Game recaps, updates on Carey Price, Michael Hutchinson and Zack Kassian, and the latest on the Maple Leafs and Flames.
Derek Roy (left) celebrates a goal against the NY Islanders with teammate Justin Schultz
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Newcomers Derek Roy and Matt Fraser scored as the Oilers upset the visiting New York Islanders 5-2. Matt Hendricks also tallied twice for the Oilers.
OTTAWA SUN: Tyler Johnson scored twice to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, snapping the Sens’ two-game win streak. Kyle Turris and Mark Stone scored for the Senators in a losing cause.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Dave Stubbs charts the ongoing development of Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, who is among the NHL’s elite goaltenders this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price is undoubtedly the bedrock upon which the franchise has built its success since last season.
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: James Mirtle makes the case that a fatally-flawed core is a major factor in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ struggles, noting they lack a true first-line center and a No. 1 defenseman.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The results are there on the ice for all to see in every game. The stats don’t lie. The Leafs are still among the NHL’s worst puck-possession and defensive teams. If they don’t get superb goaltending and opportunistic scoring, they lose more than they win. A coaching change should help, but as Mirtle also notes, they need to improve their core. That doesn’t mean dumping Phil Kessel or Dion Phaneuf, but it does mean trying to acquire players who can take the pressure off these two.
WINNIPEG SUN: Jets backup Michael Hutchinson is slowly prying the starter’s job away from Ondrej Pavelec.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I consider Hutchinson a dark horse to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year this season. If he indeed takes over the starter’s role over the rest of this season and backstops the Jets into a playoff berth, he will certainly merit serious consideration for the award.
THE PROVINCE: Struggling Canucks winger Zack Kassian should look to teammate Shawn Matthias to see what management wants from him.
CALGARY SUN: Among this week’s five burning questions for the Calgary Flames: Can they avoid a losing skid, and can goalie Jonas Hiller handle the heavy workload?
I really just dont understand how everyone sees it except Nonis. No one can be that obtuse except Randy…Not that aquiring perhaps the most important players, is an easy task, but if you look at guys available over the past couple years and the guys the Leafs end up with (including coaches) I am really beginning to believe JFJ was as good as Nonis. The final straw was still interested in Bolland after last year and potentially trading Franson for Georges….imagine that blueline Phaneuf Georges Polak Holzer Robidas Gardiner and Rielly. Really question hisability to judge talent (nevermind grit, leadership and all the intangible crap that is fed to us by some in the media who are nothing more than Rogers churnilists) which is even more scary than JFJ’s.
I agree with you there. How can Nonis not see that there are leadership issues in the core or even at the coaching level with not holding obvious candidates accountable instead of blaming the “go to” guys that are perpetually in the dog house. While getting some additional help would be nice (at what cost?) I think it’s more an accountability issue, or lack there of which falls on Randy’s shoulders first, then the team leadership.
Well an opportunity to really ‘solve’ what’s been ailing the Leafs is really beginning to develop and develop soon. If the team continues it play, Shannahan has to relieve Randy of his position and allow a new voice to take over…this will then allow to see which of the core or even which players are not adapting or getting the message with this new voice and trade them away too.
Last year Shannahan took on the front office and made the changes he saw fit, he now has the opportunity to relieve a coach who was given a second chance as well as the players who fail to perform the way they are asked to.
I still maintain that the Leafs will make changes after the regular season. Shanahan has new management people in place, people that he has hired, and I think their job this year has been to evaluate the team from the GM through the coaching staff and the player personnel. After the season ends, there will be a new GM, a new coaching staff and without question a significant change to the core players. The only way this doesn’t happen is if the Leafs make the playoffs and win at least one round – not impossible but highly unlikely.
Your comment about JFJ destroys any credibility you may have had!
Really? JfJ made a bad trade or 2 sure, lets look at some of the great things Nonis is responsible for lol again would you be singing his praises if the team was loaded up with guys like Georges Bolland Gleason Polak Robidas Clarkson Signed Grabovski bought out Grabovski (instead of the first round pick or just keeping him) Colbourne gone, for nothing, MacArthur gone for nothing…Liles is still in the league bought out Gleason, traded 3 second round picks so far used 3 buy outs….and still a team that is at the cap struggling with no D. Ya hes great! JFJ drafted Reimer drafted Steen Boyes Stalberg Stralman Kuliman Gunnarrsson all guys in the NHL…ya he made som mistakes but not as many as Nonis.
Kuli gone for nothing Bolland gone (thankfully) but for nothing and cost picks for all of 25 games Clarksons contract Phaneuf contract Robidas contract took money on in the Gleason deal took money on in the Polak deal…really Iam not saying JFJ was great, I am saying Nonis is no better, perhaps worse. I gave him the bennifit of the doubt, defended the hiring of him as GM when Burke was fired, since then he has done and continues to do nothing but make a huge mess. When Burke left there was not really as big of cap issues as there are now, and imo the team talent wise is worse. Not that Burke was great either but overall the direction was better.
Crap!! Someone tell those new comers that this isn’t how we do it in Edmonton! They are going to ruin every thing… signed Kevin Lowe.. JK
Sure glad they are doing something to let the world know they aren’t actually tanking. I kinda hope that the oilers don’t get McDavid as I think they would ruin him. I had the crazy thought of trading the First overall (Provided they get it) to Ottawa for Karlsson and prospect. That way McDavid and Lazer can keep their chemistry and maybe turn around the Senators. McDavid stays close to home and the world turns as it should. I just don’t want to see my team (Oilers) destroy the careers of any more good players!
Well according to an inside source that Bill Waters claims is part of the MLSE management group, he claims Phil Kessel is a huge problem.
True or not, here is the TSN link
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/waters-playoffs-or-clean-house-for-maple-leafs-1.173943