Anyone know if Anderson is on track with his recovery?
- Fakepartofme

listen to Uncle Lou's comments from his press conference yesterday.

'That leaves Marincin, Hunwick, Corrado, and Carrick fighting for the last two vacant spots if the Leafs were to dress six defensemen a night.'

What if they were to dress just 3? That seems like a better option.
- Dollars2Donuts

haha smart ass, sometimes teams will dress 7 D men.

Last I heard it was Must win for him
- senstroll

Robidas Island volleyball tournament must be getting heated

Robidas Island volleyball tournament must be getting heated
- PVL29

havnt heard much on Cowen

havnt heard much on Cowen
- Lucas.Neilson

that's the way Uncle Lou likes things.... 'haven't heard much'...


Cowen is going to be bought out... Lou will win in the end. He always does. Remember how everyone was penciling Lupul in until yesterday?

Lou made his mind up in February or March that Lupul's rehab wasn't going to be successful.

Lums, is it the league I'm already in?
- BetterCallSaul

Nope, it's another one.

My Top 5 North America Stars:

1. Nathan MacKinnon: One man wrecking crew. Showed fllashes of Peter Forsberg
2. Connor McDavid: The fastest player in the NHL. Tougher than people give him credit for.
3. Jack Eichel: Strong on the defensive side of the puck. Channeled his inner Mike Modano.
4. Johnny Gaudreau: Plays at 500 mph and 7,500 RPMs. Pat Kane Vesrion 2.0.
5. Colton Parayko: Badass! Shots it liike Shea Weber. Tough as nails.
6. Aaron Ekblad: One of my top three puck movers in the. Played 23 minutes plus TOI
7. Auston Matthews: Very likely will be the next Anze Kopitar

Barf

WTF

Hey James,

I don't think Polak will stay on the top 4, but I don't think they should be rushing Carrick to the top pairing right away either.

Ease him in..third pairing with some power play time.

Polak is a third pairing D man - Just thinking they may start him on the second pairing until one of the younger D men are ready to move up (Carrick) could be that guy.
- Lucas.Neilson

my dark horse is Nielsen.... big guy who can skate and obviously move the puck.

Hey James,

I don't think Polak will stay on the top 4, but I don't think they should be rushing Carrick to the top pairing right away either.

Ease him in..third pairing with some power play time.

Polak is a third pairing D man - Just thinking they may start him on the second pairing until one of the younger D men are ready to move up (Carrick) could be that guy.
- Lucas.Neilson

I guess "top pairing" is relative, as Gardiner and Reilly will likely see about the same amount of ice time. I believe that Gardiner is the best guy to play Carrick with though because Gardiner tends to make everyone better.

Either way, at this point, I think Gards, Reilly, Carrick and Z are the 4 best options. Marincin @ 5 and then you have a bunch of duds fighting for the last roster spot.

You could be right - if Babcock has one weakness, it's that he still thinks guys like Polak are effective, however, I am sure they signed him to be like a player-assistant coach; there is no way they cannot know how horrible he is.

My Top 5 North America Stars:

1. Nathan MacKinnon: One man wrecking crew. Showed fllashes of Peter Forsberg
2. Connor McDavid: The fastest player in the NHL. Tougher than people give him credit for.
3. Jack Eichel: Strong on the defensive side of the puck. Channeled his inner Mike Modano.
4. Johnny Gaudreau: Plays at 500 mph and 7,500 RPMs. Pat Kane Vesrion 2.0.
5. Colton Parayko: Badass! Shots it liike Shea Weber. Tough as nails.
6. Aaron Ekblad: One of my top three puck movers in the. Played 23 minutes plus TOI
7. Auston Matthews: Very likely will be the next Anze Kopitar

Barf

WTF
- nbboy

Eichel... defensive side of the puck? Modano? same sentence.

Eichel was a turn over machine.

Eichel... defensive side of the puck? Modano? same sentence.

Eichel was a turn over machine.
- BorjeFan4Ever

I agree, I'd prefer to see him out of the top 4, but wasn't Polak a 5/6 on a team that made the SCF?
- 1979AD

Polak played at the expense of Dylan DeMalo, a decision that could have cost them the Cup. He played horribly and is horrible.

My Top 5 North America Stars:

1. Nathan MacKinnon: One man wrecking crew. Showed fllashes of Peter Forsberg
2. Connor McDavid: The fastest player in the NHL. Tougher than people give him credit for.
3. Jack Eichel: Strong on the defensive side of the puck. Channeled his inner Mike Modano.
4. Johnny Gaudreau: Plays at 500 mph and 7,500 RPMs. Pat Kane Vesrion 2.0.
5. Colton Parayko: Badass! Shots it liike Shea Weber. Tough as nails.
6. Aaron Ekblad: One of my top three puck movers in the. Played 23 minutes plus TOI
7. Auston Matthews: Very likely will be the next Anze Kopitar

Barf

WTF
- nbboy

I can't agree with this, because without the Puck Eichel isn't even an NHL player. I thought Auston Matthews was easily their third best player after McDavid and MacKinnon.

I can't agree with this, because without the Puck Eichel isn't even an NHL player. I thought Auston Matthews was easily their third best player after McDavid and MacKinnon.
- JTanner

Agree

I can't agree with this, because without the Puck Eichel isn't even an NHL player. I thought Auston Matthews was easily their third best player after McDavid and MacKinnon.
- JTanner

Johnny Hockey says hello Tanner!!

I guess "top pairing" is relative, as Gardiner and Reilly will likely see about the same amount of ice time. I believe that Gardiner is the best guy to play Carrick with though because Gardiner tends to make everyone better.

Either way, at this point, I think Gards, Reilly, Carrick and Z are the 4 best options. Marincin @ 5 and then you have a bunch of duds fighting for the last roster spot.

You could be right - if Babcock has one weakness, it's that he still thinks guys like Polak are effective, however, I am sure they signed him to be like a player-assistant coach; there is no way they cannot know how horrible he is.
- JTanner

perhaps... just perhaps Babcock and Leafs management have a slightly different evaluation of what a good NHL defenseman is than you do.... I mean those guys have coached a few guys who can play.

so with that said... maybe ... again just maybe Gardiner isn't the best D man in the league ... and maybe ... Polak is useful at doing things like killing penalties and providing some veteran poise to what is a very young finesse based group.

maybe. Babcock knows a bit more than you do.

maybe.

My Top 5 North America Stars:

1. Nathan MacKinnon: One man wrecking crew. Showed fllashes of Peter Forsberg
2. Connor McDavid: The fastest player in the NHL. Tougher than people give him credit for.
3. Jack Eichel: Strong on the defensive side of the puck. Channeled his inner Mike Modano.
4. Johnny Gaudreau: Plays at 500 mph and 7,500 RPMs. Pat Kane Vesrion 2.0.
5. Colton Parayko: Badass! Shots it liike Shea Weber. Tough as nails.
6. Aaron Ekblad: One of my top three puck movers in the. Played 23 minutes plus TOI
7. Auston Matthews: Very likely will be the next Anze Kopitar

Barf


WTF
- nbboy

Here's the real Top 5.

1. McKinnon
2. McDavid
3. Gaudreau
4. Matthews

Here's the real Top 5.

1. McKinnon
2. McDavid
3. Gaudreau
4. Matthews
- 1979AD

Good list

- nbboy

seriously... there were shifts where Eichel gave the puck away about three times.

and it didn't just happen once.

I guess all the televised high-school / college mates - summer league baloney really was him at his best.

...

waits for wrath of Garth.

I can't agree with this, because without the Puck Eichel isn't even an NHL player. I thought Auston Matthews was easily their third best player after McDavid and MacKinnon.
- JTanner

What!? Do the HERO charts support this thought?

Nope, it's another one.
- lumlums

is it the MikeAugelloHBkeeper league?

I guess "top pairing" is relative, as Gardiner and Reilly will likely see about the same amount of ice time. I believe that Gardiner is the best guy to play Carrick with though because Gardiner tends to make everyone better.

Either way, at this point, I think Gards, Reilly, Carrick and Z are the 4 best options. Marincin @ 5 and then you have a bunch of duds fighting for the last roster spot.

You could be right - if Babcock has one weakness, it's that he still thinks guys like Polak are effective, however, I am sure they signed him to be like a player-assistant coach; there is no way they cannot know how horrible he is.
- JTanner

Lefty / Righty pairings, 8 dmen on the roster is my guess:

rielly zaitsev
gardiner carrick
hunwick corrado
marincin polak

Here's the real Top 5.

1. McKinnon
2. McDavid
3. Gaudreau
4. Matthews
- 1979AD

In fairness to Morgan Rielly, I thought he was pretty damn good this tournament. Because he plays defence he won't be noticed like the forwards but for me he was really really good.

If the Leafs play Polak in the top 4 - which they almost certainly won't - I will have lost all faith in the so called "shanaplan" (ugh) and almost don't even want to watch.

However, luckily I am pretty sure they signed him to be their #7. I hope to see Carrick and Gardiner on the top pairing.
- JTanner

I think Lou even said in the presser that Polak was signed as a 7th and he knew what role he was signing on to when he came back here.

Carrick on the top pairing already!??! Wonder why? I think most would prefer to see Reilly and Zaitsev as they have both impressed on the world stage playing against the toughest opponents.

I would be happy just to see Gardiner and Carrick do well this season as a 3/4

Here's the real Top 5.

1. McKinnon
2. McDavid
3. Gaudreau
4. Matthews
- 1979AD

WTF