NHL Playoff Observations -- Wednesday
Published on April 25, 2012
- Do not be surprised if the Bruins send Tim Thomas packing this summer. He was solid enough, but was out-goaltended by a rookie. And he's probably out of favor in the room after tossing his teammates under the bus earlier in the series.
- It couldn't have happened to a better guy. Joel Ward sniped the winner after taking the hard road to the NHL -- he spent four full years playing hockey for the University of PEI Panthers in the CIS before signing an AHL contract and then working his way up.
- The Ken Dryden comps continue for Braden Holtby -- hotshot rookie goalie ousts the favored Bruins ... I'll wait to pass judgement, but I'll enjoy it while he rolls.
- The absence of Nathan Horton cannot be overstated. He could be one of the most valuable mid-50 point player in the NHL.
- Is it really possible to have the fifth through eighth seeds emerge from in the East? Wow. If that happens, the Caps would match up against the Flyers next round. If not, they get the Rangers.
- Maybe Dale Hunter won't be heading back to the OHL after all ... you think?
- What to the Bruins have in common with the Hawks (2010), Ducks (2007), Lightning (2004), Devils (2003) and Wings (2002)? They're all Cup winners who were booted in the first round the next year. Hey -- at least it's better than the Canes (2006) ...
- Alexander Semin -- outworked, outmuscled, outplayed, out of Washington in the offseason?
- Can this really be true? The Associated Press says all 18 of the Caps' postseason wins in the last four years have come courtesy of a rookie goalie. Wow!
