James Tanner: PLUS / MINUS: Late Summer Hockey Fix Edition

Better Call Saul = agree 100%. Excellent show.

Honorable mention = Ozark (Netflix series-10 episodes).

Better Call Saul = agree 100%. Excellent show.

Honorable mention = Ozark (Netflix series-10 episodes).
- quackup

Never heard about that show before.

Completely agree with you about Eichel. But as a fan of Buffalo sports, we're used to nobody talking about our stars. Nobody really talked much about Dominik Hasek or Alexander Mogilny. To take it a step further, nobody even really talked about Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, or Thurman Thomas. It's simply a fact of life that I've come to except.

As far as Eichel goes, in a way, I'm glad nobody is really talking about him, or consider him elite. This is a very, very competitive young man, and the bigger the chip on his shoulder gets, will only compel him to work harder and get even better.

So let them keep talking up McDavid and Matthews. I'm not delusional like Maple Leaf fans, and I realize that McDavid is a cut above, and is in rarified - Lemuiex, Crosby and Gretzky - air. I know that Eichel will most likely never be as good as McDavid. All that matters is that Eichel doesn't accept it. He told Tim Murray on draft day "I think I'm the best player in this draft"...

It's going to be great to see, and VERY satisfying when Eichel starts (this year) putting up 100 point seasons. I could careless what McDavid does. The only time I care about what he's doing is the 2 times a year when Buffalo and Edmonton drop the puck.

This will only get better if somehow Reinhardt takes a major step forward this year. But if he doesn't, there is Nylander AND Middlestadt waiting in the wings. And mark my words, once Middlestadt is ready, the combo of Eichel and Middlestadt will be close to unstoppable; because this Casey Middlestadt kid is "good, scary good"!

Never heard about that show before.
- James_Tanner

It's very good.

MINUS: False equivalencies, cowards, racists.

Precisely.

Never heard about that show before.
- James_Tanner

Netflix just released it (Ozark) end of July. Stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney. It's very very good James. Binge worthy. Hoping for a season 2

Completely agree with you about Eichel. But as a fan of Buffalo sports, we're used to nobody talking about our stars. Nobody really talked much about Dominik Hasek or Alexander Mogilny. To take it a step further, nobody even really talked about Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, or Thurman Thomas. It's simply a fact of life that I've come to except.

As far as Eichel goes, in a way, I'm glad nobody is really talking about him, or consider him elite. This is a very, very competitive young man, and the bigger the chip on his shoulder gets, will only compel him to work harder and get even better.

So let them keep talking up McDavid and Matthews. I'm not delusional like Maple Leaf fans, and I realize that McDavid is a cut above, and is in rarified - Lemuiex, Crosby and Gretzky - air. I know that Eichel will most likely never be as good as McDavid. All that matters is that Eichel doesn't accept it. He told Tim Murray on draft day "I think I'm the best player in this draft"...

It's going to be great to see, and VERY satisfying when Eichel starts (this year) putting up 100 point seasons. I could careless what McDavid does. The only time I care about what he's doing is the 2 times a year when Buffalo and Edmonton drop the puck.

This will only get better if somehow Reinhardt takes a major step forward this year. But if he doesn't, there is Nylander AND Middlestadt waiting in the wings. And mark my words, once Middlestadt is ready, the combo of Eichel and Middlestadt will be close to unstoppable; because this Casey Middlestadt kid is "good, scary good"!
- Dukey3030

oh the irony...

Jack ECHL is a cracking player.

Ugly as old man's valks, but a cracking player nonetheless.

Are people in the know really downplaying him?

oh the irony...
- systemtool

Feck. I take back everything I said.

What is it with Buffalo fans?

Remember the whole "Matthews will never reach Jack's rookie levels of Godliness" speeches?

Can't disagree more about the arcade fire. Sounds like every other garbage synth pop rock album coming out these days. Also the song you posted sounds like ABBA's dancing queen just slowed down. Terrible. I did somehow agree with a lot of your actual hockey thought. Weird. Come on training camps!!!

Netflix just released it (Ozark) end of July. Stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney. It's very very good James. Binge worthy. Hoping for a season 2
- quackup

I'll check it out, I enjoy Bateman.

Can't disagree more about the arcade fire. Sounds like every other garbage synth pop rock album coming out these days. Also the song you posted sounds like ABBA's dancing queen just slowed down. Terrible. I did somehow agree with a lot of your actual hockey thought. Weird. Come on training camps!!!
- Trevrrrgavo

Man, the Arcade Fire is a great band. I'm curious, are you just someone who thinks they generally suck or did the new album just let you down? I know a lot of people who were not digging it, and the reviews were pretty lukewarm at best, so I'm curious.

Personally, I think they're one of the only bands doing something interesting and originally and progressive, weird and ambitious. At least, one of the only bands doing that in a mainstream framework.

It's up in the air if Hainsey will actually help Rielly or not. Who knows what the pairing will be like? They may last 2 shifts together or the whole year. It's August and no one has anything to talk about but possible pairings.

But it's not madness to think Hainsey can play top 4 minutes. If for no other reason than he always does. And just won the cup doing it.

I'm not saying he's great or is the answer on the back end for the Maple Leafs, but to suggest he isn't a top 4 defenseman is to ignore evidence to the contrary.

The Leafs and Babcock can only go on what they've seen and what they can determine through stats.

In the last 3 seasons, only 23 Dmen have played more even strength minutes than Hainsey. And since there are 31 teams and top 4 dmen would mean 124 players qualify...I'd say being 23rd puts him in there.

Players he's played more than as example? OEL, Chara, Giordano, Niskanen, Hedman, Larsson, Gardiner, Ekblad etc.
Point is, he's in and around arguably the cream of the crop in the NHL. Right or wrong, his minutes don't lie. Further still, Babcock is big on his PK guys being aggressive and sound defensively and relies on only a couple guys to be his go to PK guys. Hainsey is 25th in the NHL in minutes played on the PK by Defenseman and according to James Myrtle and the stats, his 4 on 5 shot suppression is among league leaders.

According to the Athletic, all stats and signs show Hainsey as a top 4 and actually plays better on the right side as a left shot.

Do I think Hainsey is the answer for the Leafs? God no and I believe they are still searching for an upgrade. But to say it's ludicrous for Babcock to suggest he may be able to help Rielly in a top 4 setting when stats show he's done it before. ( obviously getting all the toughest assignments en route to a Stanley's cup) may be just as silly.

Hainsey has stated he chose the Leafs because they play the same style as Peters did in Carolina and he credits that system for making him a better player.

In my opinion it can't hurt to try, because your other options are Marchenko, Marincin and Carrick in your top 4 and well...if you have eyeballs you can see that they aren't fit for that role.

My main knock on Suicide Squad is that these guys were supposed to be the baddest and most feared villains in the DC Universe and they turned them into fun-loving family by the end of the movie. However, I don't think it's as bad as critics / people made it seem; I enjoyed it.

I predict a top five finish in NHL scoring if Eichel's healthy all year. Damn that kids good!!

Mrbs71

No such thing as tough assignment in the world of analytics....until the guys in fantasy land realize they are the toughest mins and that these guys put up lesser stats because of it you will keep reading this same poop.

MINUS: Weird how everyone is talking about a Draisaitl contract, but not a William Nylander one.
- James_Tanner

Nylander currently is under contract, Draisaitl is not (I think, not positive). Once Nylander is a RFA, they'll talk more.

That Arcade Fire song sucks...yikes.

@Mbrs71

Hainsey is garbage. He was along for the ride during the cup run.
(And he was playing top four because of the penguins depth not because he's good)

Man, the Arcade Fire is a great band. I'm curious, are you just someone who thinks they generally suck or did the new album just let you down? I know a lot of people who were not digging it, and the reviews were pretty lukewarm at best, so I'm curious.

Personally, I think they're one of the only bands doing something interesting and originally and progressive, weird and ambitious. At least, one of the only bands doing that in a mainstream framework.
- James_Tanner

You should listen to the Go! Team for a more upbeat take

Mrbs71

No such thing as tough assignment in the world of analytics....until the guys in fantasy land realize they are the toughest mins and that these guys put up lesser stats because of it you will keep reading this same poop.
- Garnie

I hear you, dude. Mark Fraser and Cody Franson looked like studs one year as the third pairing, stats wise. Would you want them lining up against OV and Backstrom all night? Lol

I would rather Rielly on one leg with and eye patch on defending Tarasenko over Marincin but the stats would say otherwise.

@Mbrs71

Hainsey is garbage. He was along for the ride during the cup run.
(And he was playing top four because of the penguins depth not because he's good)
- DeflatedPucks

So what you're saying is D is not that important?

I hear you, dude. Mark Fraser and Cody Franson looked like studs one year as the third pairing, stats wise. Would you want them lining up against OV and Backstrom all night? Lol

I would rather Rielly on one leg with and eye patch on defending Tarasenko over Marincin but the stats would say otherwise.
- Mrbs71

There's a reason why Cody Franson is and has always been an after thought in the NHL

@Mbrs71

Hainsey is garbage. He was along for the ride during the cup run.
(And he was playing top four because of the penguins depth not because he's good)
- DeflatedPucks

Dude, I'm not arguing for Hainsey. Can't say I'm a huge fan. I'm just saying stats suggest he's a top 4 factually. There's no way around it.

And to say he was along for the ride is an outright lie, he played more than 21 minutes a night with Dumoulin from the right side and his most frequent opponents minutes wise were Backstrom and Ovechkin, Karlsson, PK Subban...which tells me he was playing a tough 21 minutes, not sheltered.

Again, not saying I think he's a savior for the Maple Leafs, but all stats suggest that up until now he has played top 4 minutes and that's all the Leafs can go on, no?