Ron Wilson has the Leafs playing inspired hockey while a former Bud is making a case with the Canucks.
Three weeks into the NHL season, here are a few things that have occurred to me:
-- When the Anaheim Ducks are on the power play they use Chris Pronger on the left point and Scott Niedermayer on the right point. That means Pronger's role is to tee-up Niedermayer for one-timers. Only one problem with this: For all his strengths, a hard shot from the point is not in Niedermayer’s repertoire. He fires muffins. Pronger, meanwhile, has a bullet. So why don't they switch sides?
-- If the Toronto Maple Leafs are supposed to be tanking it in an effort to get the No. 1 overall pick, somebody forgot to tell new coach Ron Wilson. Though I hardly expect the Leafs to continue playing at an 11-points-in-10-games pace, they have looked very, very good thus far. Wednesday's victory in New Jersey, less than 24 hours after they lost a 3-2 decision to Tampa Bay in a game in which they outplayed the Lightning, but were stoned by Mike Smith, was a prime example. Toronto fell behind 2-0, but wound up beating the Devils 5-4 in a shootout courtesy of Niklas Hagman's nifty snow-spraying backhander. Face it, with Wilson running the show the Leafs have no shot at either John Tavares or Victor Hedman -- unless they clean house and trade all their best players.
-- I am worried about the Columbus Blue Jackets. This is their eighth season and if they don't make the playoffs, I wonder how long the franchise can exist. The Blue Jackets rank 28th in attendance averaging just 13,801 per game (76.1 capacity) through their first four home starts. Only Atlanta, at 74.4, draws a lower percentage of capacity. With goalie Pascal Leclaire injured, the Blue Jackets could be out of playoff contention by the end of November. For the record, I have similar concerns for Atlanta and Phoenix.
-- What exactly did the Vancouver Canucks think they were getting when they acquired Kyle Wellwood: Rod Brind'Amour? Wellwood has never been a physical fitness nut, he's not very fast and he won't put opponents through the boards. But he's a crafty little bugger who can score points. So despite being put on waivers twice and sent to the minors, Wellwood, upon his return to the Canucks after Pavol Demitra was injured, managed three goals and four points in five games. A little word of advice to Canucks coach Alain Vigneault: Give Wellwood some power play time and you'll be rewarded.
-- It's a little too early to be seriously considering who'll win awards this season, but when the time comes, let us keep the name Shae Weber in mind for the Norris. As long as Nicklas Lidstrom can tie his own skates he'll be a candidate and so will Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer with the Ducks and Boston's Zdeno Chara. Calgary's Dion Phaneuf has been knocking at the door and many think he'll be the first kid to knock the geezers off the perch, but Weber might beat him to it. Through 10 games he was tied for the league lead in defenceman points with 11. What is even more impressive is he's plus-5 on a team that has been outscored 35-32.
-- Speaking of early season great performances, how about Patrick Marleau with the Sharks? Coming off a rotten season in which he scored just 19 goals and 48 points in 78 games, which raised some questions as to whether or not he was the right man to be captaining the ship, Marleau had six goals and 10 points in 11 games. Having finished at minus-19 last season, Marleau was plus-6 and looking more like the star player he was a few years ago when he put up back-to-back seasons of 34 and 32 goals.
-- The NHL has not rid itself of the instigator penalty, officially that is. But through 147 games there were 206 fighting majors called (an average of 1.4 per game) and just seven instigating penalties. I'm a little surprised more aren't called, especially on plays when one player attacks an opponent who has just hit his teammate. To the league's credit, it did suspend Columbus's Jared Boll for a late-game attack on Colorado's Cody McCormick Thursday night.
-- There are very few players I would give a no-movement clause to if I were an NHL general manager. But Daniel Alfredsson is certainly one. Alfredsson was awarded a four-year extension that will allow him to play his entire career with the Ottawa Senators this week. He has been the consummate professional; a true leader and excellent two-way performer. Of Ottawa’s Big Three, with Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza being the other two, I would say Alfredsson is the most important member of the team.
