NHL 2017-2018

[Smitty-48]

Well it will be a few years before we know for sure, but I would have taken Hischier first overall if we had the pick, but not everyone is as lucky in the draft lottery as the Leafs in 2016. Hischier does only have one point in four games though.

With Hischier, it's the completeness of his game, I'm quite confident he will rack up points given some time, but he's already complete in terms of play without the puck, whereas Jack Eichel, while he racks up points, is a dogs breakfast without the puck. Three seasons in, Eichel is a one dimensional floater and Buffalo is still floundering, three games in, and Hischier is more complete than Eichel already.

[Smitty-48]

Hup, fifth game in a row, Leafs not ready to go, now they've completely stopped skating, they can't hold on to the puck for half a second without coughing it up, and they're still backing off like deer in the headlights in their own zone, surrending screened point shots on Freddie Toskala.

Babcock's actually got a serious problem on his hands here, this could easily turn into a multi game slide, problem being, they look they're thinking too much now, he's given them a bunch of stuff to think about, but now they've started thinking instead of skating.

[Smitty-48]

Whup, quick strike goal from JVR, this is the conundrum with JVR, total defensive liability, but sure money to score goals, JVR giveth and JVR taketh away.

[Smitty-48]

Auston Matthews, baby, what a release, laser cannon goal, on Carey Price no less.

[Smitty-48]

AUSTON MATTHEWS, BAAAYBEEEEE!!!!

OVERTIME GAME WINNER 2.0!!!

[Smitty-48]

Babcock starting to bring the hammer down now, fancy prancing Mitch Marner has been demoted to the fourth line at practice today, Connor Brown moves up, it's about time, Marner needs a wake up call; stop reading your own press releases, fancy pants, and simplify your game.

[Smitty-48]

Auston Matthews; majority of his face offs in the defensive zone so far, 58% on the draws? The kid has no weaknesses, superelite and totally complete, real deal Superstar.

First Superstar in Toronto Maple Leafs history in fact, all due respect to Keon, Sittler, and Gilmour, but Matthews is a whole 'nother ballgame, #betterthanmcdavid.

[Smitty-48]

Fuckin' Loafs, twenty grade A scoring chances against a team which plays no defense whatseover, and the Leafs have shot them all wide. Better game in a structural sense, but still too fancy, trying to pass the puck into the net, with no attention to detail nor bearing down on the chances. At this rate, it's just a matter of time until Freddie Toskala coughs up a softie.

[Smitty-48]

Thank the Crown for Downtown Connor Brown, I was just about to say that this line of JVR-Bozak-Brown was not working, then he scores a greasy one.

[StCapps]

Avs up 1-0 on the Preds, Nate MacKinnon on the powerplay.