My gamenotes from Opening Day and leans/plays for Sunday!

[capping-guru]

I will do my best to watch as many games as possible each night, some nights will be easier than others.....as its hard with the 3 kids!

So here goes what we learned on Opening Day!

Sens/Jets - I watched a good chunk of this one. As I mentioned in my gamenotes, Sens had the most players playing during the lockout while the Jets had the least amount of players to do so. Well it showed! Sens played a very good road game, sound in all areas. Jets are lacking on alot defense. Nobody to clear the front of the net, Sens had a hayday on Pavelec. Karlsson, Spezza and Turis all played overseas during the lockout and they were the teams best players.

Pens/Flyers - Pens are going to be tough to beat this year. Very deep up front and I like their mobile defense. Flyers missed Briere on the PP. Flyers are VERY young up the middle. Rookie and 2nd year players. It will take this group time to get going but with Giroux....boy did he look good today, it should only get better each game as the kids learn. Not sold on the Flyers defense. Giroux and Jagr had great chemistry last year, losing Jagr to FA will hurt this team!

Hawks/Kings - Hawks have a great nucleus and are an extremely physical team to play against. Their fowards are very strong on the puck, quite impressive. Hossa is a horse yet again! Kings will be alright though, goaltending actually killed them today. Not getting the big stops did them in.

Bruins/Rangers - Every team that plays the NYR will give them their best shot. They have a target on their back after a terrific season last year. Bruins are back though......not much has changed from this team that won the Cup in 2010. I think this team is alot more tight in the locker room not having Tim Thomas. They really like to play for Rask and it showed tonight. Very tough physically too is this Bruins team. Wouldnt be against them much at home.

Caps/TB - TB is very solid up the middle and it showed tonight. Caps D really struggled tonight, young and no big heavyweight on the blueline that is a legit Number One defensemen. Plus the Caps are adjusting to a new coach.

Devils/Isles - NYI will be a tough out each night this year. They are soooo much tougher on the blueline with the addition of Carkner, love that signing! It allows the young kids to play a little bigger and not be worried so much about getting bumped around. Devils in my eyes will struggle to make the playoffs.

Panthers/Canes - Cam Ward blew this one for Carolina, plain and simple. Panther line of Huberdeau/Kovalev/Mueller was outstanding tonight.

Wings/Blues - Detroit will not make the playoffs, end of story. They have lost too much the last few years and it's finally catching up to them. Wings have nothing on defense and Howard will get shelled this season facing that type of rubber. STL on the other hand has alot of depth at forward and defense. Their one-two punch in goal is as good as any teams. Oshie had a strong tonight for the Blues.

Jacket/Preds - Didnt see a lick of this game.

Stars/Yotes - Watched a huge chunk of this game. Love the additions of Jagr/Whitney and Roy for the Stars at the forward position. Yotes showed me more than I thought I would see.......really like their defense, mobile and has size. This will be a huge strength for the Yotes. Mike Smith looked average in goal tonight after a crazy playoff run last year.

Avs/Wild - Caught bits of this game. The Wild PP was solid and they have size to go with their skill. Parise might rejuvenate Heatley's career too.

Ducks/Canucks - Ducks PP was super! Nucks looked flat after getting ahead 2-1. Ducks size at forward really caused the Nucks defense problems which surprised me as I like the Nucks defense. They were collapsing down low alot which led to a few bad goals by Schneider.

 

[capping-guru]

YTD 6-6 +.60 Units

Leans so far -
Sabres
Sharks
Wild
Canucks
Hawks

Totals - Sabres over, Flames over

 

[capping-guru]

Flyers/Sabres o5.5 for 1 Unit (1235 EST)

 

[capping-guru]

Sharks - ML(-120) for 3 Units
Love SJ here. Flames have a new HC in Hartley and teams with new coaches last night were 0-2. With no preseason, these teams are at a bigger disadvantage breaking in new systems. Throw in the fact that the Flames are actually looking at using Iginla at center and to take faceoffs when he normally plays the wing(basically his whole career), tells me how horrible they are up the middle. When you have Matt Stajan as your number center.....well enough said. No team will survive the shortened season with no depth up the middle! Blair Jones and Steve Begin are the Flames other centers, with youth occupying the 4th spot and the team will flip guys around that can play wing and center. All of this has me on a team that has Marleau, Thornton and Couture up the middle Now that is terrific and will prove to be the difference tonight!

 

[rockyb]

good stuff. I think the SJ game is very hard to figure out., it's gonna be critical for CAL to get off to a good start, so I'm staying away... GL today

 

[capping-guru]

good stuff. I think the SJ game is very hard to figure out., it's gonna be critical for CAL to get off to a good start, so I'm staying away... GL today

I look at the Flames and I really think its time they cut bait with Iginla and Kipper. Get the youth movement going. Iginla is a UFA this summer and Kipper next summer. Gotta get something while they have value and not let them walk for nothing. Just my 2 cents. GL today!

 

[capping-guru]

Sabres - ML(-135) for 1 Unit
This is always a tough team to play against at home plus they have made a few nice offseason moves that make they a little more physical to play againt. Getting Ott for Roy was huge in my eyes. Ott is taylor made for the East Conference.

 

[Snafu]

good stuff, thanks

how you see Det's goalie situation, does Gustavsson make any difference to hoower or is he even worse ?

as i said before start i'm gonna ride Chi and play against Det

also playing alternative -1?hc's more often, defenetly value there


cheers :toast:

 

[capping-guru]

good stuff, thanks

how you see Det's goalie situation, does Gustavsson make any difference to hoower or is he even worse ?

as i said before start i'm gonna ride Chi and play against Det

also playing alternative -1?hc's more often, defenetly value there


cheers :toast:

Honestly, I dont think it will make too much difference who is in goal for Detriot. Naturally Howard is the better of the two! But with that young defense in front of the Wings goalies.......going to be a long year!

I hear ya on the Hawks, love their line up!

 

[canuckfan77]

A couple more thoughts on the Canucks if I may.

I realize it's only one game, but here are my observations.

1) They lost a lot of face-offs that Sedin did not take resulting in at least 2 goals I can think of as well as disrupting the offense by losing in the offensive zone

2) The majority of offense was generated from the D and on the powerplay, what happens when the power-play dries up or the opportunities aren't there?

3) I'm going to chalk it up to opening night jitters because I think Schneider is the real deal, but after he let a couple softies the whole team especially the the d-men played so tight in fear of screwing up knowing he wasn't going to bail them out.

4) In all reality there is no 2nd line.

5) A healthy Kesler is more important to the success of this team then most people realize.

Conclusion: Combine the long layoff (lockout) and the fact that the Canucks really didn't have anybody (of substance) playing anywhere (except Schneider for a few games) The Canucks are NOT ready for this shortened and condensed season. If they do not trade for a bonafide #2 center they will find the season getting away from them.

I will taking the young and talented oilers tonight and will be fading the Canucks until they can prove me wrong. :0008

 

[capping-guru]

A couple more thoughts on the Canucks if I may.

I realize it's only one game, but here are my observations.

1) They lost a lot of face-offs that Sedin did not take resulting in at least 2 goals I can think of as well as disrupting the offense by losing in the offensive zone

2) The majority of offense was generated from the D and on the powerplay, what happens when the power-play dries up or the opportunities aren't there?

3) I'm going to chalk it up to opening night jitters because I think Schneider is the real deal, but after he let a couple softies the whole team especially the the d-men played so tight in fear of screwing up knowing he wasn't going to bail them out.

4) In all reality there is no 2nd line.

5) A healthy Kesler is more important to the success of this team then most people realize.

Conclusion: Combine the long layoff (lockout) and the fact that the Canucks really didn't have anybody (of substance) playing anywhere (except Schneider for a few games) The Canucks are NOT ready for this shortened and condensed season. If they do not trade for a bonafide #2 center they will find the season getting away from them.

I will taking the young and talented oilers tonight and will be fading the Canucks until they can prove me wrong. :0008

Great points! Canucks collapsed down low alot after getting behind....like you said, they played tight in fear of making a mistake.

Your team is only as good as they are up the middle. In a shortened season, if you have nobody at center......not having depth will kill your team. That is why I think Calgary struggles this year until they address it. Canucks needs to unload Luongo fast....with Schneider looking over his shoulder, it is already showing that it become a huge problem. Get your 2nd line center by dealing Luongo. Mike Gillis is failing this team if he doesnt do this.

Not having Kessler certainly hurts and when he returns.....it is going to take him some time to get in game shape.

Oilers had all their young stars playing during the lockout. The only thing that worries me is how the players adapt to a new system. Regardless, having one game under the belt and getting right back at it......personally I think it will help them alot tonight whereas EDM has yet to play. Just a thought. GL!

 

[capping-guru]

Hawks - ML(-110) for 2 Units
Oilers/Nucks o5.5 for 1 Unit