October Tenth Notes

-So, the Habs are going to start Carey Price, the wondrous 2005 draft pick, against Pittsburgh. The hype around the kid is amazing, it's like the goalie version of Sidney Crosby. I kind of like Price, I guess, but he really is young. And, you KNOW Jaroslav Halak is in Hamilton just ripping his hair out right now. Seriously, why not play Halak? He might not be as purely talented, but he's a little older, more experienced, and could use the time in the NHL. Price had better look out because Halak might be planting some ice outside his door in winter. "How tragic! You broke your leg? Guess I'll have to take your spot!" Just remember to send flowers, Halak.

-Speaking of goalies, there's a lot of buzz about the impending "goalie controversy" in Ottawa, which...two good goalies, no waiting? Who the hell is complaining? Let me shank them! Would it be the end of the world if they got rid of Gerber to dump some salary? No, hardly. I still think Emery deserves the top spot, but as long as Gerber is burning it up, why not let Emery take as much time as he needs to heal? When Gerber crashes and burns...as he will do, because it's Gerber, duh, and I'm pretty sure he didn't suddenly become amazing over the summer...Emery ought to be ready. Everybody wins! You know, sometimes I feel like Martin Gerber's only fan, and I don't even like him that much, but he totally can't be in my Awful Players' Club unless he starts sucking again.

-Speaking of the Sens, it took literally one game for me to come around to the new jerseys. Apparently I'm easy like that. It's the lettering on the back I really like, although I'm indifferent on the shade of red. It's different enough that it'll trip me up watching games on the TV until I get used to it. But...I don't care, I like them. (I am such an easy mark.)

-Oh, in the Sens game versus New Jersey, the Sens kept passing to Karel Rachunek, my favorite terrible defenseman, who has not played for the Sens since March of 2004. Did you fall into a time warp, guys? What the hell happened? Perhaps the constant mistaken passing was the reason Rachunek had four shots on goal and has become some sort of bizarro-world offensive presence. Seriously, when did he start shooting and getting assists and stuff all the time? Last season he had thirty-eight shots. Total. And now he gets four or five a game? I do not understand this.

-Carolina wiped the floor with Toronto last night. I found this hugely amusing, except I really hate Carolina as well, but...okay, they kept Toskala in the ENTIRE TIME. Seven goals. Poor guy, he was probably freaking out seeing the red lights in the stoplights on the way home. Man, Paul Maurice, I don't know what your goalie strategy is, but what, you think Raycroft is actually WORSE than that? It's good to see you have so much confidence in your goalies.