from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- When Leon Draisaitl signed an eight-year, $68-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, there was a collective uncomfortable gulp in the hockey world.

How can they pay that much money for that unproven a player? How can the general manager, Peter Chiarelli, be that stupid?

This is the problem with instant contract analysis on the day the big-money deals are done. Now in his third year of eight seasons in Edmonton, with Chiarelli apparently disgraced and gone from the Oilers, Draisaitl has become one of the dominant offensive forces in hockey. The contract shock of three years ago seems a bargain by today’s ever-changing standards....

- This is almost heartbreaking: The great and honoured Jonathan Toews, playing more than 19 minutes a night with the Chicago Blackhawks, is 437th in NHL scoring in the early going. Chicago is tied for last in the Western Conference … Toews’ wingmate and salary mate, Patrick Kane, ranks 127th in league scoring. Toews is just 31, Kane is just 30.

- Amazing thing about Bowman’s career: The list of players he coached. Three of the greatest goalies in history — Dryden, Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante; Five of the greatest defencemen — Doug Harvey, Nick Lidstrom, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Paul Coffey; Many of the most explosive forwards ever — Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Guy Lafleur, Brett Hull, Gil Perreault, Frank Mahovlich, Jaromir Jagr, Sergei Fedorov, Dickie Moore.

more on the first topic and other notes...