The NHL Thread

[Demographic Shift]

Well.. here we go again... A game 7 in Boston for the Leafs.... One of these times they are going to skate off the Garden with a win. Hoping its this time through.

Ovie is going to finish off the 'Canes in 6 and have to think that Nashville finds a way to stave off Dallas to force a game 7

The NHL first round is the best round of the playoffs. Everyone can win and they play that way... as the playoffs grind on the coaches take over and they slow the game down as it becomes a game of no mistakes....

[Superjudge]

as the playoffs grind on the coaches take over and they slow the game down as it becomes a game of no mistakes....

......and then Gardiner throws one up the middle......goal.

Then Gardiner drops a puck off blindly to a Bruin deep in his own end, goal.

Gardiner.

[Demographic Shift]

......and then Gardiner throws one up the middle......goal.

Then Gardiner drops a puck off blindly to a Bruin deep in his own end, goal.

Gardiner.

Ah.. that one stings.... again...

You could see the path to the final.... and they just didn't get it done...

Its wasn't any one thing tonight.. They just came up short. Freddy gave up a seeing eye weak one.... They had two or three good chances to leave the 2nd period tied but it didn't go in.... and in the third boston closed them out with that 3rd one.....Its not any one thing though ... just a compilation of missed opptys and oh shit giveaways....

There will be whipping boys for sure... Nylander is on the list.... Gardiner who is playing hurt had another less than good game tonight. will be a target and the cliche machine Mike Babcock is also going to take some lumps over the summer to change his style The demands for improving the defense corps will be high on the list of what Dubas must do on what will be at least a month long post mortem on the sports radio shows........

Marner and Mathews and Reilly and Kappannen and Johnson and Dermott are all under 25.
Tavares and Khadri are under 28.
Anderson is 29 and in his prime as a goalie....

They are young and the window is open...

But is really really sucks to go out in the first round... This won't be viewed and rightly so as any kind of a successful season.

Rats.. just fucking rats.....

I guess I cheer for the Caps and Columbus in the East... and McKinnon and Dallas out west...
..

[DanH]

Argh stupid Bruins. Leafs actually played a great game 7, too. Oh, well. Not a fan of Babcock not riding his horses when they needed to score for the vast majority of the game. But this is the NHL, you get to a game 7 and it's basically uncontrollable chance regardless of what you do.

The reason for optimism with this team is they will be good for a very long time, not that they have one shot at this thing. Better luck next year. Will be interesting to see how the off-season plays out.

[Demographic Shift]

Argh stupid Bruins. Leafs actually played a great game 7, too. Oh, well. Not a fan of Babcock not riding his horses when they needed to score for the vast majority of the game. But this is the NHL, you get to a game 7 and it's basically uncontrollable chance regardless of what you do.

The reason for optimism with this team is they will be good for a very long time, not that they have one shot at this thing. Better luck next year. Will be interesting to see how the off-season plays out.

My guess is they get some players who play with more sandpaper .. Not a ton... Just 2.. one on the blueline and one up front....
The Leafs need to be able to play fast first as thats their game... but if need be.. as hockey players.. they need to push back with a little snarl...

Its missing...

And now.. the city jumps on the Raptors bandwagon....

[DanH]

My guess is they get some players who play with more sandpaper .. Not a ton... Just 2.. one on the blueline and one up front....
The Leafs need to be able to play fast first as thats their game... but if need be.. as hockey players.. they need to push back with a little snarl...

Its missing...

And now.. the city jumps on the Raptors bandwagon....

If it's players like Simmons or Muzzin, sign me up. But those guys are hard to find, especially on affordable deals. If it's players who are grit but no skill they'd just be a worse team.

More likely they just bring up some good, moderately sandpapery players from within.

[Demographic Shift]

If it's players like Simmons or Muzzin, sign me up. But those guys are hard to find, especially on affordable deals. If it's players who are grit but no skill they'd just be a worse team.

More likely they just bring up some good, moderately sandpapery players from within.

Unfortunately there are none. If they had them, they would have played.

[slaw]

Unfortunately there are none. If they had them, they would have played.

The problem is you need it from your best players. That's where it starts. Calgary is a classic example of a team that has lots of sandpaper, except its two top offensive guys (Gaudreau and Monahan) have zero. If Marner and Matthews and Tavares don't play that way, adding some third liner to carve people's eyes out won't matter.

[Demographic Shift]

The problem is you need it from your best players. That's where it starts. Calgary is a classic example of a team that has lots of sandpaper, except its two top offensive guys (Gaudreau and Monahan) have zero. If Marner and Matthews and Tavares don't play that way, adding some third liner to carve people's eyes out won't matter.

That’s not what I am saying. Dummy tuff died in the NHL years ago.

Los Leafs need a player like Jacob Trouba or Zach Bogosian to play heavier.aka tougher/more physically as their 4th dman. They have guys to move the puck. They need one to move people and have enough muscle to break up the cycle in their own end.

Up front you need the same thing. Ferland in Carolina gets you 20 and provides space.
Speed and skill..but you need the sandpaper..snarl...whatever you want to make long runs in the playoffs.

Marner and Nylander are clever enough not to put themselves in a position to get drilled. Tavares and Mathews can and will play heavier if there is a couple more guys to go along with Muzzin and Khadri.

Dubas is looking for for those guys as we speak...

[DanH]

Unfortunately there are none. If they had them, they would have played.

I think Timashov can bring some grit on the wing next year if they give him 4th line minutes.

On defence I'm hoping to see more talent rather than "grit," and they actually have a few very promising pieces coming up on the back end. Which is good, since they probably lose Gardiner and they should get rid of Hainsey unless he's dirt cheap and will play 3rd pairing minutes and the PK.

[Demographic Shift]

I think Timashov can bring some grit on the wing next year if they give him 4th line minutes.

On defence I'm hoping to see more talent rather than "grit," and they actually have a few very promising pieces coming up on the back end. Which is good, since they probably lose Gardiner and they should get rid of Hainsey unless he's dirt cheap and will play 3rd pairing minutes and the PK.

Timashov played in the Q ....which produces goalies and scoreres... they can spell defense in the Q.. but they don't play any and no one plays heavy in that league.... since the Leafs drafted him. he... has fallen down the depth chart .... he is behind Bracco on the Marlies... and for fourth line time he is still way behind Ennis and Moore and Brown....

On the blue line... If you stay within the organization they go Reilly ... Muzzin.. Dermott. and Zaitsev.... two spots open up with the departure of Gardiner who is a cap casualty... and perhaps Hainsey.. who Babcock will lobby they resign.... If I am GM for a day I say a heartfelt thanks to Ron for 3 years that were better than most thought.... This is where you slot in a bigger heavier defenseman to complement your skaters and puck movers... I like a guy like Bogosian or Trouba for this role..They also have skill.... That leaves one spot in the succession chain open... and one of Lillogren or Sandin should get that spot....

You still stay skill first.. but you added more snarl with a Trouba/Bogosian type. It makes the other guys play bigger and push back harder..

They aren't that far away... This isn't new news to the Leafs front office. They have been staring at this aspect of the game they lack since last October.. They know it.. They have money and assets to address the snarl defecit. Heres hoping they find the right pieces to slot in.

[DanH]

Timashov played in the Q ....which produces goalies and scoreres... they can spell defense in the Q.. but they don't play any and no one plays heavy in that league.... since the Leafs drafted him. he... has fallen down the depth chart .... he is behind Bracco on the Marlies... and for fourth line time he is still way behind Ennis and Moore and Brown....

On the blue line... If you stay within the organization they go Reilly ... Muzzin.. Dermott. and Zaitsev.... two spots open up with the departure of Gardiner who is a cap casualty... and perhaps Hainsey.. who Babcock will lobby they resign.... If I am GM for a day I say a heartfelt thanks to Ron for 3 years that were better than most thought.... This is where you slot in a bigger heavier defenseman to complement your skaters and puck movers... I like a guy like Bogosian or Trouba for this role..They also have skill.... That leaves one spot in the succession chain open... and one of Lillogren or Sandin should get that spot....

You still stay skill first.. but you added more snarl with a Trouba/Bogosian type. It makes the other guys play bigger and push back harder..

They aren't that far away... This isn't new news to the Leafs front office. They have been staring at this aspect of the game they lack since last October.. They know it.. They have money and assets to address the snarl defecit. Heres hoping they find the right pieces to slot in.

I don't think Brown is here next year, and I think Moore is a third liner next year. Ennis may not be here either, he's a FA who is likely hoping to get a somewhat bigger deal, which the Leafs won't give him, they need to pay their 4th liners near-minimum. Maybe he gets no bites on the market and comes back for the minimum again but tough to bet on that. Bracco is awesome and if they want to add a scorer he's next in line but if they want a 4th liner who can play in the corners Timashov is the guy I'd think of.

I mean, sure, it would be awesome to get a Trouba. But that's a star defenceman. You absolutely cannot afford a guy like that. Skill with snarl is freaking impossible to get, especially on the back end, and no one trades that away unless they are deep into a tank. Obviously it would be good to have a guy like that, but you can't have everything. Meanwhile Bogosian is out for the next 6 months with injury... And it's all well and good to pretend there is a "Bogosian/Trouba type" but in reality there are just a few Trouba/Bogosians. Not a whole lot of those to find.

What's easier to find is a guy who has one or the other. And given the choice there I go skill every time. Obviously getting both is fantastic but it's just not something you can go out and sign for a reasonable price. Not possible.

[Demographic Shift]

I don't think Brown is here next year, and I think Moore is a third liner next year. Ennis may not be here either, he's a FA who is likely hoping to get a somewhat bigger deal, which the Leafs won't give him, they need to pay their 4th liners near-minimum. Maybe he gets no bites on the market and comes back for the minimum again but tough to bet on that. Bracco is awesome and if they want to add a scorer he's next in line but if they want a 4th liner who can play in the corners Timashov is the guy I'd think of.

I mean, sure, it would be awesome to get a Trouba. But that's a star defenceman. You absolutely cannot afford a guy like that. Skill with snarl is freaking impossible to get, especially on the back end, and no one trades that away unless they are deep into a tank. Obviously it would be good to have a guy like that, but you can't have everything. Meanwhile Bogosian is out for the next 6 months with injury... And it's all well and good to pretend there is a "Bogosian/Trouba type" but in reality there are just a few Trouba/Bogosians. Not a whole lot of those to find.

What's easier to find is a guy who has one or the other. And given the choice there I go skill every time. Obviously getting both is fantastic but it's just not something you can go out and sign for a reasonable price. Not possible.

Yeah.. I sadly agree that Connor may be on the move next year... Its reason 12,748 why I hate the salary cap so they can have hockey in Miami. Bracco is the likely backfill. Not sure about Ennis moving on... I think they like him.. but money talks and if he gets a decent offer he will go. Moore is this years Johannson. He is under team control and he stays. ..

We are going to be on opposite side of the table on Timashov. If he had something to offer I think we would have seen him by now.

As for snarl n skill.

Winnipeg is kinda stuck by the salary cap as well . Pretty much everyone is up for renewal. Trouba is on the outs there... He makes 6.. but his AAV is 5. The Leafs could give a shit about salary vs AAV.. So he might be in play.

Another bet is Bogosian in Buffalo.. They got cap room and they just imploded last year. Again. They got nothing from their bottom 6 forwards and other than Eichel they didn't get much from their top 6 forwards. Skinner started out like a house on fire but cooled markedly as the second half drew to a close. The free fall from the playoffs to the lottery cost the coach his job. My bet is that Jason Botterill as GM won't be around to fire the next coach as scapegoat if they fuck up again. That should make him open to deal. Skinner is going to want Nylander money in FA and he is 26. the back end of the deal won't be good. Nylander is guranteed money at 7 for the next 5 years and he is all of 22.t AND his kid brother is in Buffalo who needs a kick start. Bogosian makes 5 as does your best dman in Reilly. Steep price to pay but the Leafs have a lot of skill up front and would be dealing from a postion of strength with the ability to backfill.. almost.. kinda sorta...

But.. you add snarl and save 2m. for Marner..... so it is possible to add some snarl n skill without cutting your fingers off to do it.

BTW.. Zach B is a right handed shot. .

[DanH]

Yeah.. I sadly agree that Connor may be on the move next year... Its reason 12,748 why I hate the salary cap so they can have hockey in Miami. Bracco is the likely backfill. Not sure about Ennis moving on... I think they like him.. but money talks and if he gets a decent offer he will go. Moore is this years Johannson. He is under team control and he stays. ..

We are going to be on opposite side of the table on Timashov. If he had something to offer I think we would have seen him by now.

As for snarl n skill.

Winnipeg is kinda stuck by the salary cap as well . Pretty much everyone is up for renewal. Trouba is on the outs there... He makes 6.. but his AAV is 5. The Leafs could give a shit about salary vs AAV.. So he might be in play.

Another bet is Bogosian in Buffalo.. They got cap room and they just imploded last year. Again. They got nothing from their bottom 6 forwards and other than Eichel they didn't get much from their top 6 forwards. Skinner started out like a house on fire but cooled markedly as the second half drew to a close. The free fall from the playoffs to the lottery cost the coach his job. My bet is that Jason Botterill as GM won't be around to fire the next coach as scapegoat if they fuck up again. That should make him open to deal. Skinner is going to want Nylander money in FA and he is 26. the back end of the deal won't be good. Nylander is guranteed money at 7 for the next 5 years and he is all of 22.t AND his kid brother is in Buffalo who needs a kick start. Bogosian makes 5 as does your best dman in Reilly. Steep price to pay but the Leafs have a lot of skill up front and would be dealing from a postion of strength with the ability to backfill.. almost.. kinda sorta...

But.. you add snarl and save 2m. for Marner..... so it is possible to add some snarl n skill without cutting your fingers off to do it.

BTW.. Zach B is a right handed shot. .

Yeah, so you want to trade part of our core for a solid defenceman. We are not going to agree on that.

[Demographic Shift]

Yeah, so you want to trade part of our core for a solid defenceman. We are not going to agree on that.

At about 1.3 M$ per goal from Nylander this season I’m not sure even the bottomless pocketed Leafs can afford a 3rd line winger at that price. Nobody’s happy down at Scotiabank Dan. They expected to win a round or two this year.... changes are coming.

The core is Mathews, Marner Tavares, Reilly and Anderson. These guys are bolted to the concrete basement floor with 12 inch lag bolts. They aren’t going anywhere.

Pretty Tough to move but never say never and someone really good or really needed is going to do a presser at MLSE if they move....Nylander, Khadri, Dermott, Muzzin, Kappanen, Sandin, Lillogren , Johansson, Moore, Bracco

Open for business...Hyman, Ennis, Brown, Freddy the Goat, Zaitsev

We might pay you to take them, Sparks, Marleau

You can never have enough defenseman..To go on a long Cup run you need as many as 7 NHL ready to go defenseman The leafs have maybe 5..
Thats the hole Dubas has to address.
And they are going to require grit..or sandpaper or snarl..whatever you want to call it.