Checkers broadcaster Jason Shaya checks in each week with his 10 Thoughts - a series of observations about the team and the hockey world in general. This week: the slow start at home, Chris Terry's promotion and Elias Lindholm's first games as a Checker.
1) Four home games this season at Time Warner Cable Arena and the team is winless. The team has scored five goals in that stretch and has given up 14. There is a lot not to like watching them play at home so far this season but something tells me they'll be much better on Wednesday and Thursday.
2) The rumor mill has Carolina Hurricanes hockey brass coming to the game tomorrow to get a good look at goaltender Rick DiPietro.
3) Chris Terry is a perfect of example of hard work and results meeting opportunity. The Canes needed to boost scoring and there isn’t a player in the Checkers lineup every night that’s better than Chris. Let’s hope he gets a long opportunity to do what he does best - score goals.
4) One kid who played his best game as a pro last week was Brendan Woods. A good hockey play by driving the net and scoring an ugly goal. I wasn’t so fond of that post-goal celebration though.
5) With Terry’s departure, there is an opportunity for someone to step up and take the lead during the team’s offensive slump. There are several players who need to deliver.
6) Not sure how many times I had to say this during the broadcasts last week but if it wasn’t for goaltender John Muse, the games might have been over much earlier.
7) Two games in Toronto next week and the team will have two days off in between. We are desperately trying to arrange an interview with the most well-known coach in Canada. If it happens, it will be a special moment.
8) Adam Brace has quietly amassed four points in six games this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if he moved up in lineup this week.
9) Is there an NHL team luckier than Detroit to move to the Eastern Conference just before they weren’t good enough to compete in the West?
10) On the television broadcast Saturday night, Derek Wilkinson said the team will need a better effort from Elias Lindholm. He also said that people need to remember Lindholm is only 18 years old and it takes time to learn to be an “everyday player.”