Too Early?

Well, it looks like the Thrashers blew ass yesterday in a pre-season game that pitted a very inexperienced defensive corps and AHL forwards plus the Czar against Henrik Zetterberg, Brian Rafalski, Valterri Filpulla, Johan Franzen, and perhaps most importantly, European rookies discovered by the Red Wings' eagle-eyed scouts in Scandinavia and elsewhere. You know, the same people who dug up Nick Lidstrom.

I agree with Rawhide that it's far too early to start drawing definitive conclusions based on yesterday's 4-0 shutout and Friday's abysmal defeat at the hands of the St. Louis Blues. The only statistic that really bothers me is that we were--guess what?--dramatically out-shot in the Red Wings game.

I don't want to make excuses for our lack of shots, but let's remember two things 1) the Red Wings defense is absurdly good, and their forwards are the best defensive forwards in the game (Zetterberg even tripped the Czar). Judging from the reports from the game it seems the Thrashers had very few real scoring chances. And 2) it takes time for a new coach's system to really sink in among the players. Give it some time.

If we lose every other pre-season game you can start panicking.

Oh, apparently Kari had a magnificent game. The Czar was too busy being awesome to score a goal.

I've always thought a little bit of facial hair enhanced the Czar's czarness.