Damn, that was fun.
Mika: give him the damn C. Takes the play to the other team more consistently than any other player since... Jagr, I guess.
Panarin: not a perfect game, but he oozes so much skill. The kind of player who lifts the rest of the team, because he plays so well.
Buchnevich: have always been a fan, but confidence is a concern. Can definitely hang with his linemates and came very close a couple of times. Really hope he scores in the next game.
Strome: generic hockey player. Does exactly what you expect in every situation. Not bad per se, but not the second line center on a winning team.
Kreider: same old, same old. 2-3 dominant bursts, a rock in front of the net... but the results are lacking. I like him, but Gorts needs to move him.
Kakko: gained confidence as the game progressed. A couple of those moves were... wow. And he's only 18? It may take him a year or two to hit his stride, but we have a star here, my friends.
Howden: played exactly the game you hope to see from him: gritty goal, faceoff wins, PK. People need to cut him some slack. He projects as a solid bottom six guy who plays for 10-15 years.
Namestnikov: wanted to see more.
Fast: see above.
Lemieux: stupid penalty, but other than that, played the game they acquired him to play: feisty, a pain in front of the net, hard on the forecheck.
Andersson: showed the same jump as in preseason, but no chemistry with his linemates. Whether that's on him or them is hard to say. Excellent on the PK.
Smith: making the best of a tough situation. As I've said, the 4th line showed no chemistry, but he did a good job for a guy who was swinging back and forth.
Trouba: best player on the ice. So pumped we acquired him.
Skjei: a couple of bonehead plays, but also a couple reminiscent of his rookie year playoffs. Encouraging.
Staal: I want to like him, but... The moment the puck gets in close quarters with him, he is simply off – and often leads to the team trapped in its own zone for 30-60 seconds. Which is a shame given how good he used to be at the little passes and off the boards play.
DeAngelo: showed the defense that has concerned me – without the counterbalancing offense that was so encouraging at the end of last season... at least for this game.
Fox: as advertised. Steady, smooth. Some jitters. Wonder how he would have been with a steadier partner.
Hajek: clearly nervous, which led to his benching. (Liked him in that one shift with Trouba right beforehand, however.) Hopefully it's just an opening night thing.
Lundqvist: some vintage saves, but also one Richter-esque long-range stinker, and one meh goal against. On balance, better than league average, but not the game-saving superstar he used to be.