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

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If thinking that this team will have better results than 2014-15 Buffalo is the optimistic viewpoint, what does the pessimistic viewpoint look like? Babcock gets arrested mid-season for child abuse and Bernier contracts HIV?

Well how much better are you thinking? Do you think they match last season's points total (68)? Last 2 seasons that point total is bottom 4 but the 3 full seasons before that 68 pts would get you the second-worst record in the league.

I think their peak would be last season's point total with the "success" spread out more than it was last season as opposed to being decent half the season then being cannon fodder the second half. I also think there's a good possibility some bigger trades could happen during the campaign for guys like JVR or Kadri or a goalie which would make a bottom finish even more likely.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I just don't think the increased opportunity is going to good players, and in that case I don't know where the extra goals are coming from. Like I said Kadri could bump up his play and that still won't help JVR get to his first half heights, while his linemate (Boyes at this point) shouldn't be on a first line anywhere. You then have a third liner bumped up to the second unit (Matthias) centred by Bozak, described aptly last week as "a canvas bag filled with sawdust and broken glass that someone had written “no. 1 center” on with spray paint", and with Lupul tacked on for 20 games before he breaks his eyeball by looking at the sun. If leaning on the bottom six is what's giving you hope, I don't know what Parenteau's going to provide that he couldn't while playing alongside Patches and PK, while we already know what Winnik can and can't do and Spaling is filler.

Like I said, I admire your optimism but I just don't share it.

Dealing with the specific example you gave, if Parenteau gets a full season of games last year and shoots at his career average (rather than the unlucky 8% he shot) he doubles his goal output to 16.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Well how much better are you thinking? Do you think they match last season's points total (68)? Last 2 seasons that point total is bottom 4 but the 3 full seasons before that 68 pts would get you the second-worst record in the league.

I think their peak would be last season's point total with the "success" spread out more than it was last season as opposed to being decent half the season then being cannon fodder the second half. I also think there's a good possibility some bigger trades could happen during the campaign for guys like JVR or Kadri or a goalie which would make a bottom finish even more likely.

I'm projecting based on what we know. To give further explanation, I'm counting Boyes, Parenteau etc. leaving at the deadline as fact but not accounting for any big mid-season trades of other pieces. I mean, how can we? It's too hard to project... even if we were handed l the name of the Leaf player going the other way it would be virtually impossible to project what was coming back and whether or not/how that acquisition would affect the 2015-16 results.

I mean, this team certainly has a chance to be last in the league. I'm not saying it definitely won't happen. But I think the most likely scenario is that Arizona, Carolina, New Jersey and another "surprise" team (Philly perhaps? Vancouver? Varlamov has a down year and it's Colorado?) finish (ever so slightly ) below them.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I'm projecting based on what we know. To give further explanation, I'm counting Boyes, Parenteau etc. leaving at the deadline as fact but not accounting for any big mid-season trades of other pieces. I mean, how can we? It's too hard to project... even if we were handed l the name of the Leaf player going the other way it would be virtually impossible to project what was coming back and whether or not/how that acquisition would affect the 2015-16 results.

I mean, this team certainly has a chance to be last in the league. I'm not saying it definitely won't happen. But I think the most likely scenario is that Arizona, Carolina, New Jersey and another "surprise" team (Philly perhaps? Vancouver? Varlamov has a down year and it's Colorado?) finish (ever so slightly ) below them.

I wasn't projecting that players were leaving, either, just pointing out it's a good possibility. Be even better if Bozak/Lupul were sent away but... (seriously, how the hell didn't they accept that second rounder from AZ for Bozak?)

I place Jersey above the others including Toronto because of Schneider. They also have a 30 goal threat on the roster, they signed/acquired 45 goals in three players, and I've been told by SportsHoopla Devils bumpers that their young defence could cause problems. Also think the other three teams would have to have some really serious issues in order to fall that far - even if Miller is truly godawful it would also take the Sedins completely losing it for Vancouver to drop into the cellar.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I wasn't projecting that players were leaving, either, just pointing out it's a good possibility. Be even better if Bozak/Lupul were sent away but... (seriously, how the hell didn't they accept that second rounder from AZ for Bozak?)

I place Jersey above the others including Toronto because of Schneider. They also have a 30 goal threat on the roster, they signed/acquired 45 goals in three players, and I've been told by SportsHoopla Devils bumpers that their young defence could cause problems. Also think the other three teams would have to have some really serious issues in order to fall that far - even if Miller is truly godawful it would also take the Sedins completely losing it for Vancouver to drop into the cellar.

Um yeah, that's why it's a "surprise" team

 

[DragonfromTO]

I wasn't projecting that players were leaving, either, just pointing out it's a good possibility. Be even better if Bozak/Lupul were sent away but... (seriously, how the hell didn't they accept that second rounder from AZ for Bozak?)

I place Jersey above the others including Toronto because of Schneider. They also have a 30 goal threat on the roster, they signed/acquired 45 goals in three players, and I've been told by SportsHoopla Devils bumpers that their young defence could cause problems. Also think the other three teams would have to have some really serious issues in order to fall that far - even if Miller is truly godawful it would also take the Sedins completely losing it for Vancouver to drop into the cellar.

I'm assuming these are Palmieri, Tlusty and Stempniak? Aren't those guys pretty similar players to some of the ones that the Leafs signed, the ones that you said aren't going to help much?

 

[DragonfromTO]

Interesting back and forth here.

Based on the Saturday preseason game only (yes, I know it was one preseason game) (where they had trouble with the GR Griffins), I tend to think BBB is closer in his assessment. I am thinking 74-75 Caps bad. Puck possession is fine, but if you cant score, who cares.

But its all OK. For the first time in several years, I am looking forward to watching the League and all the teams, rather than just letting the Leafs drive me crazy.

The same things that lead to puck possession also lead to goals though. If you're doing the former there's a limit to how much difficulty you can have doing the latter.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I'm assuming these are Palmieri, Tlusty and Stempniak? Aren't those guys pretty similar players to some of the ones that the Leafs signed, the ones that you said aren't going to help much?

Well, for starters remove Stempniak from that list because I read his stats wrong. But the two remaining just about make up for what NJ lost from one player (Jagr), rather than the Leafs who have 5 players trying to make up for an average Kessel season. Devils might also keep Zacha but I doubt it.

 

[Puck082]

So your bright new shiny speedy $5M winger was a healthy scratch in Game 1?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

So your bright new shiny speedy $5M winger was a healthy scratch in Game 1?

If you aren't impressing Babcock on a team filled with underachievers and veterans looking for second chances, you deserve it.

 

[Puck082]

If you aren't impressing Babcock on a team filled with underachievers and veterans looking for second chances, you deserve it.

Fair enough. But then my next question becomes why the hell did they trade for him?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Fair enough. But then my next question becomes why the hell did they trade for him?

He was scratched for one game. If he practices better and shows he deserves a spot, he'll get into games.

He was rolling on the 3rd and 4th lines during preseason so it wasn't a surprise to anybody but Damien Cox.

Anyway, Lupul and Bozak had god-awful games last night so I'm guessing Babs will shuffle up the lines and find a way to get Grabner in on Friday.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Fair enough. But then my next question becomes why the hell did they trade for him?

It's simple, the Leafs needed contract space. The Isles wanted to dump Grabner's contract. Both got what they wanted.

 

[Puck082]

It's simple, the Leafs needed contract space. The Isles wanted to dump Grabner's contract. Both got what they wanted.

Very simple.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Leafs send Corrado to AHL on conditioning loan

When asked to clarify how the NHL looks at conditioning loans for players who have not been injured, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told PHT in an email that the Corrado assignment was “compliant with our long-standing interpretation of these provisions and consistent with how we apply the rules to other Clubs.”

 

[dash]

Looks like the NHL is borrowing a page from the MLS CBA, jstew.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Looks like the NHL is borrowing a napkin from the MLS, jstew.

fify

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Shanaplan™ overrules the NHL's silly rule book.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

On the other hand, I have no idea what Martin Marincin brings to the table that Corrado can't.