I watched most of the first game, saw the whole second game, missed the third and only saw the end of the 4th. Game one a little sloppy and Turco played a little like Huet allowing a soft goal when the defense let him down. But Avs played them extremely tough last year, 3 of 4 games went to shootouts. Game 2 was a just a tough game against the wings who are healthy unlike last year. Game 3 they rebounded well after giving up those 2 early goals and Crawford played like Niemi when the defense let him down he picked them up. Last night they plyed well until the last 10 minutes.
The defense looks a little sloppy and part of that is missing soup but besides him they were missing Boyton game 1 and Hammer for half of game 3 and all of game 4. The defensive pairings aren’t getting much of a chance to play with each other. Also when you are missing soup, hammer and a defensemen gets a penalty and you have to put Hendry on the PK things probably aren’t going to go well.
Regardless of who is playing in front of them the goalies have to pick things up. Both have played two games, 1 home and 1 away. Both are saving close to 90%, Crawford just above and Turco just below. Turco has allowed 7 goals while Crawford only 6. The Hawks have a very talented offense but asking them to score 4 goals every night to win is asking alot.
But with the negatives come positives as well.
We are going to have Marian Hossa for a full season. He has 6 points, 3 goals and 3 assists in the first 4 games. He had 51 points in 57 games last season. Could he reach 80 points on the year?
The old vets of Kane and Toews finally got in the action the past two nights, each have 3 points on the season. Also let's not forget after missing the Detroit game Patrick Sharp has returned and also has 3 points.
I refer to Kane and Toews as the old vets because they aren't the young guns anymore since defenseman Nick Leddy is on the team. The 19 year old scored his first NHL goal the other night in Buffalo on the only shot he took. The kid has been very impressive so far in this young season logging over 19 minutes of ice time twice already.
And before I get to the guys who need to step up there is one more guy I need to point out and that is Bryan Bickell. He opened the season scoring a goal against the Avs and Redwings and getting an assist in Buffalo before his point streak was broken against Nashville. For all those people pining for Big Buff start watching Bickell, I think you will be fans.
So who needs to step up and what can be changed to help. I have already gone over the goalies and how the blue liners need to step up which I blame mostly on injuries and suspensions who else can step up to help. My eyes are focused straight on Troy Brouwer.
Brouwer is a big (6'3), young (25), talented guy who scored 26 points two seasons ago and 40 last season. He has the talent to be a top 6 forward on this team and now is the time he shows it. I think it is a huge mistake to have him on the 3rd or 4th line. I think he is a guy who would greatly benefit playing up on the top 2 lines with Hossa or Kane on the opposite wing.
Coach Q has already swifted the lines around abit between games as well as during but here are some suggestions:
Hossa-Toews-Brouwer/Stalberg
Kane-Sharp-Bickell/Brouwer
Kopecky-Bolland-Pisani/Bickell
Skille-Dowell-?(whoever is left)
The biggest difference this year and last isn't the top 3 lines, who is in net or who is guarding the blue line but the lack of production so far after the top 2 lines and then a bigger drop off from 3 to 4. Kopecky did a great job filling in for Ladd last season along Bolland and I think Q needs to go back to that. Stalberg I think would benefit the most by playing along side Toews and Hossa. In net I like what has been done so far, let's keep going 2-2 and if someone gets hot ride them for a few games.
We are only four games into a 82 game season. So far they have 3 points. Things need to improve but things aren't as bad as they seem and if those 4th liners need any motivation just look West to Rockford and see how Kyle Beach or Jeremy Morin are doing.
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