Some thoughts

Well. The season has started. We are tops in the North East! For what that's worth this early in the season!

Just had a few things to say. Firstly, thank God for secondary scoring. Who would have thought, after all these years, all we would have is Secondary scoring. Kovalev looks passive, Alfie looks old and Spezza is squeezing his stick. Meanwhile, Peter Regin, Milan Michalek, Mike Fisher, Jarko Rutuu et all are scoring. And it's working - for now. It's only a matter of time before those guys (who aren't relied upon to be point per game players) will stop producing. Then what? Spezza set-up (with Cheechoo's help) a beautiful Michalek goal... So, he looks better. Kovalev has flashes of brilliance, but overall seems to be giving up on a play before even breaking the zone. Alfie si trying. God bless him, he's trying. But his age is showing. That being said, he had a beautiful penalty shot goal on The Monster last week!

The kids are looking great. For the most part. Regin has been consistant. Dropped off a little in play. BUt that is expected. But Carkner! Holy moley, whatever Clouston asks him to do, he does! He can score, he can shut down offensive weapons, he can fight, he can hit. I love it! Karlsson, on the other hand, has disappointed me. Everytime he's on the ice, I see turnovers. I think it's important for him to jump up on the play, that'swhat he's good at, but not if he's gonna cough it up everytime he does. Now I don't know what's best for him; wether it's sending him to Binghamton, or keping him with the big Club. But I do know that he has to start learning from his mistakes soon, because Leclaire isn't gona be able to save his ass ALL season.

On that note. LECLAIRE! Holy crap! He's everything I had hoped and more. What athletisism. He flashes the pad at a shot when you think it's not possible. He's technically VERY sound, which we are not used to (Emery, Gerber, Hasek) For the first time in a long time... when there's an odd man rush against us, I don't cringe. I've never been this confident in our goaltending! And between Leclaire and Eliott (Who had one HELL of a game against Atlanta) we have one of the strongest goaltending tandems in the league. Of course no critics will believe that unil one of them carries us through the post season. Which won't happen if this team doesn't start gell-ing!

I know it takes time to develop chemistry and some lines look awesome. (LIke our fourth line... How do we keep pulling Donovan out of the lineup?) But our Dmen (other than Phillips and Volchenkov) look like chickens without heads! I think Clouston needs to bring these guys back to basic fundamentals of Defensive Hockey. Play the body, work the baords, gain posession, off the side boards and out. I think everyone of our Dmen tonight, tried to break the puck out crossing diagonally from board to board between the circles, and lost the puck. Can't stress this enough. Chip it out, and recover.

To sum, happy about some things, unhappy about others.

Bright Spots: Leclaire/Eliott, Carkner, Fisher, Donovan, Leafs Going Winless!

Points of Concern: Karlsson, Defense in General, Primary Scoring, Matty Bingham's depression (re: Leafs' Standings.)