To all fans and poolies out there, I have just one suggestion: Don’t overreact! While some teams haven’t even played their first games yet, other teams’ fans are already calling the season a write-off. Yes, I am talking to you Leaf fans. But honestly, if a player scored a hat trick in the thirty second game of the season on a random Wednesday night, would you be starting to pencil him in for 80 goals? The fact of the matter is that games in the beginning of the season are the same as games during the middle/end of the season. Just because Jason Arnott scored twice on Thursday night doesn’t suddenly mean he is in for some crazy career year. Fans need to take everything in stride and exude at least some semblance of patience during the early part of the season. And to Leaf fans, do you think every team in the league is as good as Ottawa? Thought so.
On to the morning papers:
- After the Oilers’ come from behind victory on Thursday night, the team is feeling great about itself writes Dan Barnes in this morning’s Edmonton Journal. The Oilers’ youngsters really handled themselves well and weathered the storm after Joe Thornton tied the score in the dying seconds. One of the aforementioned youngsters, Kyle Brodziak, was happy to get the monkey off his back early in the season by scoring the Oilers’ second goal.
- While there was lots of excitement surrounding the Oilers’ performance, Sharks’ coach Ron Wilson felt the his team is capable of playing a lot better than it did on Thursday night. (Writer’s note: I am wondering how long Ron Wilson will leave Patrick Marleau on the first line. The line creates a ton of chances but it really hinders the team’s secondary scoring capabilities.)
- The Flames shoddy first period was the difference in the team’s 3-2 loss to the Flyers last night. Even though the team only scored two goals, Craig Conroy is very confident in the Flames’ offensive skill level. Enforcer Eric Goddard did his best to try and change the momentum of the game last night by taking on Jesse Boulerice in a big-time showdown that left many in the arena awfully impressed.
- On the Flyers’ end, Daniel Briere is already proving to be worth all the money the team threw at him this past summer. While R.J. Umberger is out of the lineup, 22 year old Denis Tolepko will occupy his spot in the lineup.
- Damien Cox of the Toronto Star says the Leafs let yet another game slip away last night in their 3-2 loss to Sens. Coach Paul Maurice is concerned the team is taking too many stick penalties writes Kevin McGran of the Star. While Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun believes that Maurice is handling the team’s goalie situation improperly.
- Sens’ coach John Paddock was happy with the way his team battled and gutted out the victory versus the Leafs writes Chris Stevenson of the Ottawa Sun. Meanwhile, Bryan Murray and Jason Spezza’s agent have already had talks regarding a contract extension for the team’s star center.
- The MSG faithful booed the Rangers off the ice after the second period of the team’s home opener on Thursday night. It sure woke up the Broadway Blueshirts as they went on to score four goals in the third period and defeat the Panthers 5-2 in their home opener.
- Tomas Vokoun’s debut for the Panthers was anything but pretty writes Ethan Skolnick of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Avalanche were shutout 4-0 by the Predators on Thursday night, meaning another pointless game for the top line of Sakic–Smyth–Hejduk. Nonetheless, coach Joel Quenville is not in the least bit worried about his top line’s early season struggles; Adrian Dater of the Denver Post has the story.
- Nashville netminder Chris Mason was nervous and excited to get the opening night start versus the Avs on Thursday and did not disappoint writes John Glennon in this morning’s Tennessean.
- The Lightning were very happy with the play of Johan Holmqvist in the team’s 3-1 opening night victory versus the Devils.
- The Devils kept the big line of Lecavalier–St. Louis–Prospal at bay until the final minutes of the third period writes Rich Chere of the Newark Star Ledger. Devils’ fans may have been caught off guard by the fact that John Madden was not matched up against Vincent Lecavalier all night. Meanwhile, Devils’ defenseman Richard Matvichuk was stunned when he found out he would be a healthy scratch.
- The Blues played a poor first forty minutes in the desert last night leading to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Coyotes. After playing in his first NHL game last night, Erik Johnson became just the eleventh teenager to ever suit up for the Blues; Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch has the story. Although the team struggled in its season debut, Jeff Gordon of the Post Dispatch explains that front office teamwork has been the key to the organizational turnaround that has taken place in Missouri.
- Coyotes’ coach Wayne Gretzky was very impressed with the play of his backstop Mikael Tellqvist saying that the goaltender played with great confidence.
- If not for the tremendous play of Niklas Backstrom on Thursday night, the Wild would not have escaped their home opener with a victory. The Finnish netminder turned aside 27 shots to lead the Wild to a boring 1-0 victory over the Blackhawks.
- While Blackhawks coach Denis Savard was pleased with his team’s performance versus the Wild, but he is very concerned about the injury status of Martin Havlat who left the game in the third period with a shoulder injury.
- As Dan Wood of the Orange County Register writes, it has been a whirlwind past few weeks for the Ducks as they face-off in Columbus tonight in the second of three consecutive home openers.
- Craig Custance of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides readers with five issues surrounding the Thrashers heading into 2007/08.
- Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald has a preview of the Bruins heading into Friday’s opening night contest. You’ll be interested to read that Phil Kessel of the Bruins continues to use a lightweight junior shaft in the NHL.
- After undergoing his third medical procedure on his heart, it has been an extremely emotional time for Sabres’ defenseman Teppo Numminen writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. (Writer’s note: Illegal Curve wishes Teppo all the best)
- The Hurricanes’ brass want to see more consistency from Cam Ward and will be watching him closely as the team takes on Sidney Crosby and the Penguins Friday night. In other Canes’ news, former star Ron Francis has been named the team’s assistant general manager.
- Without any expectations upon them this season, the Blue Jackets are looking to prove all the prognosticators wrong writes Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch.
- According to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, the Stars are not expecting a sellout for tonight’s home opener versus the Bruins. (Writer’s note: It is just getting worse and worse for the NHL. )
- Henrik Zetterberg is encouraging youngster Jiri Hudler to shoot more writes George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Kings may have a goalie problem on their hands, and as Lisa Dillman writes in this morning’s L.A. Times, that is definitely not a bad problem to have.
- As Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette tells us, Guy Carbonneau intends to go with a four line rotation this season.
- It is time for Miroslav Satan to fill the gap left by Jason Blake opines Greg Logan in this morning’s edition of New York Newsday.
- The new RBK jerseys have garnered much league attention apparently are going to undergo some changes. It appears that when Sidney Crosby complains, people listen.
- The Canucks will finally be playing in a game that matters tonight, for first time since May writes Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province.
For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.