Episode 0088: Nylander Still Not Signed, Simmonds Is Healthy Again, B’s Netminder Situation, Toews Off To Smashing Start, Are Habs For Real, Twitter Polls And Much More!

Here we go!  The new season has begun and there are absolutely no ways of telling who is going to be the next Stanley Cup Champion…but we are going to try and figure it out here at the Two Man Forecheck.

We open the show talking about patterns present and non-existent in the stats and the haves and have nots and where they are in the standings.

This leads us into Toronto, where William Nylander still has not signed and reportedly is asking for 8.5 million dollars.  Should they sign him…trade him?  Let us know in this week’s Twitter Poll.  We also delve into the Maple Leafs team and its potential contract woes over the next couple seasons.

Wayne Simmonds is back and healthy this season, and his on-ice performance is backing that up. He is a free agent at the end of the season and would look good in a couple different uniforms…we attempt to figure out where they might be.

Speaking of Twitter Polls, last week’s question was about which team would have the hottest 10 game start.  41% posited Winnipeg, but as the number show so far, there is no hot team as of yet. But we are only two games into the season.

The Bruins have a problem some teams would envy…two starting netminders.  Tuukka is listed as the number one, and Cassidy has stated that he is 90% sure that he will start on Monday’s home opener, but with his history of slow starting, and the fact that Jaroslav Halak is coming off a shutout in Buffalo, should this be a question of who starts?  Halak has equivalent numbers to Rask over their careers and right now should Cassidy be riding the hot hand.  We say yes, but what do you think?  Let us know.

Jonathan Toews had himself a hat trick on Saturday night, and looks like a man on a mission in Chicago. With other stars on the team playing like stars, are the Blackhawks heading back to the playoffs?  Is Toews a rejuvenated man?  He appears to be so things are looking up for Chicago.

Are the Canadiens for real? They have a healthy Carey Price and some young, talented players who are champing at the bit to succeed.  The Habs thoroughly whipped the Penguins in Pittsburgh by capitalizing on the Pens mistakes as well as using their speed and quickness to outskate the former champions.

Finally, there are too many injuries to mention, but Crawford and Weber are due back late November to mid-December and Schneider is due back relatively soon after off season surgery. 

All this means that our favorite sport is back and going full speed ahead.  See you next week!  Enjoy the show!