He struggled his first 10 games in the AHL and then adjusted. Hockey smarts are considered a strength so if that's the concern he should be fine.
- Tojo.

His conditioning is quite suspect. That chance he had in front at the end and the sequence with Hayes is what happens when you try to handle the puck but your gassed. I know the feeling quite well. Everytime the camera was on him, which was quite a lot last night he was gasping for air. Not a good sign from such a young guy.

Most FANS see different things. In a 0-0 game it’s a time not to take a *foolish* retaliation penalty. It's bad enough when a ref calls something like the Graves/Tkachuk mistake. The most physical Graves has been all season, by accident!

What I noticed was McGroarty looked much better than his last visit. At 21, the *kid* had to be a little nervous. Koivinen looked good in his first NHL game.

Bemstrom appears to be (next up) on the SILKY CHIT LIST and got his <7 minutes TOI. That's probably not gonna change because SILKY has a past practice history too. If you get on that CHIT LIST you never get off.

A close game like yesterday - is but one game - and just like with Jarry - it was just one game for him too.

I don’t know man. I’m just work strong. But I’d guess it happened when he fought Olivier. Or it’s made up and Sullivan wanted to bench him for the Hagel situation but didn’t want to bench a favorite in the Locke room so he gave him the ultimatum.
- Grinder47

That was my first thought too, since that fight had a lot of pulling, but then he played the next 2 games ... perhaps though he was hiding the injury and hoping he could get through it.

That was my first thought too, since that fight had a lot of pulling, but then he played the next 2 games ... perhaps though he was hiding the injury and hoping he could get through it.
- MickV

Like I said, muscle tears aren’t always immediately obvious. He probably thought he was hurt not injured and then got checked out when the pain wasn’t improving

Like I said, muscle tears aren’t always immediately obvious. He probably thought he was hurt not injured and then got checked out when the pain wasn’t improving
- Victoro311

Idk, I've torn muscles and it was very obvious.

More likely if he did hurt it in that fight he was trying to see if he could gut it out and get to the end of the season, since it's only a few more weeks, but realized after a few games that wasn't an option.

Idk, I've torn muscles and it was very obvious.

More likely if he did hurt it in that fight he was trying to see if he could gut it out and get to the end of the season, since it's only a few more weeks, but realized after a few games that wasn't an option.
- MickV

Depends on the tear, pain tolerance of the individual, etc…

Most FANS see different things. In a 0-0 game it’s a time not to take a *foolish* retaliation penalty. It's bad enough when a ref calls something like the Graves/Tkachuk mistake. The most physical Graves has been all season, by accident!

What I noticed was McGroarty looked much better than his last visit. At 21, the *kid* had to be a little nervous. Koivinen looked good in his first NHL game.

Bemstrom appears to be (next up) on the SILKY CHIT LIST and got his <7 minutes TOI. That's probably not gonna change because SILKY has a past practice history too. If you get on that CHIT LIST you never get off.

A close game like yesterday - is but one game - and just like with Jarry - it was just one game for him too.
- sufi-judge

Bemstrom probably got as much of a chance as he was going to the previous few weeks. If they bring back Tomasino, they have 8 of their top 9 guys already: Sid, Geno, Rust, Rackell, Novak, McGroarty, Koivunen, and Tomasino. They either go big game hunting for the last spot or add a two way middle six type (or both if they don't keep Tomasino). Hayes, Accairi, Lizotte, Heinen are all under contract too. Maybe they send one away with a pick, but not a lot of spots up front. Not even mentioning if anyone else from WBS.

EDIT- forgot keeping Dewar as a possibility

I don’t know man. I’m just work strong. But I’d guess it happened when he fought Olivier. Or it’s made up and Sullivan wanted to bench him for the Hagel situation but didn’t want to bench a favorite in the Locke room so he gave him the ultimatum.
- Grinder47

Are you implying a UFA got season ending surgery to cover for Sullivan wanting to bench him?

His conditioning is quite suspect. That chance he had in front at the end and the sequence with Hayes is what happens when you try to handle the puck but your gassed. I know the feeling quite well. Everytime the camera was on him, which was quite a lot last night he was gasping for air. Not a good sign from such a young guy.
- Grinder47

IDK. They have those plays on a loop on DK's site. On one play it's a saucer pass that was on edge, on the other he's hooked.

But he also didn't seem completely ready: he isn't getting those quality of passes from guys like Ponomarov and Broz. Said a bit about that in his post-game interview even. That's something he can get used to.

I'll have to watch for the sucking wind part. Sometimes that's conditioning, sometimes it's a guy who empties the tank every shift like Sid.