Stupid Things About The Leafs In The MSM
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 10:01 AM EDT
in Maple Leafs Analysis
Email
Print
The mainstream press in Toronto (and across Canada) often has a bit of an axe to grind when it comes to things Maple Leaf. They dislike the way the team is built, or the people running it, or the coach, or the fans, or the colour of their uniforms, etc. They also seem to have a hard time with the fact that the team is the wealthiest in Canada, and most likely the entire NHL, and apparently they enjoy nipping at the hand that feeds them.
Unfortunately this often leads to them writing or saying stupid things about the Leafs that don't make a lot of sense. Follow the jump for a few examples from the past couple of days of the pre-season:
1. Mike Brophy's take on Phil Kessel's production.
Start with Kessel. He's the marquee player on the line; a trigger man who is supposed to be one of the elite goal-scorers in the NHL. But is he? Not really. Just 23 years old, Kessel has massive offensive instincts. He wants the puck and he wants to score. In his last three seasons he has 98 goals which is not bad. But considering he has no interest whatsoever in playing defence and the majority of his shots hit the opposing goalie in the crest, it's hard to imagine him being a player that will carry a team deep into the playoffs.
Yes, I can see how 98 goals "is not bad". In fact it's SO "not bad" that only fifteen players have managed to produce that many goals in the past 3 seasons. Only eight NHL players have managed to produce over 105 goals, and NONE of the guys ahead of Kessel (the other fourteen skaters) managed to produce over 98 goals in fewer games.
On a goal per game rating, Kessel actually ranks 12th in the entire NHL over the past three seasons. The only players ahead of him are Ovechkin, Semin, Marleau, Stamkos, Carter, Kovalchuk, Nash, Iginla, Perry, Vanek, and Daniel Sedin. So out of the 299 skaters that played in at least 200 NHL games over the past three years, there are like 5-10 "not bad" goal scorers, and about 289 "bad" goal scorers. I guess producing goals in the 96th percentile amongst skaters to play in 200 games over 3 years is closer to average than I thought it was.
Oh and he's 23... the only guy that's younger than him on that list is Stamkos. So 2nd best young goal scorer in the NHL = "not bad". What the hell is Brophy on?
2. Rosie DiManno forgets the new guy.
It can be argued that Toronto’s top-four rearguards shouldn’t be seeded, per value, exactly as routinely characterized, with captain Dion Phaneuf the purported ace. Luke Schenn is the real horse, Carl Gunnarsson the unfussy ballast on the back-end and Mike Komisarek a heart-and-soul dressing room veteran, with lanky Keith Aulie presumably matriculating to a sure job and Cody Franson touted to make an impact in his first full season with Toronto, after arriving from Nashville.
Something tells me Rosie won't be getting a Christmas card from the Liles household this December. I guess being the Leafs oldest defender (31), with the most points (275) and games played (523) makes you kind of easy to forget? Hopefully the fact that JM escaped her notice means he won't have to deal with an interview.
This does beg the question of why there's any sort of log jam on defense. Ms. DiManno has solved Ron Wilson's problem... TRADE or DEMOTE JM Liles... duh. Why did we bring him in again?
3. Dave Shoalts ignores Ron Wilson's assertion that Matt Lombardi can play the wing.
If Lombardi is healthy, he will likely get the No. 3 centre’s job, which makes the competition for the fourth-line centre a three-man race between Bozak, Darryl Boyce and Phillipe Dupuis.
Ron was pretty clear about this... Matt Lombardi can also play the wing, which would be nice to add some speed and offense. Which means he doesn't automatically become the 3rd line C. It also means that the Matt Frattin/Nazem Kadri headlines could all be for naught... but such is the world of an NHL training camp.
I wonder why Phillipe Dupuis, Darryl Boyce, and Tyler Bozak are all feeling MORE pressure to make the team than Frattin and Kadri, neither of whom have played a full NHL season yet. Oh right... because they are young and obviously NHL caliber 3rd line wingers? Wasn't Kadri a C earlier in his career? Why are we demoting Bozak from the 1st line to the 4th line... particularly when Tim Connolly has done squat so far in camp, and Lombardi is coming off a concussion that saw him miss like 95% of last season?
I'm not sure Ron Wilson is going to demote guys with NHL experience in favour of kids who have played about 1 pro season so far, and don't need to pass through waivers to go down to the farm.
There will be many more examples of this type of illogic before the season begins, I hope everyone else finds it as amusing as I do.
226 comments
|
9 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
the majority of his shots hit the opposing goalie in the crest
I think Brophy was “thinking” about Jason Blake, and I say “thinking” because, well.
The Leafs are my Rushmore
Certified Grabbo Lover and member of the PPPPP
I also write things about stuff over at the Leafs Nation
by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on Sep 26, 2011 10:12 AM EDT reply actions
I just ran the numbers, turns out Brophy’s an idiot.
by scrambles the death dealer on Sep 26, 2011 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
this of course begs the question
why anyone pays him to do what he is doing… he’s not particularly insightful… he’s not good at numbers… he’s apparently lazy at journalism (tends to cover the most obvious stories possible).
does inertia really deserve the level of respect it gets as a journalistic connector.
I just wonder how many people actually log in to read Brophy’s stories on Sportsnet and look forward to reading them… I’m guessing it’s very few.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Leads to a slightly more positive question:
Who do you look forward to reading? Who is the reporter who makes you most excited when you see that they’ve written a new piece?
http://bluechipprospects.blogspot.com
Mirtle
usually… and I don’t mind Proteau, or McGrann, or even Shoalts really… although his stuff is more just day to day update kinda stuff. Friedman and Duhatschek are good also.
I guess there isn’t much to be honest.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s the tragedy as I see it. I agree with you on Mirtle and McGrann. I’m a big fan of Stephen Brunt but it doesn’t seem like he ever writes on the Leafs really…
http://bluechipprospects.blogspot.com
His video essays are amazing though. Every time I watch them, my room gets, um, a little dusty. Yeah, that’s it. Dusty.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes he is.
"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Sep 26, 2011 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Friedman and Mirtle for quality. Siegel is good for just telling me what is going on behind the scenes. He always seems to be at practice and just talking to the players. Not in depth reporting though.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
the answer is Chemmy and Skinnyfish
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Sep 26, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Currently I’m drinking a 7-UP, which now comes in a newly re-designed 20 oz bottle, while update models, drawings, and BoM structures for a lifting/rotating in-vacuum platform of sorts. That’s about it. I’d stick with Mirtle and his ilk for up to date Leafs news.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
I read you guys alot more than I read any MSM writer these days.
But then again, you guys get your breaking news and info from MSM guys generally
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Sep 26, 2011 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions
They would both need to put up a $10,000 bond to go anywhere near the players. Unless they’re trying to yell at Michael Neuvirth.
But I don’t think they count as MSM.
RIP Former-and-forever Leaf Wade Belak
Me on Twitter
Bruce Arthur is my favorite. Although he’s not a Leafs or even hockey writer, specifically.
by theninjagreg on Sep 26, 2011 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Bruce Arthur is fantastic.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
Internet Champ. I'm on Twitter too! - draglikepull
by Draglikepull on Sep 26, 2011 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank you! Glad someone mentioned him. Bruce Arthur is fantastic. I’m also a big-time Stephen Brunt fan, but, as previously mentioned, he doesn’t write about the Leafs very often.
by Five Minutes For Fighting on Sep 26, 2011 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Simple
To some of the knuckle-dragging troglodytes that make up the remaining fanbases across Canada, saying anything that pisses on the Leafs sells.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
So
basically it’s people who swim in a small gene pool who are happy to have a lack of depth in their analysis because they might drown in it… gotcha.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Exactly. Like how people seemed to believe the Habs were the BEST TEAM EVER!!!!1 when they made the Conference Finals once for the first time in 17 years, but insist the Leafs sucked even when they made it that far four times in the space of a decade.
Leaf haters don’t let facts get in the way of their bias.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
This:
Leaf haters don’t let facts get in the way of their bias.
And as a Leafs fan living in the west, I’d say that I qualify as an expert on the topic.
Charter member - Grabbo Lover's Union, Local 84
by Sergei Puckizin on Sep 26, 2011 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Pierre LeBrun is someone I like reading other than the usual’s people have mentioned (Mirtle, Duhatscheck, Friedman).
by Nigel Cadbury on Sep 26, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Steve
As a fellow pedant I’m sure you’ll thank me for clearing this up. The term “begs the question” refers to a logical fallacy in which a statement is said to be true without any other evidence offered in support of said statement. It does not mean “to raise the question”.
The Leafs are my Rushmore
Certified Grabbo Lover and member of the PPPPP
I also write things about stuff over at the Leafs Nation
by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on Sep 26, 2011 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve several times been criticized for misusing that phrase.
Now I just avoid it entirely.
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s probably one of the only phrases where I’d prefer we moved away from the stricter, more historical meaning. to “beg” is synonymous with to “invite” or “ask for”, and I don’t really see a problem with using the phrase literally, rather than historical turn of phrase, as a reference to a logical fallacy.
RIP Former-and-forever Leaf Wade Belak
Me on Twitter
Just say “raises the question”.
The Leafs are my Rushmore
Certified Grabbo Lover and member of the PPPPP
I also write things about stuff over at the Leafs Nation
by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on Sep 26, 2011 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I am going to agree with BP on this one
Why can’t languange and its usage evolve? It had its original use and now its meaning and usage has expanded…
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
OED lists both as acceptable.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
Internet Champ. I'm on Twitter too! - draglikepull
by Draglikepull on Sep 26, 2011 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Which begs the question, is anything sacred anymore?
The Leafs are my Rushmore
Certified Grabbo Lover and member of the PPPPP
I also write things about stuff over at the Leafs Nation
by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on Sep 26, 2011 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh I’m okay with it, just more that Steve has a tendency to focus on semantics and minutiae so I wanted to give him a hard time about it.
The Leafs are my Rushmore
Certified Grabbo Lover and member of the PPPPP
I also write things about stuff over at the Leafs Nation
by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on Sep 26, 2011 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah exactly, it’s a type of fallacy but because it sounds pretty it’s become common for it to be applied in a more literal way in terms of the words. Who cares, shit like that happens all the time, it’s called evolution.
Flugenweb, space code, twit zone, ass mode, check ze tweets.
yes
and thanks… I make that mistake from time to time apparently.
You’re right, I meant that it raises the question.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone should tell Brophy that most goalies stop >90% of all shots they face so yes it isn’t surprising that a lot of Kessel’s shots hit the goalie.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HockeyAnalysis.com - Taking a Deeper Look at the World of Hockey
by HockeyAnalysis on Sep 26, 2011 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions
He just hasn’t watched a lot of games since Toskala left, he has unusual expectations for goalies.
by Wan Ihite on Sep 26, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You lost me at “Brophy was thinking”…can’t Brophy and Glenn Healy give it a rest?
The Maple Leafs- making me certifiably insane since 1985.
by torleafsfan29 on Sep 26, 2011 12:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I am surprised you only found 3 stupid things. For example, I thought it was mandatory that every Steve Simmons article include at least one stupid statement about the Maple Leafs.
But seriously, sometimes it is shocking how much the MSM doesn’t understand about the teams they cover. I mean really, if you don’t know that Liles is a Maple Leaf defenseman or that Wilson stated that Lombardi could play wing (or even knew he has played wing in the past – tsn.ca lists him as a C/LW) you are not doing the very basic requirements of your job.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HockeyAnalysis.com - Taking a Deeper Look at the World of Hockey
by HockeyAnalysis on Sep 26, 2011 10:28 AM EDT reply actions
true
although that Lombardi article did spark an interesting thought for me. If Lombardi is almost ready to play, there is a bit of a logjam, and the main victim of that is Kadri/Frattin. I think Kadri has absolutely earned a spot on this team out of camp.
Forgive me if I rosterbate here a bit. The Kessel line has done squat, but you have to assume they’ll be given enough time to sort it out. Minimum 10 games or so. MGK are #2, so all of a sudden, your top six is:
Kessel – Connolly – Lupul
M-G-K
I’ve really liked Kadri – Bozak – Armstrong as #3 from what I’ve seen through camp. So there’s my top 9. I
t won’t happen for a variety of reasons, but to me, the most deserving 3 forwards after that are Lombardi, Boyce and let’s say Brown. (this is suspiciously close to the depth chart CBS Sports lists here: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/depth-chart/TOR )
If this is a meritocracy, I don’t see how Dupuis, Crabb, Orr, Rosehill or Fratting makes this team on opening night, but I suspect a bunch of them will.
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
There is certainly a lot of depth on the team, both up front and on defense. That depth opens up the possibility for a trade at some point. Barring a trade though, I think you are right. They will start the season with Kadri-Bozak-Armstrong as the third line. If Lombardi is ready (or whenever he is ready) he’ll probably start on the fourth line but I think he’ll be used a lot for a fourth liner. In addition to getting ample PK time, I think he will fill in for Bozak or Kadri should either of them be having an off game and could even jump up to one of the first two lines if Wilson needs to shake things up a bit. He won’t be a typical fouth liner.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HockeyAnalysis.com - Taking a Deeper Look at the World of Hockey
by HockeyAnalysis on Sep 26, 2011 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
A lot of what Lombardi does for the Leafs is allow for a lot of flexibility. Wilson can juggle Connolly down if he’s playing poorly, and use Bozak or Lombardi for the #1 C spot. Even Kadri can fill in at 1C. If Kadri needs a break over the course of a season (assuming he’s 3LW) then Lombardi can do it. If Lombardi needs a day off, there’s plugs to fit in. We know that someone will have some injury time this year, if it’s a forward, that will be Lombardi’s spot.
I think the conventional wisdom is that Kadri is the most expendable (waiver exempt) so his spot may go to Lombardi once he’s ready.
Yes, and Gunnarsson and Kadri looked erily similar.
by gettingcozywithsarkozy on Sep 26, 2011 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
On example number two, it is an easy explanation:
Don’t read anything DiManno writes. She’s a terrible journalist and not much of a human being.
by Learn2Leaf on Sep 26, 2011 10:35 AM EDT reply actions 7 recs
Interesting, three of the top 10 links for her name on google return pages criticizing her. 2 critical pages show up when searching for Simmons, 2 for Cox, and none for Bruce Arthur or James Mirtle. But, there are also no critical pages returned for Mike Brophy. We should change that.
by theninjagreg on Sep 26, 2011 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Rosie also likes cock and/or using cock in her write ups of Kadri.
WORD to yo Momma
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Sep 26, 2011 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
That reminds me of this Kadri article.
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
hockeybuzz link. NSFL.
RIP Former-and-forever Leaf Wade Belak
Me on Twitter
by Bower Power on Sep 26, 2011 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Really worth the read though. The article is hilarious.
October 25, 1966. Thank you Lord Kelvin
by Chuck Diesel on Sep 26, 2011 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Not only that but..
Not only is Kessel in that elite category of goal scorers, as you say, but look at the help he’s had to do it. Just look at the linemates of those in the same ballpark:
-
Ovechkin – Backstrom/Semin
Semin – Ovechkin/Backstrom
Marleau – Thornton/Heatley
Stamkos – St.Louis/Downie
Carter – Richards/Giroux
Kovalchuk – Zajac/Elias
Nash – Voracek/Brassard (Vermette also)
Iginla – Tanguay/Morrison
Perry – Getzlaf/Ryan
Vanek – Roy/Pominville
Sedin – Sedin/Burrows
-
Kessel – Bozak/Crabb
-
Iginla and Kovalchuk haven’t been in ideal set-ups either, but NO ONE has had it as rough as Kessel for line-mates. A little logic would go a long way with the MSM.
yea, Brophy’s article is pure garbage
Toronto Maple Leafs: All about the Lemon Grabs
Twitter
by LeafFan1989 on Sep 26, 2011 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Kessel DID have Savard in Boston for one season, but two years of having Matt Stajan and Tyler Bozak as centreman certainly hasn’t helped him.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Fandom
1. Most people in the media who cover the Leafs grew up as fans of the Leafs
2. Most people in the media feel the need to seem objective in their reporting
3. The best way to distract from your crushing love affair with something is to say negative things about it
-——
4. The media is often irrationally negative about the Leafs.
by mike in boston on Sep 26, 2011 10:41 AM EDT reply actions 7 recs
Mirtle
is a good example of why an exception proves the rule. He isn’t a Leafs fan. And as such, he reports on them quite well.
Plus he didn’t take a short bus to school as a child.
Move along. Nothing to see here...
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Sep 26, 2011 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Ask him, he’ll tell you. Edmonton I believe. He is a semi-regular around here.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
yes I think the mentioned it in an article written about him sometime last year, that he wasn’t a Leafs fan.
by Nigel Cadbury on Sep 26, 2011 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it was Vancouver, actually. He was tweeting his dad’s reaction to last season’ Final and one of those cussed out Ehrhoff.
Fear The Fin Mod Squad's Mike Rathje
My Twitter
He’s a Kamloops Blazers fan and that’s it. He’d prefer the Leafs not suck because that makes for more interesting stories.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
by PPP on Sep 26, 2011 7:00 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Yeah, it’s his dad that’s a die-hard Canucks fan but he’s never actually said that he himself was one growing up.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I like Shoalts
for the most part. But i hate lines like this: “making the jump to the NHL from the University of Wisconsin (with a short stop with the Marlies at the end of last season) is not the best thing for Gardiner’s development.”
Says who? The only general rule I know to be true with prospects is that their development isn’t helped when they are sitting on the bench.
I don’t think he’s NHL ready yet on the defensive side of the coin, but if the kid is up with the big team and playing legit NHL minutes, who is Shoalts or anyone else to trot out the old canard of “rushing him will ruin his development”
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
There is an argument to be said for both sides. There are a lot of ways that “rushing” a prospect can ruin them:
1) Crush their confidence
2) Not giving them time to adjust to the faster speed, harder hitting, smarter plays, etc…
3) (In particular for NCAA) they are going from 41 game seasons to 82 games… thats a huge jump
4) (The biggest IMHO) Minutes. I would rather him have some time playing top minutes in the AHL than garbage minutes in the NHL.
I am drinking the Kule-aid!
Certified Kule lover!
perhaps
but lines like the ones in that story make it way more black and white than it is.
Sometimes a young prospect comes up and he develops into Luke Richardson. Sometimes a young prospect comes up and he develops into Sidney Crosby. Pretending there’s a direct correlation between when they get called up and what they become is disingenuous. It’s more art than science and lines like “going from NCAA right to NHL is not good for his development” don’t acknowledge that
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
Richardson isn’t the best example – guy wasn’t lights out like he was in junior, but he did last a decade in the NHL. Brandon Convery is the best high draft that flopped for the Leafs.
i mention Richardson
because he’s the example people always bring up of the Leafs “ruining” a young prospect. Drake Berehowsky was drafted high too, and never really panned out. There are many reasons why that can happen, but when it happens to Leafs prospects, people always speculate it’s because they screwed it up somehow.
They rushed him, they stunted him by keeping him down, the pressure in Toronto got to him, he never became great because there’s no incentive to in Toronto…. take your pick, really.
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
I think if you look at it from the other end though
that’s where we find a real problem. The Leafs really have sucked at DEVELOPING top end talent. They either haven’t drafted it, or haven’t produced it in anything close to respectable quantities.
In the last 20 or so years, I can think of the following players that actually turned out to be all-stars…
Kaberle, Potvin… ummm Boyes (sort of)… then we’ve got Steen… maybe Antropov?
Like seriously… who have the Leafs taken from the draft and seen develop into a top end talent?
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
nothing I can think of recently. Damphousse, Clark, Iafrate, Potvin, Kaberle are the only ones you can call top end. Antropov and Steen aren’t top end yet or might never be. Boyes is on the cusp but he barely developed with us.
October 25, 1966. Thank you Lord Kelvin
by Chuck Diesel on Sep 26, 2011 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions
and I had to go 30 years back to get Damphousee, Wendel and Wild thing into the list.
October 25, 1966. Thank you Lord Kelvin
by Chuck Diesel on Sep 26, 2011 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
3) (In particular for NCAA) they are going from 41 game seasons to 82 games… thats a huge jump
4) (The biggest IMHO) Minutes. I would rather him have some time playing top minutes in the AHL than garbage minutes in the NHL.
These two points don’t jive because there are 80 games in this upcoming AHL season and getting top mins against lower skilled players over the sum of 80 games really better for him vs the NHL for maybe 82 games if he’s lucky, against better players but more sheltered mins? How is one better than the other for any given player or development curve in this case?
Perhaps with point #1 about confidence but right now that’s not an issue with Jake so I don’t think we need to worry about his confidence just yet because the things that could hinder that, things like adjusting to the speed, size and skill (point #2) again doesn’t seem to be an issue with him either.
I don’t know what is best for any given player but I am sure that it is different for each player and there really isn’t a set way to do it the “right way”.
"There's been four different Cup winners the last four years, and I got one of them (Anaheim) and it was a fighting team. We're playing it that way regardless." - B. Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs GM
I’m surprised that we keep being surprised at how awful the MSM is.
Move along. Nothing to see here...
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Sep 26, 2011 11:31 AM EDT reply actions
it makes for good internet fodder
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Sep 26, 2011 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Mike Brophy is the Derian Hatcher of sports journalists.
Just woefully incapable of producing in the new NHL landscape
Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік
by clrkaitken on Sep 26, 2011 12:01 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs
I don’t think that last one is really wrong. It’s just speculation that you might not agree with. There are many possible combinations should Lombardi return. 3rd line C is a pretty likely one. Shoalts is not so bad. There are plenty more other examples of foolish things. This shouldn’t be number three.
by Leaf in Habland on Sep 26, 2011 12:24 PM EDT reply actions
No reason that says when Lombardi returns that he’ll be playing on the 3rd or 4th line. I can see them trying him on a line with Grabo and Kuli.
"There's been four different Cup winners the last four years, and I got one of them (Anaheim) and it was a fighting team. We're playing it that way regardless." - B. Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs GM
The question then is what happens to MacArthur if he’s not on the second line with Grabbo and Kuli. That line was consistently the Leafs’ best line for long stretches last year. Why would you tinker with that?
History. Leafs. Drawing. In no particular order!
My Portfolio
by CanadianMaple09 on Sep 26, 2011 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Why would you tinker with that?
Because that was last year. What if that isn’t the case this year or if there is an injury? Plus if Lombardi can play to his potential I think he brings more than MacArthur does. Don’t get me wrong, I think that trio was great but why not try it if things get stale or don’t click? A healthy Lombardi ie pre-injury, gives the Leafs many options which include more than just a role somewhere in the bottom six.
"There's been four different Cup winners the last four years, and I got one of them (Anaheim) and it was a fighting team. We're playing it that way regardless." - B. Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs GM
On a goal per game rating, Kessel actually ranks 12th in the entire NHL over the past three seasons. The only players ahead of him are Ovechkin, Semin, Marleau, Stamkos, Carter, Kovalchuk, Nash, Iginla, Perry, Vanek, and Daniel Sedin.
Just wondering Steve, did you leave Crosby off this list because he’s so awesome, it is just implied that he is on there? I mean, his .58 gpg over the last 3 seasons is definitely in the top twelve (and higher than Kessel’s .44 gpg).
by gettingcozywithsarkozy on Sep 26, 2011 12:29 PM EDT reply actions
If you read what I wrote
it was with the caveat of 200 games played over the past 3 seasons. Crosby has only played 199 (and I actually didn’t realize he was that close when I looked it up).
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
apparently
I picked the nicest round number to perfectly exclude Crosby.
If you back it off to 150 GP, then Kessel goes from 15th overall in goals to 16th… the only person you’d add ahead of him is Crosby. If you switch to GPG then he drops further because of Gaborik (155 GP), Parise (176 GP), Selanne (192 GP) and Hossa (196 GP)… he goes down to around 15th again.
But if you change it to 150 GP, then instead of 299 players you suddenly have 469 skaters… so his percentile rank jumps from 96th to 97th… so he’s actually even better in that instance.
Suffice it to say, no matter who you compare him to, he’s one of the top scorers in the game… as skaters go, he’s around 1 in 50 from a goal scoring perspective… that’s defenitely pretty far from “not bad”.
Brophy is insanely small minded in this regard apparently.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
oh and 150 gp
in 3 seasons, only amounts to an average of 50 games a year. 200 equates to 67… I have a hard time thinking of a player that’s averaged less than 60 games a season over 3 years as being a top player over that span realistically.
Gaborik has averaged 52 games a year for 3 seasons… he might be great, but he spends almost half the year on the IR, so what’s the point?
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the important thing is everyone on that list is a superstar and our Phil is on it. So Phil is a superstar period. Everyone can just shut the fuck up about it already.
October 25, 1966. Thank you Lord Kelvin
by Chuck Diesel on Sep 26, 2011 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions
PS Phil played as a rookie got cancer, came back, got a shoulder injury, came back, got traded and put up those numbers. Seriously..everyone.. if you think Kessel sucks, please start watching ringette because hockey isn’t for you.
October 25, 1966. Thank you Lord Kelvin
by Chuck Diesel on Sep 26, 2011 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions
do girls still play ringette? I would think most have switched over to actual girls/women’s hockey by now.
by Nigel Cadbury on Sep 26, 2011 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes they do – I went out with a girl a few weeks ago who still plays in a women’s ringette league.
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Same story here
Sometimes it seems this cycle never ends, we slide from top to bottom then we turn and climb again.
Stoik_Leafs Twitter
by Chris Stoikoff on Sep 26, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I see, yes, I guess it slipped my mind since it wasn’t mentioned in the first sentence where you set your perimeters. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised Kessel is so high. He is in pretty good company with those names (note, he is the ONLY American born player among the twelve).
by gettingcozywithsarkozy on Sep 26, 2011 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Cripes, Phillipe is gonna be mad there’s second Dupuis on the Leafs with another french first name starting with a “P”.
by gettingcozywithsarkozy on Sep 26, 2011 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
well if Pascal’s good enough to play on Crosby’s wing…
by Nigel Cadbury on Sep 26, 2011 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I dont care who makes the team, as long as they field the most competitive team available.
by spoonie on Sep 26, 2011 2:26 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
This. In my opinion, having to make tough decisions as to who would make our team better can only be a good thing.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Making fun of Mike Brophy is terrible and shouldn’t be allowed. That’s like making fun of handicapped people.
by scott tubbesing on Sep 26, 2011 4:02 PM EDT reply actions
You don’t call a retarded person a retard.
You call your friends retards when they act retarded.
Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік
by clrkaitken on Sep 26, 2011 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The King of Crap
Have we gone an entire post about bad journalism and not mentioned Damien Cox?
Isn’t he the be-all end-all of stupidity when it comes to Leafs reporting?
Unless there was some clever disclaimer first that appointed him as Lord Douche-wad that i missed…
Guess who!
Un-follow me on Twitter! @Bullets_TML
Cox, like berger, have been done to death
also Cox manages to write a decent piece every now and then and has become Burkes media mouth piece on occasion
Y'all Heard About Me, You Just Didn't Know It was Me
by JaredFromLondon on Sep 26, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Simmonds is worse.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
In 30+ years as a Leaf fan I have read some infuriating shit about this team from journalists. If this is the worst you could dig up we’ve turned a corner!
Rosie D screwed that story up. She missed Liles completely and I remember noticing that when I read it so good catch! But for those who call her a bad writer… that’s a bit much. She’s a very beautiful writer. She just won the Ross Munroe media award, unanimously. Her stuff on Afghanistan is heart-wrenching. Over the years she’s been more than fair to the Leafs and used to give Sundin props as captain when nobody else in Toronto would. This time she missed her facts, badly, but shit… it happens to everybody.
Brophy’s take on Kessel is the same old crap. Some people just hate Kessel and despise the trade that brought him here. I imagine they always will, unless either Toronto win a cup or Seguin is a bust. Hell, I think Brophy would still call it a bad trade even if Seguin ends up a 3rd liner. Some folks just hated the circumstances.
Shoalts may have a point, even if it wasn’t the one he was trying to make. Wilson said that Lombardi can play wing, true, but if he’s going to play in the bottom 6 he should be at center don’t you all think? His speed, attention to D (+21 in past three regular seasons), faceoff skills, Pk skills, passing tendencies all make him a prototypical 3rd line C. He might lack the size and aggression to be a hardhat winger or at least be as effective as he would be at center. To me he should be fighting for a center job. Bozak should be worried about his job.
DiManno’s writing style is maudlin and stilted. Her sentence structure drives me mad with fragments and random commas. Say what you will about her ability to find a story — and she’s clearly got news sense otherwise she wouldn’t have been in this field for so long — but her ability to tell said story has long been hampered by awkward writing.
A big part of this is that she flat-out refuses to allow editors to touch her copy. I’ve talked to many Toronto Star veterans who have told me some variation on the same story of a fresh-faced new copy editor attempting to edit her copy. All they get for their trouble is a bloodcurdling phone call from her right after in which she describes mutliple ways she’d defenestrate them and their children if they ever dared to do the same thing again.
To be fair, she’s not the only columnist who does this, but the point stands. No writer is above editing, and writers who think they are frequently need the most help.
Professional cusser causer.
by T is for Truculence on Sep 26, 2011 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
If DiManno had started out blogging, she would’ve been accurately labelled as a troll.
No more, no less.
No longer providing fresh fish products for the whole family.
by not norm ullman on Sep 26, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Off topic but...
Anyone have any good fantasy hockey team names? I’m being chirped for not having one stolen from the internet..
my alltime favourite… “I’ve got Zhitnik on my Peca”
by Nigel Cadbury on Sep 26, 2011 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Dreger on the radio says Leafs kicking tires on a Bozak + Gunnar package
what say you?
Y'all Heard About Me, You Just Didn't Know It was Me
by JaredFromLondon on Sep 26, 2011 7:20 PM EDT reply actions
unknown, but apparently not picks/prospects
Y'all Heard About Me, You Just Didn't Know It was Me
by JaredFromLondon on Sep 26, 2011 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions
not alone
Y'all Heard About Me, You Just Didn't Know It was Me
by JaredFromLondon on Sep 26, 2011 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Seems logical. But Bozak AND Gunnar for a 25-point project?
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions
At this point I don’t think anyone here would do Bozak for Turris straight up. Phil would go into a deep depression
WORD to yo Momma
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Sep 26, 2011 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d probably do Bozak for Turris straight up, assuming Phil didn’t actually go into a deep depression.
Also assuming his ludicrous salary demands are for sheer leverage to get out of PHX and not actually what he thinks he’s worth.
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Turris is Bozak without the PK ability, face off skill, or willingness to go into the corner.
not at all bitter.
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
He’s also 4 years older and Turris has higher pedigree… Ya i dunno whats Turris’ deal is to be honest.
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Other than that pedigree, I’m a bit unclear as to what he thinks entitles him to make such lofty salary demands. I’m assuming its to get out of Phoenix. Have no idea whether or not that’s been confirmed publicly or not.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s the only thing that makes sense.
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I hope maloney just screws him over and makes him sit the whole year thats how bitter I am about this.
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
Honestly I don’t blame you. If one of our prospects/young RFAs pulled some shit like that i’d be upset. It was a huge weight off our collective backs when Schenn signed right before training camp.
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Shit
I’m not in favour… until I know what the return is I don’t really like the idea of trading two 25 year olds who have shown they’re reasonably good at hockey.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I am trying not to get angry before I know the return. I just don’t think Gunnar will have the trade value I think he deserves.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
Also if thats the case, I think either Franson or Komi switches sides :S AND Aulie is likely to play with Phaneuf again…that is not good.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
i for one would love a Turris for bozak and gunerson trade lol
thats a steal approaching the lebda trade.
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
Eh, I am not all that high on Turris.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
People do tend to get too high on their own prospects.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
hes saying it would be a steal for Phoenix to get Gunnar and Bozak for Turris
by pho king awesome on Sep 26, 2011 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah I was saying thats a steal from the coyotes side of things
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
I’ll not hear you talk shit about Josh “Future Hall of Famer” Nicholls again
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions
hey the last time we made a deal like this we got Stempniak!
by Nigel Cadbury on Sep 26, 2011 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions
You’re a bad man. A very bad man.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Cox comes out last week and says Leafs have spoken with Yotes. Now Dreger on Leafs kicking tires on a deal. May mean nothing, may mean lots. If something happens, it’ll be soon. Leafs will want a few days to practice with final lineup. My guess would be something could happen Wednesday.
Pension Plan Puppets
I hope YouTube comes down to film this.
That would be so fucking awesome and so isn’t happening.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
Maybe they can throw in Ekman-Larsson instead then. And maybe I’ll wake up tomorrow and my hairline won’t be receding.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Your not getting Yandle and your not getting Oliver lol
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
I wish real life was like NHL 96, and rejected trades could be overruled.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I just kept trading people who were 76 overall for someone who was 77 overall, and then 78, and then 79, and then the next thing you know Randy Wood has turned into Jeremy Roenick.
I’ve done that in other years as well. Pretty solid strategy.
I definitely traded Warren Rychel for Eric Lindros in ’96 straight up.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions
My greatest coup: Mikael Renberg for Ilya Kovalchuk in NHL 2003.
I’ll stop now.
Professional cusser causer.
by T is for Truculence on Sep 26, 2011 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
If they are too attached to Ekman-Larsson I’ll accept Gormley instead!
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
Lombardi was full out in a contact practice today. If there are no symptoms he will be playing a game on the weekend.
WORD to yo Momma
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Sep 26, 2011 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions
If hes as fast as he was when he played for pheonix your gonna love him
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
Surely that has something to do with the rumours too
WORD to yo Momma
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Sep 26, 2011 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions
So then we’d have Gardiner, Blacker and Gormley all trying to fill the PP QB role
Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік
Blacker really isn’t a PP specialist
Y'all Heard About Me, You Just Didn't Know It was Me
by JaredFromLondon on Sep 27, 2011 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Yandle is so dirty, throw in a 5th rounder to even it out
by pho king awesome on Sep 26, 2011 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Acquiring Turris in a trade that includes Bozak makes no sense. If Bozak is on the move, it’s presumably because they want to clear a roster spot for Kadri or Lombardi. Turris would just create competition for that roster spot all over again.
Also, I’d argue even without Bozak being included, Gunnar is more valuable to Toronto right now than Turris would be. We badly need defensively responsible left defencemen; we have very little need for guys who can score 30 points on the 3rd line.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
Internet Champ. I'm on Twitter too! - draglikepull
by Draglikepull on Sep 26, 2011 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I responded in the other thread but – what if it’s PHX asking for Bozak because they would need to replace Turris at C?
What if the trade is more about clearing the logjam at D than the one at 3C?
Chicken Little is dead. Long Live Positive Pete.
Lebda-free since July 3.
by nhlcheapshot on Sep 26, 2011 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Than it better include more. Turris is not worth it.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
But enough hypotheticals. Stuff will shake out I’m sure.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
Well it had better shake out exactly the way I want it too, or I’m going to pout.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Also I really agree with you. I’d really prefer it be more than just Turris if Gunnar is involved. I think Gunnar is the kind of player that’s not really as readily replaceable as some may feel, where as I feel , much as I like Bozak, he could be replaced more easily.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Still doesn’t make sense, unless we’re getting someone useful and we’re just planning on stuffing Turris in the minors.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
Internet Champ. I'm on Twitter too! - draglikepull
by Draglikepull on Sep 26, 2011 9:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Offers bag of pucks minus 1 puck
WORD to yo Momma
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Sep 26, 2011 8:22 PM EDT reply actions
Just thinking about this past weekend. How much more do you think we would have to give up to get Spezza in a package for Bozak + Gunnar
More like one in a million, So you're telling me there's a chance - Optimism
I imagine a tonne. If not Murray is an absolute idiot. On the other hand Murray is an absolute idiot…
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
How much would Ottawa have to trade to get Kessel?
Would Da Costa and Cowan do it? No, of course not.
Pension Plan Puppets
I hope YouTube comes down to film this.
On Phoenix
things they have that might equal Bozak (25, 3rd year pro, experience as a top line C playing 19+ minutes a night, PK, good on faceoffs, decent speed, still improving, offensive potential) + Gunnarsson (25, 3rd year pro, experience playing top 4 minutes as a D man who produces points at a rate that would place him top 60 in the NHL amongst D men if he played a full season, experience on the PP and PK, good results in two years of limited action). Bozak is signed for 2 years at $1.5 mill per in cap hit, while Gunnarsson is signed for 2 years at $1.325 mill in cap hit.
Let’s see… similar age or younger + potential is where I see this going… so look at OE Larsson, Turris, Boedker, Hanzal, Yandle, Gormley, Tikhonov, Murphy, Visentin, etc.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
Of those players
Hanzal is the most interesting to me. They may be realizing Connolly won’t get the job done… just saying… he’s looked pretty shitty so far.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d love Hanzal personally – from what I’ve heard, he’s fairly capable at both ends of the rink
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions
And from what I’ve seen, he scores hat tricks against us on occasion
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions
career high of
35 points as a rookie… only had 26 last year in 61 games (0.43 ppg)… he’s definitely a project, and I’m not sure about his skating, but he definitely would fill a need of a big top C… if he can play top C that is.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions
for me
Bozak + Gunnarsson could get Hanzal + Turris.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m surprised actually his offensive output has been that low.
by Self Destructive Zones on Sep 26, 2011 9:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Hanzal
is 24 this year in Feb, he’s never produced over 16 goals or 35 points, but he’s 6’5" and 220 lbs and he’s a former first rounder (17th overall in 2005).
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but if the Leafs sign him, they’ll need to acquire Gretel to play on the wing.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Derek, Derek! Are you worried about Hansel?
Not as much as I’m worried about Gretel. Hey, make sure you put that in the article. I want people to know how funny I can be.
Hey, you know what Wednesday is?
The 10th anniversary of Zoolander’s release.
So, if you don’t watch it, you support child labour. And you’re not funny.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Sep 26, 2011 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions
You might also
be in favour of Frankie Goes To Hollywood or Piano Key Neckties…
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
And then...
No longer providing fresh fish products for the whole family.
by not norm ullman on Sep 26, 2011 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Hanzal has limited offensive upside. What is your fascination with big, defensive centers Burtch? Last spring it was Brian Boyle….now Hanzal?
Pension Plan Puppets
I hope YouTube comes down to film this.
Well
both were top draft picks who haven’t really been given much opportunity in a scoring role.
Boyle had the 5th highest G/60 on the Rangers last year (0.90), ahead of Anisimov, Wolski, Callahan, and Frolov. He had lower Pt/60 numbers (12th highest) but you could chalk that up to his crappy line mates (he was seeing time on the 4th line).
As for Hanzal, he has been playing more of a defensive role, and I think he’d be well suited to the Leafs 3rd line gig if we give up Bozak.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 27, 2011 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Hanzal, Yandle. Oliver, Boedker, and visi are untouchable at this time. Your not getting em
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
by Yotes Lover on Sep 26, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Dreger just tweeted to Mirtle that it’s unlikely Bozak or Gunnarsson will be traded any time soon. So we can let that one go for now.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
Internet Champ. I'm on Twitter too! - draglikepull
Exact quote is:
@DarrenDreger Darren Dreger
@mirtle. The only way either would be in play would be for a big forward. Can’t see it happening anytime soon.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".
Internet Champ. I'm on Twitter too! - draglikepull
by Draglikepull on Sep 26, 2011 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Martin
Hanzal??? big + forward.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Sep 26, 2011 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Not nearly enough. He just hasn’t shown that he can hit that next level offensively despite playing over 18 minutes 2 years ago and over 19 minutes last year. His scoring has been pretty damn consistent too at between 0.41 and 0.49 PPG his entire 4 year career. That tops out as a 40 point player. Similarly his goal scoring isn’t all that spectacular. Last year he scored a 0.26 (which I am totally happy with), however the other 3 years he did nothing special. While his defensive game is supposed to be quite good, I am just not interested in trading for more 3rd liners.
Confused why people think Aulie is better than Gunnarson. Please ask me to explain
Certified Gunnar & Kule lover!
Hanzal is untouchable. Hes so reliable defensively there isn’t a scenario where we trade him
Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
by Yotes Lover on Sep 26, 2011 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Only 98 goals...
Gosh, sure would be nice if Kessel could out-score real NHL players like Toews, St.Louis, Hossa, Kopitar, Selanne, Richards, Datsyuk, Kane, Malkin, Zetterberg, Gaborik, and… what’s that you say? None of those guys have managed 98 goals over the last three years?
Hey, if anybody is in Detroit, let Datsyuk and Zetterberg know that they need to step it up if they want Mike Brophy to think of them as ‘not bad.’
Twitter|Cult of Hockey|OilersNation|LeafsNation|Hockey Prospectus|ESPN Insider
Mail: jonathan.willis@live.ca
by Jonathan Willis on Sep 27, 2011 12:00 AM EDT reply actions
Interesting article
Brophy is a tool though, almost as bad as Spector ( unless he is talking about his beloved Alberta teams )…I have thankfuly never read DiManno, and Shoaltsie gets called a Leaf mouthpiece so often, he has to “be tough” to show he is not sometimes, you know?
Jonathan…one guy you missed on that list did not get to 98 in three years like Kessel, but he did get to 92, in addition to all the other things he does ( kills penalties, out against tough matchups, thought that aspect lessened last year)…Ryan Kesler.
Nuck’s Misconduct Bishop, 1st United Church of Luongod. "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Ghandi. I think he was a Canucks fan...
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Pension Plan Puppets
Related FanShots on Pension Plan Puppets
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
- Adam Henrique sends New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cup Final with OT goal vs. Rangers (VIDEO)
SBNation.com Recent Stories
StatCounter
