Pre-Game Talk: Detroit Red Wings @ Your Toronto Maple Leafs

[GoodNewfieBoy]

Mike Brophy ‏@HockeyBroph
Lupul taking morning skate

I just hope he's 100% healthy. I don't want him to force it and not be a factor.

Brian Hayes said he remembers Lupul having to take practises off last year and still playing. Granted, the Lupul we've seen this year is way better than the one we got last year.

 

[Cor]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 1m1 minute ago
James Reimer looks to be tonight's starter versus Detroit.

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 24s24 seconds ago
Jake Gardiner paired with Morgan Rielly this morning. Looks like he may get in tonight versus Wings.

Appears Robidas is sitting tonight

 

[SprDaVE]

Argggg I don't like Rielly and Gardiner together. It's likely to fail again.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 1m1 minute ago
James Reimer looks to be tonight's starter versus Detroit.

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 24s24 seconds ago
Jake Gardiner paired with Morgan Rielly this morning. Looks like he may get in tonight versus Wings.

Appears Robidas is sitting tonight

Hm.. Robidas hasn't played great so far - glad to see Randy is making an adjustment on this

Additionally Gards and Rielly played really well together against the Wings in that last preseason game

Makes sense to give Bernier the away game too tomorrow

 

[Bluelines]

Hopefully whenever Gardiner gets in he plays his side. Stupid Randy always puts him with Morgan on his offside. He did this last season, and when Gards switched he started tearing it up. Obviously Randy would put him where he struggles though...

Wasn't it Gardiner that at the end of season exit interviews compared himself to a top end dman, shouldnt a guy with that high of an opinon of himself be able to handle any assignment?

Humble pie is best served with a side of reality..

 

[Cor]

Jimmy Howard starting tonight for the Wings.

So that means it's likely Bernier vs Gustavsson tomorrow night

 

[ACC1224]

Wasn't it Gardiner that at the end of season exit interviews compared himself to a top end dman, shouldnt a guy with that high of an opinon of himself be able to handle any assignment?

Humble pie is best served with a side of reality..

Love to see that quote. Who did he compare himself to?

 

[Cor]

Wasn't it Gardiner that at the end of season exit interviews compared himself to a top end dman, shouldnt a guy with that high of an opinon of himself be able to handle any assignment?

Humble pie is best served with a side of reality..

No, it was Franson

 

[Cor]

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters 8m8 minutes ago
Gardiner paired with Rielly in line rushes; Robidas, Percy, Polak rotating... Phaneuf-Franson remains top pair

Appears Polak will be the one coming out.

(Sigh) Why are we breaking up the Percy-Polak pairing?

 

[XxJammingxX]

Id call up Carrick and move Holland to second line LW. Give them both chances to succeed.

 

[SprDaVE]

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters 8m8 minutes ago
Gardiner paired with Rielly in line rushes; Robidas, Percy, Polak rotating... Phaneuf-Franson remains top pair

Appears Polak will be the one coming out.

(Sigh) Why are we breaking up the Percy-Polak pairing?

Could be one of Robidas or Polak...

But also possible that they run 7 D.

It's pretty early in the practice though.

 

[SprDaVE]

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets
Reimer looks like he's starting. Lupul is back in the lineup. Gardiner playing with Rielly and Polak a possible scratch. #TMLTalk

 

[Bullseye]

Argggg I don't like Rielly and Gardiner together. It's likely to fail again.

Agreed. Very scary. Coaches are hoping that speed outshines the inexperience(Reilly) and the stupidity(Gardiner).

I'm not usually critical of RC but we need good positional defense tonight - the Wings are excellent at getting peeps out of position.

I'm afraid they will outsmart and outwork Gardiner tonight.

 

[SprDaVE]

Both Gardiner and Lupul confirmed they are playing tonight.

Good stuff.

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

No, it was Franson

How do you know that?


How the **** can they justify taking anybody out besides Robidas? He's clearly been the weakest link.

 

[Murphy Blue]

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets
Reimer looks like he's starting. Lupul is back in the lineup. Gardiner playing with Rielly and Polak a possible scratch. #TMLTalk

Polak should not be scratched. He's been playing great with Percy.

Why would you do that?

 

[wc17]

Agreed. Very scary. Coaches are hoping that speed outshines the inexperience(Reilly) and the stupidity(Gardiner).

I'm not usually critical of RC but we need good positional defense tonight - the Wings are excellent at getting peeps out of position.

I'm afraid they will outsmart and outwork Gardiner tonight.

When Gardiner was at his best last season (the 2nd half) he was making the right decisions in the defensive zone with the puck (when to pass it and when to hold on to the puck)...I think with this whole "puck possession" turn the Leafs have taken, Gardiner isn't looking to make those quick up passes and looking to carry the puck way too much...hopefully its been drilled in his head now that he needs to look for his forwards and make quick decisions/passes.

A Rielly/Gardiner pairing CAN work, the coaching staff just needs to make sure to use them in the right situations and the 2 of them need to make sure they arent playing TOO risky of a game...

I personally would go with a Rielly/Percy pairing like they had in 1 or 2 of the pre-season games. I know theyre both inexperienced but that would put a more stay at home guy with Gardiner...

 

[LeafsMonster]

I would much rather have bernier play today and reimer tomorrow.

I just don't have a good feeling about tonight.

 

[LyGuy]

Polak should not be scratched. He's been playing great with Percy.

Why would you do that?

If Ph9 and Franson are first pairing and MR and Gardiner are second pairing as is being reported, then a third pairing of Percy-Robidas is still pretty good

 

[Murphy Blue]

If Ph9 and Franson are first pairing and MR and Gardiner are second pairing as is being reported, then a third pairing of Percy-Robidas is still pretty good

Polak is an important part of the blueline.

If he gets pulled tonight I think his absence will be noticeable

 

[SprDaVE]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 21s22 seconds ago
Looks like Stephane Robidas will be scratched tonight in favour of Jake Gardiner

Looks like Robidad will let his kids play alone... for now.

But there are conflicting reports about who's sitting. We'll see I guess.

 

[Murphy Blue]

^ beat me to it

Glad to see Robidad out for a rest. He'll probably factor back in tomorrow night.

 

[Atomos2]

Gunnarsson and a 4th for a healthy scratch. Way to go Nonis.

Edit: Nvmd guess Robidas is the odd man out. Scratch that

 

[TOG26]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 21s22 seconds ago
Looks like Stephane Robidas will be scratched tonight in favour of Jake Gardiner

Looks like Robidad will let his kids play alone... for now.

But there are conflicting reports about who's sitting. We'll see I guess.

Robidas on a back to back makes sense to sit in one. Just got to get him back into full shape after a summer of rehab.

 

[ACC1224]

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets
Reimer looks like he's starting. Lupul is back in the lineup. Gardiner playing with Rielly and Polak a possible scratch. #TMLTalk

I think Hendrick has this one wrong. Can't see any way Polak sits.