The Wire Troll: Jeremy Lauzon Logging Minutes in Boston

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Yes, McElhinney is now hurt, so this is not a pickup if you need immediate help. But assuming it’s not a long-term concern, he’s definitely worth a look as he’s seen the bulk of the starts for the Hurricanes and has performed extremely well. Before taking a shellacking on Wednesday, McElhinney had a run of five straight games giving up two or fewer goals, and it’s clear he’s going to fly past the 15 starts he made for the Leafs last season, especially now that Scott Darling has been sent down to the minors.

The Wire Troll: Jeremy Lauzon Logging Minutes in Boston Read Post »

The Wire Troll: Alex Chiasson Accumulating Goals for Oilers

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Chiasson potted his 11th goal in 19 games on Thursday, giving him three goals and an assist over the last four games. He was an afterthought in Washington last season, but is playing a much bigger role for the Oilers. No, Chiasson’s ridiculously good 35.5 shooting percentage won’t continue, but he brings last season’s Stanley Cup experience to a club that needs to learn how to win.

The Wire Troll: Alex Chiasson Accumulating Goals for Oilers Read Post »

The Wire Troll: Pavel Zacha Powers Past Slump

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Schlemenko missed the first few weeks of the season with a knee injury, but has stepped right into major minutes upon his return two weeks ago. Okay, so he’s not exactly the most skilled or fastest defenseman on the Habs, but he did log a team-high 30 shifts on Friday, picking up an assist (on the PP), three shots, four blocks and a pair of minor penalties. You won’t ever get much offense from a generally bottom-pairing defender like Schlemko, but he’s averaging around two and a half blocks and one and a half hits per game, and that has value.

The Wire Troll: Pavel Zacha Powers Past Slump Read Post »

The Wire Troll: Joel Edmundson Offering Across the Board Help

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Komarov seems to have rediscovered his game since signing a four-year deal with the Isles last summer. On Thursday, he ripped a goal (the game-winner, to boot) and an assist, while recording a +3 with a pair of blocks and five hits. You’ve got to love that physicality! On Tuesday, he dished out another four hits with an assist and he’s on pace to match his personal best with 36 points.

The Wire Troll: Joel Edmundson Offering Across the Board Help Read Post »

The Wire Troll: Robert Hagg Racking Up the Hits

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Backes is off to a simply horrific start, having gone scoreless in 10 games with a -1 rating. But he’s way too good a player to be held down for long, right? We’re talking about a dude that’s topped 30 assists five times in his career, and with Boston in need of secondary scoring, he’ll get his chances. Backes is headed back to the wing on the fourth line, and taking away those defensive responsibilities may be just what the doctor ordered to get him going. It’s worth a shot to see if he can get going, as we find it hard to believe that he’s done like dinner.

The Wire Troll: Robert Hagg Racking Up the Hits Read Post »

The Wire Troll: Anton Stralman Set Up For More Ice Time

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Injuries have played a role, but Duclair has struggled to rediscover the form he showed in his sophomore season when he potted 20 goals and 44 points for the Coyotes in 2015-16. With two goals on Thursday, he doubled his season output and now has six points through nine games with an even +/- and a whopping 23.5 shooting percentage. Duclair is seeing more ice time than ever before, and he’s getting second unit power play time, scoring half his goals with the man advantage so far. About a week and a half ago, he scored an unbelievable goal against the Flyers, showing some mad skills. It’s time to pick the kid up.

The Wire Troll: Anton Stralman Set Up For More Ice Time Read Post »

The Wire Troll: Brandon Carlo Poised For Breakout

/ Hockey, The Wire Troll

Ottawa is supposed to suck hard this season, yet DeMelo is tied for the NHL lead at +5 so far. He enjoyed a breakout of sorts with the Sharks last season, registering 20 assists and is off to an even better start so far, with a goal and a pair of helpers through four games. Just 25, he’s capable of racking up a fair amount of assists this season, so grab him while you can.

The Wire Troll: Brandon Carlo Poised For Breakout Read Post »

Scroll to Top