Or maybe the rat avoids a fight with Orr which forces Orr to either take an instigating penalty by jumping him or do nothing as he watches the rat get two or three times as many shifts as him where he can't do anything about it at all.
- Two_For_Truth

Or maybe Orr takes an instigator, pummels your rat buddy and he's no longer taking liberties at our skill players because now McC is smiling at him.



We can do this all night. Look, I'd agree with you but then we'd both be wrong.

Or maybe the rat avoids a fight with Orr which forces Orr to either take an instigating penalty by jumping him or do nothing as he watches the rat get two or three times as many shifts as him where he can't do anything about it at all.
- Two_For_Truth

They play a different game with Orr in the lineup. Rationalize it however you want but that's a tough fact to deny. They looked scared every night last season and this year, they just don't.

why not just let fraser or kostka fight the rat then?

brown simply does not warrant a lineup change.. the fact that he fights middleweights is being grossly over-valued here... last year i would agree with you.. but there is lots of mid ranged grit on this team now.
- Dozzer

This.

Ha ha ha - pretty quiet and angry after 38 seconds.

1st period was pretty subdued - even after they tied it. Nobody believed

2nd period was like Mardi Gras. We mocked Breezy until they pulled him.

Good times - until Reimer went down.

We didn't get any update, so the 3rd was more subdued than usual.

I'll ask again: what happened to Reimer?
- Atomic Wedgie

Not really sure what injury is but..


@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Carlyle says he doesn't think Reimer injury is serious and shouldn't "miss any extended period of time"

I think if Kessel can improve his faceoff to at least a consistent 45%, he can be our answer to the top line C question next year.

Sign Perry, hand have one nasty-ass team.


Perry-Kadri-Kessel
Lupul-Grabovski-JVR
Frattin-Bozak-Kulemin
Komarov-McClement-Orr

Didn't know Wal-Mart hired the dead.
- Two_For_Truth

So it really is medically possible to die of shame?

By having to kill a penalty? Rats are looking to either take more talented players off their game, off the ice or draw a penalty. Forcing guys like Orr to take an instigating penalty just gives the rats team an advantage.
- Two_For_Truth

I'll take an instigating penalty if it means Orr/Mclaren fills the rat...which is what would happen. That would neutralize them.

In reality, they don't even have to do that. Proof is in the pudding: how many rats have had their way with us this year?

Ha ha ha - pretty quiet and angry after 38 seconds.

1st period was pretty subdued - even after they tied it. Nobody believed

2nd period was like Mardi Gras. We mocked Breezy until they pulled him.

Good times - until Reimer went down.

We didn't get any update, so the 3rd was more subdued than usual.

I'll ask again: what happened to Reimer?
- Atomic Wedgie

according to carlyle theyre assessment is he will miss "some time" but not much. he will be evaluated tomorrow.

sounds like it was just a little tweak.. might just need a few days off.

They play a different game with Orr in the lineup. Rationalize it however you want but that's a tough fact to deny. They looked scared every night last season and this year, they just don't.
- Jeffmt

And this.

Ha ha ha - pretty quiet and angry after 38 seconds.

1st period was pretty subdued - even after they tied it. Nobody believed

2nd period was like Mardi Gras. We mocked Breezy until they pulled him.

Good times - until Reimer went down.

We didn't get any update, so the 3rd was more subdued than usual.

I'll ask again: what happened to Reimer?
- Atomic Wedgie

This is the only update

@mirtle: Carlyle on Reimer: "He's probably going to miss some time but it won't be long and drawn out."

So it really is medically possible to die of shame?
- Atomic Wedgie

lets maybe leave that be?

Case in point, the Leafs played a team that's usually pretty scrappy tonight and instead, Philly acted like a very well behaved kids table at a wedding. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they saw the highlights from Saturday and decided they didn't want any of that to start off their road trip.

On a sort of related note, Orr's attempt to kill Plekanec might have accomplished something odd that he hadn't intended or considered. Guys like Colton are expected to show up for their 2 minutes a game, fight the other team's tough guy, and call it a night. Skating full speed down center ice towards a skill player with bad intentions is kind of a weird thing for an "enforcer" to do. He's probably got a few teams wondering.
- Jeffmt

This is all making me somewhat nostalgic. Leafs circa 2001-2002 ...Pat Quinn, domi, corson, tucker, belak, roberts ...the Islanders ..Cairns pulling Corson's hair ...Corson kicking Cairns.

Those were the days ...

why not just let fraser or kostka fight the rat then?
- Dozzer

Fraser plays defense, puts you down to 5 guys for 5 minutes. Kostka fought Gallagher. 5'8" Gallagher. Kostka's not exactly Brown.

brown simply does not warrant a lineup change.. the fact that he fights middleweights is being grossly over-valued here... last year i would agree with you.. but there is lots of mid ranged grit on this team now.

Toronto has heavyweights but not a guy like Brown who is still good to have. Like I said, you don't trade MacArthur for Brown. You trade MacArthur because he's a pending UFA who is more valuable to us as trade bait and he's replaced by other guys in the lineup. Brown would play on the 4th line but can also play on the 3rd line, even the PK, if and when it calls for it.

Fraser plays defense, puts you down to 5 guys for 5 minutes. Kostka fought Gallagher. 5'8" Gallagher. Kostka's not exactly Brown.



Toronto has heavyweights but not a guy like Brown who is still good to have. Like I said, you don't trade MacArthur for Brown. You trade MacArthur because he's a pending UFA who is more valuable to us as trade bait and he's replaced by other guys in the lineup. Brown would play on the 4th line but can also play on the 3rd line, even the PK, if and when it calls for it.
- Two_For_Truth

I'll pose my question to you for a third time: Can you name the rats that have run wild on us this year?

This is the only update

@mirtle: Carlyle on Reimer: "He's probably going to miss some time but it won't be long and drawn out."
- LeafMan

Looked like a knee.

Didn't put any weight on it on the ice, but did walk on it in the tunnel.[/img]

Or maybe Orr takes an instigator, pummels your rat buddy and he's no longer taking liberties at our skill players because now McC is smiling at him.
- OBGYN Kenobi

And if the Leafs go on the PK and let in a goal? Leafs still win the exchange right?

On a team with no true #1C, and in reality, no true #1 line, you need as much scoring depth as you can get.

In addition, Kadri and Frats back-checking this year really made McClement's spot on that line redundant.

Fact is, RC made that one change to the lines, and we have outscored our competition 11-2 over the past 2 games.
- Pen15

not really sure what you're going for here - putting Komarov on Grabo's line makes it MORE of a checking line than when McClement was there.

Suggesting swapping 2 checking players had anything to do with the offensive explosion that came mostly from the other 2 lines and the defense is a bit of a stretch... unless you were referring to Orr?

They play a different game with Orr in the lineup. Rationalize it however you want but that's a tough fact to deny. They looked scared every night last season and this year, they just don't.
- Jeffmt

Never said they should take Orr out of the line-up. Just saying having Brown in the line-up only makes them tougher and more versatile.

And if the Leafs go on the PK and let in a goal? Leafs still win the exchange right?
- Two_For_Truth

Can you name me a pest that had their way with us this year?

NOTE: This is the 4th time I've asked you this question.

And if the Leafs go on the PK and let in a goal? Leafs still win the exchange right?
- Two_For_Truth

And that's happened when this year?

Take your time, I'll wait.

This is all making me somewhat nostalgic. Leafs circa 2001-2002 ...Pat Quinn, domi, corson, tucker, belak, roberts ...the Islanders ..Cairns pulling Corson's hair ...Corson kicking Cairns.

Those were the days ...
- The Law

Those last few seasons before the previous lockout was the last time you could say the Leafs had any real team toughness. No one got excited about playing those Leafs. Hopefully we're starting to see a little bit of that emerge.

I'll pose my question to you for a third time: Can you name the rats that have run wild on us this year?
- Pen15

And that's happened when this year?

Take your time, I'll wait.
- OBGYN Kenobi

13 games. Great sample size.

So it really is medically possible to die of shame?
- Atomic Wedgie

Ashamed of what exactly?

Fraser plays defense, puts you down to 5 guys for 5 minutes. Kostka fought Gallagher. 5'8" Gallagher. Kostka's not exactly Brown.



Toronto has heavyweights but not a guy like Brown who is still good to have. Like I said, you don't trade MacArthur for Brown. You trade MacArthur because he's a pending UFA who is more valuable to us as trade bait and he's replaced by other guys in the lineup. Brown would play on the 4th line but can also play on the 3rd line, even the PK, if and when it calls for it.
- Two_For_Truth

fair enough, but move him at the deadline then.. not now.. brown can rotate in and out on the 4th.. move mac once lupul is back

moving mac now doesnt make sense if you are looking for a nice return, will get a far nicer deal closer to april 5th.. and by then lupul should be back as well.

brown can hang out in the press box and rotate with mcclaren and orr

This is the only update

@mirtle: Carlyle on Reimer: "He's probably going to miss some time but it won't be long and drawn out."
- LeafMan

Sure looked a whole lot worse than that. Like he tore something.

Picked Scrivens up in fantasy as a buy low/sell high candidate just in case.