Comedy Platinum out of Toronto - "Canada's Team" quest for the Cup

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Didn't see this posted, apologies if it is a mattola...

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

These late blown leads, man.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Good on Andersen calling out the team. This is bullshit now.

 

[dash]

Good on Andersen calling out the team. This is bullshit now.

I didn't see the game (just saw the highlights), but holy Neuvirth with several 10-bell saves.

 

[BGDave]

Random thoughts:

Funny, I said to my better half a couple of days ago "I wish they would swap Brown and Leo on the forward lines", then it gets mentioned during the broadcast the other day.

But that is tweaking. I still think they are a middling team, and no trade is going to fix that.

I think the jury is out on Marner and Nylander, I am not convinced either will reach star level. Particularly Marner. Would I trade them? No. They need a couple more years to see what we have. At the same time, I would not put a lot of $$ into their next contracts either. And if that becomes an issue, I would trade them.

Hyman/Brown/Bozak/JVR all are decent forwards with some skill. None are star level but entirely serviceable.

Kadri and Marleau are in some kind of funk, and i dont know what you do with that other then ride it out.

Leo/Martin/4th line center de jour - would be interesting to use the next 10 or so games to put together an offensive line including guys like Leivo and Kapanen and see what happens, and sit this group completely.

Defensively, wow. We all knew this would be the achilles heel and they are not overachieving. Not that he is an All-Star but getting Zaitsev back will help. I know there is lots of love for Carrick, but I just dont see it. He is not good enough with the puck and is not strong enough off the puck. This group will hopefully get an overhaul in the off season.

Overall, I am OK with letting them struggle and see what happens this year. As frustrating as this is.

 

[BGDave]

Good on Andersen calling out the team. This is bullshit now.

I am going to keep faith in the management team, and players who do not put out the effort will be gone by next season.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I didn't see the game (just saw the highlights), but holy Neuvirth with several 10-bell saves.

That's happening on a regular basis. That's fine, eventually those do go in.

It's the weird goals coming on bad pinches or odd-man rushes that spark or complete comebacks that are pissing everyone off. Leafs should be on a 6 game winning streak right now instead of having lost 4 in a row.

I think the jury is out on Marner and Nylander, I am not convinced either will reach star level. Particularly Marner. Would I trade them? No. They need a couple more years to see what we have. At the same time, I would not put a lot of $$ into their next contracts either. And if that becomes an issue, I would trade them.

Sophomore slump was always a possibility. Matthews hasn't been great lately either and I'm pretty sure he's fine health-wise. If anything, it helps with the next contracts (as of today, Matthews probably doesn't get a $10 mil+ deal which is great).

Kadri and Marleau are in some kind of funk, and i dont know what you do with that other then ride it out.

Well, you have to do something. Babcock is the highest-paid coach in the NHL. He's the decider! now because he's apparently been watching old GWB press conferences. He's just left that line alone despite them having gone weeks together being horrible. He might not be able to fix it but leaving it intact isn't even trying.

Defensively, wow. We all knew this would be the achilles heel and they are not overachieving. Not that he is an All-Star but getting Zaitsev back will help. I know there is lots of love for Carrick, but I just dont see it. He is not good enough with the puck and is not strong enough off the puck. This group will hopefully get an overhaul in the off season.

I actually don't think they've been that bad defensively Rielly made two dumb moves in two games that cost them a point but he's otherwise been great. Gardiner hasn't been good but he isn't actively costing them goals either. Carrick's alright. Zaitsev was horrible before getting hurt and I can't see how his return helps any (unless it banishes Polak).

The recent blown leads have been more on bad defensive play by the forwards than anything the d-men have done (see: Nylander's backchecking). Also, while Andersen has been great and he had every right to go public last night, he could've stopped one or two of these weird ass goals that have started or completed comebacks.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Maybe he's trading for someone who already wears #3? Come on down, Seth Jones!

 

[puckhead]

Maybe he's trading for someone who already wears #3? Come on down, Seth Jones!

you can't spell Dion Phaneuf without Me Idiot.

or something like that

 

[forty_three]

Maybe he's trading for someone who already wears #3? Come on down, Seth Jones!

Welcome to Columbus Mitch Marner, Austin Mathews and William Nylander!

 

[BGDave]

Maybe he's trading for someone who already wears #3? Come on down, Seth Jones!

According to Hockey Reference, the following 11 players are currently wearing #3:

1 Kevin Bieksa ANA
2 Chris Bigras COL
3 Charlie Coyle MIN
4 Radko Gudas PHI
5 Nick Jensen DET
6 Seth Jones CBJ
7 John Klingberg
8 Olli Maatta PIT
9 Brayden McNabb VEG
10 Tucker Poolman WPG
11 Keith Yandle

 

[BGDave]

I swear, ever time I read the 10th name, I see "Poonerman"

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Tucker Poolman's a real name?

 

[dash]

Tucker Poolman's a real name?

Hi Todd, I'm Tucker
Hi Tucker, I'm Todd

 

[BGDave]

Tucker Poolman's a real name?

It's gotta be the pseudonym Big Buff uses in hotels on the road.

 

[BGDave]

Although I would love to see Jones wearing #3, I think Bieksa or Gudas is more likely

 

[forty_three]

Although I would love to see Jones wearing #3, I think Bieksa or Gudas is more likely

Dooooo eeeeeeet

 

[esls79]

Babcock can't trap crap Leafs team no more without Phaneuf can't hold third period lead to piss refs off so crap Avs team gets goal taken away. Auston 3:16 on Raw last night couldn't save crap loss on Babcock who look up to Hitchcock

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If you're holding Apple stock, this can't be encouraging:




/Denis Shapovalov was sitting on Kypreos' right. Are we all missing something?

 

[dash]

Meanwhile in Kingston...

A 42-year-old Kingston, Ont., woman is facing charges after being found naked in a stranger's bathtub Sunday evening.

Kingston police said a woman returned home around 6:15 p.m. to find the unclothed intruder in her otherwise empty tub.

The naked woman tried to convince the complainant that she was her new roommate, Kingston police said.

When police arrived, the woman was still in the bathtub.

She was held in Kingston police custody overnight and has been charged with unlawfully being in a dwelling and two counts of breaching probation.