Kris Letang has seven more points than Erik Karlsson since January 1
– Obviously Sidney Crosby draws most of the attention whenever anyone talks about the Penguins, but I believe the most important player in this series is Kris Letang. He’s the straw that stirs the Penguins’ drink, so to speak, and has posted 48 points in 43 games since January 1 (13 goals, 35 assists) while being Pittsburgh’s best player in its own zone by a country mile. Letang is the guy that spurs the Penguins’ speed game, be it an outlet pass to Crosby or hitting Carl Hagelin in stride or with an alley-oop to gain possession in the attack zone. The Rangers have benefitted from some fortuitous timing in the past with Letang missing several key games with a slew of injuries, but he’s at the top of his game right now.
– Speaking of Hagelin, I’m absolutely terrified about the hockey karma of the guy that knocked out the Penguins last spring being on the other side of the ice this time around. You know he’s going to score a big goal in this series.
– I still think the Rangers can exploit the Penguins’ defense. We complain about New York’s blueline so much that maybe we forget how deep the Blueshirts are up front. Four strong lines pressing away against the likes of Ben Lovejoy, Ian Cole, Trevor Daley and Justin Schultz across a seven-game series can tilt the tables.
– I thought the Penguins could have traded Marc-Andre Fleury a couple years ago after he stunk in the playoffs yet again, but since then he’s been outstanding. Still, with Fleury battling injuries and Matt Murray serving admirably as a fill-in, I wonder what the near future holds for Pittsburgh in net? Depending on Murray’s health, how long will Fleury’s leash be in this series? And looking even further ahead – wouldn’t trading Fleury for some cap relief to beef up the defense be a pretty prudent move?
– What a dumb decision it was by Arizona to fire Don Maloney. The guy had no chance whatsoever to build a winning team – from the organization’s financial woes, to its awful location, to the shaky management. Knowing all that, Maloney did the only thing he could – look toward the future by accumulating assets that could transform the club into a winner not immediately, but in a few years. And that’s frankly a lot easier said than done. Unlike some teams (looking at you, Edmonton), Maloney has hit on draft pick after pick and landed some blue-chippers via trade, too. And now someone else will get to reap the rewards of his work? Whatever – he won’t be out of work long.
With Don Maloney’s track record for acquiring young talent, he seems like an ideal candidate for the new opening in Arizona.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPG) April 11, 2016
– I really feel for Pavel Datsyuk. The guy’s heart is clearly back home in Russia, but he has a tremendous allegiance to the Red Wings organization and fans. Datsyuk knows he might be leaving Detroit in a tough spot with his 35+ contract glued to the Wings’ cap (although that should be very tradeable), and that his departure might finally end the team’s incredible postseason run. But it sounds like he’s stuck it out for a couple years longer than he would have liked now and is finally at the end. Kudos to Datsyuk for doing what’s best for his family, but the NHL will miss him dearly.
– With the playoffs starting tonight, the spotlight will again be squarely on Rick Nash. I’m firmly in the camp that Nash is a terrific all-around player, but he absolutely has to score goals – not just take shots. With the Rangers’ cap situation this summer a pending nightmare, I can’t help but think Nash’s performance this spring might dictate his future in New York. The $7.8 million the Blueshirts could save by dealing him would go a long way toward keeping Keith Yandle, and the team could get some majors assets in return to retool for the twilight of Henrik Lundqvist’s career.
– It sounds like P.K. Subban is going to be front and center in trade rumors up until July 1 when his no-trade clause kicks in. Montreal is a bit like the Rangers – the Canadiens have been so reliant on Carey Price that they haven’t really grasped how weak the rest of their roster has been. Obviously Subban is a lightning rod up north and not fully appreciated. Subban’s cap hit is a killer and makes the Rangers’ chances of acquiring slim to none – but boy would Subban be a megastar on Broadway. He’s the kind of player that New York can’t resist and he would instantly become the co-face of the franchise going forward alongside Hank. The Canadiens have displayed puzzling talent evaluation in recent years – so I’m going to daydream about a Nash + Girardi/Staal for Subban trade for the next couple of months.
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Question time:
1. Who do you think will be the Rangers’ unlikely hero in the opening round?
2. Where do you think the Coyotes stack up compared to the rest of the league going forward?
3. How many goals will Nash score this postseason?
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