Weekly Question: This or That?

While we all can’t wait until the season starts, the summer is flying by and October will soon be here. For Sens fans, the excitement for the upcoming season cannot be described for all the obvious reasons. The team has improved drastically while the rest of the division remains strong, the Sens might have a fighting chance. Who knows what can happen? I don’t have one specific question for this week but rather a series of questions both competing teammates against each other and adding some divisional rivalry to the mix.

• Ever since Josh Norris was signed to an extension, Habs fans have gone out of their way to prove he’s overrated. The comparison seems to be focused on Nick Suzuki who apparently will tear the division apart next season (their words, not mine). The fact is Norris scored 35 goals last year while only playing 66 games compared to Suzuki’s 21 goals in 82 games. Yes, Suzuki had a higher point total (61 vs 55) but again, while playing an additional 16 games to Norris. Who’s overrated now?

• Speaking of Josh Norris, until Alex DeBrincat came along one could argue he was the best goal scorer on the team. While DeBrincat’s numbers are much better and he is absolutely going to upgrade the team to a new level, I think he and Norris are not too far apart. DeBrincat only scored 6 more goals than Norris while playing an additional 16 games in the season. I’m expecting both of them to have fantastic seasons and benefit from some power play success but who will come on top?

• The biggest story of the offseason was the signing of the hometown hero, Claude Giroux. Leafs fans can surely understand how we feel as they had their homecoming story with John Tavares a few seasons ago. While I think the Leafs Captain has disappointed a few fans, he is still considered a top player in the league. You know there will be a storyline between Giroux and Tavares being in the positions that they are and both fanbases will endlessly compare their success on their home teams.

• The Toronto Maple Leafs have a series of good hockey moves and some moves that can simply be described with a “why”? They had one of those moments this summer when they decided to trade for Matt Murray. We all knew they had issues in net but are they seriously that desperate. I liked Murray and wanted him to succeed but I don’t see him saving the Leafs but maybe I’m wrong. On the other hand, Pierre Dorion attempted to improve our goalie situation by trading for Cam Talbot. He’s not in his prime anymore but he is expected to provide much needed stability in that position.

That’s it for this week’s edition of this or that. Let me know what other individual rivalries (both internally and externally) you’re going to be watching out for this upcoming season.