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NHL Playoff Observations -- Monday Night

Just a few things that caught my eye:

  • Isn't that Guy Boucher a sneaky fellow? Dwayne Roloson is our number one. Geez, no-one saw that head game coming. A few years ago, it would have been called playing with your opponent. Now? It's called sports psychology.
  • Saint John Sea Dog captain Mike Thomas has a better playoff beard than two-thirds of the NHLers left in the postseason. The overager probably had it in Grade 6.
  • Steven Stamkos' assist was just his 10th point in 16 playoff games. And just his 34th in his last 47. He has just 12 goals in those 47 games. There is still a lot to learn, isn't there?
  • Guess that second stint in the sin bin knocked some sense into Nathan Horton. He was bench-worthy had he not screwed his head back on right.
  • Mike Smith wasn't bad -- he only allowed two goals. But he had his bell wrung early in the second period when he tried to play the puck. It was subtle but then again, so was the original head hit that put him out for months. Yikes.
  • Speaking of heads, Joe Thornton's can't be right but he's determined to play Game 6. So much for the NHL's concussion protocols.
  • Mark my words -- Nicklas Lidstrom will play next season. Brian Rafalski's impending retirement all but guarantees it. Captain Detroit won't leave his team reeling like that.
  • 69.2 -- the worst full-game save percentage I think I've ever seen. Unless it's in box lacrosse but it'd suck even then. Mind you, Antti Niemi probably didn't even see 10 of the 13 shots he faced Sunday. I know he didn't see three of the the four shots that got past him, courtesy of his screening defenders.
  • Go to YouTube and find Vancouver's fourth goal from Sunday. Henrik Sedin's slap fake and then five-hole pass was un-freaking believable. Niemi's probably lost his jock on that one.
  • The sisters are gone. The Swedish twins are hot.