In this edition of the hotstove we share our takeaways from the first month of the 2016-17 NHL season.
Todd Cordell What has stood out most to me so far is the play of rookies all over the league. So many players are making impacts right from the word go. Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Patrik Laine and co. get the headlines, which their play has warranted, but Zach Werenski, Jimmy Vesey, Travis Konecny and Pavel Zacha, among others, have all been very good as well. The league is in a very good place right now with all these young stars making their mark. It's exciting.
Peter Tessier The most intriguing thing so far this season has been the play of three teams, Canadiens, Predators and Oilers. As it stands right now the Habs are first overall with 19 points, the Oilers second with 15 and the Preds way down below Winnipeg with 7.
The Preds were a Stanley Cup favourite for many and have struggled in some rather unusual ways. The Oilers and Habs both made deals that were controversial and on the same day just minutes apart. Both those deals were panned by many and yet the early results suggest that there's a few of us that don't know jack.
Now I don't believe that come January we will see the same position for all three teams but right now it's an intriguing scenario to watch unfold.
Adam French My takeaways are as follows:
The Rangers are not the same team they were last year
That may be a cliche and they might fall apart at some point, but they are interesting. I don't want to harrang a team that has been near the top of the league for the past several years...but they were doing so in a very Devils-esque way. They relied on arguably the best goalie of the decade, a strong defense and a team buying into a two-way system. They had huge talent on forward, but it was boring. Big names, but little excitement. This year they are fast, young and exciting. Rookies coming in giving life. McDonagh being given a chance to show all of his tools. Young players taking huge steps like Kreider and Miller. I don't get to watch them a lot, but I did have the pleasure of watching them put on a show against the Blues. If they give even 80% of that effort and level of play the rest of the year, they'll be a danger in a seven game series.
Alexander Radulov is a unique talent
I've maintained this for a long time and he is just proving me more right. Unique means what it says. It doesn't mean the best, it doesn't mean supremacy. It means, he's uniquely talented in a very specific way. Like Lucic (The only talented goon left), Big Buff (That size with that speed doesn't make sense), Brad Marchand (A 5'9 agitating 30 goal defensively elite player?) or Hedman (That size and athleticism is unparalleled) etc. Radulov is a player that defies the norm. He's a purely emotion driven first line forward. While that sounds vague and easy to describe a lot of players, I think on further viewings you will see how his play is all about how he feels about the game. He's never calm, whether it's anger or pure joy, he plays the game the way he feels. Stupid penalties or brilliant plays. He'll kill you or save you depending on his emotions. There's no middle ground with Radulov. It's why I think he's a unique talent and I'm glad he's back in the NHL...now bring back Kovalchuk.
Panera Bread Line
Is there a better line than Kane-Anisimov-Panarin? Probably not. Anisimov isn't a PPG player, but it's nice to see a guy who does a lot of the dirty work get rewarded and make the NHL feel weird about having his face plastered all over the leading scorers list.
Stamkos
He isn't done. Wow. Remember the off-season? His surgery ruined him. He's in decline. He will never and has never been the same since his leg injury. He's done. He's not worth the money. He's one dimensional. He hates his coach because he wants to be a centre. He will destroy the Lightning with his contract because Kucherov is up and better. The whole thing is and was a joke. Good on him getting healthy and living up to his name...and contract.
Bruce Boudreau
Is he not the "Worst" "Best" Coach in the world? Every single year his team has been the first place team in their division other than the Ducks when he took over not even halfway through the year. Every full season he has coached he has come in first place. FIRST. Yes he seems cursed more than the VHS from The Ring in Game Seven's, but bloody hell, that record. Where is Minnesota right now? First. Deal with it..and deal with it when they lose to the Kings in 7 in the first round or something like that.
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