Blah blah blah.

Karlsson fan bois are so obnoxious. HE'S THE BESTEST, I SWEAR IT.
- prock

You shouldn't call anyone obnoxious, for the same reason I shouldn't.

You're right, Doughty was a horrible choice for Norris. Then again, there's no one in the world you would want playing big minutes and in crucial situations more than him.

You shouldn't call anyone obnoxious, for the same reason I shouldn't.
- James_Tanner

Why not? I know I can be obnoxious, I do it intentionally sometimes. I know you do the same. When the fanbois pull the stuff they did above, they're not doing it intentionally. They just are.

Not this year. Burns is better. Last year, Doughty was.

Would you like some cheese with your whine?
- prock

Another year of the Sens being better then your beloved Leafs eh prock.

Hang in there champ

He's having a fantastic season. But no chance he wins the Norris. The Norris is a scoring competition and almost always goes to the guy with the most points. If Karlsson wants to win that thing he'll have to outscore Burns. It's not even going to be close in the votes. Doesn't mean he isn't having a great season and doesn't mean he isn't an amazing D-man though.

He's having a fantastic season. But no chance he wins the Norris. The Norris is a scoring competition and almost always goes to the guy with the most points. If Karlsson wants to win that thing he'll have to outscore Burns. It's not even going to be close in the votes. Doesn't mean he isn't having a great season and doesn't mean he isn't an amazing D-man though.
- FlareKnight

Except last year when Karlsson had 82 points in 82 games.

My personal favorite was how they sold how each player deserved to win

Karlsson : 82 pts

Burns : 27 goals / 70 pts

Doughty : umm +24

Another year of the Sens being better then your beloved Leafs eh prock.

Hang in there champ
- SENS 613

The end goal is the Stanley Cup. Sens fans are happy with being 6th to 10th in the conference, and Melnyk just wants 8th or better, doesn't matter to him. He just wants the playoff revenue.

This year has been an amazing year for the Leafs. Their youth is absolutely phenomenal, and without a doubt, are FAR closer to a cup than the Sens. As in, not even remotely close.

So, I don't really care if the Sens are a few points ahead in the standings of our rookie filled team. This Leaf team has established themselves as one of the best young teams in the league, a team you can expect to be at the top of the league for a long time to come.

So, hold off on your "hang in there champ", for a little while longer, then it's much more likely you can call the Leafs that.

Except last year when Karlsson had 82 points in 82 games.

My personal favorite was how they sold how each player deserved to win

Karlsson : 82 pts

Burns : 27 goals / 70 pts

Doughty : umm +24


- SENS 613

True, it almost always does. Doughty just put in a historically notable defensive performance, while still being near the top of the league offensively, so there really was no question it should go to him.

I don't even know who you're talking about. I can tell you that I definitely do not have any alt accounts and that I never posted on HB before I was hired.
- James_Tanner

I have to call BS on that. I don't know the account in question, but I know you have another account on here. I won't name names for now.
But, I haven't seen you pull out your alt/cavalry account for a long time. You've embraced your anti-hero role here and done a great job with it.

The end goal is the Stanley Cup. Sens fans are happy with being 6th to 10th in the conference, and Melnyk just wants 8th or better, doesn't matter to him. He just wants the playoff revenue.

This year has been an amazing year for the Leafs. Their youth is absolutely phenomenal, and without a doubt, are FAR closer to a cup than the Sens. As in, not even remotely close.

So, I don't really care if the Sens are a few points ahead in the standings of our rookie filled team. This Leaf team has established themselves as one of the best young teams in the league, a team you can expect to be at the top of the league for a long time to come.

So, hold off on your "hang in there champ", for a little while longer, then it's much more likely you can call the Leafs that.
- prock

LOL you do know you have said this exact quote for the last 5 years right?

I won't argue that up front the young forwards are great. But your back end is one of the worst in the league. Now I would expect that they will spend a ton of money to help fix that problem but without any major improvements to the D core they will continue to struggle to make the playoffs.

Karlsson has this stigma attached to him which the average hockey fan assumes.

People think he is the same guy as he was in his first three seasons, a point producing, strictly offensize D-man who isn't good in his zone. But what people dont get is he is dominant in his own zone just as much as the opposition.

It's not even close. The guy is the best defenceman and offensive dman in the world. Period. He shouldve won last year as well, he shouldve won the year PK won, but had his achilles injury. Last year though took the cake of people who just don't know how good he is. The fact he lost to Doughty is brutal as he was far and away better. He has never played with a true #2 or even a #3 Dman. Methot is borderline a 3, but more like a 4.

Now, there is this year. He is on another planet all-together. The guy dominates in every zone. He leads the lead in blocked shots. Plays PK. PP. You name it. He changed his game to suit the style of the coaches system and still controls the play.

Now, Burns is good. But he isnt in the same breath as Karlsson. He has two Norris' already and by the end of this season, he should have 5. This whole thing that its 'Burns time' like it was Doughty's time, is nausiating. Scoring 30 goals is impressive. But when you are compared to Mike Green, Kevin Hatcher etc, that isnt anything to ride home about. Karlsson should be in the conversation for the Hart. Shouldnt win, but he should be mentioned in that breath.
- BodyCheckRadio

There's a few good D that all belong in the same breath...Burns does what EK does and maybe even more.

EK is great and every team would love him...who cares about the rest. Playoffs and long runs in the playoffs is all that matters...hope you guys have a good run, unless you play the Leafs

Karlsson is very very good. Burns is very very good. But Burns hasn't won one yet and is having a Ray Bourqueish year, so he'll probably get it.

We do this every single year though, it's stupid. Why does the league have trophies for best offensive forward and best defensive forward, but not the equivalent on defense? Honor the two sides of the position and stop this madness!!

Also, Tanner, you kinda besmirched those guys ahead of Karlsson on that PPG list. Most of those guys played in the era of Roy, Belfour, Hasek, Brodeur and other goalie greats. I know, there was lots of trash out there, but they were incredible d-men.

I have to call BS on that. I don't know the account in question, but I know you have another account on here. I won't name names for now.
But, I haven't seen you pull out your alt/cavalry account for a long time. You've embraced your anti-hero role here and done a great job with it.
- Vanoxy

You don't know anything. Seriously, this is ridiculous. Why would I risk my job to have an alternate account when they could easily run the IP address and find out it's me? I can assure you I don't know how a person could hide their I.P. I can barely work a microwave.

I guess my Washington blogging account is technically an alt account - It's James_tanner1 so I don't think that'll fool anyone.

Karlsson is very very good. Burns is very very good. But Burns hasn't won one yet and is having a Ray Bourqueish year, so he'll probably get it.

We do this every single year though, it's stupid. Why does the league have trophies for best offensive forward and best defensive forward, but not the equivalent on defense? Honor the two sides of the position and stop this madness!!

Also, Tanner, you kinda besmirched those guys ahead of Karlsson on that PPG list. Most of those guys played in the era of Roy, Belfour, Hasek, Brodeur and other goalie greats. I know, there was lots of trash out there, but they were incredible d-men.
- mgriffen

They will add an award for Best offensive defenseman after Karlsson retires, and they'll call it the Erik Karlsson trophy.

Karlsson is very very good. Burns is very very good. But Burns hasn't won one yet and is having a Ray Bourqueish year, so he'll probably get it.

We do this every single year though, it's stupid. Why does the league have trophies for best offensive forward and best defensive forward, but not the equivalent on defense? Honor the two sides of the position and stop this madness!!

Also, Tanner, you kinda besmirched those guys ahead of Karlsson on that PPG list. Most of those guys played in the era of Roy, Belfour, Hasek, Brodeur and other goalie greats. I know, there was lots of trash out there, but they were incredible d-men.
- mgriffen

I agree, if for no other reason that we can appease certain elements and stop hearing about "________ deserves trophieeeeezzzzzz"

And really, I'd rather not hear about individual trophies anyway. They're footnotes on an NHL season IMO.

You don't know anything. Seriously, this is ridiculous. Why would I risk my job to have an alternate account when they could easily run the IP address and find out it's me? I can assure you I don't know how a person could hide their I.P. I can barely work a microwave.

I guess my Washington blogging account is technically an alt account - It's James_tanner1 so I don't think that'll fool anyone.
- James_Tanner

I think some bloggers can sometimes comment on the generic "hockeybuzz" account - especially in the trade deadline blog? Maybe they're thinking of that?

I get accused of having alts all the time. I have one, which I haven't used in about 5 years. I don't have the time for it.

You don't know anything. Seriously, this is ridiculous. Why would I risk my job to have an alternate account when they could easily run the IP address and find out it's me? I can assure you I don't know how a person could hide their I.P. I can barely work a microwave.

I guess my Washington blogging account is technically an alt account - It's James_tanner1 so I don't think that'll fool anyone.
- James_Tanner

Thing is James, UG was actually a great poster. He just got under too many people's skins, but he had talent to get a conversation going right or wrong. ANd man could he generate hits to any posted blog. Which makes one think, that in every way, UG would be the perfect HB blogger. Hint Hint.

I'd suggest rather than banning UG for life, they give him a new identity, and a new purpose....you know, like the Suicide Squad.

Or....maybe they already did.

Why not? I know I can be obnoxious, I do it intentionally sometimes. I know you do the same. When the fanbois pull the stuff they did above, they're not doing it intentionally. They just are.
- prock

You calling other people "fanbois" is the best. From prock:

- if I was gm of the Leafs I wouldn't take Karlsson for free
- I'd rather have Gardiner and Rielly than Karlsson
- leafs have greatest rookies in NHL history

And you still have the stones to call other people obnoxious fanbois.......

I think some bloggers can sometimes comment on the generic "hockeybuzz" account - especially in the trade deadline blog? Maybe they're thinking of that?

I get accused of having alts all the time. I have one, which I haven't used in about 5 years. I don't have the time for it.
- prock

Whatever you say spatso

So the Norris goes to the player who does well over the years or is it suppose to go to the best defenseman for the year?

Far from a Sharks fan but Burns deserves the Norris this year and should have won it last year.

I agree, if for no other reason that we can appease certain elements and stop hearing about "________ deserves trophieeeeezzzzzz"

And really, I'd rather not hear about individual trophies anyway. They're footnotes on an NHL season IMO.
- prock

Agreed, it's super annoying and there's obviously always going to be a couple guys who didn't win that a lot of people are going to think should have. And I agree on the footnotes bit; I'm sure Nik Lidstrom would trade all of his Norris trophies for one more Stanley Cup.

You don't know anything. Seriously, this is ridiculous. Why would I risk my job to have an alternate account when they could easily run the IP address and find out it's me? I can assure you I don't know how a person could hide their I.P. I can barely work a microwave.

I guess my Washington blogging account is technically an alt account - It's James_tanner1 so I don't think that'll fool anyone.
- James_Tanner

As I said, I haven't seen your old account used in a long time. But, you did post on here before being hired, and there was some overlap between your Leaf Fan account and your paid employee account.

I'll leave it at that.

Agreed, and he might be better than Housley and Bourque too. Although I think Potvins mean streak gives him the nod.
- shack67

After Orr and Lidstrom, you can make a case for Bourque being the best ever. There was no area of Bourque's game, including body checking, that Bourque did not excel at. EK is not better than him. He's very good, but he's not better than Ray Bourque.

I tried making this joke several times.

It's waaaaaay too highbrow for this crowd.

Which is a shame, because Jake=Chauncey.
- Atomic Wedgie

btw, thanks for reminding me. Haven't seen that movie in many years. Fantastic performance by Peter. Gonna watch it tonight

After Orr and Lidstrom, you can make a case for Bourque being the best ever. There was no area of Bourque's game, including body checking, that Bourque did not excel at. EK is not better than him. He's very good, but he's not better than Ray Bourque.
- jmatchett383

I'd take Bourque over Lidstrom too. Just my opinion, I view Ray as the second best dman of all time.