Ongoing NHL thread - Part III

[KennyBanyeah]

I think specifically the Dion one, but a pairing of Prout and Cowen would be astonishing.

If by astonishing you mean catastrophic. Who would bungle the pass to who???

 

[RP-29]

Thank you Mr. Murray.

Signed,
Concerned Detroit Red Wings fan

 

[pixburgher66]

I don't think people understand the magnitude of Cowen and Greening's suckitude. These guys are HORRIBLE and being paid $7.7 M combined this year. Greening is on the 4th line.... in Binghamton. Cowen is a regular healthy scratch behind Mark Borowiecki (candidate for worst puckhandling D-man in the NHL) and Patrick "Baby Giraffe on Skates" Wiercioch. Michalek's contract is a little high too, although he can still play well when healthy.

It should be noted that while Phaneuf's deal is longer than all these guys' deals, his salary is declining. He makes $6M and $5.5 in his last two years. That's somewhat more palatable.

The more I think about it I'm pretty happy with this deal. Hopefully Phagoof can have a small resurgence by playing against second pairing competition.

I listened to the Toronto TSN station and they were breaking down the Sens dman and their descriptions of Wiercioch and Borowiecki were fun. Borowiecki "old school, physical, gritty shutdown guy".

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I have really not seen alot of Wiercioch but he is one guy that Ferraro has named more than a few times in the cesspool as someone that Benning should target when the topic of the lack of canucks young dman depth comes up He's made the comment that he needs a fresh start

not sure if its because Ray does alot of work with him in the offseason being that he is a local guy

 

[DragonfromTO]

His real $$$ is declining. So does Lupul's after this year; you want him too?

Capwise, Phaneuf's contract is just non-palatable. It may seem crazy but this deal is almost as good from a Leafs POV as the Clarkson trade.


They traded 5 more years of a $7 mil cap hit for one year of just $1.8 mil more. And, while crazier things have happened, they could even turn Cowen and/or Michalek into a half-decent trade chip next deadline and this deal becomes even sweeter. On the flip side, the Sens just flipped expiring small nightmares into a long ginormous one.


He already was - Hunwick and Rielly are the Leafs' top pair d-men. Maybe that's why he wasn't so terrible this year.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I listened to the Toronto TSN station and they were breaking down the Sens dman and their descriptions of Wiercioch and Borowiecki were fun. Borowiecki "old school, physical, gritty shutdown guy".

HAHAHAHA.

That's just a euphemism for slow, stupid and handles the puck like a live grenade.

Boro is fearless and hardworking, I'll give him that, but that's it. He's really a 7th D who can fill in and will never complain. Recently he's been given some top 4 assignments, including playing with Karlsson.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

View attachment 87304

That too.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

From 30 Thoughts:

The fact Ottawa wasn’t on his “don’t send me there” list is a good sign for the Senators. He didn’t need to be convinced.

That, or he never thought in a million fucking years that the Leafs would trade him to Ottawa.

 

[dash]

That, or he never thought in a million fucking years that the Leafs would trade him to Ottawa.

I wonder if Edmonton was on that list

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Might as well post it, lots of trade tidbits:

30 Thoughts: What's behind Crosby's scoring surge - Sportsnet.ca

 

[Darkstone42]

HAHAHAHA.

That's just a euphemism for slow, stupid and handles the puck like a live grenade.

Boro is fearless and hardworking, I'll give him that, but that's it. He's really a 7th D who can fill in and will never complain. Recently he's been given some top 4 assignments, including playing with Karlsson.

It amazes me that these sorts of defensemen continue to be praised by commentators and pursued by general managers. Maybe they position themselves well and battle guys for position in front of the goal--useful skills certainly--but if they can't skate away from anyone or make a reasonable pass to exit the zone, it kind of defeats their purpose, and yet no one in the league seems to understand that part.

 

[pixburgher66]

HAHAHAHA.

That's just a euphemism for slow, stupid and handles the puck like a live grenade.

Boro is fearless and hardworking, I'll give him that, but that's it. He's really a 7th D who can fill in and will never complain. Recently he's been given some top 4 assignments, including playing with Karlsson.

As a survivor of Robert Scuderi...I understand. "Shut down player" is thrown around, but the reality is the first line of defense is falling to the ice to block a shot. Okay, sometimes that's called for, but when your FIRST INSTINCT is to fall to the ice, we got ourselves an issue. But really, these old school NHL guys can't get over the speed required to play the game now. I think with some of them it's a realization that they probably wouldn't have been able to cut it in the league now. "What do you mean I'd have to play the puck? Skate away? Join the RUSH? ARE YOU INSANE?!"

 

[dash]

Speaking of poor defense, check out the defense pairings the Oilers are trotting out tonight:

Sekera Fayne
Gryba Davidson
Nurse Clendening

Woof!

 

[Center Ice]

Might as well post it, lots of trade tidbits:

30 Thoughts: What's behind Crosby's scoring surge - Sportsnet.ca

Grats on ridding yourself of

 

[dash]

We have not yet begun to tank...

 

[pixburgher66]

We have not yet begun to tank...

Team imposed?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Devils retiring Marty's number tonight. Bettman had a speech (thoroughly booed), later on Lou goes to the podium and the place erupts with "LOOOOUUUU" chants. Lou's first comment (paraphrasing), "Well Gary, we got the same reaction".

 

[dash]

Team imposed?

Yeah. I guess they were late for practice yesterday
.
/Super Bowl hangover?

 

[pixburgher66]

From 30 Thoughts:

The fact Ottawa wasn’t on his “don’t send me there” list is a good sign for the Senators. He didn’t need to be convinced.

That, or he never thought in a million fucking years that the Leafs would trade him to Ottawa.

Exactly what Leafs Lunch guys were talking about. They made a good point, said Phil Kessel probably had Boston on his "okay" list because when the hell was that going to happen...basically adds another team to your list.

 

[pixburgher66]

Yeah. I guess they were late for practice yesterday
.
/Super Bowl hangover?

Just weird that they were all late...hangover sounds about right.