Ooooooh oooooooh, that tonight we actually score a goal! I know, I got big dreams. But seriously, tonight's gonna be a good night... Okay I'll stop. So everyone's going berserk over the line changes tonight; why would you split them up, why would you put him with him, bla bla bla... Listen, when a team plays their butts off, wins the majority of puck battles in all zones, and does all the little things right--it practically doesn't matter what the lines are. Martin knows that Eller and AK work well together; but he also knows that 2 guys who can only score goals against the other team's worst players, aren't going to win you the cup. So here's another shot for AK to play in the top 6 and prove that he can score against the big boys. In order to win more than a couple of games in the playoffs, the guys who get paid the big bucks have to be our best players--there's no way around it. When Pittsburgh won the cup 2 years ago, Max Talbot played great, but Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Gonchar and Staal were still the team's best players. So for those of you who think that the answer to our problems is playing Eller and Desharnais 20 minutes a game, White 18, and Gomez 12, well you're just flat wrong. And please don't put Subban in the same category as the guys i just mentioned, because we all know that maybe he's the best skater we've drafted since maybe LeClair and Desjardins in '87. He can play 25 minutes a game in the playoffs as a rookie because he's just that good. Eller, Desharnais and White are just not there yet, and it seems like only me, Martin and the coaching staff are aware of that. So be it.
Mark my words: if we're celebrating a first round victory approximately a month from now, it will be because we got serious production from our top line guys, and not because a bunch of rookies put the team on their backs. I know it's every Gomez hater's wet dream to see him ride the pine while Desharnais scores points in bunches during the playoffs, but it's just not happening. Reality bites I know; but at least you don't wake up from a great dream and start crying because you realize in a flash that it's not real. So you can drink from my bittersweet Gomez oasis or stay in your dreamy, Eller mirage. It's up to you. Just don't expect me to let you on the Gomez/Gionta/Cammy bandwagon when we leave town for round 2. This bus is full; no room for haters.
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