SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE-2/3/2013

·         It took two weeks but training camp is finally over for Sidney Crosby and the rest of the NHL.
·         One week Martin Brodeur and the Devils look invincible and the next week they look like mere mortals.  Interesting to see how this will play out this season.
·         Three straight games without a point for Ilya Kovalchuk.  Now, will the ones who played overseas become more tired and those who didn’t play start to heat up?  Of course, they all need to stay healthy.
·         They may have to change the name of the NHL to the National Hurting League.
·         Broken arms, broken feet, a boatload of groin injuries and a broken dream here and there.
·         It appears to me that David Desharnais is starting to heat up.  It’s pronounced ‘day-har-nay’, just like, “day by day”.  I almost burst out into song.
·         Montreal is looking real good with Subban back, Galchenyuk playing like he’s been in the league for years.  And Carey Price is playing extremely well in net.
·         Price is having such a good year but he is being overshadowed by the play of Craig Anderson and Antti Niemi among others, which is probably a good thing for the Canadiens goalie.
·         Not a good road trip for the Avs.  They lost Landeskog in first game at San Jose.  Lost 3 before winning at Calgary. 
·         Tuukka Rask is making everyone forget about Tim Thomas.  In fact, Thomas must be having doubts about taking this year off.  He may find it hard to find a starting job next year.  Take that to Washington and smoke it.
·         We all know how great Claude Giroux is but Danny Briere is needed a whole lot more now that Hartnell is out for a few weeks.
·         What is going on with Cam Ward this season?  A new arrival to the family may have been on his mind prior to the start of the season.  Scoop him up on the cheap.  Now is the time.
·         The biggest surprise this season is 5’8” Cory Conacher.  I am amazed at what he has done so far.  And I love players that have names that flow like alliteration.  I promise that is the only big word I will use.
·         Martin St. Louis is a great role model for his team mate Conacher.  I’m not saying he is another Martin St. Louis, no, no, no.  I’m just saying.
·         The Rangers go into Tama Bay without their captain, against one of the hottest and high-powered teams in the NHL and come away with their best performance of the season and a victory.  Go figure!  I know Head Coach Tortorella enjoyed it very much.
·         I just couldn’t see Detroit losing to Columbus.  I just couldn’t.  But Artem Anisimov could.  He could be the Blue Jacket to own this season. 
·         How appropriate was Dallas and Phoenix splitting their home-and-home series with both winning on home ice?  How boring was that?
·         I was beginning to lose a lot of faith in Patrick Kane but slowly but surely he is starting to sway me back. 
·         Whenever I hear the announcer say Johnny Oduya, I instantly think of some animated kids show where he is on an adventure with his family after getting lost or stranded in some jungle area.
·         Sharp, Seguin, Kessel are among a few that are off to horrible starts.  You just know that when they heat up, they will heat up to San Jose Shark levels.  Try to snag them away from a disgruntled owner.
·         I watched Brandon Saad the other night and I liked what I saw.  J
·         Nick Bonino (I suddenly have this craving for tuna) scored a hat trick for the Ducks last night.  Hats off!
·         I really thought Parenteau was going to slack off after signing that contract with the Avs.  I guess I was wrong.  My “Parenteau Units” scolded me for that.
·         How about those performances from Thomas Vanek and Henrik Zetterberg this weekend?  Bravo!
·         That was a Quick game last night.  Actually it wasn’t a normal Quick game as he played only 5:49 after allowing 2 goals on 3 shots.  Ugly!
·         I propose that all brother tandems in the NHL be on the same team at the same time.  That would be something.  Maybe not.
·         Do you think that since I got rid of my Weber grill in December that Shea Weber’s production went along with it?
·         Roberto Luongo is playing like he’s the number one goalie on the Canucks.  Remember, HE did get them to the Stanley Cup finals. 
·         I know Tomas Fleischmann missed Kris Versteeg as much as Weber misses Ryan Suter.  Some pairs should never be broken up.  While others don’t last more than a week.  Just like marriages.  When you get a good one, you hold onto them.
·         Enjoy the Super Bowl!