Well it is weird but somehow it is true….if I call out a turkey…it seems suddenly they become fantasy stud or something like that. Cases in point…Nik Antropov scored 5 times in a 3 game stretch…and Mark Recchi scored twice last night in his first game as an Atlanta Thrasher against Boston. Now it may not always happen that way but it is rather amusing nonetheless. Onward now to the three turkeys…may their egos not get bruised too badly.
Sergei Gonchar (D) — Pittsburgh Penguins
On the surface, the numbers don’t look really bad…two points in 4 games and even over the last 2 weeks. However, his abysmal defensive coverage on the Penalty Kill the last couple games gets him on here. Missed assignments are one thing….lackadaisical coverage is another. Also, when is the last time this guy got an even strength point? That’s right…nearly 3 weeks ago! I remember when Gonchar was equally dangerous on the PP as he was 5 on 5. I am guessing those days are long gone perhaps.
Andrei Markov (D) — Montreal Canadiens
Markov has done a first and made my list for the second time this season (in a row mind you). So let’s see….0 points in the last 2 weeks….so obviously not even a power play point….a -2 and only 8 shots in his last five games. Even Sheldon Souray could do a little better than that. This is supposed to be Montreal’s go to guy on D for points…and well 19 points in 30 games isn’t going to exactly cut it. This boy is in a slump and you may want to trade him if you can get some value or just leave him on the bench till he snaps out of it. The numbers are down all across the board…so be wary.
Henrik Lundqvist (G) — New York Rangers
This one pained me a bit as Lundqvist and Backstrom were pretty close together on my turkey rankings but Lundqvist won out by a nose. He does have 3 wins in his last 6 starts….BUT…he has also given up 4 goals in 3 of his last 4 starts and was pulled once. Has it been the workload? Perhaps. However, great goalies find a way to right the ship and I am sure he will eventually. Based on numbers though, it is hard not to give Henrik a turkey especially for last night’s performance against the Capitals. Not only were 3 of the 5 Caps goals considered…well…soft, but just the mannerisms throughout that game led me to believe something else is wrong. Now what that is, may be up for further debate. It is going to be interesting see how or when he bounces back.
So who did I give this week’s Turkey Of The Week to? Well I give it to Sidney Crosby. WAIT! Just kidding….I give it to Andrei Markov for being on my list for a second time. That alone gets you the nod. Have a good week everyone, and remember Christmas is 12 days away so get those turkeys out.
