WA-NYR-TradeRumours 1. Will Cuylle had better get his toosh in gear. You have to wonder whether a promotion to Mika Zibanejad's line could be the reason for Willie's slum- as Sean McCaffrey suggests. My buddy believes that Not-So-Wee-Willie should be developed as "The Next Chris Kreider." 2. I'm more interested in the real Chris (Don't You Dare Trade Me) Kreider who's showing signs – faint, if you will – of returning to the Old Chris Kreider productive form. 3. It's impossible to know what the genius coach thinks of Mave-Fave, Matt Rempe. The Great Lavvy gave The Remper a big-deal 5:51 of ice time against Columbus. Right now, all we know is that when The Skating Giraffe is in the lineup, the team wins. Last night was Exhibit A. 4. The J.T. Miller-To-Anyone rumor was heated up by Hockey Night In Canada's Elliotte Friedman last night. The Maven's advice is to stay away from a room-disrupter. My choice remains Jonathan Toews, an A-1 team player who appears ready to end his too-long sabbatical. (Meanwhile, Zac Jones rots on the press box vine.) 5. Once a sure non-playoff team, Columbus is for real. The BJ's No name goalie, Daniit Tarasov, went save for save against Shesty until the very reliable Vinny Trocheck sealed the shootout deal. (On this night, you can bet that Blueshirts fans LOVED the unfairly-labeled "Skills Competition.") 6. Tonight's goalie call is a toughie. The Give Iggy A Rest logic means that your favorite and mine – who else but Jonathan Quick? – does what he's getting paid for and that is pinch-hit. But I'd feel more comfortable with The Bank Of Russia sweating it out between the pipes. 7. Here's a photo op that The Maven would like to see. With all the headlines and comments that Igor Shesterkin is "standing on his head" making saves, how about Iggy getting between the pipes and see if he really can do the upside-down trick – standing on his head! 8. Enough-enough already with the Alexis Lafreniere alibis. He'll be in his home province of Quebec tonight and no doubt Bell Centre will be sprinkled with relatives and friends. What a lovely time for The Dear Boy to show the gang why Chris Drury gave him a healthy papaya raise. 9. Why doesn't management like Jimmy Vesey as much as The Maven does? He's tireless, team-oriented and The Utility Players' Utility Player. I don't his benchings. 10. I'll say this about the not-long-ago-acquired defenseman: where there's a Will there's way – with Borgen!
