#goaltending

#goaltending

The Pacific Division is a hot mess right now. It's hyper-competitive with the top six teams separated by five points (as of the afternoon of Nov. 18). This parity means that every team is imperfect and has at least one trait that should make fans nervous. Some clubs can't score, some have worrying play in between the pipes, and a few look great until you dig into the numbers.

"I was like, 'I feel like I've been standing still for 2½ hours already. I need to see some pucks,'" he recalled.

Bad breakfast puns aside, the Islanders' first-year general manager has shown in his relatively short yet eventful time on the job that he does not shy away from the hard choices, right or wrong (and it's been a lot more right). It's a trait 100% necessary for a good GM. From coaching decisions to trades to loosening the belt on predecessor Lou Lamoriello's buttoned-down culture, Darche quickly has reshaped the organization into one reflecting his vision.

One of the struggles has been the play of the team;s defense. The defense has allowed 30.2 shots against per game, one of the worst in the league. They have allowed 22 goals in seven games and that is the worst in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning defense has been tighter than this in the past and seems to be struggling by leaving opposing players open and leaving rebounds.