I think it was toffoli.
Jt and then muzzin out...ugh.
- Fakepartofme

Losing JT an Muzzin has shaken, to the very core, my firmly held atheistic beliefs.

I don't "hate" Kerfoot. I just feel like he's miscast as a Top 6 winger or as 3C. He's overpaid to be anything else.

He'll only seem like a deal in the Top 6 if he can actually perform as a legit Top 6 guy. I'm not convinced he's the answer. I've been wrong before but nothing leads me to believe that he's the right guy for the job and a small sample set of 7 games in the playoffs last year is not enough evidence to change my opinion.

Bunting please.
- mjones242

Like I said, he was top 6 in Colorado and got over an average of half a point a game. That’s more than fair at his salary.

Bunting no thanks. The top 6 need to be people with more games played than 26 in their careers at this point.

This team isn’t going to be big and mean plain and simple, not until the GM and coach are replaced anyways. So if I were you I’d quit hoping for it because you’ll just get depressed lol

Kerfoot’s stats that you’re mentioning aren’t all that great but that’s because he’s being misused in my opinion. When he played in Colorado he was top 6, he actually played C with Landeskog, his game minutes have dropped here but he played more regularly there.

The problem with Kerfoot here is he’s being misused. Not his skill set.
- Dozzer

We'll see what the TDL brings. 🤷

My longshot hope is that ESPN will put immense pressure on the NHL to ref the playoffs as they do in the regular season: call penalties, cut down on obstruction and interference, and let the superstars (the people the fans want to see) do their thing.

We'll see what the TDL brings. 🤷

My longshot hope is that ESPN will put immense pressure on the NHL to ref the playoffs as they do in the regular season: call penalties, cut down on obstruction and interference, and let the superstars (the people the fans want to see) do their thing.
- mjones242

While that would be fair I doubt it happens. I’m guessing the league tells the refs to let things slide a little more. Let’s be honest, rough, physical athletics are hugely popular in the US, so my guess is that Bettman embraces it.

for schits and giggles

Bunting Matthews Nylander
Ritchie Tavares Marner
Kerfoot Kampf Kase
Mikheyev Spezza Simmonds
- dmnted

I think that top 6 could be more playoff(y) and I’d certainly like to see how it works. I would switch Kase and Mik though. Let Mik be part of a shut down line and see if Kase can’t give the 4th some more scoring punch. Throw Nickie in there when Kase gets injured.

We'll see what the TDL brings. 🤷

My longshot hope is that ESPN will put immense pressure on the NHL to ref the playoffs as they do in the regular season: call penalties, cut down on obstruction and interference, and let the superstars (the people the fans want to see) do their thing.
- mjones242

I’m sure they’d love a Rangers-Kings finals as well

Like I said, he was top 6 in Colorado and got over an average of half a point a game. That’s more than fair at his salary.

Bunting no thanks. The top 6 need to be people with more games played than 26 in their careers at this point.
- Dozzer

Did he play Top 6 consistently though?

I feel like he played up and down the lineup like he has with TO. Landy was 1LW, Compher 2LW, and Mac and Soderberg played 1C and 2C.

I think Kerf played some 2C and maybe some 2LW but wasn't consistently a Top 6 guy.

I could be wrong.

While that would be fair I doubt it happens. I’m guessing the league tells the refs to let things slide a little more. Let’s be honest, rough, physical athletics are hugely popular in the US, so my guess is that Bettman embraces it.
- Dozzer

I dunno, I feel like superstars are seen as hugely/important per elevating/promoting sports in the US more than physical/rough athletics.

Definitely a long shot but I wonder if network ESPN big wigs might be telling Gary: we want highlights and skill carrying this game, not grinding borefests the likes of which MTL and NYI lean heavily on.

I'm a dreamer though and this is my hopeful, positive take (grant me this!).

I’m sure they’d love a Rangers-Kings finals as well
- Canada Cup

Yup. The jerks.

Did he play Top 6 consistently though?

I feel like he played up and down the lineup like he has with TO. Landy was 1LW, Compher 2LW, and Mac and Soderberg played 1C and 2C.

I think Kerf played some 2C and maybe some 2LW but wasn't consistently a Top 6 guy.

I could be wrong.
- mjones242

I remember reading about him bouncing around the top 6 in Colorado… hence why he was he scoring over 40P every season

Makes sense to me because he doesn’t put up that kind of production playing on the third line in Toronto

Like I said, the main thing about him is to not have the line built around him but for him to compliment a scoring line. Half a point a game at 3.5million makes him a fair deal. He proved he could do it so he has earned the chance to continue doing so imo.

I dunno, I feel like superstars are seen as hugely/important per elevating/promoting sports in the US more than physical/rough athletics.

Definitely a long shot but I wonder if network ESPN big wigs might be telling Gary: we want highlights and skill carrying this game, not grinding borefests the likes of which MTL and NYI lean heavily on.

I'm a dreamer though and this is my hopeful, positive take (grant me this!).
- mjones242

Tough call…. I can also see them liking roughness due to the popularity of the NFL and UFC

I remember reading about him bouncing around the top 6 in Colorado… hence why he was he scoring over 40P every season

Makes sense to me because he doesn’t put up that kind of production playing on the third line in Toronto

Like I said, the main thing about him is to not have the line built around him but for him to compliment a scoring line. Half a point a game at 3.5million makes him a fair deal. He proved he could do it so he has earned the chance to continue doing so imo.
- Dozzer

If they get some offense from some combo of Ritchie, Kase, Bunting then I think Kerfoot’s skills best match up the team’s needs in the third line. They really need shut down capacity there and I don’t know what grouping makes it work that doesn’t include him.

If they get some offense from some combo of Ritchie, Kase, Bunting then I think Kerfoot’s skills best match up the team’s needs in the third line. They really need shut down capacity there and I don’t know what grouping makes it work that doesn’t include him.
- Canada Cup

I honestly don’t know why people think this way… I don’t think his main strength is defence… even when he getting a lot more points in Colorado he still was nearly minus 10

He’s being misplayed in Toronto and I firmly believe that

If they get some offense from some combo of Ritchie, Kase, Bunting then I think Kerfoot’s skills best match up the team’s needs in the third line. They really need shut down capacity there and I don’t know what grouping makes it work that doesn’t include him.
- Canada Cup

Agreed.

I think Bunting is really the wild card here. Can he play in the Top 6? If not, what other option is there but Kerf? TDL will hopefully address that if things go sideways with either player (Kerf's salary out probably makes him a lock to be traded).

But damn, do I like the idea of a Kerf-Kampf-Kase third line...

... there's no other reasons.

Agreed.

I think Bunting is really the wild card here. Can he play in the Top 6? If not, what other option is there but Kerf? TDL will hopefully address that if things go sideways with either player (Kerf's salary out probably makes him a lock to be traded).

But damn, do I like the idea of a Kerf-Kampf-Kase third line...

... there's no other reasons.
- mjones242

Leave Kase for some scoring on the 4th but yeah

Leave Kase for some scoring on the 4th but yeah
- Canada Cup

I like Kase on the 3rd line to keep the other team honest -- having a scoring threat on that line gives it a nice dynamic.

Plus, Kase doesn't belong buried on the 4th getting very limited minutes. I like Simmonds and Spezza, but they aren't going to average much more than 10-11mins a night and Kase deserves more.

Then again, maybe you do play him on the 4th but give him PP2 mins?

I think I'm overthinking this because, let's be honest, Kase is going to be injured in the very first training camp game.

I like Kase on the 3rd line to keep the other team honest -- having a scoring threat on that line gives it a nice dynamic.

Plus, Kase doesn't belong buried on the 4th getting very limited minutes. I like Simmonds and Spezza, but they aren't going to average much more than 10-11mins a night and Kase deserves more.

Then again, maybe you do play him on the 4th but give him PP2 mins?

I think I'm overthinking this because, let's be honest, Kase is going to be injured in the very first training camp game.
- mjones242

I think the scoring comes from the first second and fourth lines. The third line is just a wet blanket line. Let them take D zone starts away from Matthews/Marner and reduce their minutes and save some juice for the playoffs. They had too many last season and too many D zone starts.

Robertson does the Kase thing when he goes down.

I think the scoring comes from the first second and fourth lines. The third line is just a wet blanket line. Let them take D zone starts away from Matthews/Marner and reduce their minutes and save some juice for the playoffs. They had too many last season and too many D zone starts.

Robertson does the Kase thing when he goes down.
- Canada Cup

Lest we forget Mr. Gabriel when we need to bring fisticuffs to the arena.

Lest we forget Mr. Gabriel when we need to bring fisticuffs to the arena.
- mjones242

Yeah, I hadn’t thought of him to forget about him so that I could to remind myself about him. I’ll get started.

I remember reading about him bouncing around the top 6 in Colorado… hence why he was he scoring over 40P every season

Makes sense to me because he doesn’t put up that kind of production playing on the third line in Toronto

Like I said, the main thing about him is to not have the line built around him but for him to compliment a scoring line. Half a point a game at 3.5million makes him a fair deal. He proved he could do it so he has earned the chance to continue doing so imo.
- Dozzer

Kerfoot was on the second power play unit on the Avs. This is why he had 17 and 16 PPP points those two seasons and has had virtually nothing on the Leafs (3 and 2) Really it is the only difference in scoring. He has been used on the PK, which might not be the best option, but his +/- has improved signficantly on the Leafs. I would rather see him on the second PP unit and leave him off the PK.

Kerfoot was on the second power play unit on the Avs. This is why he had 17 and 16 PPP points those two seasons and has had virtually nothing on the Leafs (3 and 2) Really it is the only difference in scoring. He has been used on the PK, which might not be the best option, but his +/- has improved signficantly on the Leafs. I would rather see him on the second PP unit and leave him off the PK.
- winsix

I’m game for that as well. All I believe is that I don’t think the leafs are playing him under the best options. I’m hoping he gets that second line winger job and move him off the checking line.

I think his best skill isn’t really being used by the leafs. If they want him on the third line then move him for a player who gets paid roughly the same, has an equal level of skill but more defensive.

- Garnie

Is this wink to congratulate me for quitting smoking for four months as of today?

Thank you so much

- Garnie

via GIPHY

Is this wink to congratulate me for quitting smoking for four months as of today?

Thank you so much
- Dozzer

Awesome work Dozzer! You are cruising now.

I still buy myself rewards for milestones because the savings add up fast. Something tangible and visible to remind me of how much more awesome it is than a bunch of butts pile up in a dirty ashtray.

Are smokes starting to see gross and alien to you now?