Injury Report: Babcock: Polak is done for the rest of the year

[moon111]

Wouldn't it be interesting that the Leafs make a deal with Vegas and end up with a Washington Capital blueliner to replace Polak?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Sucks. Polak is a warrior. Gonna miss his tenacity.

 

[Kamal007]

Orpik is a POS, we all know it. Even if that play on Polak was an accident , there was the knee on knee on Marner as well.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Wouldn't it be interesting that the Leafs make a deal with Vegas and end up with a Washington Capital blueliner to replace Polak?

Pretty strong likelihood the Caps hit the self-destruct button this off-season.

Or Ovechkin pulls a Kovalchuk and "retires."

 

[Le Cobra]

Thank you Polak

 

[tooncesmeow]

Wouldn't it be interesting that the Leafs make a deal with Vegas and end up with a Washington Capital blueliner to replace Polak?

??
Polak is a pending UFA, along with a host of other good replacements for a bottom pairing physical defender. Theres no incentive to go cherrypick a guy from Vegas and give up assets. Who are you even hoping for? Half their defense corps is going UFA, they're not going to snipe anyone from washington of relevance.

 

[Goose]

Hope he recovers well, interested to see who will step up in his place.

 

[EXPECT THE LEAFS]

And Oshie took a healthy run at Andy.

Babcock's gotta respond. Can't let this go with no consequences.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Who gets called up from the Marlies? Gotta assume it's Dermott right?

Hunwick-Rielly
Gardiner-Carrick/Marchenko
Dermott-Marchenko/Marincin

I don't think Nielsen plays a safe enough game to be thrown to the wolves against Washington's forecheck even if it's for 12 minutes a game. Maybe one of Holl/Campbell/Valiev?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Zaitsev should be back by Game 4 the latest. Otherwise, we run with Marincin and Marchenko. No way Dermott is getting his first game in the NHL in the middle of a heated playoff race. He's good, but he's human.

We've got to have faith in four solid bottom pairing guys to play in our top 6 and hope Rielly and Gardiner continue to step up with big games.

 

[Klinton]

This is very very very bad bad news. Only guy that was able to clear the crease.

Who's up next....

 

[Havoc]

What is this M/M pair you guys keep saying.

Cue the 3 game sweep by the Caps if that's the case lol

 

[TMLeafer]

Huge loss.

I hated him and Hunwick early in the season but they ended up being pretty solid. Going to miss Polak's recent random offensive zone rushes.

 

[Pi]

Zaitsev should be back by Game 4 the latest. Otherwise, we run with Marincin and Marchenko. No way Dermott is getting his first game in the NHL in the middle of a heated playoff race. He's good, but he's human.

We've got to have faith in four solid bottom pairing guys to play in our top 6 and hope Rielly and Gardiner continue to step up with big games.

Apparently all the guys that follow the Marlies for a living think Dermott > Marchenko.

He's human but so was Subban and so is McAvoy. The Leafs need to give Dermott a chance. I'd call him up, we have rode our rookies to where we are right now, why not one more rookie?

 

[TribalPhoenix]

There is zero reason to hate on Orpik here. The injury didn't happen as a result of a hit, it was the unfortunate result of losing balance by trying to side-step it. Don't let homer-ism skew what actually happened. It was not a dirty play at all.

That said, I'm terrified of a Marincin-Marchenko pairing. Marincin has zero place in an NHL lineup. I'd almost feel better replacing him with Valiev.

 

[Battle Lin]

sucks, polak was a bull for us all year

 

[Polaris1010]

Remember when no one wanted Polak on the team and was too slow to play in the NHL.

No one in the NHL wanted him.

He played the whole season. He still can play.

 

[TribalPhoenix]

Apparently all the guys that follow the Marlies for a living think Dermott > Marchenko.

He's human but so was Subban and so is McAvoy. The Leafs need to give Dermott a chance. I'd call him up, we have rode our rookies to where we are right now, why not one more rookie?

I've no issue with a rookie, but I suggest a better type of rookie - particularly one who is a bit older, and a bit bigger to handle a playoff style of game.

Dermott stands 5'11", and isn't a physical player at 20 years old. Rinat Valiev is 6'2", nearly 22 years old, and has more sandpaper to his game to say nothing of the fact he's at least played some NHL games to this point.

I'd go with Valiev in a heartbeat before throwing Dermott into this mess.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

I've no issue with a rookie, but I suggest a better type of rookie - particularly one who is a bit older, and a bit bigger to handle a playoff style of game.

Dermott stands 5'11", and isn't a physical player at 20 years old. Rinat Valiev is 6'2", nearly 22 years old, and has more sandpaper to his game to say nothing of the fact he's at least played some NHL games to this point.

I'd go with Valiev in a heartbeat before throwing Dermott into this mess.

I mean they're both about 210 pounds, I don't think the extra couple inches is going to do much considering neither one will be PKing. Wasn't Valiev injured a few times this season too? Might as well go with one of Campbell/Holl if experience + size is the determining factor. Dermott was my first thought strictly because of how steady he is and seeing how much he stepped his game up in the playoffs in Erie.

 

[TribalPhoenix]

I mean they're both about 210 pounds, I don't think the extra couple inches is going to do much considering neither one will be PKing. Wasn't Valiev injured a few times this season too? Might as well go with one of Campbell/Holl if experience + size is the determining factor. Dermott was my first thought strictly because of how steady he is and seeing how much he stepped his game up in the playoffs in Erie.

Has to be a balance of experience as well. Campbell/Holl are better served leading a Marlies d-corps - neither of them have shown to be NHL caliber players, and that will only be more apparent in the post-season.

Valiev and Dermott still have room to grow and develop. Dermott is a first year pro, but Valiev has even played in the NHL last year. For a playoff series, he seems the clear choice - bigger, more grit, more experienced, but still more development potential.

 

[67Cup]

I wouldn't be surprised if the call up turns out to be Oleksy. He even has seven games of playoff experience with the Caps and has sipped from the Cup with last years Pens.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Rather have Valiev and Marchenko than Marincin
Marincin gives my a heart attack every time he steps on the ice

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Avenge this beautiful Adonis of a man. Avenge him like the heroes you are, you beautiful honey badgers.

 

[TribalPhoenix]

I wouldn't be surprised if the call up turns out to be Oleksy. He even has seven games of playoff experience with the Caps and has sipped from the Cup with last years Pens.

Interesting theory, and entirely plausible - forgot about him, to be honest. RHD who even had a cup of coffee with the Caps organization.

 

[TribalPhoenix]

Rather have Valiev and Marchenko than Marincin
Marincin gives my a heart attack every time he steps on the ice

Marincin has zero place with an NHL roster. He's horrid.