That's pretty telling. Why have they stopped? As a team, why have we stopped? It's hockey for god's sake. How hard can it be to find someone who wants/likes to fight?
- walshyleafsfan

Like I said - teams figured out that if they refuse to engage with the goons, the goons become completely useless. It seems to be working pretty well.

That's pretty telling. Why have they stopped? As a team, why have we stopped? It's hockey for god's sake. How hard can it be to find someone who wants/likes to fight?
- walshyleafsfan

Don't want to be so callous, but you're not pulling your (frank)ing weight mister.

The problem is that throwing out multiple goons is a great strategy to rise above the dregs of the league - hell, it may get you to sneak into the playoffs.

It won't make you a serious contender, though. Ever (or at least not since the 1970s).

We have a blueprint to build a mediocre team.

Which is a shame, because we have a few talented parts at the moment.
- Atomic Wedgie

I really believe the talent played better (more fearless) hockey last year and I assume it was b/c of McLaren/Orr/Fraser. They were effective in their roles last year. With only 60 minutes in a hockey game I'm okay with having a couple of meatheads ....as long as it's working. And this year it's not.

Hits were huge last night - I think I saw 40 to 13 at some point during the third...was I seeing things?
- Woderwick

That sounds aboot right.

Don't want to be so callous, but you're not pulling your (frank)ing weight mister.
- Woderwick

I would trade walshy asap. Masai Ujiri school of addition by subtraction.

Hits were huge last night - I think I saw 40 to 13 at some point during the third...was I seeing things?
- Woderwick

Do you remember the game being a hit fest?
any little bump and the stats guy will call it a hit nowadays, and when a team is not carry the puck often they tend to get a few more bumps then the other team

Like I said - teams figured out that if they refuse to engage with the goons, the goons become completely useless. It seems to be working pretty well.
- 1979AD

Not only that we've been in a lot of close games and if Carlyle throws them out the opposing coach just throws his top line out instead of his meatheads. Or at least that's what I would do in a close game lol

Do you remember the game being a hit fest?
any little bump and the stats guy will call it a hit nowadays, and when a team is not carry the puck often they tend to get a few more bumps then the other team
- 2gals1dane

I think Fraser laid somebody out at one point, but yeah - most were of the Leo Komarov bump and roll variety.

I would trade walshy asap. Masai Ujiri school of addition by subtraction.
- 1979AD

He is good in the dressing room though and he brings team shampoo - gotta consider that.

Don't want to be so callous, but you're not pulling your (frank)ing weight mister.
- Woderwick

Haha, (frank) that. I'm a Euro. Leave that poop to you guys. I'm more of a Marchand water bottle chucker sitting next to me ole pal Zdeno.

Do you remember the game being a hit fest?
any little bump and the stats guy will call it a hit nowadays, and when a team is not carry the puck often they tend to get a few more bumps then the other team
- 2gals1dane

Not from what I saw.

He is good in the dressing room though and he brings team shampoo - gotta consider that.
- Woderwick

And conditioner. You need a good conditioner i've found.

He is good in the dressing room though and he brings team shampoo - gotta consider that.
- Woderwick

If he's helping the team reach Polamalu levels of hair and scalp health, then I stand corrected.

And conditioner. You need a good conditioner i've found.
- walshyleafsfan

Untradeable.

Well, actually, no...

http://nhlnumbers.com/201...impact-on-future-outcomes
- Stringer74

Awesome ...as a general rule. Did you watch the Leafs play last year? If you did you'd agree that Kessel et al. played a more confident game. In fact it helps support the idea of how they were able to 'fool' Corsi over the short term last year.

A question for prospect knowledgeable guys to throw more fuel on the trade both Franson and Gards thought, is Finn a PMD type of D or more a stay at home guy like Percy?

If he is, we have to wonder how many of those guys coming up we have, how many we need, and how many we can even dress.

Do you remember the game being a hit fest?
any little bump and the stats guy will call it a hit nowadays, and when a team is not carry the puck often they tend to get a few more bumps then the other team
- 2gals1dane

Well, I do remember punching myself in the face a few times.

I actually turned it on at 2-0. The Leaf immediately scored, and the announcer stated "The Leafs are back in this one!"

Oh, good.

And then a millisecond later, it was 3-1.

And that's when I turned it off. I knew. I just knew.

1 Frazer McLaren 6
2 Colton Orr 5
3 Troy Bodie 3
4 David Clarkson 3
5 Mark Fraser 3
6 Joffrey Lupul 3
7 Carter Ashton 2
8 David Broll 1
9 Nazem Kadri 1
10 Phil Kessel 1
11 Dion Phaneuf 1
12 Jerred Smithson 1

Last year through 48 games the heavyweight trilogy of McLaren-Orr-Fraser had a combined 34 fights. This year through 45 games they have a combined 14. The other guys lose fights. Win fight = GoGo juice. Lose fight = passive skill players.
- The Law

ok. well i guess teams decided to stop fighting Orr and McLaren then. it's a pretty east strategy to employ. that's why brawlers need to be able to skate a regular shift or they become useless.

Leafs were scouting the Wild-Yotes game. Hopefully its Yandle
- Bigzby

or bogosian or oel......

Awesome ...as a general rule. Did you watch the Leafs play last year? If you did you'd agree that Kessel et al. played a more confident game. In fact it helps support the idea of how they were able to 'fool' Corsi over the short term last year.
- The Law

They 'fooled Corsi' by consistently creating and finishing odd man rushes. The ratio of true scoring chances to corsi inflating Jason Blake shots was much higher.

I'm too lazy to go back and actually chart a timeline, but my general impression is that this team has not been the same since Bolland went down.

ok. well i guess teams decided to stop fighting Orr and McLaren then. it's a pretty east strategy to employ. that's why brawlers need to be able to skate a regular shift or they become useless.
- DoubleDown

As somebody else would say (way too much): B-I-N-G-O

Now, please resume panic mode and discuss how trading Kadri and Gardiner will save the season.

- Fjodor

funny thing is as crappy as we are were still ahead of Ontario's other team

funny thing is as crappy as we are were still ahead of Ontario's other team
- jribout

I totally forgot Ontario had another team.

A question for prospect knowledgeable guys to throw more fuel on the trade both Franson and Gards thought, is Finn a PMD type of D or more a stay at home guy like Percy?

If he is, we have to wonder how many of those guys coming up we have, how many we need, and how many we can even dress.
- mcleafs

hes an overall, all situations guy. ive watched him play a lot this year and he plays PP, PK, and a lot of ES of course. hes like phaneuf in that regard. he doesnt have the dynamic offensive skills of gardiner or reilly but he should be a solid second pairing guy in the NHL.