I love Ilya Bryzgalov. He's hilarious! Have you heard some of the things that have come out of this guy's mouth? Here's one of my favorite gems “I’m very into the universe, you know like how was created, you know, like, what is it, you know? Solar system is so humongous big, right? But if you see like our solar system and our galaxy on the side, you know, like, we’re so small you can never see it. Our galaxy is like huge, but if you see the big picture our galaxy (is) like a small tiny-like dot in the universe." Oh god, never stop talking Breezy. Seriously. He's expected to practice with the AHL Admirals today and start for them tomorrow. His tryout culminates in this game and if it goes well he will likely be signed. In that event, there’s a lot of speculation about what would happen next. John Gibson has already exceeded the initial six-week timetable set for his return from a groin pull and word has it he won’t be ready to go until the end of December. That leaves at least a few weeks where Frederik Andersen needs more help than Jason LaBarbera can offer, hence Breezy getting the shot. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun speculates that Gibsy is destined to spend the rest of the season in the AHL with Andersen starting and Bryzgalov backing him up. That’s a viable hypothesis, but there are no signs that’s the case just yet. There’s a reason that Breezy can’t stick with a team for very long, so it’s not like the Ducks are looking for a long term solution here. Gibson will need a conditioning stint in the AHL when he gets back and it may be an extended stay, but for the rest of the season? I don’t know that Gibson benefits from spending too much time off big ice and Breezy isn’t known for his consistency. Questions about whether Andersen’s starting job are already being asked and I have to think that he’s safter with Breezy as his backup than Gibson, who showed some serious chops earlier this season before getting hurt. That said, the Ducks are going to use the kid gloves with their prized prospect, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see an Andersen/Bryzgalov duo in the Anaheim crease for the next few months at least. Anyway, here’s what else I saw in the world o’ fantasy hockey last night:
No Offense, No Defense, No Chance. It’s the Story of the 2013 Colorado Avalanche.
Team Name: Colorado Avalanche
Record: 16-25-7, Fifth in Northwest, No Playoffs
Player of the Season: PA Parenteau put up 18 goals and 25 assists with 13 power-play points (6G,7A) and yet had a -11 rating last season. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Sergei Bobrovsky’s hot streak hit a mustard-colored wall in Nashville as the Predators pounded Columbus 5-1 and sent the Jackets to their first regulation loss in 13 games. Nashville scored four in the first period and chased Bobrovsky from the net by the middle of the period as they scored four goals in three minutes. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Chicago anchored itself to a 4-1 lead after the first period and never looked back in a 5-3 win over Minnesota to pick up its 20th win of the season. Bryan Bickell scored twice for Chicago and Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa each lit the lamp in the win. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and two assists to help the Colorado Avalanche erase a 3-0 first-period deficit and take a wild 5-4 win over the visiting Calgary Flames. Paul Stasny and Matt Duchene also scored for Colorado while Jarome Iginla scored twice in the losing effort. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Chris Kunitz’s hat trick powered Pittsburgh to a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals Sunday afternoon. Kris Letang and Matt Cooke also had a goal and an assist each in the win. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Thursday’s action had a lot of action on it. Thomas Vanek of the Sabres had a hat trick and two assists as Buffalo posted a 7-4 win over Boston for the Bruins’ first regulation loss (5-1-1) of the season. Please, blog, may I have some more?