Sid could have had 5 goals the last two games with the chances he had. I have a feeling he is going to go on a real heater - like, 8 goals in 5 games kinda heater.
Obviously Bunting and Tomasino aren't the ideal linemates for Malkin but I can't see Sully breaking up RCR. I just think Geno needs to be less playmaker-y and shoot more. He still has the stickhandling and enough speed to weave through defenders but after that he's always looking for the perfect pass which usually isn't there.
As for EK, this has felt like a weird season. It doesn't feel like he's a key part of the offense, which is odd with his skillset. I think he's been a bit unlucky not to have 25-26 points right now with some of the chances that haven't gone in, both his (Ullmark save) and ones he's set up (especially a few weeks ago when Beauvillier missed some grade A chances).
What it very interesting is that after last night he was tied for 12th in the league in defensive point shares with 4.5. (No, you didn't read that incorrectly. Defensive point shares. He had 0.3 last night alone. For context, the highest DPS he's had is 5.7 in 16-17. He's on pace to shatter that mark. It feels weird that it's so high already because the team has given up quite a few goals this year, but it seems that EK is excelling in whatever Hockey Reference uses for determining the number of defensive point shares. But it adds up. What I deem to be EK's six best defensive seasons - 16-17, 12-13, 11-12, 14-15, 23-24, and 24-25 - are all his six best DPS-per-game seasons.
If any of you remember from last year I could bang on and on about my confusion of Karl's usage - why he's not carrying the puck much (despite still skating like the wind), or taking many risks, or driving the offense like he's capable of doing. I've long since accepted that he's playing within the framework of Sullivan's system and Sully doesn't want EK being the one man breakout or creating space for himself at the blueline. Frankly, Letang has been playing a little more like EK lately with his roaming down in the zone. I wonder if EK was just going through low confidence and deciding to play as much of a risk-free game as he could. He looked a lot more like himself vs LA, though.
The other thing I want to mention is Sully putting EK and Letang on the PP together late in the game. I don't get it. They haven't played on the PP together all year, and Letang/Grz have been great together. EK had two turnovers and took the penalty, and of course he's to blame for it, but I just feel like you either put out Letang and Grz, or EK. That has what's been working lately for both PP units. Don't try something you know doesn't work just because it's a tie game and you desperately want the lead.
Anyway, hope you all are doing well this holiday season. I will never not be jealous of you guys getting to watch Crosby on your team for the last 19 years. Watching him every game has made me appreciate him more, even if his game isn't quite the same as it used to be. I don't think I've ever seen anyone better at shielding the puck and using advanced skating technique to avoid defenders.
