FIRSTS
Thursday’s game had a funny way of reacting to recent editions of the Daily Dose. While the Fasth-Thomas comparison came just hours before Thomas’ name cropped back up in the hockey consciousness, two stars finally got some growing monkeys off their backs.
KESSEL GETS IT
First things first, Phil Kessel scored his first goal. He now has a single tally on an absurd 46 shots, but at least that goal meant something; it was both a power-play and game-winner. He has a respectable seven points in 11 games, but fantasy owners drafted him to be a sniper.
While I expect him to produce at a higher rate going forward, his shots won't go in simply because he misfired on an uncanny amount of them before. Still, the good news is that, again, his luck could get a whole lot better. If you just traded for him below value, you're probably cackling like a 'stached villain who just tied your trade partner to the train tracks.
WEBER STICKS WITH IT
For all the abuse Kessel gets, Shea Weber probably deserves an even bigger beating. The guy’s making nearly $8 million per year, and so far, he’s putting up the numbers of a player who … sure seems like he’d rather be playing in Philadelphia.
Weber finally got his first assist of the season as the Nashville Predators defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Overall, Weber joins his paltry assist with 13 PIM, 24 SOG and a +1 rating. Not exactly the production you hope for from one of the highest-paid players in the NHL, yet maybe he just now shook off the rust.
INJURY NOTES (full list) and QUICK HITS
Thomas Vanek continues to be one of the biggest surprises in the league. It might be time to consider him for a legitimate run at the Hart Trophy … Pekka Rinne got his first shutout of 2013, stopping all 32 Kings shots … Shawn Thornton is out indefinitely with a concussion … Sounds like Darren Helm’s back difficulties continue to flare up … The latest update implies that Andrej Meszaros won’t return until the end of the month … Seems like Kris Letang is day-to-day with a lower-body ailment … Stay tuned for updates on Jaroslav Halak today … Cory Schneider beat the Minnesota Wild, only allowing one tally … J.T. Miller found the net twice, but don’t get excessively comfortable with him just yet … The Devils decides to burn the first year of Stefan Matteau’s career, after all … The Flyers locked up Kimmo Timonen for one more year, because really, who else is going to play defense?
When Michael Jordan took his weird baseball-fueled hiatus from NBA dominance, Phil Jackson allegedly pleaded with the superstar in ways that transcended basketball. He told the sporting and advertising icon that he possessed a genius for the sport and owed it to people to share that gift until it faded away.
Tim Thomas is not the Michael Jordan of hockey, but by the same token, I think he’s depriving both himself and onlookers the opportunity to prove how special he might be. (We can go round and round about who the MJ of hockey really might be, but the easiest answer is obviously Wayne Gretzky. It’s not really a necessary argument for the Daily Dose.)
Anyway, I couldn’t help but think of that abstract angle when I heard that the New York Islanders traded for Thomas - or really, his $5 million cap hit - in exchange for a conditional second round draft pick.
What’s that condition, you ask? It’s if Thomas ends his weirdo siesta, unearths from his friends, family and faith bunker and decides to do the thing that earned him that little stronghold in the first place. (In other words, the Boston Bruins receive a second-rounder if he actually plays hockey.)
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It’s not my place to chide Thomas for not playing … certainly not any more than I have in the previous paragraphs.
A SERIOUS WASTE
That being said, it’s frustrating to see a true shooting star of a goaltending talent throw away what could have been another year in an unusual Hall of Fame argument because his feelings* were hurt. (Or whatever it is that drove him to stay away from the rink.)
I compared Viktor Fasth to Thomas in a very loose way on Thursday, but deep down, we should all know that we really might not ever see a netminder this unique again. Thomas was an impressionistic painting in goalie pads, but his absence raises more eyebrows than starting your true NHL career at age 31.
By all accounts, he won’t be of any use to you fantasy-wise this season. The New York Islanders have the right to “toll” his contract into 2013-14, essentially allowing his fake $5 million to reach the salary cap floor without any big worries. It sounds like he’ll be nothing more than an empty bit of cap space, at least for this season.
* - Or feewings, if you want to be mean.
ONE MORE UTTERING OF BEWILDERMENT
Like many other seemingly inexplicable moments in sports, I find myself circling back to the core issue: why doesn’t Thomas just suck it up and play?
He’s 38 right now and with a few months of service, he could reap the rewards of the prorated $3 million salary he’s owed this season. Depending on his production (and probably his disposition), he might just get another million or two for another team. Who knows how many sweet guard gates, moats and war robots** could be built with that extra money?
If not, the Islanders can use him to exploit still-existing CBA loopholes for however long they feel like it or the NHL allows it. That’s fine and dandy, but it leaves the more contemplative among us to wonder: “What if Thomas just got over himself and played hockey?”
JUST STAY AWAY
Regardless, I wouldn’t go within a sniper rifle’s reach of Thomas on the waiver wire until I heard a peep that he might do the reasonable thing and suit up for the Isles. I understand why you might be excited to make the gamble, but it seems about as wise as picking the Michael Jordan-owned Charlotte Bobcats to win the NBA championship.
** - I’m putting forth a serious effort to entice Thomas to play this season. Do you think robots or moats might do it? Seems worth a try …
After the jump: players and stories fairly sure to make a bigger impact than Thomas in 2013.
FIRSTS
Thursday’s game had a funny way of reacting to recent editions of the Daily Dose. While the Fasth-Thomas comparison came just hours before Thomas’ name cropped back up in the hockey consciousness, two stars finally got some growing monkeys off their backs.
KESSEL GETS IT
First things first, Phil Kessel scored his first goal. He now has a single tally on an absurd 46 shots, but at least that goal meant something; it was both a power-play and game-winner. He has a respectable seven points in 11 games, but fantasy owners drafted him to be a sniper.
While I expect him to produce at a higher rate going forward, his shots won't go in simply because he misfired on an uncanny amount of them before. Still, the good news is that, again, his luck could get a whole lot better. If you just traded for him below value, you're probably cackling like a 'stached villain who just tied your trade partner to the train tracks.
WEBER STICKS WITH IT
For all the abuse Kessel gets, Shea Weber probably deserves an even bigger beating. The guy’s making nearly $8 million per year, and so far, he’s putting up the numbers of a player who … sure seems like he’d rather be playing in Philadelphia.
Weber finally got his first assist of the season as the Nashville Predators defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Overall, Weber joins his paltry assist with 13 PIM, 24 SOG and a +1 rating. Not exactly the production you hope for from one of the highest-paid players in the NHL, yet maybe he just now shook off the rust.
INJURY NOTES (full list) and QUICK HITS
Thomas Vanek continues to be one of the biggest surprises in the league. It might be time to consider him for a legitimate run at the Hart Trophy … Pekka Rinne got his first shutout of 2013, stopping all 32 Kings shots … Shawn Thornton is out indefinitely with a concussion … Sounds like Darren Helm’s back difficulties continue to flare up … The latest update implies that Andrej Meszaros won’t return until the end of the month … Seems like Kris Letang is day-to-day with a lower-body ailment … Stay tuned for updates on Jaroslav Halak today … Cory Schneider beat the Minnesota Wild, only allowing one tally … J.T. Miller found the net twice, but don’t get excessively comfortable with him just yet … The Devils decides to burn the first year of Stefan Matteau’s career, after all … The Flyers locked up Kimmo Timonen for one more year, because really, who else is going to play defense?