Maniwaki Canuck

Miller, Myers and Sutter stood out tonight but a really strong effort from nearly everyone. Our big guns aren't even going yet but we're rag-dolling some teams just the same. Love the physical game we played tonight. This is a team that can play any type of game now.

It's been a long time since we could say that! Very much the story tonight.

Watching the Detroit feed: very balanced commentary.

He seems a bit tight, like maybe he's putting too much pressure on himself. That and the extra attention he's getting ...

Dominant power forward game from Miller last night. He makes his own space but it doesn't hurt that Petey and Brock are coverage priorities. Will be interesting to see if and how they mesh as a unit. So far they feel more like a collection of parts.

All this with Petey yet to get on rack.

Okay, let's lay the body on these punks and bring it home!

Helluva game. Loks like we've got our forward line combinations right. Every one looks dangerous. Sutter looking good on the wing.

Makes sense for them to claim Ho-Sang and Goldobin, but they're up against the cap so Baertschi might be hard to fit in. Gotta figure that Benning is trying to clear some cap room by dangling Baer. I don't like this move, but there must be a reason.

The team improves to 92 points, gets the final wildcard into the playoffs, wins one round in 7, and loses the next in 6. We establish ourselves as one of the legit, up and coming teams about to contend. We build on last year to become Colorado's kryptonite. sweeping the season series against them and ripping their hearts out as we do it. Injuries still happen but our much improved depth gets us through them without extended losing streaks. Individually, Petey is 40/45, Boesser 35/35, Bo 30/35, Miller 25/35, Ferland 25/25, Baer 20/25, Jake 18/20, Sutter 25/18, Pearson 15/20, Leivo 15/20, Hughes 8/40, Edler 12/25, Myers 12/28, Stecher 8/22. Bo gets the C and is full value for it. Hughes is a Calder finalist but doesn't win. Markstrom and Demko are in the top ten of the league as a pairing and split the regular season 52/30. Motte and Fantenberg make the team, Biega, Erikson, Goldobin and Schaller do not. Roussel back by Dec. 1 and wills the team into the playoffs. Tryamkin back by season's end but is 7th D when all are healthy. On the farm: Gaudette spends most of the year in Utica and lights it up offensively there with one or two call-ups to the big club. MacEwan continues to score and be a physical presence, earning one call-up and showing well in it before being demoted again. Lind improves significantly but no call-up, Gadjovich busts. Juolevi progresses steadily behind Brisebois and Sautner but does not get a call-up. Chatfield and Rafferty strong on the right side but behind Biega on the depth chart. Di Pietro has a tough first half but finds his feet later on. Utica contends.

Make that a trailer hitch at -40 degrees and I'd actually watch.

His agent isn't even pretending that they aren't trying to move him, only that he's still an NHL player and shouldn't be sent to the minors. Odds are that's where he's headed though. Three years of riding the buses might be more than he can take. No "sweeteners" to get rid of him: force him into retirement.

Love it. This hastens Calgary's demise. Can't wait to see Lucic in the handshake line after we beat them this year or next in the playoffs

Tell that to Calgary Puck!

A cowpie on top of a mullet.

Did his parole officer have to co-sign?

Good analysis. Fact is, we were already an almost decent team last year, and would have been in the thick of it if it weren't for those injury-induced bad months. With this summer's upgrades and deeper depth, we are poised to get to the next level. I am particularly encouraged by our record against Colorado and Calgary last year, but we definitely need to turn it around against Arizona, Anaheim, Winnipeg and Vegas. At least we have the size and speed to go toe to toe with those last two now.

Agree that San Jose and Winnipeg could be the fallers but Colorado is scary, even though we played really well against them last year. Vegas may not be quite as good but until we show that we can handle their game, and the new additions should help a lot here, they have to rank ahead of us. Realistically, I think we do well to finish 7th or 8th because it does mean displacing a pretty good team or two, but that's also what we are now. And if we fall short, we get to keep our first round pick in a deep draft year

For all the old folks out there: does anyone remember the "garbage eaters" that used to be on the Upper Levels out to Horseshoe Bay in the 60's and 70's? They were garbage cans in the shape of big green birds with white teeth on a hinge that you pushed in to deposit your garbage. I always had this feeling of deja vu around Dubas, and now I know what it is!

Same deal but very different situation on the right side, where Rafferty is a couple of positions higher on the depth chart than Teves is on the left.

Grimson's a lawyer. If you've ever heard him speak, it is bizzarely out of synch with his on-ice persona. He's smart alright (just like Bieksa).

Yeah, Stu Grimson smart but way, way more funny.

Okay, fair enough from a pugilistic and snarl point of view. Strike me down dead if I ever sell Gino short! But the current group might hit better and wear other teams down more just because of their skating, and have more offensive talent than those guys. You're right, though, they were full-on mean.

Couldn't agree more! And I've been a fan since 1969-70 ... Those who were saying it's like the 1994 group have a point, except I think we're tougher and more skilled (on the whole, minus a Pavel of course). This team is going to have an identity, and it won't be one opponents are going to like.

We've been killed for lack of depth in recent years after pretty consistently getting off to good starts. Not only do we have a way better opening day lineup, but a lot of decent replacements waiting in the wings. This year, things are going to be different.