Playoffs Playoffs Playoffs Playoffs Playoffs!
Playoffs!
Oh man okay so the playoffs start tomorrow. We're in DC at 7:00. Home of Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green. It's going to be quite a job to win this series. But in true guided-by-Torts fashion, I don't want to talk about them. I want to talk about us.
Yesterday, I covered Antropov and Betts. I think they're two of our strongest players, most reliable going into this battle. Let's talk a little about who else we can rely on, who we can't, and who we'd better hope we can if we're gonna move forward. I'll start by continuing (start by continuing?) to talk about forwards.
Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Sean Avery, and Fredrik Sjostrom all get a pass. They have all consistently been playing solid hockey. Sure, each of them has had a less effective game here and there along the way, but they all generally make smart plays with the puck and are unafraid to take the body game in and game out. I expect more consistency from them. Avery may be a special case: I feel like he's capable of a little more, now that it's playoff time, and while more is always better, I'd be fine with it if he kept doing what he's doing (Dayenu).
Add Colton Orr to that list. He doesn't do as much as the others, because he can't shoot worth a damn, but he plays strong and he punches well. Good work, Colton.
Lauri Korpikoski, I feel, is capable of more. Maybe he's just not as good as I want him to be, and he hasn't been bad, he's just been kinda a non-presence. I'd like to see that change, this week. I saw him score live in Game 5 against the Pens last season, his first NHL goal (his first NHL game). I'll be at Game 5 (if necessary) again this series. Got any more for me, Lauri?
Chris Drury is not, as everyone thinks he is, a shitty forward, or in a slump, or anything else bad. He is a guy who is the captain of a team that isn't great, and he does not know how to be a leader. Some men choose greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them, and some probably shouldn't have had greatness thrust upon them but did anyway. He's a very good hockey player when he's allowed to do his job, which is to be in the right place at the right time in case the puck is there. My big wish for Drury is that he relax and let the C on his chest imaginarily (this is not a word) drift over to Dubinsky's chest. He doesn't have to be a 50-goal scorer, he never was. Let him do his job: we could use someone who does it.
Oh, and he's injured. Remember when he got hit with all those pucks on Thursday? And then he sat out Sunday because of it, but was "definitely going to be ready for the playoffs"? Yeah, now he's "day-to-day." So, there that is. If he's out, almost certainly Aaron Voros is in. That's...a downgrade.
Scott Gomez, Nikolai Zherdev, and Markus Naslund. Streaky. These are the three forwards I really need better performances from. They have each had games in the last month or two that have been fantastic. Even Naslund, as soon as Torts took over, spent a few games playing the best hockey I've seen him play all season. If these three guys step it up to the level I've seen each of them play at individually at some point S.T.E. (Since Torts Era), or, Hanuman forbid, a step beyond that cause it's the playoffs, then we'll be in decent shape. If they play at their average S.T.E. level, we may have an issue.
So, in conclusion, my Passover list (mail directly to Moses on Mt. Sinai, he will bring gifts in an unleavened sack in a sleigh pulled by camels):
-Korpikoski maybe picks it up a little
-Drury gets healthy and relaxes
-Avery annoys everyone
-Gomez, Zherdev, and Naslund each play their actual best
-Everyone steps it up 'cause it's the PLAYOFFS!
These things would be nice. The Caps are tough. Maybe now I'll write about defensemen. Let's Go Rangers!
No comments:
Post a Comment