Podcast 9: Recorded Before Lebda

Chemmy – I don’t know if you’ve ever gotten a tattoo but one on your balls would hurt like hell.

Also, archluke, this is one of the better-edited podcasts I listen to.

You don’t know about Saved By The Bell? What the hell man?

Though now I wonder how things would have changed with the Lebda signing. I mean, the 2012 cap discussion would have been a little different, but all in all that is just a minor though.

Excellent choices in interlude music as well!

Nuff said.

Someone mentioned you used Sufjan Stevens good call. Should include some Sondre Lerche in honour of our new draft pick.

That’s a little more troll-esque than what I’m used to here

Nice work as always, gents.

Well done you guys! Great listen.

Loved the pod. One bone to pick. Your Zhedev-luv is just weird. I mean, I’d love love LOVE more talent, right? But if you like STATS, go run 2008/09 Zherdev vs Colby Armstrong side-by-side over at Dobber. Seriously. Zherdev had top-6 linemates, PP-time, all that – and scores 23. This isn’t a Kessel or a Kovalchuk. Plus, defensively, hitting, intangibles – nada? Zip.

And who’s Top 4 wing time do you want to take for this guy? Kessel? Versteeg? Kulemin? And if Grabs or someone moves over from center, or we get someone for Kaberle – are you seriously saying Zherdev is gonna be some remarkable upgrade?

Finally, why – if he’s such magic and at such a low cost – haven’t we seen some sorta fervour from every other GM in the league?

Talent ? Great, let’s get it. Cheap talent? Dubble dubble. But Zherdev – meh/nah.

I guess I assumed “Top 4 Winger” was what Burke was after in the Keberle sweepstakes, and – if that’s the case – I’d pretty much take any of about 100 guys over Zherdev. If we get someone reasonable, then there’s only 4 slots, and we’ve got Kessel + Versteeg + Kulemin + New Guy. Sounds not bad to me, even if it’s not Kovalchuk or Ryan being pencilled in.

If people are panicking that we don’t have scorers, the fact is that the big uncertainties are more down the middle – Kadri? Bozak? Grabs? I love all 3, but at this stage,nobody’s pencilling any of them in for 80 point seasons, and sooner or later, we need some centers that show that kindof performance.

Freedy, Wilco and Plasket – top marks for that playlist.

Drunk Lebda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBBjuZH9bNg

JUST for the Flight of the Conchords clip thrown in there

Great podcast guys! I wholeheartedly agree about Zherdev. We need goal-scorers…not more overpaid defensemen.

Obviously Chemmy picked the music if it included Miracles.

I think these podcasts are becoming one of my favourite things you guys do.

I love the:

“What if his name was Tablecloth or something?”
“What if his name was Thigh or Leg?”

As an addendum to the Boyd Devereaux hate, I’d just like to point out that his first two goals came about because Lee fucking Stempniak of all people decided to play absolutely unreal. Probably one of his best games as a Leaf, and probably the biggest reason to dislike the guy because he rarely showed that kind of effort to create chances.

I think the idea that every team should be interested in every player based on goals scored+salary is a little bit short-sighted. I know full-well I am on the intangibles train and I will be made fun of and you will all throw corsis at me, but you got to remember these are people we’re talking about. Not just numbers. Part of the reason why moneyball works (in baseball) is that the sport there is less reliant on chemistry. In hockey, you need players who will protect each other, who trust each other, etc. If you don’t think, as a manager, the player you are getting is trust-worthy, then you can’t sign them. And I think that all the positives Zherdev brings are out-weighed by that: he’s someone who has been known not to care. If I’m making a team, unless it’s a guy like Kovalchuck (i.e. 40+goals minimum, or a goalie with a .930 sv%) it’s not worth it.

So who is going to score? Good question. But better to wait and make sure you get someone good. Because the other thing is, if Zherdev is so great, why is he not already signed?

As I’m listening, I hear you guys switch from this “why would you NOT sign him” to PPP saying, “you don’t have to sign anyone on July 1.” This is also a good point.

Finally, I know this just came up today, but maybe the person who will score for us is Simon Gagne?

Love the music.

just listened to it. great job guys, again.

I think back in the first or second podcast, one of you suggested, maybe kind of jokingly, about having a “history minute” for every cast you do. You might have been completely joking, but as a guy who’s had this team in my family for three generations now (my grandfather used to talk about the 1942 Cup win vividly and fondly), I’d love to hear some discussion of the team’s heritage.

Also, I haven’t actually listened to the new podcast yet (I’m saving it for my 18 hour road trip to Omaha this Sunday), but I’m looking forward to it.