Pre-Game Talk: Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs | SN | October 8th, 2014 | 7:00PM

[X66]

Leafs are now IMO one of the fastest teams in the NHL.

We lost two elite skaters in Raymond and Kulemin, but guys like Bolland, McClemment, Gunnar, Orr, Mclaren, Smithson, Smith and Bodie(although he's not bad) weren't the best in the speed department. Replaced those guys with Kozun, Booth, Santorelli, Frattin, Holland, Winnik, Komarov, Polak and Robidas are noticeably better skaters.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Hmm

This.

 

[cookie]

Hopefully the face cage will be good for Clarkson so he can focus less on fighting and more on hockey.

 

[Alerion]

Is there no more Coach's corner with Ron Maclean and Don Cherry or something?
What's this Strombo "experiment" people are talking about??

Strombo is the host of Hockey Night in Canada. Ron MacLean got relegated to traveling around the country hosting Hometown Hockey every Sunday night (think Hockey Day in Canada except every weekend).

Not a fan of the changes.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Me neither.

but then, I would never like the guy replacing MacLean. he's a legend.

still, Emo Strombo. Plus he's a Hab.

Ahh we'll get used to it..

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Is there no more Coach's corner with Ron Maclean and Don Cherry or something?
What's this Strombo "experiment" people are talking about??

I guess I'm the one that brought it up? I'm as confused as you but maybe I'm relaying bad information.

There was that big deal with Rogers buying NHL broadcasting rights and the CBC lost out as did TSN I think. So things are going to change and Leafs games are going to be on different channels, more Sunday games, and obviously certain personalities have contracts with companies that are now out of the NHL broadcasting picture and everything is being restructured.

I don't think coaches corner is dead this year but I think it's the last year? Or maybe it all changes immediately?

 

[Ratboy]

Rogers all but killed the CBC with this move - HNiC was their biggest source of revenue.

 

[Rielly4]

Toughest guy on the team is Clarkson...

pretty close...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kslsIVwkojY

 

[crump]

I remember hating McLean when he replaced ...uh...wait...oh...Dave Hodge. Almost forgot. Times change, people move on. Enjoy the memories, relish the new ones.

One thing that hasn't changed much is looking forward to the first game of the season. It's not a lock out year, the game is healthy, lots of excellent players to see. Hyped, pumped, can't sleep.

 

[TheThrill81*]

I remember hating McLean when he replaced ...uh...wait...oh...Dave Hodge. Almost forgot. Times change, people move on. Enjoy the memories, relish the new ones.

One thing that hasn't changed much is looking forward to the first game of the season. It's not a lock out year, the game is healthy, lots of excellent players to see. Hyped, pumped, can't sleep.

Going from Dave Hodge to Ron MacLean is not the same as going from Ron MacLean to George Stroumboulopoulos. I have no problem with giving the latter a chance, so long as he doesn't suffocate the rest of us with his Habs homerism.

 

[Galchenioretty]

yes, .004 sv% is by far.

its the difference between good or great, average or good, bad or average.

it was also the difference between price (great) and bernier (good) last year.

Bare in mind league average SV% was slightly lower in 10-11. Also in terms of actual performance Price having been able to play 13 more games at that level in 10-11 narrows the gap in SV% when it comes to value.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Can't wait for Game 1!

 

[Marshy]

pretty close...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kslsIVwkojY

pretty even fight that one, no clear winner

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Folks, here's the facts. Toronto is a better team on paper than last year and on paper they're as talented as many of the other contending teams in the Eastern conference. Who would have guessed that Montreal would have made the ECF's last year or that the "Rangers" would have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, probably not many. My point is this, they (Toronto) have the talent (barring injuries) to make the playoffs, whether they play with the necessary heart, determination and discipline as well as receive the necessary coaching to do so, well that's anybody's guess. Enjoy the season everyone!

 

[ssmtl1]

Wishing you guys a good season. You guys improved, but so have we (addition by substraction, mostly).

Not sure what to expect against the October Maple Leafs, you guys are good at that time of the year

Cheers

 

[Cor]

Wishing you guys a good season. You guys improved, but so have we (addition by substraction, mostly).

Not sure what to expect against the October Maple Leafs, you guys are good at that time of the year

Cheers

I'll be nice.

Thanks! I totally wish you guys a great season too!

 

[PuckMagi]

Rogers all but killed the CBC with this move - HNiC was their biggest source of revenue.

good.

the CBC I don't think turns a profit on any program, including HNIC.

all it does is suck up tax payer money every year.

 

[ssmtl1]

Be nice?

Only potential short run downgrade up front due to lack of experience is Sekac/Gionta and the young D will make more mistakes than Bouillon and Gorges but short term pain for long term gains. Parenteau > Briere (although both bad contracts). Younger, bigger overall. And Galchenyuk is now 20 and ready to emerge as hopefully a first centre.

2013-14 opening night

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Briere
Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Moen - Prust - Parros
White

Gorges - Subban
Markov - Diaz
Bouillon - Tinordi
Emelin (IR)

Price
Budaj

2014-15 opening night

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Parenteau
Galchenyuk - Plekanec - Gallagher
Bourque - Eller - Sekac
Prust - Malhotra - Weise
Moen or De La Rose

Beaulieu - Subban
Markov - Gilbert
Emelin -Tinordi/Weaver

Price
Tokarski

 

[Cor]

Lines at Practice;

James van Reimsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Joffery Lupul - Nazem Kadri - Brandon Kozun
Daniel Winnik - Peter Holland - Matt Frattin
Leo Komarov - Mike Santorelli - David Clarkson

Extra; Leivo, Ashton

Dion Phaneuf - Stephane Robidas
Jake Gardiner - Morgan Rielly
Stuart Percy - Roman Polak

Extra; Franson

Jon Bernier in the starter's net

 

[Cor]

Powerplay Units at Practice

James van Reimsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Dion Phaneuf - Stuart Percy

Joffery Lupul - Nazem Kadri - David Clarkson
Jake Gardiner - Morgan Rielly

 

[Swayze*]

Powerplay Units at Practice

James van Reimsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Dion Phaneuf - Stuart Percy

Joffery Lupul - Nazem Kadri - David Clarkson
Jake Gardiner - Morgan Rielly

percy on first PP!

Geeze

 

[Marshy]

percy on first PP!

Geeze

Placeholder for Franson. Plus get Mo and Gards used to manning the 2nd unit right away.

 

[Murphy Blue]

Powerplay Units at Practice

James van Reimsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Dion Phaneuf - Stuart Percy

Joffery Lupul - Nazem Kadri - David Clarkson
Jake Gardiner - Morgan Rielly

Clarkson sucks! get him off the powerplay.

 

[Swayze*]

Clarkson sucks! get him off the powerplay.

no doubt!

thought guys had to "earn it" in this club?

 

[SprDaVE]

Clarkson sucks! get him off the powerplay.

Meh I think he can look decent being the garbage picker around the net.

If there's one thing he can do well, it's hanging around the net and doing what JVR does for the first PP on the 2nd PP. This lets Lupul be more of the shooter on the line, like Kessel is for the first PP.

I suspect we'll see Komarov or Santorelli very soon though if Clarkson keeps struggling. It will likely be a rotation of different players until they find the right combination and also depending on who's hot/not.