Why are people focused on the fact that he won the Hobey Baker, and not the fact that he's actually a damn good NHL prospect?
- sbroads24

Nobody said he wasn't. The issue is giving him a guaranteed top 6 role. Not even the best blue chip prospects get those promises and they shouldn't. The accusation was that if Leaf fans and management don't want to give into that because we believe he'd block the kids we have then we're too cocky about our sub par prospects.

I actually believe they will get Vesey and I'm pretty sure I'll be very meh when it happens and pissed off guys like Brown and Johnson lose ice time because of it
- walshyleafsfan

I agree brother. Apparently we are nuts and cocky

Nobody said he wasn't. The issue is giving him a guaranteed top 6 role. Not even the best blue chip prospects get those promises and they shouldn't. The accusation was that if Leaf fans and management don't want to give into that because we believe he'd block the kids we have then we're too cocky about our sub par prospects.

- Seanook

I tried saying this the other day and got mainly roasted. I think one person was with me.

I agree brother. Apparently we are nuts and cocky
- Seanook

Balls.

Edit: Although you(Leafs fans) are both nuts, and cocky.

Hmm.. I forget. Why did O'Reilly want out of Colorado again? Sure he wanted money, but more importantly he didn't like playing third fiddle to MacKinnon and Duchene.

If you think any star player making $7M is ok playing on the third line for an entire season you're sorely mistaken. And sure, you can spread the ice time around for a game or two or even ten maybe, but in the long run the first line will get 20+ minutes, the second will get about 18, the third about 14, and the fourth about 8 with time taken from the bottom 6 for the first line, or whomever is going the best at that particular time. Eichel averaged 19:07 as the 2C. Are you just not going to have a fourth line? You can't even make that work in NHL16 anymore, the players get pissed when they're played below where they should be and not get enough ice time and their stats go down as a result.
- Wetbandit1

All 3 of those lines can get roughly the same icetime
It won't be exact,
But Crosby, Malkin & Kessel were all on different lines & all got over 18min
And all the 4th liners got over 10min each, Cullen got 14min

So u can say it can't be done...
But Pitt is making it work

Remember when Vanek & Roy were on the 3rd line & we just crushed teams bc they couldn't match up with all three of our lines?


EDIT
if anything, since O'Reilly is probably better on the PK than Stamkos & Jack, chances are that he'd continue to lead our forwards in icetime anyways
Can't see him being upset about that

Nobody said he wasn't. The issue is giving him a guaranteed top 6 role. Not even the best blue chip prospects get those promises and they shouldn't. The accusation was that if Leaf fans and management don't want to give into that because we believe he'd block the kids we have then we're too cocky about our sub par prospects.

- Seanook

I didn't say anything about giving him a Top6 role other than if a team like Nashville was willing to, then the Leafs should be able to find a spot for him (not necessarily in the top6)
Nothing guaranteed,
But why wouldn't u wanna give him a shot?

Balls.

Edit: Although you(Leafs fans) are both nuts, and cocky.
- Wetbandit1

I didn't say anything about giving him a Top6 role other than if a team like Nashville was willing to, then the Leafs should be able to find a spot for him (not necessarily in the top6)
Nothing guaranteed,
But why wouldn't u wanna give him a shot?
- jdfitz77

Brown, Sosh, Hyman, Marner, Kapanen, Leipstick , Johnson are all wingers and with the exception of three (Marner hasn't played a minute of pro but may be the best of the bunch) they are all wingers who've earned a shot. Don't think you'd find many Leaf fans who would want to push any of those guys back to the AHL for a chance at Vesey.

All 3 of those lines can get roughly the same icetime
It won't be exact,
But Crosby, Malkin & Kessel were all on different lines & all got over 18min
And all the 4th liners got over 10min each, Cullen got 14min

So u can say it can't be done...
But Pitt is making it work

Remember when Vanek & Roy were on the 3rd line & we just crushed teams bc they couldn't match up with all three of our lines?


EDIT
if anything, since O'Reilly is probably better on the PK than Stamkos & Jack, chances are that he'd continue to lead our forwards in icetime anyways
Can't see him being upset about that
- jdfitz77

One game is not "making it work". Any team can make anything work over the course of a week. It's the 82(hopefully 100) games that's the problem. You're not seeing the bigger picture.

And how long did Vanek and Roy last on the third line? A year and a half. Really only a year, because the first year post lockout we caught everyone by surprise playing backup goalies every other game. It was the second year we were lighting teams on fire. And then two guys wanted money and they fled to the Rangers and Flyers.

Let's say you work in a restaurant. You do all the hard work, you make better money than most, but not all, in the place. Yet they call you a sous chef and the other guy is the head chef. He makes more money, does less work and gets the glory. Would you be happy with that? Of course you wouldn't be. Sure you could make it work for a little while, but over the course of a couple of years it would just eat away at you and continue to piss you off to the point that you'd want out. Hockey players have very fragile egos and they need to be managed. Look at the Drouin situation. He felt he was being under utilized(whether he was or not is irrelevant a lot of players feel that way), so he threw a poop fit and sat out instead of showing up and showing them they were wrong.

Brown, Sosh, Hyman, Marner, Kapanen, Leipstick , Johnson are all wingers and with the exception of three (Marner hasn't played a minute of pro but may be the best of the bunch) they are all wingers who've earned a shot. Don't think you'd find many Leaf fans who would want to push any of those guys back to the AHL for a chance at Vesey.
- Seanook

I think you guys really have something there in Soshnikov. I really liked his game when he played against the Sabres.

I think you guys really have something there in Soshnikov. I really liked his game when he played against the Sabres.
- Wetbandit1

We really struck gold with him. He's a perfect example of a bottom 6 player with big upside.

Why are people focused on the fact that he won the Hobey Baker, and not the fact that he's actually a damn good NHL prospect?
- sbroads24

Because lots of my Canadian brothers don't like to admit that the U.S. National Development Program and the NCAA program are catching up to the CHL. It's not an indictment of the Canadian system, it's that the rest of the world is improving. It's awesome for hockey. More great players makes for more great hockey.

Nobody said he wasn't. The issue is giving him a guaranteed top 6 role. Not even the best blue chip prospects get those promises and they shouldn't. The accusation was that if Leaf fans and management don't want to give into that because we believe he'd block the kids we have then we're too cocky about our sub par prospects.

- Seanook

Also, great blog. I love the hate! I've always hated the Sabres. It will be great in a few years and both teams are relevant and it will be a battle for top spot. Suck it Wings!

I would trade our 2016 1st,1st 2017 for Marner in a second

I would trade our 2016 1st,1st 2017 for Marner in a second
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Of course you would. Leafs wouldn't.

Of course you would. Leafs wouldn't.
- stonehead

I would give Gus or Ennis too I would put in a 2nd with one of them too

Because lots of my Canadian brothers don't like to admit that the U.S. National Development Program and the NCAA program are catching up to the CHL. It's not an indictment of the Canadian system, it's that the rest of the world is improving. It's awesome for hockey. More great players makes for more great hockey.
- stonehead

Dude. Nobody would be happier than us if that is the case. There are no scholarships in Canadian Collegiate sports. The CHL is a dictatorship which blocks its stars from entering the pro ranks unless they play in the NHL. The only markets that aren't tax black holes are the small town old school types... For the most part anyhow.

Many of us follow college hockey closely. I myself have always followed the frozen four.

The only issue here being brought up is the over valuing full term players reaching free agency and demanding the stars n' moon after winning a useless award like the over hyped Hobey Baker.

Brown, Sosh, Hyman, Marner, Kapanen, Leipstick , Johnson are all wingers and with the exception of three (Marner hasn't played a minute of pro but may be the best of the bunch) they are all wingers who've earned a shot. Don't think you'd find many Leaf fans who would want to push any of those guys back to the AHL for a chance at Vesey.
- Seanook

Ok,
We'll take him!
Hahaha

One game is not "making it work". Any team can make anything work over the course of a week. It's the 82(hopefully 100) games that's the problem. You're not seeing the bigger picture.

And how long did Vanek and Roy last on the third line? A year and a half. Really only a year, because the first year post lockout we caught everyone by surprise playing backup goalies every other game. It was the second year we were lighting teams on fire. And then two guys wanted money and they fled to the Rangers and Flyers.

Let's say you work in a restaurant. You do all the hard work, you make better money than most, but not all, in the place. Yet they call you a sous chef and the other guy is the head chef. He makes more money, does less work and gets the glory. Would you be happy with that? Of course you wouldn't be. Sure you could make it work for a little while, but over the course of a couple of years it would just eat away at you and continue to piss you off to the point that you'd want out. Hockey players have very fragile egos and they need to be managed. Look at the Drouin situation. He felt he was being under utilized(whether he was or not is irrelevant a lot of players feel that way), so he threw a poop fit and sat out instead of showing up and showing them they were wrong.
- Wetbandit1

First,
I have actually worked in restaurants & bars all my life.
There's a pecking order. That's how it goes.
Tough to relate the real world & sports though.
It's just not the same thing

Second,
You're example is a punk kid like Drouin?
Come on
O'Reilly & Stamkos are professionals who want to win
I know everyone has an ego,
But I doubt they wouldn't find a way to make it work

And like I said...
O'Reilly would end up getting the most icetime
So why again is he upset?

With McDavid and Laine out west, it's going to be Matthews vs Eichel for the next 10+ years. Could kick start a really fun rivalry.

I would trade our 2016 1st,1st 2017 for Marner in a second
- GERBE!!!75PTS

I think even we are astounded at how good he's been. I don't make predictions but he's very likely much better than anyone knew at draft day.

One game is not "making it work". Any team can make anything work over the course of a week. It's the 82(hopefully 100) games that's the problem. You're not seeing the bigger picture.

And how long did Vanek and Roy last on the third line? A year and a half. Really only a year, because the first year post lockout we caught everyone by surprise playing backup goalies every other game. It was the second year we were lighting teams on fire. And then two guys wanted money and they fled to the Rangers and Flyers.

Let's say you work in a restaurant. You do all the hard work, you make better money than most, but not all, in the place. Yet they call you a sous chef and the other guy is the head chef. He makes more money, does less work and gets the glory. Would you be happy with that? Of course you wouldn't be. Sure you could make it work for a little while, but over the course of a couple of years it would just eat away at you and continue to piss you off to the point that you'd want out. Hockey players have very fragile egos and they need to be managed. Look at the Drouin situation. He felt he was being under utilized(whether he was or not is irrelevant a lot of players feel that way), so he threw a poop fit and sat out instead of showing up and showing them they were wrong.
- Wetbandit1

Is Drouin not showing them they were dead wrong by having 7 points already in the postseason?

I don't get the hate for Drouin, he was being criminally mismanaged by a team, wanted out because he wanted to play, management told him they were going to trade him, never did, so he sat.

Now he plays when given the opportunity, and is proving how silly it was he was in the AHL at all. Kudos to Drouin.

Is Drouin not showing them they were dead wrong by having 7 points already in the postseason?

I don't get the hate for Drouin, he was being criminally mismanaged by a team, wanted out because he wanted to play, management told him they were going to trade him, never did, so he sat.

Now he plays when given the opportunity, and is proving how silly it was he was in the AHL at all. Kudos to Drouin.
- sbroads24

Handled badly by both sides. Lindros was a great player too but he was still a Richard

Dude. Nobody would be happier than us if that is the case. There are no scholarships in Canadian Collegiate sports. The CHL is a dictatorship which blocks its stars from entering the pro ranks unless they play in the NHL. The only markets that aren't tax black holes are the small town old school types... For the most part anyhow.

Many of us follow college hockey closely. I myself have always followed the frozen four.

The only issue here being brought up is the over valuing full term players reaching free agency and demanding the stars n' moon after winning a useless award like the over hyped Hobey Baker.
- Seanook

No offense, but most of us don't follow NCAA. How much coverage do you see on TSN and Sportsnet? Jack all. To say most hockey fans in Canada follow it is a lie. I like to think that I follow Canadian junior hockey pretty closely, but I have very little exposure to NCAA and US National Development Program. You have to search it out and I am guessing most Canadians don't. By the way, I am also a Canadian.

No offense, but most of us don't follow NCAA. How much coverage do you see on TSN and Sportsnet? Jack all. To say most hockey fans in Canada follow it is a lie. I like to think that I follow Canadian junior hockey pretty closely, but I have very little exposure to NCAA and US National Development Program. You have to search it out and I am guessing most Canadians don't. By the way, I am also a Canadian.
- stonehead

It`s okay. Garf guaranteeing Stamkos now.