Fantastic. Got to live here to get though.
- Leafsmart

It’s been so long since I had an Alpine that I forgot all about it.

You know you’re out in left field when you’re agreeing with a bird.
- Garnie

rude

rude
- Steven_Seagull

I’ll take Lehtonen over Dermott. Sandin needs playing time too.
- Steven_Seagull

With ya man. Plus, Derms is all about "depth" for us. Can never have enough.

And Kyle could work out a deal with Seattle if he wants to keep him.

There is but I can't think if any

but there is obviously
- Santo_44

Oh, I'm sure there is but I wanted to hear him list a few examples.

Oh, I'm sure there is but I wanted to hear him list a few examples.
- mjones242

I was being sarcastic

I'd like to know too.

You know you’re out in left field when you’re agreeing with a bird.
- Garnie

Non sequitur alert:

Left Field is a solid brewery.

It’s been so long since I had an Alpine that I forgot all about it.
- shack67

Even my SIL who tries every brand will come back to it every so often. A taste all its own.

I was being sarcastic

I'd like to know too.
- Santo_44

Ah!

I was being sarcastic

I'd like to know too.
- Santo_44

Ritchie

Matthews has only one more game to prove if he hates the Canucks more than Toffoli.

Matthews has only one more game to prove if he hates the Canucks more than Toffoli.
- AdamFrench

No problem he has Marner carrying him. He should be able to score on an end to end rush with Marner getting the second assist, or have Marner turnover the puck just inside the blueline and get a lucky bounce so he has a clear break to the net.....

Both 34 and 91 skating well this year. Got serious in their conditioning this past summer. :

Matthews has only one more game to prove if he hates the Canucks more than Toffoli.
- AdamFrench

3 more...

And... we now have a coach who wants to improve every line. When was the last time you heard that statemen.t

Both 34 and 91 skating well this year. Got serious in their conditioning this past summer. :
- Leafsmart

Tavares looks faster than he’s ever been.

Ritchie
- jribout

Oh he asked for a trade?

Can we talk about Edler deliberately taking out Simmonds?

Don't you dare suggest that it was just a hockey accident - there's no way that a Canucks defenceman would throw a puck up the middle of the ice like that.

Once again, the NHL fails to act to protect the Leafs.

Looks like Wedgie has to take care of it.

I am personally placing a hundred-dollar bounty on the head of Alexander Edler. He's the assistant captain and chief punk on that Vancouver team.

Yeah, a hundred bucks of my own money for the first of our guys who really nails that creep.

Tavares looks faster than he’s ever been.
- shack67

Best shape of his career without a doubt.

Can we talk about Edler deliberately taking out Simmonds?

Don't you dare suggest that it was just a hockey accident - there's no way that a Canucks defenceman would throw a puck up the middle of the ice like that.

Once again, the NHL fails to act to protect the Leafs.

Looks like Wedgie has to take care of it.

I am personally placing a hundred-dollar bounty on the head of Alexander Edler. He's the assistant captain and chief punk on that Vancouver team.

Yeah, a hundred bucks of my own money for the first of our guys who really nails that creep.
- Atomic Wedgie

I bet Sam Bennett would take that scalp.

According to CC, Dermott is a "starting defenseman". Presumably, this means he should not be moved despite the fact that he's been mediocre as (frank) and outplayed by Lehtonen.

But hey, let's keep Dermott instead of bolstering the Leafs with some grit and sandpaper. You know, those two attributes that are necessary to win ugly in the playoffs.


- mjones242

Depth at forward > depth at defence. Moving a starter in an area of relative weakness doesn’t seem like a good idea even if if you think the one guy below him is better.

Funny how I shouldn’t assess Virtanen’s crap season on 11 games but we can get rid of Dermott based on Lehtonen’s (3?). For the record, I like Lehtonen, prefer him to Dermott and would like to see him get used more. I just don’t see moving everything down one spot in a defensive scheme just starting to look good.

(Feel free to misrepresent as you see fit)

I bet Sam Bennett would take that scalp.
- mjones242

Not a great phrase

Non sequitur alert:

Left Field is a solid brewery.
- mjones242

I’ll have to check them out 🤣

Why?
- burn

IDK

He's made it on the Leafs roaster according to CapFrienndly

Depth at forward > depth at defence. Moving a starter in an area of relative weakness doesn’t seem like a good idea even if if you think the one guy below him is better.

Funny how I shouldn’t assess Virtanen’s crap season on 11 games but we can get rid of Dermott based on Lehtonen’s (3?). For the record, I like Lehtonen, prefer him to Dermott and would like to see him get used more. I just don’t see moving everything down one spot in a defensive scheme just starting to look good.

(Feel free to misrepresent as you see fit)
- Canada Cup

Sorry, do I have a history of misrepresenting arguments here?

Generally speaking, the Leafs have more forward depth than defence. What the Leafs do NOT have in that forward depth are players who are physical and play with, yes, truculence.

Is Dermott better than Sandin, Lehtonen, and Marincin to a degree that the Leafs would suffer if his services were no longer available?

Virtanen has shown steady progression over the last few seasons until he hit a brick wall to start this one. Playing on the 4th line on a dumpster fire team usually does that.

Lehtonen has played 5 games and contributed 3 pts and has steadily improved each game - he's also been solid in his preceding KHL seasons, and while that may not be impressive, those 5 NHL games playing 3rd pairing minutes we've seen a flash of why Dubas signed him.

Dermott, on the other hand, hasn't progressed an inch in 3 seasons. This year is more of the same.

But sure, maybe Virtanen has fallen off a cliff and "sucks", as you say. To be honest, I'd much rather see if we can pluck Crouse - who has also had a dire start to the season - from ARZ if possible. Bennett would also do.

I think the Leafs will be just fine with Lehtonen penciled in as our #6 d-man playing with Bogo. If there's a d-man injury, Sandin or - gasp! - Marincin can step in.

But guess what? If the Leafs can add a player who is an upgrade to a starting forward by trading a mediocre d-man who is easily replaced by 2-3 other depth guys they already have, you do it.

Now that Simmonds is out, you do it even faster than before.