With so many important games, and most of these games decided by one goal, needless to say we’re in no condition to write anything coherent after most game nights. We’re in a constant state of anxiety, with drinking of both a celebratory and medically necessary nature occurring throughout. So let’s open this up to you, our readers. Help us pick up our own slack.
My question: whose stock is rising the fastest in these playoffs? Whose is falling the fastest?
For example, I was on the fence about bringing Matt Carkner back this offseason. But after his three playoff games I’m ready to give him a letter on his jersey. My skepticism about Kyle Turris has been well documented, but a sick snipe in overtime has a way of chipping away at one’s convictions. Meanwhile, the new baby must be keeping Spezza up at night, because he’s looked awful for long stretches, and Michalek just scored his first goal of the playoffs last night.
WHAT SAY YOU?
P.S. love this clip. You did the team proud last night, Sens fans.
Welcome To Your Karlsson Years 
Are we talking specifically Senators? Most of the team has impressed me, with the possibly exception of Spezza, but that’s probably because I hold him to a higher standard I guess. He hasn’t disappointed me, but he hasn’t impressed me.
Carkner should definitely be back next year as a cheap 7th d-man, or 5/6 guy. Those intangibles that are often difficult to pinpoint but
As for non Sens: I am now a big fan of Dustin Brown. He has such a swagger about him. I was already starting to become a fan, and then I the replay of him laying out Henrik Sedin.
Swagger… that’s the only word I can think of… I love it…
Oh yeah, I meant Sens but we could totally extend it to mean anyone in the playoffs. I’ve been impressed with some of the Nashville players, like Klein for example. And obviously every single goaltender involved in that Pens/Flyers series is barely worth the pads they buy for them at this point.
Imagine if Brown got traded three months ago…I agree, he’s the type of player GMs lose their shit over. Solid two way play, aggressive, with upside. Perfect.
I think Spezza’s suddenly ‘the man’ with Alfie out, and those are big shoes to fill. Not to mention Girardi and McDonagh (and Staal) have been all over him. At least the Rangers’ big guns aren’t blasting the Sens out of the water either, thanks to guys like Phillips.
Agree about the fighting jock type grinders (Carks and Zenon- whom for some reason always makes me think of bald white-bearded greek philosophers when I write his name). Winch has been all over loose pucks, smart with his passes, and steady as hell in his own end. Turris and Foligno have been good (tons of chances, make that one game-saving goal each; drive and skill in equal parts)— our D I have some complaints about but you know, so far it’s working.
Have to say, I was at the game on Monday and my god was watching Spezza (perhaps after Alfie my favouritest all time Senator) eyeball-gougingly frustrating. But you know what, I’ve mellowed since then. Yeah, he doesn’t have time and space often, and without that he’s lost. Those 3 minor penalties also looked bad on him, and to take out his frustration he threw around way too many low-percentage passes, tried way too many dekes. C’est la vie! Every minute of hard skating, physical checking, and shot intercepting he forces those overworked poor rangers defencemen to put out, is a minute he’s making the team’s job as a whole easier. And make no mistake, he IS making them work.
Would I love for him to go out and score a triple hat trick on Lundqvist? YES YES YES YES OH YESSSSSSSSS but come on. Know how many points Henrik Zetterberg has this playoffs? Also 2. (His are goals but shut up.) Teams will do their utmost to shut the guy down and I am strangely okay with that.
LAST POINT– know who else they’re trying like hell to make miserable? Special K, and my god, has he looked good laughing at them. (Goal was a bit of a flukey one so let’s not count that, but SO MANY SHOTS! SO MANY RUSHES!) Also, his D looks great.