[DeluxeMoustache]

Here is a first pass at a first quarter report card. Nobody has done it so far, so I will get started. (Player grades are relative to expectations coming into the year, not draft position)

On the whole, the team has impressed. I would give the team an A so far. Lots of changes in the off-season, and so some bumps were expected in the first quarter. They seem to have racked up a decent record despite some breakdowns, and are trending the right direction

G
Rittich - A+ - What can you say? 8-1! Played great in the loss too. Good fundamentals and steady demeanour. Big Save Dave. Stopping everything he reasonably should stop. The team likes him and plays for him. Still a long season but has claimed the starter role, for now at least. The players say he is tough to score on in practice, and stats among league leaders agree. Quirky guy, good fun.

Smith - D- - I think he was the victim of some goals that were and a lot that weren’t on him up until that Pittsburgh game. His confidence seems to be down and he is lately good for at least a softie per game, and has cost the team points. He should be capable of being better and if he doesn’t get this sorted, it could be the last season of his career

D
Gio - A+ - Beast mode, Norris calibre season so far.

Brodie - A - Great return to form with the new coach and old partner. Even when some folks were on him earlier, he was victimized by some bad bounces.

Hanifin - B+ - steady and mobile. Great addition to the top 4

Hamonic - A - disappointing that he got hurt the first game, has been generally steady, and has had certain games where they are his best as a Flame. Making a much stronger case for the acquisition cost

Valimaki - B - claimed a regular spot in the top 6, along with Andersson making Kulak expendable, and has been trusted by the coach. Some lapses from time to time that are expected

Andersson - B - also a regular now, has made some confident plays that have resulted in game winning goals

Stone - B - has done what is asked of him. Hope he gets healthy soon

Overall, the d corps is, on the ice, as good as they are on paper. Trading Hamilton has seen all of Gio, Brodie and Hamonic improve significantly, and Hanifin is no slouch!

F
Monahan - A - on pace for a career year offensively. Impressed with how he quietly gets to the right spots and is deadly. Would be A+ but for some defensive lapses over the first 20

Gaudreau - A - doing the things he does. I like the more recent assertiveness with his shot

Lindholm - A+ - such a thoroughly solid all around player. Tre killed it on that trade

Tkachuk - A+ - Not sure what to say, as everyone can see it. Giant steps year over year. Gotta love how happy he was for Bennett’s goal too.

Backlund - B - Dependable and earning his cheque. Some quiet games, but some great ones, particularly neutralizing and frustrating that guy from the team up north . That was marvellous.

Bennett - A - noticeable every night and pushed his way up from the 4th line to the second, on a very deep team. Responding very well to a coach who has put him with good linemates for a stretch. I think most of us are pulling for the guy and he is bringing it every night.

Ryan - B- - I was really questioning this guy early in the year. Seemed to be a black hole given PP time he didn’t earn, but the second half of the first quarter, he has been a really solid and effective bottom 6-er. Wins draws, drives the puck up ice, despite limited scoring, and the other team sure doesn’t get much.

Neal - D+ - He is struggling and he knows it. His IQ and ability to snipe should mask his speed issues. Can’t give him a good grade for what he has done but I am not worried. He has been getting some looks, and streaky guys slump.

Frolik - B- - Was in the doghouse early and ultimately scratched, and frankly doesn’t belong on the top 6 on a team like this. After the scratch, he has responded well, contributing on the PK and racking up quite a few goals.

Jankowski - C- - has struggled quite a bit but the last couple of games has been trending the right direction

Hathaway - C- - he is the type of player that needs a few nights off from time to time to elevate the spark

Dube - C - I think he has the speed and the mind, but physically needs to nature. Has had opportunities and been unsuccessful until the Jets game. Could arguably use some time in the AHL

Czarnik - C- - looked good in pre season and got a handful of points but has struggled to find a role

Peters - A - I expected the first quarter to be 10-15 games feeling out the team, and hopefully having some identity and consistency beginning to emerge.
This seems to have happened, with a fair amount of drama.
The Pittsburgh drubbing was the absolute low point - it took the whole team working together to get crushed like that - and if that was what the outcome of adding him was, it was alarming to say the least.
I almost wonder in hindsight if he let the inmates run the asylum, knowing that he could use it to prove a point.
The whole team seems to have bought in recently.
If the current play is the new normal, he will be in the Jack Adams conversation