Where did Toronto’s 5-on-5 scoring power go? Last season, Toronto scored the most goals with five against five, the third most two years ago. In recent weeks, however, the powder has gotten wet, even though three hits were made in the 5-5 game early on Thursday morning.
In the five previous matches, only one of them had occurred. Throughout the season, Toronto has made 2.37 shots per hour of play on a 5-for-5 basis. The ranking in this respect is only 19th.
‘s ice hockey expert turns a blind eye in coaching. Toronto fired after last season, who has since been hired by New Jersey Sheldon Keefen and hired a defensive-minded former St.Louis champion coach to replace him Craig Beruben.
– There was an extreme change when Keefe left and Berube wanted to put the rear end in order. Defensive playing is wanted to a diamond level, and because of that, the faucets are maybe a little blocked. Artistry has been taken a little away from some of the guys, Urheilu’s hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen sees
The number one piece Austin Matthews of course, he has been out of action for a week due to injury, but that alone explains the sluggish pace. At the same time, the voices of Berube, who is known as a demanding coach, have started to intensify.
– If in previous years you could play attacking hockey there, now there is coaching from the old association, which is said to be quite tough. That doesn’t always give the guys a terribly good feeling. They probably have the idea that now they create new castings with a heavy hand and trust that the offensive power will return with time.
Who surprised?
One of the biggest surprises of the fall season is definitely Carolina’s Czech attacker Martin Necas25. The power forward’s final breakthrough has been long awaited in North Carolina, and now it’s coming. Necas has scored 25 (9+16) power points in 15 matches, being the most efficient player in his team.
The pace is ferocious for a player with an ice time average of less than 18 minutes. Necas has scored 5.58 points per hour played, which is clearly the highest rating in the entire series.
– After the NHL booking, he trained for one summer in Turku and then he could already see from everything that this would become a top player. That’s a player who loves to be on the ice. A player whose passion lies in the action of the ice level.
– Necas is a good size, skates insanely well in an upright position, a skilled and powerful player who is really nice to watch. You can see the frenzy and desire to prove that he is a top player, says Lehkonen.
Part of the breakthrough is, of course, a functioning chain around. Jesperi Kotkaniemi a chain led by Necas and acquired from Buffalo Eric Robinsonhas won his game crushingly with goals 12–3.
– It has clearly been Carolina’s best chain. Kotkaniemi reads situations well in the chain and knows how to support Necas. Robinson’s rise to prominence in such a chain is a great story of a player who has previously played in a small role in the NHL.
Who cheated?
Nashville’s fall has been nightmarish. High expectations have changed to everyday realism in the basement of the Western Conference. On an individual level, the Swiss defender can be considered a big disappointment Roman Josin autumn season. Josi belongs to the brightest defender elite in the series, but not for October-November.
Josi hasn’t scored a single goal in a draw and the power statistic shows -11.
– There is anxiety and frustration about everything. He cares a lot and has a mania for taking care of everything and even has the letter C on his chest. It has ballast even for a more experienced guy. Relaxation has disappeared from playing and he forces it. A bit like the whole team, the game has gone awry for him too.
Finnish goal of the week
of Dallas Miro Heiskanen The slumping results from the beginning of the season have spoken throughout the autumn. Hardly anyone has been worried about the top defender’s overall performance or the quality of his defensive play, but he has not been as efficient as the top defenders – 2+4 in 14 matches.
The first hits of the season came on Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
– In Dallas, the players are like playing Stiga. Miro doesn’t have a license to run around. Dallas is also such a good team that they don’t need to force things offensively as much. Miro is more conscientious and not so aggressive in attacking. Maybe he lacks strokes directly from the pass, Lehkonen estimates.
What next?
Lehkonen says that he will follow the activity of the player market with interest in the coming weeks, especially for teams that started poorly. One of these is Pittsburgh, who lost again on Thursday morning. The Penguins have lost 10 of their previous 13 matches.
Pittsburgh has sunk to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and will hardly play in the playoffs in the spring. Club boss Kyle Dubas already made his first decision when sending a veteran player by Lars Eller To Washington in exchange for booking shifts.
– Apparently the boutique is now open. Pittsburgh opened the game and after all, there are several teams there that completely lack repetition in their work and things have started to plummet right from the start. It’s really interesting to watch who leaves where, because there is going to be movement, Lehkonen anticipates.
Analyzing Pittsburgh’s grim situation makes the experienced puck man sigh.
– Yevgeni Malkin play one good game and three bad ones. That’s his pace. with Erik Karlsson after all, there is no longer enough leg for the defensive game, that’s enough against a fast guy. Kris Letang hasn’t been himself since Karlsson’s arrival, whatever he says himself. It’s dark.
The Ikan änäri podcast is published on Areena every Thursday at 12 noon. You can find all episodes at this link.