from Elliotte Friedman of CBC,

- You can see why St. Louis was so determined to make sure Vladimir Tarasenko was here once the lockout ended. He looked ridiculous against the Detroit Red Wings in the opener. At 21, he's a little older than your average rookie and that extra experience could be a huge benefit to a legit Stanley Cup contender. If the Blues needed anything, it was someone with game-breaking scoring skill. This guy sure has it.

- Impressive performance from 27-year-old rookie Mike Kostka in the Toronto Maple Leafs' opening victory. Kostka's greatest strength is considered to be his ability to read the play at both ends. He's worked hard to improve his skating, but as Leafs GM Dave Nonis said: "He's a better skater than he gives himself credit for."

- Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel had an interesting answer when asked who he would put on the ice to protect a one-goal lead with Zach Bogosian injured. "I don't like to use the word 'protect' because it creates the idea you're defending the lead instead of attacking to extend it," Noel said. I like that kind of creative thinking.

more thoughts plus a look at the unsgined RFAs...