We got a little taste of it during training camp and all the hype videos we saw. But he's so composed with the puck and he knows when to jump, when not to jump. His hockey IQ is amazing. He played great tonight for us.
The Maple Leafs face just two playoff teams from last season this October, and one of them is tonight's opponent, who finished with just 91 points last season (17th in the NHL, eighth in the East). Eight of the 11 games this month are also played at home. Taking full advantage with a fast start technically isn't essential in a long 82-game season, but it is an important first step toward a successful Atlantic Division regular-season title defense.
The start of the National Hockey League is only hours away, as we look forward to yet another thrilling season of action and exciting results over the course of the year. The first game of this season in the NHL at 5pm sees the Chicago Blackhawks take on the current back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions, the Florida Panthers, in what will be a tough game to start.