Game recaps, plus updates on Radim Vrbata, Jeff Petry, Connor McDavid, Kyle Turris and more in your NHL Canadian Corner.
Game recaps.
Detroit Red Wings winger Justin Abdelkader celebrates the first of his three goals against the Maple Leafs.
TORONTO SUN/MLIVE.COM: Justin Abdelkader tallied a hat trick and Dylan Larkin collected his first NHL goal and assist as the Detroit Red Wings blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0. Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier got the hook after giving up three goals on nine shots.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hunker down, Leafs fans, it’s going to be a long, painful season. Ultimately, it’s necessary if they’re to rebuild properly.
WINNIPEG SUN: Second period goals by Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ladd gave the Winnipeg Jets a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Notable headlines.
THE VANCOUVER SUN: Veteran winger Radim Vrbata likes skating alongside swift young linemates Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If they can mesh well over the course of the season, they’ll provide the Canucks with much-needed second-line scoring depth.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Among the main reasons defenseman Jeff Petry opted to sign with the Canadiens is his wife loves Montreal.
OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Kyle Turris is hoping to be a consistent performer for the club this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Turris has made steady improvement since joining the Senators. If he stays healthy, he could reach career-highs in goals and points this season.
EDMONTON SUN: Oilers rookie Connor McDavid’s faceoff skills need work.
CALGARY HERALD: The Flames wasted little time reuniting the checking line of Micheal Ferland, Matt Stajan and David Jones which worked so effectively in last spring’s playoffs.
The lack of goals will be a problem, a bigger problem will be goaltending at this rate. Berneir with his stellar .886 sv% key to both their games so far, cant score and cant get a save. Other than that….lol
I have a feeling its gonna be a 21-59-2 season for the leafs. I only put 2 overtime losses because it will be rare for them to actually be tied with anyone after 60 mins.
lol ehh I dont know it will be all that bad, its the east besides Pits Mtl Tampa the Islanders and Washington I think the majority of the rest are an injury or 2 away from some rough seasons aswell. Not saying the Leafs are a playoff team but Im not sure they are gonna be a 20 win type team either. Like Lyle said ultimately necessary.
Shticky, be honest now in your reply. Let’s say it had been The Leafs who went on that miraculous 24-game run to wipe out a 14-point deficit and make the playoffs and also were the ONLY team in the NHL with 5 20-goal scorers and 2 more who were close, a Norris trophy winner and a finalist for the Calder – what kind of euphoria do you think there would have been in Leafsland over the summer, and do you seriously think the media – and fans – would be looking at them heading into a new season and saying they were “1 or 2 injuries away from some rough sessions – truthfully now.
I agree George unlike the leafs a lot of other teams have more depth that will cover most injuries unless its a star like karlsson,subban,price,crosby etc
And I said the other day the Sens could be a surprise team…I just don’t see their roster in the same way I see the top 4 or 5 in the east…could be but I’m not sure.
basically George I just don’t see the eastern conference really strong as a whole and with the amount of mediocre teams playing each other a lot not sure there are any 40 point teams.
No need to take it personal George. I said the other day the Send could surprise some people with their depth if the youth and Ryan produce…just not sure they are on the same fitting as the Pens Rangers Caps Isles or lightning, anything can happen but…
I wasn’t saying anything other than I think the East is a weaker conference not sure the Buffalos NJs Carolina Bruins Flyers if they run in to injuries of important players are all that hood of teams…1 kinda somewhat benefit the Leafs COULD have is that their farm team (if they were to run into some injuries) could relatively easily replace some of this roster that looks a little weak….if you look at the east there are more than a few weaker teams that play each other a lot. I’d say the same about any of them just not the Leafs. Its the east. Not sure with the amount of kinda weak teams there are any that won’t put up more than 40 or so points
I wasn’t taking anything “personal” Shticky. I was merely trying to get a feel of what the consensus would be heading into this season amongst known Leafs fans (and the media) IF the Leafs had done what the Sens had done last season, had 5 20-goal scorers, a Norris winner and a Calder finalist. Obviously you can’t answer for the media, but given their thirst for something to cheer about locally you have to agree they’d have been doing figurative cart-wheels down Yonge Street and we’d be hearing all kinds of positive predictions. The Ottawa media, on the other hand (miniscule by comparison of course) have been muted in their predictions.
again kadri and gariner didn’t do their job without the puck! I think babs will be holding a few practises with no pucks involved lol a few ex babcock players are starting to come out and say he wasn’t all beloved as a coach now commadores tweet was pretty funny
That tweet by Commodore was certainly straight and to the point …”welcome back to where every one who’s met you hates you … you arrogant piece of &^%$!” Now I suppose we have to consider the source here – but where there’s smoke there’s fire” and it will be interesting to watch the inter-action as the losses pile up and the media’s questions to Babcock become more pointed. I hope he has thicker skin than did Burke.
Commodore said the same thing about any coach who cut him (see his opinion on his time in Columbus) It seems to me that anyone who spends 10 years in an organization isnt going to be beloved by all, like you said George consider thre source then consider what others like the guys on team Canada the Redwings Kenny Holland say about him who you going to believe the guy who was cut and waived with obvious issues, or mst everyone else? Funny how you pick and choose where to say “where thers smoke theres fire…” lots of smoke surrounds Pat Kane but you were pretty reluctant to pass any kinda judgement there accept on the alleged victim.
Re Kane … and once again you read it wrong. I NEVER passed judgement on the victim. Just as I never passed judgement on Kane. I said – repeatedly – let the justice system take its course and go from there. That’s why we have courts.
That’s a far cry from an ex-player tossing roten eggs at an ex-coach.
Larks had a goal and assist Lyle. Leafs had some good opportunities though. Howie had a bery solid game.
As bad as the results have been not sure that the team is as bad as some make it seem, 3 games in they still haven’t been out shot like they have been for the past 5 years lost the first game mainly due to an MVP goalie couple soft goals against again in the second game and a shoot out loss in the third…really this team could be 2and 1 instead of 0 and 3. Yet some act like they might not win a game…give it some time they may not be great or even really very good but to me it seems early still to make judgments on a first year of a rebuilding or retooling club new coach GM.