A lot of positives tonight.
The game the gave Montembeault off seems to have really helped him. He's been dialed in the last two games.
First line has been carrying the team big time, like they should. I thought Slaf had a particularly good all around game and Suzuki has looked like a superstar for a while now. I'll add that I think Suzuki being the player he is has made both Slaf and Caufield a lot more responsible without the puck. We saw the opposite effect in Ottawa where Tkachuk would not care about his defensive game and neither did the rest of his teammates. Slaf, in particular, is good defensively for a winger his age.
Hutson could have had 2-3 points again.
Guhle is absolutely fantastic. I have no idea how anyone can watch him play and think about shipping him out. He's a first pair defenseman that can do everything, including shutting down the fastest players in the league. He's a true warrior and one of the best leaders on the club. Even though the numbers aren't there, he generates a lot more offense than one could surmise by looking at his point production.
The Dvorak line is fantastic. I thought Dvorak's defensive game was overrated, but he's legitimately been the second best player on the team after Suzuki without the puck. He feeds his wingers well and Gallagher/Anderson have really found their role on the team. Anderson is not popular, but I guarantee his teammates, the coaching staff and management love having him. He's a bull and he's rounded out his game this year. He's actually been very, very good without the puck which is a bit of a shocker considering he was pretty poor in past years. Gallagher has always been a responsible player, but his scoring touch has come back somewhat. They've been the true second line this year. I wouldn't be surprised if management is considering keeping Dvorak, but chances are he's gone. The way he's played this year, he won't be easy to replace.
Looking forward to adding Kapanen on the team. I think he'll help balance the lines. I'm just hoping that Dach, Reinbacher and Laine come back healthy next year. With Demidov, the team should grow even more.
