The season is well underway coming to the end of Week 2. Quite a few teams have played upwards of five games already, so it should be no surprise that some of the top players are already on a point-a-game pace... but some are not. The surprises come more from the top line players that were included in Boxes 1 through 6 and 13 through 18. These guys should be the top players in the West and East respectively.
In the West, it is a slight surprise that a guy like Paul Kariya has not picked up his pace. He has been hampered with a hamstring tweak, but that shouldn't really hamper the all-star. The Predators have lost their first three games, but have scored 12 goals in the process... Kariya isn't relied on for defense, pretty much just offense.
I'm not gonna beat a dead horse with a stick, but the Flames are not scoring. How well documented is that? Alex Tanguay is probably the most guilty in the pool... since he was taken about 10 times so far this season and has only 2 points to his name. Daymond Langkow is yet to register a point, but nobody cared about him in the pool. Dion Phaneuf and Roman Hamrlik only have a point to their name... it's a good thing that all you Flames fans like Kiprusoff for points... he's about the only one doin' it.
Do you remember the days when Milan Hejduk scored 50 goals? I do... but I haven't seen that sort of form just yet this season. In three games this year, Hejduk is yet to find the back of the net. Still early... can't preach that enough, but Hejduk should be relied upon for scoring goals in this new Avalanche team that lost a bit of depth in the off-season. This is still a surprise, however.
Can you believe Ilya Kovalchuk is still without a goal as well?? Kovalchuk... one of the most electrifying players in the league. A prolific scorer... still hasn't done it yet. Yes, this is a big surprise. With the Thrashers winning games on the shoulders of Kari Lehtonen, Kovalchuk has lost a bit of the spotlight in Atlanta due to his poor form of late. He'll have to get his act together soon... there are lots of teams counting on him.
How about those Ottawa Senators... did you really think that the loss of Zdeno Chara would make such a large impact. Well Jason Spezza and Wade Redden haven't exactly clicked yet this year... Spezza with only 2 goals and Redden still with a goose egg in the points department. The Senators are also struggling in the win department and there are a few teams struggling in the points department here in the pool, all in thanks to the non-performance of these two superstars.
If you're good long enough, teams learn to play against you. This couldn't be any truer for Bryan McCabe. McCabe, an offensive dynamo last year, has not enjoyed the same success in the early part of the season yet with the Leafs. McCabe's 2 points in 5 games is cause for concern. The Leafs powerplay needs the star defenseman to make good on his big contract to be successful... much like the 11 teams that picked him.
technorati tags:maple, leafs, senators, thrashers, flames, avalanche, predators, goals, points
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