Are the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Geese actually this good?

The NHL may use some new contenders, and never simply because the Stanley Cup Last had the identical members for 2 straight seasons.

Recent faces and burgeoning stars are intriguing. Groups on the rise carry renewed enthusiasm to the playoff races. Seeing groups that have not been postseason members crashing the playoff occasion is a blast.

This season has a handful of groups looking for to interrupt by into the playoffs. Two of them are within the Western Convention: the Utah Mammoth, of their second season in Salt Lake Metropolis; and the Anaheim Geese, who’ve missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons. As of Tuesday, each of them had been in playoff spots, with the Mammoth as a wild card and the Geese main the Pacific.

They’re new. They’re compelling. And above all, they’re enjoyable to observe.

“Nicely, I suppose it is enjoyable for you. It is not enjoyable for me,” joked Geese GM Pat Verbeek, whose workforce has generated a variety of scoring probabilities however has additionally allowed its fair proportion. “Though typically chaos can go the proper manner.”

Can the Mammoth and Geese maintain their early-season success? This is a have a look at how they turned breakout groups this season and whether or not they’re destined for playoff berths or are simply an early season tease that ultimately fades from reminiscence.

Soar forward:
Mammoth
Geese

Are the Mammoth for actual?

What has modified since final season?

Earlier than there was a workforce known as the Utah Mammoth, there was a Utah Hockey Membership.

The previous Arizona Coyotes swapped desert warmth for snow-packed peaks in the hunt for brighter days for a franchise that had made one playoff look in 12 years (in the course of the COVID-19 shortened marketing campaign) and was in determined want of a brand new identification.

Utah would wish time to develop that of their new digs (therefore the generic Hockey Membership moniker for 12 months 1). GM Invoice Armstrong — who has been with the group since 2020 — arrived with 9 gamers chosen within the first spherical of the NHL draft from 2021-25. With new possession in place (the Smith Leisure Group), Utah’s hockey workforce had the kind of assist final season that it hadn’t in Arizona. And it led to one in all its strongest seasons in over a decade.

On the Christmas break, Utah was 16-12-6. However the workforce ebbed and flowed from there, hovering across the .500 mark whereas persevering with to ascertain some consistency in its sport.

There could be one other preview of Utah’s potential within the ultimate stretch of final season, when the workforce took off on a 17-9-4 run to cap off an 89-point season — 12 factors forward of the place it was in 2023-24. It did not get Utah into the playoff discipline — its 38-31-13 file left it seven factors shy of the Western Convention’s ultimate wild-card slot — but it surely steered there have been elements coming collectively that would take Utah’s declare to a spot before anybody anticipated. And, nicely, right here the Mammoth are, doing precisely that.

It is nonetheless early sufficient within the NHL season to be skeptical of all 32 groups’ success — or failures — so far. However Armstrong supposed to present his group each probability of pushing previous their earlier ceiling. Defenseman Dmitri Simashev — the No. 6 decide by Arizona in 2023 — has landed on their blue line, and at simply 20 years outdated, he’s making a distinction with some top-pairing seems. Veteran defender Nate Schmidt signed a three-year contract with Utah within the offseason.

And maybe most significantly, Utah selected its everlasting title in Might, which signaled a brand new starting. So it went that the Mammoth carried their momentum from final season into this one, opening the season with a 7-2-0 stretch that put them among the many NHL’s prime golf equipment.

There is a lengthy option to go, however there’s cause to consider the Mammoth aren’t far off from venturing again into the playoff image.

Key issue No. 1: The celebs are (actually) scoring

The Mammoth offense is not any one-trick pony; extra like a multiheaded beast.

Utah has a one-two punch up entrance, that includes top-10 draft picks which are lastly coming into their very own. Logan Cooley — chosen third in 2022, and the current recipient of an eight-year, $80 million contract extension — has posted the workforce’s second-most objectives (eight) and 13 factors, sitting simply behind Nick Schmaltz (a top-20 draftee by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014) and his team-leading 9 objectives and 19 factors.

Dylan Guenther (picked ninth general by Arizona in 2021) and Clayton Keller (seventh general in 2016) are tearing it up with 13 and 15 factors, respectively. JJ Peterka — a commerce addition from Buffalo within the offseason — is prospering too, with 4 objectives and 10 factors, whereas top-pairing defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is pitching in with 11 factors from the again finish.

All that to say, Utah has proven there may be critical chemistry all through its lineup and that is solely bred confidence. By way of the Mammoth’s first 10 video games, they ranked sixth in offense (3.70 objectives per sport) and so they had been one of many stingiest defensive golf equipment (rating third general with 2.40 objectives in opposition to).

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Logan Cooley scores once more for Utah after evaluate

Logan Cooley will get his fifth purpose in his final 4 intervals of hockey with this effort that virtually goes in vs. the Wild.

However it’s not simply that the Mammoth can rating; they’re opportunistic. Guenther shares the NHL lead in game-winning objectives (4) and Keller saved the Mammoth excellent in extra time this season when he netted a marker in further time over Buffalo earlier this month. Utah has discovered methods to be resilient regardless of their circumstance.

Better of all, Utah’s core is signed for the long run. Cooley, Guenther, Peterka and ahead Jack McBain are signed by 2029-30. Keller is inked by 2027-28.

Constructing that out on the ice, although, was no simple activity for coach Andre Tourigny. Now in his fifth yr with the group, Tourigny endured the ultimate tough years together with his squad in Arizona earlier than they moved to Salt Lake Metropolis in 2024. The then-Coyotes misplaced 40 or extra video games in every of their ultimate three seasons within the desert, the place the identical skaters now lighting up the scoresheet with ease had been floundering on the ice and off it, missing the type of infrastructure and assets now supplied by SEG; suppose not enjoying out of a faculty enviornment and gaining access to state-of-the-art amenities.

“I feel [Tourigny’s] had an excellent affect on them, elevating them proper and ensuring that they play on either side of the puck,” Armstrong instructed ESPN on Tuesday. “It is not simply all offense. I feel typically when you could have younger, hungry, offensive guys, issues can get swayed, after which you do not train the proper issues once they’re younger about enjoying on the opposite aspect of the puck.

“And it is also situational play of getting pucks deep on the proper time and enjoying the clock and [managing] the rating. And he is executed a very good job with that.”

Like many younger groups earlier than them, the Mammoth needed to take their lumps whereas turning into a aggressive, 200-foot workforce. Over the primary six weeks of final season, for instance, they had been averaging fewer than three objectives per sport whereas giving up the twelfth most within the league (3.25). Tourigny’s persistence with the Mammoth’s evolution is lastly paying off, and it is most blatant in the best way their finest gamers are, lastly, their most impactful ones, too.

Key issue No. 2: Objective suppression buy-in

Karel Vejmelka took his time breaking into the NHL. Now, it seems like his second to interrupt out.

The 29-year-old goaltender had three seasons beneath his belt with the Coyotes when the franchise moved to Salt Lake Metropolis, and Utah wasted no time placing its weight behind Vejmelka as its No. 1. The 55 begins he made final season weren’t solely a profession excessive (by a big margin), however tied for the fourth-most video games performed by any NHL goalie in 2024-25. Not solely that, however Vejmelka made an eye-popping 22 consecutive begins as Utah made its postseason push.

Whereas the workforce might have fallen brief, there was no sleep misplaced in deciding that Vejmelka would enter this season on monitor to as soon as once more be Utah’s major keeper of the crease.

Vejmelka began six of the Mammoth’s first eight video games and was terrific over that stretch. He is been recognized as a chilled presence by Utah teammates, and a spine of their confidence each evening. His numbers have dipped barely for the reason that Mammoth’s sizzling begin cooled on the finish of a protracted highway journey, however there’s little doubt from Utah that he’ll bounce again and proceed giving them the required goaltending to maintain competing on the highest degree.

If Utah’s forwards have been courting the headlines, then their defensive enhancements deserve not less than a couple of traces on the entrance web page. As a result of it is come collectively for Utah due to inside development and a few key additions.

There was Schmidt and Simashev coming in and filling roles to deepen the Mammoth blue line. Simashev has been a specific spark, and has skated with Sergachev on the membership’s prime pairing. However Utah’s positive aspects within the defensive finish are a product of their group effort. The Mammoth are permitting the fewest photographs in opposition to within the league (24 per sport) and their fast transition sport can overwhelm opponents. Whereas Utah can boast unimaginable offensive skaters, the best way those self same gamers pitch in with out dishonest for probabilities up the ice is a significant cause why Utah has been in place to win so typically this season.

Armstrong hasn’t been shy about discussing how painful the workforce’s rebuild has been. No GM hopes to be deciding on on the prime of the draft yearly. This model of Utah is what Armstrong believed in all alongside — the place’d they’ve the goaltending, the defensive buy-in and sufficient firepower to compete with any workforce.

What the analytics inform us

Rachel Kryshak, the info analyst behind Betalytics and a prospects author for ESPN, had the Mammoth as her under-the-radar workforce headed into the season.

“My mannequin had them ending within the prime wild-card spot, one level again of third within the Central,” she stated.

Kryshak likes what she sees to date to again up the prediction.

“To date, the Mammoth are out chancing their opponents at even power and they’re among the many league’s finest at creating higher-danger scoring alternatives. On common, they outshoot their opponents by 5 photographs per sport and management the tempo of play,” she stated. “Their prime six has executed a incredible job of using their velocity and ability to manage the sport. Their younger expertise is beginning to mature within the NHL and develop chemistry collectively and when that’s mixed with excessive finish velocity, it turns into very troublesome to defend.”

Micah Blake McCurdy, who does hockey knowledge visualizations on Hockeyviz.com, has been most fascinated with the Mammoth within the defensive finish.

“I am most impressed by their workforce protection. They have been comfortably higher at limiting probabilities in opposition to at 5-on-5 than final season, and loads higher limiting probabilities in opposition to on the penalty kill. The goaltending seems about like I anticipated it — a shade under common,” McCurdy stated.

Offensively, the Mammoth have not been getting a big quantity of photographs, however that hasn’t been a problem with the best way they’re changing probabilities. “If there is a concern, it will be that the of completion is a shade excessive for the roster and would possibly come down,” McCurdy stated. “They’re additionally very score-affected: Chasing arduous when dropping and turtling when successful. Groups that go on deep playoff runs often play extra persistently throughout all rating states.”

Vince Masi, a stats analyst for ESPN Analysis, wonders if regression is already beginning for Utah, having gone by a stretch the place they scored three or fewer objectives in seven straight video games.

“Whereas they’re controlling the 5-on-5 shot makes an attempt at a very good clip within the early going, they had been lifeless final in 5-on-5 save share at .875,” stated Masi, who suggests the Mammoth could also be overworking Vejmelka.

“For the reason that return after the 4 Nations Face-Off in regular-season video games, Vejmelka has performed essentially the most of any goalie within the league,” he stated.

Is that this sustainable?

In a phrase: most likely.

As a result of the Mammoth are about to seek out out what they’re fabricated from — a method or one other.

Utah is driving its first prolonged dropping streak of the season, having dropped three straight and 5 of its final six. Solely a kind of defeats was at house although, and the Mammoth are lastly again in Salt Lake Metropolis for six of their subsequent eight after virtually three weeks on the highway.

And it is not like Utah has essentially been dangerous. They only bumped into typical early-season struggles, like going 0-for-13 on the facility play once they had been beforehand working at 21.1% with the additional man. The Mammoth’s penalty kill, then again, was an ideal 10-for-10 in the identical stretch.

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Logan Cooley nets power-play purpose

Logan Cooley nets power-play purpose

Utah has all of the expertise it must be a contender this season. However there may be nonetheless a studying curve that comes with successful, because the Mammoth have rapidly found.

“Once you undergo as many highway video games as we performed, I feel you get worn down a bit bit,” Armstrong stated. “It is type of refreshing to come back house, and it is a bit bit humbling to know that, hey, you received all these video games in a row, however now you are battling to get again on monitor. It is a good league, and there is a advantageous line between successful and dropping, and we have to seek out that line.”

First, there are issues to repair, beginning on particular groups. Whereas the Mammoth’s gaudy offensive stats from October had been certain to degree out because the league’s groups settled into November — and remembered the right way to play protection — there isn’t any cause Utah cannot alter and be proper again among the many Central Division’s finest golf equipment.

Vejmelka will likely be a big a part of the turnaround. He is 1-3-0 of late, with an .831 SV% and three.78 GAA. That is not what Utah can anticipate from Vejmelka when he is on level. So long as he is capable of steer out of the skid, it’ll maintain Utah from losing its strong defensive efforts (they had been nonetheless averaging the fewest photographs in opposition to within the league whereas racking up current losses).

The well-known American Thanksgiving deadline is looming. Groups within the playoff discipline at that time are inclined to nonetheless be in place at season’s finish. This subsequent run of video games is Utah’s alternative to show itself. Their schedule options 4 groups not within the postseason image now, and if the Mammoth can leverage their home-ice benefit (they’re 4-1-0 this season at Delta Middle) then Utah can present they had been no flash within the pan.

Are the Anaheim Geese for actual?

What has modified since final season?

It has been seven seasons for the reason that Geese final waddled into the postseason, dropping within the first spherical again in 2018. To timestamp this drought, that workforce had Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Kevin Bieksa and 37-year-old Ryan Miller on the roster.

Since then, the Geese have been amassing younger expertise by the draft. Most of them — Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, Beckett Sennecke, Lukas Dostal — are the muse for Anaheim’s rebuild. A few of them had been ultimately traded, like when the Geese traded defenseman Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers for ahead Cutter Gauthier, now a burgeoning star.

Powered by that younger core, Anaheim noticed a exceptional 21-point enchancment within the standings yr over yr in 2024-25, however that was solely ok to put twelfth within the Western Convention. Coach Greg Cronin was dismissed after two seasons. GM Pat Verbeek lured coach Joel Quenneville to Anaheim, and which may turn into one of many NHL offseason’s most vital strikes.

Quenneville, 67, hadn’t coached within the NHL since resigning from the Florida Panthers in 2021 after an unbiased evaluate by a legislation agency detailed how the Blackhawks group didn’t correctly deal with allegations by participant Kyle Seaside that he was sexually assaulted by video coach Brad Aldrich in the course of the workforce’s 2010 Stanley Cup run. Quenneville, who coached that workforce, was ineligible to work for different NHL groups till commissioner Gary Bettman lifted a ban on the coach and two former Blackhawks executives in July 2024.

Verbeek stated on the time that Anaheim had executed its due diligence on Quenneville. “Our findings are in step with Joel’s account that he was not totally conscious of the severity of what transpired in 2010. It’s clear that Joel deeply regrets not following up with extra questions on the time, has demonstrated significant private development and accountability, and has earned the chance to return to teaching,” he stated in an announcement.

The arrival of a three-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach had a transformative impact on the Geese.

“The factor that basically resonated was that Joel’s received an excellent resumé. He is a winner. He has received 3 times as a head coach, one as an assistant coach,” Verbeek instructed ESPN on Monday. “So I feel the moment respect was there, not solely from the older guys however from the youthful guys. They’re all hungry to win. Bringing Joel in from simply that side alone has made an enormous distinction.

If Quenneville’s arrival did not sign that the Geese had been prepared to show the nook again to playoff rivalry, the remainder of Verbeek’s offseason definitely did. The Geese signed middle Mikael Granlund away from Dallas (three years, $21 million). They traded goalie John Gibson (Detroit) and ahead Trevor Zegras (Philadelphia), ending long-standing commerce hypothesis about each. Maybe most importantly, they traded for longtime New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider.

Verbeek knew Kreider nicely from his days in Tampa Bay’s entrance workplace, because the Lightning battled Kreider’s Rangers. He wished a winger with velocity that would enhance the Geese’ particular groups, however he additionally wished Kreider’s singular talents across the crease.

“I am unsure there’s a greater man in entrance of the online than him over the past seven or eight years,” Verbeek stated.

One participant that Verbeek consulted about Kreider: Defenseman Jacob Trouba, who was Kreider’s good friend and teammate with the Rangers. It is not typically that one workforce brings in a number of gamers from an opponents’ management group, however that is precisely what Anaheim did in buying and selling for Trouba, who captained the Rangers, and Kreider, a 13-season veteran with the franchise.

Trouba, Kreider, ahead Alex Killorn and defenseman Radko Gudas are a part of a veteran core that Verbeek designed primarily based on his personal experiences as a participant. He recalled how necessary veteran gamers had been to his growth as a younger star with the Nineteen Eighties New Jersey Devils, counting on the recommendation of goaltender Chico Resch and ahead Mel Bridgman, who handed away on Nov. 8.

“I instructed our [veterans] that you’ve got an enormous alternative to make such a huge effect on these younger gamers. You haven’t any concept how a lot these gamers are going to respect you,” he stated.

He is seen that in Kreider already. “He is been an excellent instance for a bunch of our different guys seeing the success that he is had,” Verbeek stated. “Guys need to emulate that.”

Key issue No. 1: Geese fly collectively

Essentially the most notable beneficiary from the Geese’ offseason strikes and the maturation of their younger stars has been their offense. They don’t seem to be simply successful video games; they’re scoring touchdowns.

Final season, Anaheim ranked thirtieth within the NHL in objectives per sport (2.65). By way of 15 video games this season, the Geese had been first within the NHL in scoring with a median of 4.13 objectives per sport. They put up seven objectives in wins in opposition to the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars.

“We’re enjoying quick. We definitely have velocity,” Verbeek stated.

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Leo Carlsson scores power-play purpose vs. Jets

Leo Carlsson scores power-play purpose vs. Jets

The Geese’ 5-on-5 play has improved throughout the board beneath Quenneville. They’re averaging 3.21 objectives per 60 minutes, up from 2.36 final season. Their anticipated objectives per 60 minutes (2.86), scoring probabilities share (48.4%) and high-danger shot makes an attempt (46.7%) are all up from final season. Maybe most significantly, their share of shot makes an attempt has jumped from 45.9% final season to 50.9% this season to date.

“We have added velocity and dimension. It is made a distinction in puck possession down within the offensive zone. Joel preaches it each single day to the youthful guys: Puck possession, dangle onto it and if we lose it, we have to get it again quick. I feel that has resonated nicely and the fellows have taken to it,” Verbeek stated. “They have been executing and so they’ve been getting rewarded for that.”

After all, it helps to have gamers that may execute. Carlsson was among the many NHL’s prime scorers by 15 video games with 25 factors (10 objectives, 15 assists). Gauthier led the Geese with 11 objectives by 15 video games. Kreider had a stretch of 9 objectives in 11 video games, taking pictures a flabbergasting 32.1%. Veteran winger Troy Terry had 19 factors by 15 video games, whereas rookie Beckett Sennecke had 11 factors.

5 of Kreider’s objectives have come on the facility play, which ranks within the NHL’s prime 10 with a 23.7% conversion price. Once more, the phrase “enchancment” does not do the year-over-year soar for the Geese justice: They had been final within the NHL final season with a 11.8% power-play conversion price.

The Geese are dominating offensively. Defensively … nicely, it is a work in progress.

Key issue No. 2: Lukas Dostal

Final season, the Geese had been twenty third within the NHL in objectives in opposition to per sport (3.18). That quantity may have been a lot worse. Anaheim was final within the league in anticipated objectives in opposition to per 60 minutes (2.96) however had been bailed out by the seventh finest 5-on-5 goaltending final season, courtesy of Gibson and Dostal.

Quenneville instantly sought to enhance the Geese’ defensive construction this season. “He simplified our D-zone protection. There’s a variety of assist in how we defend,” Verbeek stated.

The excellent news for the Geese is that they are capable of rating their manner out of any downside to date this season. The dangerous information is that their 5-on-5 protection is that aforementioned downside. Anaheim has a 3.15 anticipated objectives per 60 minutes by 15 video games. Their scoring probabilities in opposition to is true round the place it was final season.

The very best information is that Dostal is now their major goaltender, and he is been nothing in need of astounding in 12 video games. He is third within the NHL in objectives saved above anticipated (9.6) and has a .908 save share. Dostal is going through over 28 photographs per sport on common. He has 1.6 wins above alternative to date, by way of Cash Puck.

Dostal has been their final line of protection and, at occasions, the whole lot of their protection. Anaheim isn’t close to the highest of their division with out him.

What the analytics inform us

“They have been enjoying actual chaos hockey,” McCurdy stated.

McCurdy has seen the Geese create a ton of scoring probabilities and provides them up, too. However the outcomes are higher yr over yr.

“Final yr at 5-on-5, they had been the league’s worst protection and practically the worst offense,” he stated. “They’ve improved the 2 collectively for a web enchancment of virtually a purpose per sixty minutes, simply in probabilities.”

Kryshak, the info analyst behind Betalytics, sees Dostal’s Vezina Trophy-worthy play as the rationale the Geese can get away with “high-octane hockey” to date this season — to the advantage of their youthful gamers.

“Their younger gamers make errors however aren’t benched. They’re given alternatives to study and develop by them which is paying off for the likes of Beckett Sennecke and Olen Zelwegger,” she stated.

She added that Anaheim’s core gamers are driving its offense.

“There may be little doubt the Geese have the power to attain. Leo Carlsson is monitoring to be Sweden’s prime middle in Milan, Cutter Gauthier is producing photographs at famous person ranges, each Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba look rejuvenated. It is all coming collectively,” she stated. “The Geese’ capability to generate offense ranks fifth within the NHL at even power, and their tempo of play ranks second to Columbus, largely due to their capability to generate rush probabilities as one of many quickest groups within the NHL.”

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Cutter Gauthier completes first profession hat trick for Geese

Cutter Gauthier scores his first profession hat trick for the Geese vs. the Panthers.

Masi says the Geese are producing “only a ridiculous quantity of offense” this season, with historic priority:

• Within the final 30 years, solely the 1995-96 and 2019-20 Pittsburgh Penguins scored seven objectives in a sport not less than 4 occasions of their first 13 video games of the season.

• Carlsson and Gauthier are simply the sixth pair of 21-and-under teammates with 20 factors of their first 15 video games of the season. The remainder of that listing consists of gamers like Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey (Oilers) and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (Penguins).

Coming into this week, the Geese had been third in probabilities off the frenzy and off odd-man rushes, in addition to high-danger probabilities.

To allow them to rating. However is that sufficient?

“They’re a lot enjoyable to observe, however you possibly can’t be thought-about a real contender if you commerce scoring probabilities on the degree the Geese do and are at the moment getting Vezina-level goaltending,” Kryshak stated.

Is that this sustainable?

McCurdy is perplexed.

It was clear that Quenneville could be an enchancment behind the bench when it comes to construction and that gamers like Carlsson had been able to degree up. “I anticipated these issues in the summertime and so they’re nonetheless outperforming even that,” McCurdy stated. “It does not look like the type of enchancment that may final, simply due to how uncommon such a sudden enchancment is traditionally. I do not really feel like I perceive it very strongly.”

Masi is curious.

“Are they a PDO monster?” he requested, referencing the stat that mixes a workforce’s taking pictures share with its save share and informally measures “luck” within the NHL.

“They’ve a 103.2 5-on-5 shot-plus-save share, which ranks third behind the Blackhawks and Canadiens,” he stated.

Kryshak is skeptical.

“The Geese should not a home of playing cards, however their reliance on Lukas Dostal is important. Their play fashion is to commerce probabilities, realizing that their goaltender is prone to be higher than their opponents’ on any given evening. If that’s not the case, the Geese will lose video games 7-6 or 6-5 and so forth,” she stated.

However Verbeek is optimistic. The Geese GM acknowledged that his workforce has some floor to make up defensively this season, however was assured they may.

“I feel it is about getting extra comfy. I anticipate this to be higher within the subsequent 15 to twenty video games. And consequently taking one other step within the final half of the season, the final 30 video games,” he stated. “When Joel and I speak, he is tremendous excited that he sees that day-after-day is a course of. Day by day we’re getting higher.”

“In some cases we’re very younger. That is why having the vets can type of stabilize issues when it will get a bit Helter Skelter out,” the GM added. “Having a chilled presence helps.”

The Geese have proven sufficient enchancment early within the season for this begin to not be an aberration. However as famous a number of occasions right here, their MVP is Lukas Dostal. They’ll outscore the defensive foibles of a younger roster. They cannot outscore these points with out having Dostal as their elite security web.

If he stays wholesome and enjoying to his requirements? There isn’t any cause the Geese can fly into the postseason, maybe a bit forward of their assumed schedule.