- senstroll

This is the main reason i am excited for this season.
I hope/think Bernier will shine

No.

Franson is like Bobby Orr, only with better knees.
- Atomic Wedgie

and a bigger tongue

and there isnt.

so where does that put franson?

you just made my point for me.
- Dozzer

My dream is actually that Ranger fits nicely with Dion.

i dont understand the franson love affair.. buddy gets a few points and all of a sudden he's our best d-man?

come on.

maybe look at the matchups carlyle used him in for just two seconds. of course he looked good.. he wasnt exactly put through the ringer when it came to his D
- Dozzer

Franson can be a good player. He's certainly got the tools.

But he wasn't a key player last season. He did a good job of putting up a lot of points when given the opportunity to... and that's what's blinding a lot of people. Points seem to outweigh everything else, because it's a tangible number, while there is no stat to (reliably) show defensive ability.

3rd pairing??
you mean 2nd pairng, with a lot of pp time....
i don't share the same love affair with gunnarsson as you.. i don't mind him, but i don't think he is that much better than franson... but thats me, i tend to watch the games and not listen to media.
- Rockhead_37

You just said you watched the game and then corrected him as to wether franson was on the 3rd line? I'm not sure you did watch the games then.

My dream is actually that Ranger fits nicely with Dion.
- Atomic Wedgie

yes, me too

phaneuf ranger
gardiner gunnarsson
fraser franson

thats a nice D

My dream is actually that Ranger fits nicely with Dion.
- Atomic Wedgie

I think that's Nonis's hope. The player Ranger was on track to be before his hiatus would be the perfect pairing for Phaneuf. But he's not a point producer. Leafs fans will not be happy.

Good Article about Bernier..
"Your agent has yet to speak to an NHL executive or scout who does not think Bernier has the goods to become a star.

The interesting thing about the Leafs goaltending situation is the fans have not rushed to embrace Bernier with their usual early enthusiasm.

Part of this must be the wariness bred from other would-be saviours over the years, from Andrew Raycroft to Vesa Toskala. The other part is affection for the incumbent, James Reimer, who won a lot of hearts by coming out of nowhere two years ago to grab the No. 1 job and then fought his way back from a concussion to grab it again last season.

Hence all of the talk about a “goaltending controversy.” Well, this is not going to be much of a controversy because barring injury, Bernier, 25, will have the top job nailed down by the end of October.

Bernier went 9-3-1 in 14 games last season with the Los Angeles Kings, with a .922 save percentage and 1.88 goals-against average. He bailed out the Kings when Jonathan Quick struggled at the start of the season and should have kept the No. 1 job.

There are those in the hockey world who say Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi might have been tempted to trade Quick, who won the Kings the 2012 Stanley Cup, instead of Bernier. But since Quick is an American it would have been a foolhardy move with Southern California hockey fans.

The betting here is come June, Nonis’s trade for Bernier will be ranked among the top one or two NHL off-season moves for 2013-14."
From Dshultz

http://www.theglobeandmai...lvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
- IrishRage

All credibility lost

Franson can be a good player. He's certainly got the tools.

But he wasn't a key player last season. He did a good job of putting up a lot of points when given the opportunity to... and that's what's blinding a lot of people. Points seem to outweigh everything else, because it's a tangible number, while there is no stat to (reliably) show defensive ability.
- Feeling Glucky?

after the points column in the stats nothing else matters dont ya know lol

and there isnt.

so where does that put franson?

you just made my point for me.
- Dozzer

using this logic, Kotska is worth more than Franson....

i dont understand the franson love affair.. buddy gets a few points and all of a sudden he's our best d-man?

come on.

maybe look at the matchups carlyle used him in for just two seconds. of course he looked good.. he wasnt exactly put through the ringer when it came to his D
- Dozzer

I can't talk to a snickers bar, please bring back your smiling face

All credibility lost
- AdamFrench

Dont rain on my parade Frenchie

yes, me too

phaneuf ranger
gardiner gunnarsson
fraser franson

thats a nice D
- Dozzer

That's a nice D based on potential.

Ranger and Gardiner still need to reach that potential. Gunnarsson needs to rebound from injury.

I also think Liles may rebound, and take Fraser's spot. I know lots of people have lost faith in Liles, but the team seems to have some left, or else he would have been amnestied.

All credibility lost
- AdamFrench

I think he's trying to play off Leafs fans' memories of the Pogge/Rask fiasco.

This is the main reason i am excited for this season.
I hope/think Bernier will shine
- IrishRage

I think the whole team is going to shine. It's sort if sad for Reimer as I think with the better team we won't be leaning on the tender as much.

Dont rain on my parade Frenchie
- IrishRage

Not your parade, that writers.

You just said you watched the game and then corrected him as to wether franson was on the 3rd line? I'm not sure you did watch the games then.
- burn

yeah, obviously you didn't... go back to listening to the radio.

Franson can be a good player. He's certainly got the tools.

But he wasn't a key player last season. He did a good job of putting up a lot of points when given the opportunity to... and that's what's blinding a lot of people. Points seem to outweigh everything else, because it's a tangible number, while there is no stat to (reliably) show defensive ability.
- Feeling Glucky?

+\-?

using this logic, Kotska is worth more than Franson....
- Rockhead_37

Kostka, for the first half of the season, was the best choice, because he'd played hard for half a year while the rest of the NHL was playing half-assed hockey(or no hockey) in easier leagues.

Once the rest of the NHL got it's legs back, he faltered and got pushed down the depth chart.

+\-?


- Garnie

That's a nice D based on potential.

Ranger and Gardiner still need to reach that potential. Gunnarsson needs to rebound from injury.

I also think Liles may rebound, and take Fraser's spot. I know lots of people have lost faith in Liles, but the team seems to have some left, or else he would have been amnestied.
- Feeling Glucky?

Not going to need Liles

Phaneuf / Ranger - hopefully
Fraser / Franson
Gunner can babysit Gardiner

+\-?


- Garnie

yeah, obviously you didn't... go back to listening to the radio.
- Rockhead_37

Here's the problem: You're wrong.

Not going to need Liles

Phaneuf / Ranger - hopefully
Fraser / Franson
Gunner can babysit Gardiner
- Garnie

I think Fraser's gonna get the bump.

yes, me too

phaneuf ranger
gardiner gunnarsson
fraser liles

thats a nice D
- Dozzer

this'll still work while Franson contemplates throwing away the momentum he finally found.