Don't place too much on the D this game. Tons of penalties (some questionable at best) and the Leafs are loaded up front even with Marner out. Still think Tavares will bite them in the behind big time. He looks slowwwww. That contract won't look good in 3-4 years.

Toews finally looking a bit like himself. More please. Hopefully Nylander's offense with Toews and Saad can gel with a bit more time. Some really good shifts from that line the last few games.
- bhawks2241

I believe 5 x 5, the Hawks had more high danger chances.

Ya. Gus on the Leafs 2nd goal. Brutal. No less than 3-4 chances to clear the zone and eventually turned over and in the back of our net. Without that kinda gaff, we probably cruise to an easy win. But, that one 30 second blunder gave the Leafs a goal and re-newed hope. Gus can do so much, can skate, can shoot...but dammit, he is brain-dead and soft in our end!!!
- hawk35

How much of that is the fact that they're playing him on his off side? Maybe if he was on his forehand, that turns into an easy clear. He's not good defensively, but would he be serviceable at LD?

Caggiula continues to give it his all. Something about this guy you can't help but admire. Another Stan shrewd move.

How much of that is the fact that they're playing him on his off side? Maybe if he was on his forehand, that turns into an easy clear. He's not good defensively, but would he be serviceable at LD?
- tvetter

To me if he doesn't have room to skate with the puck he really has no idea what to do. Deer in the headlights when he is under pressure and can't skate it out.

Like the turnover on the boards to Nylander. He had nowhere to go so just froze along the half boards right above the circles. Was light on his stick and Nylander gave him a good whack and the puck squirted lose.

He should've at least tried to flip the puck out over the Leafs player on the blueline.

The move Dach put on Reilly at the Hawk blueline to exit, skate it up, create an odd man that Calligula got a shot off in the slot and drew a penalty shows the kids IQ, feet and hands. Same for his goal. His IQ allowed him to anticipate a rebound on the weak side so he was expecting the possibility so he was quicker to the loose puck than the opponent.

This kid has every tool in the box with +++ size. Fun player to watch.
- Mr Ricochet

Going to get a lot better when he puts some muscle on those bones.

While we're on the subject, have the Hawks decided to not give Holm a look? Anyone have any updated info on his play at Rockford? Must have some glaring deficiencies that I wasn't aware of, for him not to be under consideration.
- gabriel

Holm would have been my pick to call up if the Hawks needed an extra defender. I'm good with the Boqvist call up, though, because the Hawks are actually playing him and he's holding his own so far.

Gilbert got sent back down for the exact reason why Holm would have been better as the recall, i.e. don't have a prospect scratched for multiple games when it's better to have them play 15-20 minutes a night in the AHL.

At least with the much older Holm, being scratched while on the NHL roster isn't going to stunt his growth because what he is now is essentially all he ever will be which is a solid puck mover with so-so defense.

Holm is better defensively than Gustafsson (not hard to do) but not a dominant defender by any means either as he has his share of gaffes and missed coverage.

CHI broke him.

This move has been coming for a couple weeks now. The problem is... the Leafs don't have much in the AHL that can help. Sounds like they might be giving that Kaskisuo kid a shot... or maybe a trade is coming?
- Tyler Cameron

Send them Delia

Why is this relevant? We didn't pick him. He plays a different position. Lets just see how Dach plays for us. If Byram turns into a great D-man for COL, what does that tell us? It tells us he is good on COL. There is no telling how he would do on the Hawks. He could have been better, or could be a disaster. Sorry, I just can't stand this concept of trying to compare players just because they were in the same draft year, but I get bitter about a lot of mundane things.
- Chunk

Indeed

Caggiula continues to give it his all. Something about this guy you can't help but admire. Another Stan shrewd move.
- gabriel

Because of what they gave up, might be his best trade ever.

The shrewd part was paying him that money in FA, so he could trade him, pick up The Drake, and lose cap space

Indeed
- vabeachbear

I'm just trying to catch up to some of the other "vets" on this board.

Send them Delia
- vabeachbear

Forsburg can be had for the taking and Scott Darling.

i didn't understand at the end of the game the leafs had a PP and brought the extra attacker on for what seemed like 30-45 seconds...but that extra attacker was 6 on 5

wouldn't it have been better to just give up the puck and have that extra time and play 6 on 4 against the hawks - better odds to score

am i wrong in my thinking?
- glennjpawlak22

I was thinking the same, not sure why they didn’t give the Hawks possession to increase manpower differential.

I was thinking the same, not sure why they didn’t give the Hawks possession to increase manpower differential.
- Angotti

Because Babcock is the best coach ever and smarter than everyone.

Send them Delia
- vabeachbear

Nah, Crawford for Kapinen or Nylander.

Holm would have been my pick to call up if the Hawks needed an extra defender. I'm good with the Boqvist call up, though, because the Hawks are actually playing him and he's holding his own so far.

Gilbert got sent back down for the exact reason why Holm would have been better as the recall, i.e. don't have a prospect scratched for multiple games when it's better to have them play 15-20 minutes a night in the AHL.

At least with the much older Holm, being scratched while on the NHL roster isn't going to stunt his growth because what he is now is essentially all he ever will be which is a solid puck mover with so-so defense.

Holm is better defensively than Gustafsson (not hard to do) but not a dominant defender by any means either as he has his share of gaffes and missed coverage.
- AEL_Fox

Thanks for the Holm update, AEL! Thought he looked good during exhibition games, but that's a far cry from the genuine article. Still nice to know that if we need him, he's available.

Thought the same thing about Boqvist. I didn't notice him too much and that's a really good thing.

I've been happy with his play.

Gustafsson last night... woof.
- Tyler Cameron

Woof defensively, but ok or better offensively. Give the way he played in his first 16 games this year, that is actually an improvement. At least we are seeing some of the offense we saw last year. If he can show that for another 10 to 20 games he has some trade value.

How much of that is the fact that they're playing him on his off side? Maybe if he was on his forehand, that turns into an easy clear. He's not good defensively, but would he be serviceable at LD?
- tvetter

A little, but we saw him do about the same on the left side.

Next up Golden Knights, who lost to Wings yesterday. So are they vulnerable? Or will they be in a foul mood due to that loss and take it out on us? We will find out, but it sure would be nice to get two points.

To me if he doesn't have room to skate with the puck he really has no idea what to do. Deer in the headlights when he is under pressure and can't skate it out.

Like the turnover on the boards to Nylander. He had nowhere to go so just froze along the half boards right above the circles. Was light on his stick and Nylander gave him a good whack and the puck squirted lose.

He should've at least tried to flip the puck out over the Leafs player on the blueline.
- bhawks2241

And he loves the soft backhand pass in his own zone. It rarely turns out well. He needs to turn in the opposite direction with the puck on his forehand and find other alternatives.

Next up Golden Knights, who lost to Wings yesterday. So are they vulnerable? Or will they be in a foul mood due to that loss and take it out on us? We will find out, but it sure would be nice to get two points.
- Angotti

& finally get a win against them!

Thought the same thing about Boqvist. I didn't notice him too much and that's a really good thing.

I've been happy with his play.

Gustafsson last night... woof.
- Tyler Cameron

Gus last night - fumbling, bumbling.....

A big key to the recent success IMO is pressure from the forwards, they’re not letting opposing teams get the puck out of their zone easily! I don’t know if you consider that offense or defense, but it definitely leads to more offense. They’re also challenging in the neutral zone.

Forsburg can be had for the taking and Scott Darling.
- rpeters01

Darling is trying to get his game back over in Austria. Just signed a week or so ago.
https://www.cbssports.com...darling-signs-in-austria/

Next up Golden Knights, who lost to Wings yesterday. So are they vulnerable? Or will they be in a foul mood due to that loss and take it out on us? We will find out, but it sure would be nice to get two points.
- Angotti

I'm guessing foul mood. Knights had Malcom Subban in goal against Detroit, and saved Fleury for us. They have lost three in a row. Let's make it 4.

Looks like Grapes finally was sacked.