capital and Schneider.
- Johnny Wrath

3 on 3..let the other goalies hurt themselves in this farce of a weekend. Regardless of how u slice things sid deserves a spot there..but im sure he is happy to not have to deal with it. There are at least 5 guys there that have no business attending an all star game..not the least of which john scott.

anyone follow matt larkin on twitter, that dude is such an apologist for the NHL player safety....its a fooking joke.

I am going to go out on a limb and say Crosby is probably ok with missing the all star weekend. I never sensed that he enjoyed them, just tolerated it because the league put his face on the front of everything all those years.
- Thorny

I'm sure every player would prefer personal vacation time over the ASG mandatory fun.

Last nights game was everything hockey should be. No hitting from behind sideshow bullpoop. Just pure skill and amazing play. I loved every bit of it from start to finish. The 3 on 3 was one of the most amazing displays of hockey I have ever seen in my life. I wish they could play that way all night tonight.

I am disappointed the refs decided they just werent going to call anything in OT because there were two or three blatant penalties that should have been called against the Hawks that really could have turned the tide for us, but it is what it is.
Kane and Panarin are just beasts. I wish Plot had half of that skill.

Either way this team is actually fun to watch again, and win or lose, I can at least enjoy watching them play again. Johnston really sucked the soul out of this team.

Faulk, McDonagh, and Letang anchor the Met D. Fleury left off in favor of a Capital and Schneider.
- Johnny Wrath

Some dude

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...=gamesPlayed,gte,14&pos=G

I think Kessel and Perron are in the same situation except that Kessel is a much better player so the issue isn't as blatant. He's snake bitten and still on a hangover from a system that neutered his creativity and offensive prowess. He's going to start scoring quite soon, I think.
- Victoro311

I'm not faulting him. I think he's doing what he can and is the only capable top 6 W on the team right now. I'm just not convinced he is a good fit for 87 or 71.

I'm sure every player would prefer personal vacation time over the ASG mandatory fun.
- jfkst1

Jagr joked the other day that he was going to be in the Bahamas or something of that nature. Pretty sure he said he wasn't gonna go to the ASG if he was picked earlier in the season.

The 2016 NHL All Star jerseys look like the digital template before adding any design.

Malkin is an All-Star. Letang in, too. Sid didn't make the cut.
- Johnny Wrath

Sid didn't deserve it. If this were baseball, he would get in. Players that don't deserve it get in all the time.

anyone follow matt larkin on twitter, that dude is such an apologist for the NHL player safety....its a fooking joke.
- Thorny

Then don't follow him.

Sid didn't deserve it. If this were baseball, he would get in. Players that don't deserve it get in all the time.
- Oneonta Penguin

NBA too.

NBA too.
- Victoro311

Happens in the NHL, too. I mean, Malkin and Letang both made it.

IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT!

John Scott is in the all star game. Why are you speaking as if it has any actual relevance to how good players are? Sid is probably happy to have the time off
- thickman1178

I remember when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009 in Detroit there was a little girl, maybe 8 years old. She was wearing a tiny Johan Franzen jersey, red ribbons braided into her hair. Game 7 was over and she was sobbing into a stuffed Octopus. She broke my heart. I felt like that in 1993, aged 9. I would like to imagine now that she is enjoying the revamped Wings and is hopeful for the future of the team, just as I was for the Penguins c. 2007.

The NHL All Star Game is for those 8 and 9 year old fans, when the game is still magic. When the game can be your first love. I turn your attention to 2001 when Mr. Lemieux returned and played in Colorado. It was magic, and we all celebrated.

Sid didn't deserve it. If this were baseball, he would get in. Players that don't deserve it get in all the time.
- Oneonta Penguin

Disagree...better offensive stats than toews...john scott..dont even...saad...nope...giroux...nope. there is plenty of undeserving players. As amazing as jagr has been this season his offensive stats are below sids this year. This all because the media pumped the sid is terrible now crap for a.month or so. Im sry but take away the bs about every team needing a representative. ..and goin with pure deserving players...sid is there.[url]

Disagree...better offensive stats than toews...john scott..dont even...saad...nope...giroux...nope. there is plenty of undeserving players. As amazing as jagr has been this season his offensive stats are below sids this year. This all because the media pumped the sid is terrible now crap for a.month or so. Im sry but take away the bs about every team needing a representative. ..and goin with pure deserving players...sid is there.
- taleisyreXIII[url]

You do realize that there are only 11 players per team and they every team has to be represented, right?

I remember when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009 in Detroit there was a little girl, maybe 8 years old. She was wearing a tiny Johan Franzen jersey, red ribbons braided into her hair. Game 7 was over and she was sobbing into a stuffed Octopus. She broke my heart. I felt like that in 1993, aged 9. I would like to imagine now that she is enjoying the revamped Wings and is hopeful for the future of the team, just as I was for the Penguins c. 2007.

The NHL All Star Game is for those 8 and 9 year old fans, when the game is still magic. When the game can be your first love. I turn your attention to 2001 when Mr. Lemieux returned and played in Colorado. It was magic, and we all celebrated.
- Johnny Wrath

Back in 2010, if I had a stuffed octopus, I would have cried into it when Patrick Kane scored.