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PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 11:40 am 
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Well the team is at preseason camp here in Niagara at my "home" rink.

Added a couple of Vets in the off season in Marleau, Hainsey, and Moore to fill out the line up and offer some vet experience. Looking for further development from last years impressive Rookies. May see a boost from a healthy Andersen in net who had a slow start last season coming from an injury. Think it is important that Kadri continue to be the player he was last year, my opinion is that guy's career has gained the most from Babcocks demands and motivation.

Suspect they will move from bubble to expected playoff team but not considered top contender. Still need to find a boost in D-men but they can continue to look with in this season I would think.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:07 am 
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not sure what to make of Lupul.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/maple- ... 14053.html

Seems it would take an awful lot of collusion for the Leafs to LTIR a healthy players so do not see that the most likely thing, Maybe Lupul is having denial and pride issues with what ever ails him?

But Lou has pulled some sketchy moves in the past so there is that.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:13 pm 
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https://theathletic.com//104793/2017/09 ... directed=1

Bizarre! I wish someone would pay me to stay away!

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:31 pm 
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Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.

Not sure why Lupul would yak on IG and not take further action.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:53 pm 
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Season opener Wednesday night. First time I've been this optimistic since Sundin was playing.

Mathews and Nylander look like they are ready to go and Andersen looks dialed in after starting slow last year.

Still their is a annoying voice back there telling me not to be so optimistic...old habits maybe another successful season will get rid of it?


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:56 am 
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3-0 start with tons of goals and moments of broken down structure...thing is those moments are getting shorter as the players mature so all in all an awesome start.

Oh and massive respect for Brown. A 20 goal rookie last year finds himself on fourth line due to the Leafs depth and goes out and impacts the game hard no matter where and who you line him up with to start a shift. Oh and Babcock is finding him his ice time, carat only works if players think they can catch it.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:00 pm 
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Gah, now that was a hockey game last night.

James Mirtle on Twitter wrote:
Matthews played majority of his ice time against Keith, Seabrook, Kane.

84% possession. Even strength shot attempts were 29-3.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 10:39 am 
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So much for going 82-0

Shot total looked good but many Leafs dropped the intensity last night they took for granted a young and hungry Devils team, Good teaching moment for Babcock I would think.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:40 pm 
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So it's only one loss but already I'm hearing some sharp criticism from the talking heads in Toronto that the Leafs didn't do more in the offseason to shore up their defensive situation. I think they made the right decision to stay the course (what were they gonna do, sign Karl Alzner?) but one wonders what the plan is moving forward. Probably shouldn't just sit and wait and hope Travis Dermott pans out, but bringing in a top-notch guy will likely require trading someone big. So who goes? Marner? Nylander? It'll probably take more than just JvR otherwise it would've happened by now. Either way I think Babs needs to do something other than Hainsey on the top pairing.

In any event this team is fun in both good and bad ways.

Still utterly flabbergasted at how good the Devils look in the early going.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 9:40 am 
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Pokecheque wrote:
Either way I think Babs needs to do something other than Hainsey on the top pairing.


He has been okay in the role, it is the swedish rookie bottom pair that has been getting abused and then throw in the expected Gardiner gaff and you have D issues. As well as someone who has watched all the games they and the goalie have been unlucky as far as where the chances end up, tips and screen shots more often than normal are hitting corners and post and in.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:50 am 
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Marner being moved to fourth line. This is where it pays to have a Brown moving around your line up. You need to kick a line in the butt you have the forward ready to insert anywhere and break them up.

The line needed it, the other lines have not decent defensively just the one has been a hot mess 5 vs 5.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 12:51 pm 
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I get why he's doing it and it's not that big a deal in the long run, but geez...would it hurt to try putting Hyman on the 4th line and Marner with someone other than two of the biggest defensive liabilities in the lineup?


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 6:57 pm 
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Pokecheque wrote:
I get why he's doing it and it's not that big a deal in the long run, but geez...would it hurt to try putting Hyman on the 4th line and Marner with someone other than two of the biggest defensive liabilities in the lineup?


They want three dangerous lines so Marner needs to anchor his own line. Just a little fine tuning for now, Nylander got the treatment last year now it is Marner's turn.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 4:25 pm 
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Proof positive that even the best organizations can make dumb moves.

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/10/22/thr ... man-polak/

Whatever, he won't ruin 'em. Won't make 'em that much better either.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:01 pm 
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Rosen has been a mess in his own end needs time, Dermott plays the wrong side, and Liljegren and Nielsen are not ready for NHL level play.

I like Polak for this team right now and we are talking about a one year 1.1million deal for a guy to be your 6-7. The Leafs don't have a better option for right now, let alone four in the AHL.

As well I think Carrick needs someone breathing down his neck for ice time.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:07 am 
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Polak is going to wreck everything


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:54 pm 
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They don't have a long term fix and signed a one year hole filler. I just fail to see the reason so many people seem to care this much about Polak either way. I can see a few paragraphs of hockey forum discussion but writing a long article about it? Leaf fans will consume anything I guess.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:10 am 
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Hounsy wrote:
They don't have a long term fix and signed a one year hole filler. I just fail to see the reason so many people seem to care this much about Polak either way. I can see a few paragraphs of hockey forum discussion but writing a long article about it? Leaf fans will consume anything I guess.


I guess it's a very good sign when you can zero your criticisms in on a guy like Polak and not a number of guys on the roster.

I wonder if the plan is to wait it out or try and make a run for a good defender. I don't know if they should wait and just hope a guy like Travis Dermott makes the show, I still think they need another solid top-four guy at the very least. Question now is, who do you go for? And what are you willing to sacrifice? I think the untouchables on the roster for sure are Matthews (duh), Nylander, Marner, and maybe Gardiner. Beyond that, it's pretty clear both van Riemsdyk and Bozak ain't coming back, so I suppose they're definitely in the mix even though they won't snag much on their own. Who then could get them a reasonably good (or better) defender in a package deal?

Bourne just had a really great article in The Athletic about Bryan Marchment's kid Mason, who is by all accounts a long shot for the NHL but would be an awesome player to watch if he pans out.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:28 am 
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Yeah think they are buying more time to see if what they have in AHL can fill the D need or if they need to look outside. Both Dermott and Lilgren are guys I expect they would almost have top four "expectations" on and then Nielsen and Rosen as well may be seen as NHL'ers at some point. But with prospects expectations and fulfillment of that are two different things. Next season though is where they need to go in with what they believe are the answers as that should be their Window is open time.

First losing streak of the year for Leafs last three games. They look a mess, yeah when the Mathews - Nylander combo is on the ice the team looks good but the other 42 minutes of the game right now is a gong show of errors and running around. Might be time to break up those two just too see if they can help get others on track.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:56 am 
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Wow, what a stinker last night in SJ. The fourth line posted a Corsi of 0% halfway through the game. I don't even know how that's possible.

Babcock has also quite frankly done a lousy job of coaching. Why in God's name would you scratch Leivo when he's been playing perfectly well in addition to Kapanen and Carrick, in favor of Martin and Polak? Obviously a coaching change isn't warranted but, geez, dude...quit being so goddamned old-school.


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