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We've had winners and losers in first week of NHL season

January 21, 2021, 11:59 AM ET [3 Comments]
Kevin Allen
Blogger •HHOF Writer's column on the NHL • RSSArchiveCONTACT
One theme of the NHL’s pandemic-inspired 56-game season is the need for good starts. How many coaches and general managers have warned us that a poor launch could doom a team this season.

With that in mind, I offer my winners and losers for the first week of the NHL season:

Winner: Vegas Golden Knights: After what could be considered a tumultuous offseason, the Golden Knights have started 4-0 and outscored opponents 16-7. While not everyone, particularly Marc-Andre Fleury lovers, appreciate what the Golden Knights did, and how they did it, this summer, you cannot argue with the results. Vegas has the goals, grit, guile and goaltending to win it all.

Loser: Alex Ovechkin and his buddies: It’s hard enough to stay Covid-free following the rules. It’s impossible if a team isn’t going to follow the rules. The NHL, nor the Capitals management, appreciated that Ovechkin and some buddies got together unmasked in a hotel room. The Capitals were fined $100,000 for not following Covid rules. Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Ilya Samsonov and Dmitry Orlov were placed on the Covid list. Those are all critical players. Ovechkin, the team captain, put out a statement expressing his regret.

Winner: Detroit Red Wings winger Bobby Ryan: The former No. 2 overall draft wasn’t exactly a hot commodity in the free agent marketplace. Detroit GM Steve Yzerman gave him a one-year, $1 million contract and Ryan has responded with four goals in his first three games as a Red Wings. He’s tied for the league lead in goal

Loser: Columbus Blue Jackets: It’s bad enough that the team’s No. 1 center Pierre-Luc Dubois has asked for a trade. But the Jackets, ranked 29th last season in goal scoring, have opened the 2020-21 season by scoring only eight goals in their first four games. Max Domi, acquired in the offseason, to be the team’s No. 2 center has no goals and only one shot in the team’s first four games. He owns a -5 plus-minus. The scoring issue is frustrating because this team has the defensive play and grittiness necessary to be a quality postseason team.

Winner: All-Canadian Division: It appears that thie competitiveness of this division will live up to expectation. Off-season acquisitions have made the Montreal Canadiens intriguing. The Ottawa Senators are playing with spunk. Dependable goaltending looks good on the Flames. The Toronto Maple Leafs are who we thought they would be. You’re lying if you say you know for sure who’s going to win this division.

Loser: Slumping Anaheim Ducks scorers: Goalie John Gibson is doing what he is supposed to do (2.02 goals-against average, .937 save percentage), but Ryan Getzlaf, Rickard Rackell, Jacob Silfverberg and Adam Henrique have a combined total of one assist and no goals. As a group, they are -14. It’s hard to understand why the team wouldn’t give young Trevor Zegras a chance to provide a spark. Maybe he’s not ready, but it could be fun, even helpful, to see what he can do.

Winner: Minnesota Wild rookie Karill Kaprizov: With five points in his first four games, Kaprizov has been the difference-maker the Wild hoped he would be. Good start for a run at Rookie of the Year.

Loser: Blackhawks goaltending and defense: The Blackhawks may be regretting that they didn’t sign a veteran goalie when Corey Crawford left. The Blackhawks have given up 20 goals in four games. The team’s defensive play hasn’t been NHL quality.
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