Say Hello To Conn Smythe Winner Zack Kassian
Yesterday I wrote a blog titled “2 Days Into The Stanley Cup Playoffs And All The Bad Players Are Actually Good“. This needs to be updated because 3 days into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and it’s the same shit. Now Zack Kassian is a much better hockey player than both Tanner Glass and Tom Wilson. He has as many goals in his career as both of them do combined. But he’s still not a skill guy. Think about all of those that Edmonton is working with already on their roster. McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, Eberle, Caggiula. The Oilers are as deep up front as any team in the league. And last night, Zack fucking Kassian was the difference maker.
It started off with this huge hit on Brendon Dillon in the 1st period to set the tone…
Then Kassian decided to fuck around a little bit and score on the penalty kill to give Edmonton the 1-0 lead. The only lead they’d need for the rest of the game.
And then it was back to murdering fools as he attempted to end Logan Couture’s life…
Again, I don’t think that Zack Kassian is a bad player in the sense that he can’t play the game. It’s just that he’s an energy guy. He’s not a skill guy. He plays the game with heart and emotion. And you could feel the crowd in Edmonton feed off that energy through your TV screen last night with every play this guy made. He’d probably be my last pick as to somebody who would make a legitimate difference in this series but holy fuck would I be wrong. Guy owned last night. That’s the definition of Hard Dick Hockey. A shorthanded goal sandwich stuffed between two slices of murder bread. Fuckin’ love it.
Oh yeah, McJesus also scored his first playoff goal of his career as well. But you already knew courtesy of our own Conn Smythe blogger Frank The Tank.
If Frank starts to get too good at blogging hockey, I think I’m gonna have to fight him at Center Ice.
P.S. – completely unrelated but this was the prettiest assist you’ll see all year. It comes from the USHL. Don’t think it gets its own blog so it’ll be a nice parting gift from me to you for reading this one.
Be right back. Gotta go change my pants.