[united]

Tough to judge anything based on six games.

Good:
- First of all, Mike Smith has been incredible. Sample size is far too small to draw any conclusions yet, but it's been really encouraging and fun to watch that's for sure.
- Giordano + Dougie have been outstanding considering the opposition they face. And I think they will get even better as the season goes on.
- Brodie has looked more comfortable this season.
- 3M have been sewered on zone starts again yet outplay the opposition night after night. They are simply unbelievable.
- Troy Brouwer has looked like a competent bottom six utility player which is an enormous improvement on last season's disaster. Still not worth the $ of course.
- Tanner Glass hasn't been awful, and anything above awful is a welcome surprise. Hope he keeps it up.
- Special teams have been encouraging. I still don't like the powerplay setup (lack of one-timer options), but it's working.

Bad:
- The third pairing has been a liability, as expected. I don't think Stone and Bartkowski have developed much chemistry with each other yet and individually neither is capable of carrying a pairing. The addition of a good (but cheap) depth defenceman would do wonders.
- Ferland had all the opportunity and made a mess of it. Hopefully with some time down the lineup and a full recovery from his injury returns his confidence.
- Sean Monahan, while putting up points, has been poor in his own end. Reminds me of last season, which he turned around by season's end and into the playoffs. Looking forward to him re-committing to being solid at both ends again.
- Sam Bennett, who I thought would explode out of the gates, has done nothing. No points, poor possession metrics, undisciplined...I hope it's just an early season cold streak, but he needs to find some form quickly.