It's weird how much Q was deploying his line as a checking line role. THat's not something Kane is going to excel at. He should have moved Kero to 2C and kept using AA's 3rd line in that role like he was the first 2 games.
- JRoenick97

IF the Leafs can add a legit Top 4 Dman, they are a threat to win the East bc Anderson is a solid tendy and Matthews is already a Top 5 Player in the NHL. Add in the blazing speed/skill of guys like Nylander, Marner, Kadri, JVR, Brown and Hyman and they have 3 lines that are all fast and can score. Hawks significantly outplayed the Leafs in the first 20 without their 2C and with the Backup goalie in net. Whether it was mental, physical, or a combination of both, the Hawks did not continue to play with the pace and intensity that they had through the first 7 periods of the season. Give credit to Matthews and Co and take the point. Montreal is not as good as Toronto so hopefully a bounce-back 60 minute effort with an improved PP tonight.

IF the Leafs can add a legit Top 4 Dman, they are a threat to win the East bc Anderson is a solid tendy and Matthews is already a Top 5 Player in the NHL. Add in the blazing speed/skill of guys like Nylander, Marner, Kadri, JVR, Brown and Hyman and they have 3 lines that are all fast and can score. Hawks significantly outplayed the Leafs in the first 20 without their 2C and with the Backup goalie in net. Whether it was mental, physical, or a combination of both, the Hawks did not continue to play with the pace and intensity that they had through the first 7 periods of the season. Give credit to Matthews and Co and take the point. Montreal is not as good as Toronto so hopefully a bounce-back 60 minute effort with an improved PP tonight.
- EnzoD

I thought that too. The Leafs came out hard and the Hawks didn't back down. Made them pay on a couple mistakes really quick. Not sure what happened after that. It went to poop.

The power play is a train wreck right now. I understand early on some teams do not practice their power play, but the Hawks do the same things over and over. Keith carries it to center ice, drops to Kane for the delayed entry. When the Hawks do set up, Keith gets his shot blocked, and the puck is cleared out, or Kane dangles around until he can fire a shot. Toews is wasted on the PP because all he does is stand in front of the net. Dineen needs to get a little creative here in my opinion if the Hawks want to improve on the PP from a year ago. So frustrating with the talent level they have, and their power play is so bad and painful to watch!!
- ChicagoHope

I've been scrolling through the comments looking for someone to mention the power play. Yeah, not much happening there really. Kane is getting double teamed, which should open the slap shot from the other side if 1) they can rotate the puck fast enough, and 2) if Keith can hit the net. It all looks pretty predictable. Hoping for more with Sharp and Saad back.

Hey JJ, just curious, would you use the Hossa cap space to reacquire Kruger?

>Agree JJ, faceoffs always did and always will matter.
>By all accounts a terrific kid, but Kero's Rockford ticket is slowly being printed by his play -- if he's still hurt, he should sit
>AA should stay at 3C, no higher
>Hawks were dominated down the middle last night, not only at the dot, all over the ice
>If team pace of play and puck possession continues to vanish in future games with the loss of Schmaltz, Hawks will need to rethink the centers
>#20 is one heckuva player
- SnapitUpstairs

I don't get the negative comments on Kero at this point. He is doing his job for the most part. He has been the #1 PK forward so far and the only thing is he was 0-6 on Dzone draws. If my memory is correct, he was on the ice for one goal against, which was the Connor Brown goals where the Hawks had killed off a penalty but then got caught with a mismatch of Kero/Kane/Panik on the ice. The Leafs did what they did a lot last night and cycled down low without problem.

I think Kero is under-appreciated for his role on the team.

I also thought Forsberg was more solid then great. he blocks a lot of shots but leaves allot of rebounds. Was he good enough to win. Yes but if it was a 3-2 hawks win I would probably give him the 1st star but 4-3 not so much.
- kmw4631

I was really impressed by Forsberg. Sure, he's not starter quality or anything (he could be down the road!), but if you've got a backup who plays like that most nights, your team is in a good position to win.

Great game last night boys. The new rules were frustrating, but there was some really fun hockey in there.

IF the Leafs can add a legit Top 4 Dman, they are a threat to win the East bc Anderson is a solid tendy and Matthews is already a Top 5 Player in the NHL. Add in the blazing speed/skill of guys like Nylander, Marner, Kadri, JVR, Brown and Hyman and they have 3 lines that are all fast and can score. Hawks significantly outplayed the Leafs in the first 20 without their 2C and with the Backup goalie in net. Whether it was mental, physical, or a combination of both, the Hawks did not continue to play with the pace and intensity that they had through the first 7 periods of the season. Give credit to Matthews and Co and take the point. Montreal is not as good as Toronto so hopefully a bounce-back 60 minute effort with an improved PP tonight.
- EnzoD

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.

>Agree JJ, faceoffs always did and always will matter.
>By all accounts a terrific kid, but Kero's Rockford ticket is slowly being printed by his play -- if he's still hurt, he should sit
>AA should stay at 3C, no higher
>Hawks were dominated down the middle last night, not only at the dot, all over the ice
>If team pace of play and puck possession continues to vanish in future games with the loss of Schmaltz, Hawks will need to rethink the centers
>#20 is one heckuva player
- SnapitUpstairs

Spot. On. Every. Word.

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

Franson for Hyman? Why? Hyman isn't a superstar, but for whatever reason, he works on that line. No reason to give him up for a guy the Leafs could have signed all summer but didn't want to. Franson is fine, I'm not a hater, but he doesn't help the Leafs defense in the slightest.

>Agree JJ, faceoffs always did and always will matter.
>By all accounts a terrific kid, but Kero's Rockford ticket is slowly being printed by his play -- if he's still hurt, he should sit
>AA should stay at 3C, no higher
>Hawks were dominated down the middle last night, not only at the dot, all over the ice
>If team pace of play and puck possession continues to vanish in future games with the loss of Schmaltz, Hawks will need to rethink the centers
>#20 is one heckuva player
- SnapitUpstairs

Thought Saad was outstanding last night. Loved that rush from inside the D zone one on one where he forced the Leaf defenceman into a holding penalty.

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

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.

Franson for Hyman? Why? Hyman isn't a superstar, but for whatever reason, he works on that line. No reason to give him up for a guy the Leafs could have signed all summer but didn't want to. Franson is fine, I'm not a hater, but he doesn't help the Leafs defense in the slightest.
- SolidGoldBricks

Just a joke bud, Leafs would never make that trade. I really like Hyman, would really help the Hawks in their bottom 6.

Franson for Hyman? Why? Hyman isn't a superstar, but for whatever reason, he works on that line. No reason to give him up for a guy the Leafs could have signed all summer but didn't want to. Franson is fine, I'm not a hater, but he doesn't help the Leafs defense in the slightest.
- SolidGoldBricks

Because it helps the Hawks andddd that's all that matters. LOL

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

Why would Toronto do this? They don't need bottom pairing guys, they need a legit Top 4 to get them over the top. No question they'd deal Hyman to get that, but he's not that valuable either. But he's valuable enough and worth more than a 6/7 D-man. Hyman I thought played very well last night for the Leafs.

I don't get the negative comments on Kero at this point. He is doing his job for the most part. He has been the #1 PK forward so far and the only thing is he was 0-6 on Dzone draws. If my memory is correct, he was on the ice for one goal against, which was the Connor Brown goals where the Hawks had killed off a penalty but then got caught with a mismatch of Kero/Kane/Panik on the ice. The Leafs did what they did a lot last night and cycled down low without problem.

I think Kero is under-appreciated for his role on the team.
- breadbag

>#1 PK man needs to win draws
>Kero looked slow in camp, doesn't look as good as he did in his early games last year
>Think Kampf may be a better player already, looks to have more playmaking ability, but we'll see how he does in Rockford and at the dot
>I like Kero, but I want to see him improve, not tread water
>Not sure I see any part of Kero's game that is better than his early games last year: he had jump, feistyness, won battles, and was on the right side of the puck

Just a joke bud, Leafs would never make that trade. I really like Hyman, would really help the Hawks in their bottom 6.
- RickJ

Haha, my bad. Not here often enough to know when y'all are joking.

I think Hyman eventually finds himself in the Leafs bottom 6 and would be great there. I am all for the players who hustle, and you never see Hyman standing around out there.

Connor Brown didn't showcase much last night, but I think he's our top trade candidate right now. He could be a big time 3rd liner for some team.

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

Wonder what fatso Hitchcock had to say after LV won that game? He probably bag skated the whole team for 3 hours afterwards as he watched and consumed a dozen Boston Cream donuts. And I think Vegas had about 9 forwards and 10 Dmen out there too for that game.

Spot. On. Every. Word.
- kwolf68

>Gracias

Thought Saad was outstanding last night. Loved that rush from inside the D zone one on one where he forced the Leaf defenceman into a holding penalty.
- RickJ

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

Haha, my bad. Not here often enough to know when y'all are joking.

I think Hyman eventually finds himself in the Leafs bottom 6 and would be great there. I am all for the players who hustle, and you never see Hyman standing around out there.

Connor Brown didn't showcase much last night, but I think he's our top trade candidate right now. He could be a big time 3rd liner for some team.
- SolidGoldBricks

Here's my dream NHL division for exciting, wide open, high skill hockey - Toronto, Chicago, Winnipeg and Edmonton. You could forget about watching the rest of the league.

Last nights game was exciting to watch as a fan. One thing that stood out was Q's misjudgement of players in OT. In my opinion he over used Toews/Keith/Seabs in OT leading Toews to making a bad pass to Kane, which Mathews capitalized on and scored the game winning goal (awesome shot). Would of liked to seen more of the younger players with opportunies like Debrincat, Ruutu, etc.

Here's my dream NHL division for exciting, wide open, high skill hockey - Toronto, Chicago, Winnipeg and Edmonton. You could forget about watching the rest of the league.
- RickJ

*Pittsburgh

Hey JJ, just curious, would you use the Hossa cap space to reacquire Kruger?
- matt_ahrens

You're going to have to give up more than what you sold him for. He's fit in really well.

Nordstrom - Kruger - McGinn gave teams fits in the preseason and they did it again against Minnesota on Saturday. Nobody with great hands but they're all solid defensively and fast/gritty enough to be a pain in the ass.

Every year the Hawks won the cup, Edmonton was a pain in the ass in the regular season. Fast, skilled, young team...not built for playoffs though

Here's my dream NHL division for exciting, wide open, high skill hockey - Toronto, Chicago, Winnipeg and Edmonton. You could forget about watching the rest of the league.
- RickJ

>That would be fantastic!