I know Mashinter gets crucified on this board, but I have a hard problem resenting him. Before the '15/'16 season, I believe Mash got into the best shape of his life and went balls out to be a candidate for a lower-line job. Management rewarded him (questionably) with regular appearances on the bottom line. Inexplicably, for a few games of the Blues series too.

While I don't want to see him in a Hawks sweater, I don't find any fault in his efforts or on-ice conduct. If the Hawks choose to pay and skate a guy that is AHL quality on their bottom line, the problem is with the Hawks, not Mash. Hopefully the Tootoo/Lundberg signings make this more of a moot point moving forward.

Off soapbox!
- phantasmo

Great perspective. I agree with you, too. I personally don't have an issue with who he is as a player, however limited his skillset may be. And I definitely would never knock his effort or work ethic. The thing that bothers me is how management and/or coaching staff think he is a better option than others we have had in Rockford the last year like McNeill, Hartman, Kero, and Baun (if he hadn't gotten injured and derailed his development). Maybe Mashinter was (is) more sound of a player last year than these other prospects. Hopefully that's not the case this season.

I was recently reading an NHL yearbook from a few years ago (NHL Sports Forecaster, I think) and it was back when Mashinter was one of the Sharks top prospects. The brief bio they had for Mashinter said something like, "Goals will come but the Sharks need his grit right now." Take that FWIW.

Since not much else is really going on, I figured I would ask a question that I'm sure to get crucified for...

Why is Toronto called the Maple Leafs and not the Maple Leaves?

I will now go back to drinking during the day....

Since not much else is really going on, I figured I would ask a question that I'm sure to get crucified for...

Why is Toronto called the Maple Leafs and not the Maple Leaves?

I will now go back to drinking during the day....
- Chunk

Whatever market research was like a century ago, maybe research showed that Leafs just sounds better than Leaves. It does to me, at least. Or maybe it was aliens who named the team the way it is.

And for all your Ancient Aliens fans out there, aliens also created the Original 6.

Since not much else is really going on, I figured I would ask a question that I'm sure to get crucified for...

Why is Toronto called the Maple Leafs and not the Maple Leaves?

I will now go back to drinking during the day....
- Chunk

Because they were named after the Maple Leaf regiment of the Canadian Army. Since Maple Leaf is a proper noun, the correct plural is Maple Leafs, not Maple Leaves.

Because they were named after the Maple Leaf regiment of the Canadian Army. Since Maple Leaf is a proper noun, the correct plural is Maple Leafs, not Maple Leaves.
- JRoenick97

Wow, thanks. You can tell I never did all that well in history class

Wow, thanks. You can tell I never did all that well in history class
- Chunk

I can't take credit. I literally just googled "Maple Leafs not Leaves" and it was on that results page.

Thank you very much. The company was out in Warrenville, seems like a nice area out there.
- mhp

Good luck. Grew up there and lived there until recently (job change led to a move downstate). Great schools, great parks/trails, good restaurants nearby and easy access to the city. My old neighbors know Radke. Pretty cool like you said that he got drafted by the Hawks!

Because they were named after the Maple Leaf regiment of the Canadian Army. Since Maple Leaf is a proper noun, the correct plural is Maple Leafs, not Maple Leaves.
- JRoenick97

That is mainly correct but the Maple Leaf is considered a badge of courage and a reminder of home that was a symbol to the soldiers in the Canadian army who fought in WW1. When Conn Smythe bought the team some time during the 1920's he changed the name from the St. Patricks and also the colors from green and white to blue and white.

Conn Smythe ruled with an iron fist and they won most of their Stanley Cups when he owned the team. Since he croaked the franchise has been pretty much an competitive joke since 1967.

The Jets name Wheeler as their next captain, replacing former Blackhawk Andrew Ladd. Another former Hawk, Byfuglien, will be an alternate captain (the other A will will Scheifele).

Great perspective. I agree with you, too. I personally don't have an issue with who he is as a player, however limited his skillset may be. And I definitely would never knock his effort or work ethic. The thing that bothers me is how management and/or coaching staff think he is a better option than others we have had in Rockford the last year like McNeill, Hartman, Kero, and Baun (if he hadn't gotten injured and derailed his development). Maybe Mashinter was (is) more sound of a player last year than these other prospects. Hopefully that's not the case this season.

I was recently reading an NHL yearbook from a few years ago (NHL Sports Forecaster, I think) and it was back when Mashinter was one of the Sharks top prospects. The brief bio they had for Mashinter said something like, "Goals will come but the Sharks need his grit right now." Take that FWIW.
- AEL_Fox

I remembet Q saying he was one of/the hardest working Hawk at practice last season. Q is very much an old school coach, in that he will pull the ol' "see what happens if you work hard - Mash is not the most talented, but he is playing because he works he butt off"

I heard second hand from a former Hawks player who consults for them still that Q makes up his mind in the first couple of practices if he likes a player or not, and thus why Daley and others are not given a "shot"

You can't really say that. They made a number of plays for several players. They got Campbell and Kempny (big deficiency from last year). They apparently pitched Vesey and Hudler and they chose other options. You can't "make" the Leafs trade JVR for his brother. What would you have liked to see?
- Chunk

Stan should have made good on the Eklund rumor and gotten Malkin for Kruger!!!

Good luck. Grew up there and lived there until recently (job change led to a move downstate). Great schools, great parks/trails, good restaurants nearby and easy access to the city. My old neighbors know Radke. Pretty cool like you said that he got drafted by the Hawks!
- Marlowe

Thanks, appreciate that. His dad said that his son considered BU and a few other colleges but he's done well in Barrie for the Colts. When I mentioned Stan Bowman and that Chicago drafted him I could see he was getting a bit emotional about it. Nice to see kids from their hometowns get drafted. Buffalo did the same thing in this year's draft with a 7th rd pick.

Thanks, appreciate that. His dad said that his son considered BU and a few other colleges but he's done well in Barrie for the Colts. When I mentioned Stan Bowman and that Chicago drafted him I could see he was getting a bit emotional about it. Nice to see kids from their hometowns get drafted. Buffalo did the same thing in this year's draft with a 7th rd pick.
- mhp

Barrie is a nice little down that's been growing over the past few years. They have a really nice horse track their too.

Thanks, appreciate that. His dad said that his son considered BU and a few other colleges but he's done well in Barrie for the Colts. When I mentioned Stan Bowman and that Chicago drafted him I could see he was getting a bit emotional about it. Nice to see kids from their hometowns get drafted. Buffalo did the same thing in this year's draft with a 7th rd pick.
- mhp

You all have had some Buffalo natives play for the Sabres, too. Kaleta and Foligno come to mind.

Thank you very much. The company was out in Warrenville, seems like a nice area out there.
- mhp

That whole Wheaton, Warrenville and Naperville area is nice. I'd stay out there though if I was working out there. That reverse commute is enough to drive you insane.

You all have had some Buffalo natives play for the Sabres, too. Kaleta and Foligno come to mind.
- AEL_Fox

Buffalo and Rochester have both put out some nice players over the years. The youth hockey programs are excellent and the development these kids get through the Jr Sabres is really good.

Not a fan of Kaleta though. He's a punk on the ice but he does a lot of nice charity work in the area.

That whole Wheaton, Warrenville and Naperville area is nice. I'd stay out there though if I was working out there. That reverse commute is enough to drive you insane.
- fattybeef

I flew into O'Hare from Buffalo and the VP that picked me up took her an hour from her house to get there. Yikes!

I can't take credit. I literally just googled "Maple Leafs not Leaves" and it was on that results page.
- JRoenick97

So apparently I am very lazy as well.

I remembet Q saying he was one of/the hardest working Hawk at practice last season. Q is very much an old school coach, in that he will pull the ol' "see what happens if you work hard - Mash is not the most talented, but he is playing because he works he butt off"

I heard second hand from a former Hawks player who consults for them still that Q makes up his mind in the first couple of practices if he likes a player or not, and thus why Daley and others are not given a "shot"
- Sundevil

Explains a lot. Wish I could say I think an old dog could learn new tricks, but hard to see it happening. Too bad, because I think in the current environment, it's risky and shortsighted. Veterans coming in after playing years in another "system" and young'uns probably need more than a week to acclimate and show how good or not they would be in the Hawks lineup. Could be wrong, of course, but I don't see Q as being a fantastic communicator of what he does/does not want to see before these guys get their shot.

Except for, you know, that glaring lack of a real 4-6 d-man that was not present last year and is this year. This board has negative blinders on, I swear.
- JRoenick97

Yes, agreed improvements were made at the D, granted.
That being said we were already struggling last year with the 5 on 5 plus we lost TT, Shaw, and Ladd. The loss of those players will hurt and if you add Hossa getting older, Panarin and Kane will most likely not repeat their MVP years, all of that plus the 5 on 5 struggles makes it all a liitle worrisome from an offensive point of view.....that's all I'm saying. Hopefully all the youth movement gets it done but that's wishful thinking from where I sit. I'm sure the NTC contracts also hurts our ability to make certain moves.....who knows if we do not make the playoffs or an early exit will probably warrant moving a couple of large contracts. Time will tell.

Not a fan of Kaleta though. He's a punk on the ice but he does a lot of nice charity work in the area.
- mhp

Yeah, have always considered Kaleta to be a punk on the ice. What you said is something that bothers me about some people who stick up for guys like Backes and Burrows. Their logic is they can't be bush league d-bags on the ice because they do great charity work off of it. Don't see how that logic works. IMHO, you can be a charitable person and awesome family man but still be a well-deserved hated jerk when it comes to the sport.

Yeah, have always considered Kaleta to be a punk on the ice. What you said is something that bothers me about some people who stick up for guys like Backes and Burrows. Their logic is they can't be bush league d-bags on the ice because they do great charity work off of it. Don't see how that logic works. IMHO, you can be a charitable person and awesome family man but still be a well-deserved hated jerk when it comes to the sport.
- AEL_Fox

Are you suggesting there is something wrong with biting and hair pulling?

So apparently I am very lazy as well.
- Chunk

I would call you guys "Internet Smart".

Yes, agreed improvements were made at the D, granted.
That being said we were already struggling last year with the 5 on 5 plus we lost TT, Shaw, and Ladd. The loss of those players will hurt and if you add Hossa getting older, Panarin and Kane will most likely not repeat their MVP years, all of that plus the 5 on 5 struggles makes it all a liitle worrisome from an offensive point of view.....that's all I'm saying. Hopefully all the youth movement gets it done but that's wishful thinking from where I sit. I'm sure the NTC contracts also hurts our ability to make certain moves.....who knows if we do not make the playoffs or an early exit will probably warrant moving a couple of large contracts. Time will tell.
- Hawkster

It's not necessarily accurate to add Ladd into a loss column when discussing regular season issues when he wasn't on the team for a majority of the season. He factored in so very little to the overview of the season. Shaw and Teravainen's losses will have an impact, though.

Also, historically for the Hawks, even strength play is primary run through the defense. Improvement to the defense should actually help with possession and offense, even if the forward core isn't as strong (which is actually hard to say currently). Who knew Bickell-Shaw-Stalberg would be such a solid line in 2013?

Because they were named after the Maple Leaf regiment of the Canadian Army. Since Maple Leaf is a proper noun, the correct plural is Maple Leafs, not Maple Leaves.
- JRoenick97

relatedly, their insignia is just one leaf, not a pile of leaves.