Sunday Notes: 50 Goals This Season For Rantanen? Vegas Better Than People Think?

Happy Sunday to all. Overcast skies on the deck here in T-Town, cool temperatures. Perfect fall weather). Some Avalanche and NHL notes and links before I make the journey to Avalanche practice, starting with an observation on Mikko Rantanen:

• Boy, did he look good yesterday at practice. His shot was lethal, especially on power-play drills from the right half-wall. I’m going to go ahead and predict 50 goals for the Moose this season. He set a career high with 36 last season, and I just think it’s a realistic number for Rantanen, provided he stays mostly healthy. He only had five goals in 20 playoff games, but still had 25 points overall. I feel like this is going to be a huge year for him.
• With Jared Bednar saying yesterday he has “no timeline” on Gabe Landeskog’s return, you have to wonder if November is a more likely return date now?
• Jack Eichel and Phil Kessel are displaying a lot of chemistry on the ice today right now with Vegas (Vegas Hockey Now)
• I think Vegas is still going to be a good team, better than people might expect. Bruce Cassidy is a good coach, and I think it was clear players didn’t much like playing for Pete DeBoer anymore. The whole key will be how well new goalie Adin Hill plays.
• The Flyers have looked really bad so far in the preseason (Philly Hockey Now)
• Speaking of DeBoer, he really likes his goalie in Dallas (Dallas Hockey Now)
• Who on the Florida Panthers might win some NHL awards this season? (Florida Hockey Now)
• Mitch Marner as a defenseman? It could happen in Toronto (NHL.com)
• Andrew Copp hopes he’s ready by opening night for the Red Wings (Detroit Hockey Now)
• Our indefatigable Sharks writer, Sheng Peng, is in Germany with the team and has some fun dispatches (San Jose Hockey Now)
• Want $5 off a full-year subscription to Colorado Hockey Now? Use the promo code word 5off in the easy checkout box, and your rate will drop from the normal $29.99 to $24.99. Unlike some other outlets, we’ve never raised our rates here, so your support means a lot. (Checkout box)