How about Fleury and the Vegas Knights off to a 2-0 start?? LOVE IT! That team will go as far as Matthews takes them. He is an unbelievable talent and a large man at only 19.
- EnzoD

I saw most of the first Vegas game against Dallas. Vegas got outplayed all game, MAF held them in. Half way through the third period, Ben Bishop took one off the mask that cut him and maybe concussed him. Kari came in and got beat twice in 10 minutes. the 2nd Knights goal came with Kari laying on his stomach, while Neal threw one into the top of the open net.

Vegas works hard, but they can't score. They'll be well under .500 and a non-playoff team.

I'm assuming the game against the Coyotes was unwatchable, as in 2 bad teams playing.

Took a look at Dmen TOI, interesting information:

Forsling

game 1 - 18:45
game 2 - 19:43
game 3 - 16:23

Rutta

game 1 - 20:45
game 2 - 19:13
game 3 - 17:27

Murphy

game 1 - 15:08
game 2 - 16:48
game 3 - 16:21

Kempny

game 1 - 15:31
game 2 - 16:38
game 3 - 14:47

Keith

game 1 - 23:11
game 2 - 23:02
game 3 - 28:11

Seabrook

game 1 - 20:25
game 2 - 22:29
game 3 - 25:04
- walleyeb1

It's more interesting and useful if you add in usage and deployment. Forsling-Rutta have typically been used in an offensive manner; Kempny-Murphy mid-tier QOC less in OZS; Keith-Seabrook top QOC, heavy assignments.

Solid - maybe; but Frederick Anderson has never proven to be a goaltender who can take a team the distance in the playoffs, not in the top 15 of NHL'ers IMO. And injury prone. If I was the Leafs I would give up some of their very good farm depth for MA Fleury, that would make the Leafs extremely dangerous.

Cody Franson for Zach Hyman.

Hyman has hands of stone but he's an animal on the forecheck for Mathews. And although very good, eventually Nylander and Marner are going to get hammered, they aren't in #88's league yet.
- RickJ

Ah frans for Zach would never happen! .ive read your leaf comments..and you seem a bit salty .relax it's one game friend 😊..sorry just back read.. it was a joke! 😁😂..😢

Ah frans for Zach would never happen! .ive read your leaf comments..and you seem a bit salty .relax it's one game friend 😊
- MR.Hunter

Just make it an even swap of Matthews for Franson, instead.

Just make it an even swap of Matthews for Franson, instead.
- EnzoD

can't.

we need to include matthews in the package to vancouver for tanev

Just make it an even swap of Matthews for Franson, instead.
- EnzoD

We'll add a 1st and call it a deal!😊

can't.

we need to include matthews in the package to vancouver for tanev
- Tumbleweed

Shat..right!..nylander. Marner it is?😕have a great night guys. .and best of luck the rest of the way! ..and please kick ass in Montreal 😊

Hawks are a good October club for sure. Hurts to give up a point like that, up 2 with less than 10 minutes to go. Ouch.
- VopatsRash

Yes troll, all Hawk fans should be jealous of your team's 0-2 start. 2-0-1 against 3 playoff teams just doesn't compare!!!!!

Should have won the game? I dunno what you were watching but i thought they were lucky to be in the game. Great first for chicago pretty tough from there on out
- kiddels2

Picked up a point they probably shouldn't have, based on the flow of the game.

Lost a point they should have had, considering a 2 goal lead with 7 minutes left.

Toronto got the two they deserved.

It evens out over a season....

Can't tell anything from one game. Hawks got a point on the road against a pretty good team, nothing wrong with that. It's along season and points like that count big at the end.

I don't think I can agree that the Hawks "deserved to win", or that the Hawks were the "better 5v5 team" last night. After watching the game, and seeing the possession stats afterwards, it was not close.

Picked up a point they probably shouldn't have, based on the flow of the game.

Lost a point they should have had, considering a 2 goal lead with 7 minutes left.

Toronto got the two they deserved.

It evens out over a season....
- StLBravesFan

That pretty much sums it up.

Kick Montreal's ass please.

It's more interesting and useful if you add in usage and deployment. Forsling-Rutta have typically been used in an offensive manner; Kempny-Murphy mid-tier QOC less in OZS; Keith-Seabrook top QOC, heavy assignments.
- L_B_R

Screen shot

Note to self:


NEVER EVER post a sarcastic trade especially involving a young leaf
power" forward, no matter who you type in as the fake trade return....the entire site will think I am serious....

I knew he was joking....I just can't figure why most other not only didn't think he was kidding, but felt COMPELLED to take him to task about it.

You guys crack ME up!

Last night, I would have started Crow, but they just wanted to oblige him, so he could play in the town he was born in against a worthy tender on the other end of the sheet....

Rutta has been fantastic for his first 3 NHL Gmes. However, it was a very costly penalty on Kadri. The franking stick infractions are so soft its like the NHL wants to become the NBA. A stick check on the shaft of the opponent's stick should not be a slash unless it breaks the stick or is a full Paul Bunyan swing. Nor should a harmless little stick wack on a guys shinguards be a penalty. Violent slashes and any contact/obstruction on the hands/body should be called. While they call these ticky-tack slashing penalties, interference plays are still rampant and the 1-hand reach around is much more of an obstruction than a soft stick whack.

Ah frans for Zach would never happen! .ive read your leaf comments..and you seem a bit salty .relax it's one game friend 😊..sorry just back read.. it was a joke! 😁😂..😢
- MR.Hunter

I'm not salty, in factI really like to watch this Leafs team. Its Franson, I don't care for.

But be careful about expecting a Cup down Yonge Street too soon, that blueline needs some work.

Rutta has been fantastic for his first 3 NHL Gmes. However, it was a very costly penalty on Kadri. The franking stick infractions are so soft its like the NHL wants to become the NBA. A stick check on the shaft of the opponent's stick should not be a slash unless it breaks the stick or is a full Paul Bunyan swing. Nor should a harmless little stick wack on a guys shinguards be a penalty. Violent slashes and any contact/obstruction on the hands/body should be called. While they call these ticky-tack slashing penalties, interference plays are still rampant and the 1-hand reach around is much more of an obstruction than a soft stick whack.
- EnzoD

The league still has it's priorities mixed up. When are they going to get tough on the interference against the forwards who are trying to get into the offensive zone? Hell I have seen better tackling in the NHL than the first month of the NFL.

I'm not salty, in factI really like to watch this Leafs team. Its Franson, I don't care for.

But be careful about expecting a Cup down Yonge Street too soon, that blueline needs some work.
- RickJ

We have been through it with Franson too. The problem is, he's not terrible. For most teams, he slots in at 6 or 7 and can be helpful. There are much worse guys.

He's just SUCH a 6 or 7 guy that even when you need him, it makes for a frustrating watch nightly.

A few things I saw/took away from the game.

1) Q seems to be doing a lot of experimenting with putting the new guys in various situations, and this is only a good thing going forward. Find out what everyone is good at.

2) We saw last night (and I'm sure we will going forward) that the Hawks will, at times, revert back to a more passive game. Maybe it was fatigue, but I saw a number of instances where they were slowly trickling the puck up ice only to have to dump it (and it wasn't like TOR was stacking the blue line).

3) Hayden looks like he is happy that he is on the team playing, but would like to play a bit higher in the lineup. about 2-3 times in each game they've played, he has taken it upon himself to lead the rush (regardless of how many defenders are near), and prove that he can get a shot off.

I'll be interested to see how Q tinkers with the lines if Schmaltz is out for an extended period.

Can't tell anything from one game. Hawks got a point on the road against a pretty good team, nothing wrong with that. It's along season and points like that count big at the end.

I don't think I can agree that the Hawks "deserved to win", or that the Hawks were the "better 5v5 team" last night. After watching the game, and seeing the possession stats afterwards, it was not close.
- Aetherial

The comments about how the Hawks should have won are about how they had a solid lead and didn't hold onto it. The Leafs made a nice comeback but the Hawks played too passive after getting out in front by two goals. In most cases, up by two, the game doesn't turn that much and the Hawks "should have been able to pull out the win". I find that early season play can be so uneven.

>Saad is a 200 foot beast
>And I agree on your D observation: they held up OK, forwards -- not so much
- SnapitUpstairs

Same happened against Ducks in 2015 WCF game 7 i believe. Hawks converted that PP -> GOAL. 72 never provided that....prime example of a 200 ft game!

The league still has it's priorities mixed up. When are they going to get tough on the interference against the forwards who are trying to get into the offensive zone? Hell I have seen better tackling in the NHL than the first month of the NFL.
- powerenforcer

Agree 100%. The small pick plays, one arm wraps along the boards, ect are much more of an "obstruction" than a soft slash on the players stick. I'm all for opening up the game and having more scoring, but last night's game was barely played at 5v5.

Same happened against Ducks in 2015 WCF game 7 i believe. Hawks converted that PP -> GOAL. 72 never provided that....prime example of a 200 ft game!
- glennjpawlak22

Absolutely. Saad effectively killed off a penalty all by himself on that play.

Absolutely. Saad effectively killed off a penalty all by himself on that play.
- breadbag

Saad has been absolutely beastly so far this season and Toews' line has been extremely difficult to defend. When you factor in Forsberg who appears to have #1 Goalie ability, the Panarin trade gets an A+ from me.

Rutta has been fantastic for his first 3 NHL Gmes. However, it was a very costly penalty on Kadri. The franking stick infractions are so soft its like the NHL wants to become the NBA. A stick check on the shaft of the opponent's stick should not be a slash unless it breaks the stick or is a full Paul Bunyan swing. Nor should a harmless little stick wack on a guys shinguards be a penalty. Violent slashes and any contact/obstruction on the hands/body should be called. While they call these ticky-tack slashing penalties, interference plays are still rampant and the 1-hand reach around is much more of an obstruction than a soft stick whack.
- EnzoD

Yes he has:

Lazerus:

Jan Rutta has two goals and two assists in three games. Just as we all predicted.

Saad has been absolutely beastly so far this season and Toews' line has been extremely difficult to defend. When you factor in Forsberg who appears to have #1 Goalie ability, the Panarin trade gets an A+ from me.
- EnzoD

I never in a million years they would send Saad back for a trade like that. He isn't as flashy, but he is just harder to play against. It really sucked that after Saad evened it up, Keith got called for the slash which was a love tap on the shin pad. I was glad they killed that off after the brutal call.