Around the League: Capitals and Ovie are Stanley Cup Champions

[Liminality]

Once Lou Lam trades one of NYI's 1st for Philipp Grubauer as a NYI starting goalie. Trotz goalie he knows and trusts and even started the playoffs with.

I thought you of all people should know that points are not everything. You think Grubauer is going to reduce their goals against by 50 or so?

 

[Mess]

I thought you of all people should know that points are not everything. You think Grubauer is going to reduce their goals against by 50 or so?

In part as he was top 10 in both SV% and GAA in the NHL last year with a .932 sv% & 2.35 GAA vs Anderson .918 sv% and 2.81 GAA.

Barry Trotz as coach in Nashville and Washington has had his teams near the top of the league in goal against leaders.

Lou Lam will continue to supply Trotz players to help him succeed, as his system is very successful in delivering results.

 

[Liminality]

In part as he was top 10 in both SV% and GAA in the NHL last year with a .932 sv% & 2.35 GAA vs Anderson .918 sv% and 2.81 GAA.

If you think the Islanders are in a better position than the Leafs that's your opinion and that's fine.

 

[member 262271]

What a crazy turn around front office wise - I find this so similar to the leafs not only cause of Lou being there, but because team defense escapes the Islanders like it has the Leafs for so long. Main boards are fun, TWS needs a towel and a ciggy.

 

[Mess]

If you think the Islanders are in a better position than the Leafs that's your opinion and that's fine.

I didn't claim they were better right now as we have Babcock as coach and further along in our rebuild process.

However from a JT point of view his organization just added Lou Lam and Barry Trotz to run things and that is a vast improvement from what they had, as both are proven Cup winning Execs. Lou Lam has > 30 years NHL GM experience and Trotz has 20+ years of NHL coaching on his resume.

Lou Lam turned the Leafs around quickly by adding a starting goalie and they went from 30th to playoffs in 1 season. Why should Tavares believe that strong management can't turn his team into a Cup Contender in short order?.

Besides JT either gets to play with Calder trophy winning centre Matthews in 2017 or Calder winning centre Mat Barzal in 2018 giving either team a strong 1-2 punch up the middle with him.

 

[taurine330]

Isles are correcting their direction. JT ain't leaving the long island (Brooklyn) now.

 

[Metroid]

Main boards are fun, TWS needs a towel and a ciggy.

Lol last year he was all about the Jets, this year he's gonna be all about the Islanders. Wonder which team he will bandwagon off of next?
Eventually he will pick a cup winner and then oh boy watch out...

 

[member 262271]

Lol last year he was all about the Jets, this year he's gonna be all about the Islanders. Wonder which team he will bandwagon off of next?
Eventually he will pick a cup winner and then oh boy watch out...

The best is when he talks about his "sources," just gets me every time.

 

[Menzinger]

Lol last year he was all about the Jets, this year he's gonna be all about the Islanders. Wonder which team he will bandwagon off of next?
Eventually he will pick a cup winner and then oh boy watch out...

Whatever the flavour of the month team is, he’ll bandwagon it.

And that’s honestly fine, except he keeps trying to start these petty spats with Leafs fans no matter what the topic is

 

[Liminality]

Whatever the flavour of the month team is, he’ll bandwagon it.

And that’s honestly fine, except he keeps trying to start these petty spats with Leafs fans no matter what the topic is

To be honest he's probably pretty old and wants to have "his" team win a cup soon.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I honestly don't know why the entirety of HF Leafs hasn't just put that guy on ignore already.

As for the Islanders, they're actually getting competent people to run their organization, just like us a couple of years ago. Their defence and goaltending though still need to be figured out. Goalie could probably be fixed this offseason, but the defence may take a bit longer.

In any case, just more competition in the East. Glad we're in the Atlantic and not the bloodbath that will be the Metro.

Hopefully Tavares thinks we're closer to a Cup than the Isles.

hilarious that lou leaks stuff now that he isn't in Toronto.

joke

I don't think that's something to be upset about.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I didn't claim they were better right now as we have Babcock as coach and further along in our rebuild process.

However from a JT point of view his organization just added Lou Lam and Barry Trotz to run things and that is a vast improvement from what they had, as both are proven Cup winning Execs. Lou Lam has > 30 years NHL GM experience and Trotz has 20+ years of NHL coaching on his resume.

Lou Lam turned the Leafs around quickly by adding a starting goalie and they went from 30th to playoffs in 1 season. Why should Tavares believe that strong management can't turn his team into a Cup Contender in short order?.

Besides JT either gets to play with Calder trophy winning centre Matthews in 2017 or Calder winning centre Mat Barzal in 2018 giving either team a strong 1-2 punch up the middle with him.

unless Lamoriello can whip up a permanent stadium by opening night 2018 the biggest issue is still right there.

 

[showtime8]

unless Lamoriello can whip up a permanent stadium by opening night 2018 the biggest issue is still right there.

Also have to point out that neither Lou nor Trotz play goaltender... that I know about.

 

[Menzinger]

Will be interesting to see what he does in New York.

His go to moves during the “building” phase while he was in Toronto was trade picks and sign vet free agents.

So unless the Islanders need a complete rebuild where he can move our bodies for futures (what he did best during his first Leafs season) I’m not sure how he’s going to quickly turn around the Islanders.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Lol last year he was all about the Jets, this year he's gonna be all about the Islanders. Wonder which team he will bandwagon off of next?
Eventually he will pick a cup winner and then oh boy watch out...

He reminds me of a woman who jumps from guy to guy because one's got more money, or a nicer car, or is more attractive, but no one is ever good enough and then one day she wakes up and she's 38 with no kids and six cats.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Also have to point out that neither Lou nor Trotz play goaltender... that I know about.

lol pretty much.
like i'm convinced he's not coming.
but having lou + trotz there does not equal "fun times" imo. and he said that was an issue there.

no arena for 3 years and no real goalie available.
ehh

 

[Superstar]

Once Lou Lam trades one of NYI's 1st for Philipp Grubauer as a NYI starting goalie. Trotz goalie he knows and trusts and even started the playoffs with.

Top 5 Forwards and 2 Dmen points

Barzal 85 points
Tavares 84 points
Josh Bailey 71 points
Anders Lee 40 goals 62 points
Eberle 59 points
+
Nick Leddy 42 points
Ryan Pullock 32 points

NYI = 435 points

Marner 69 points
Matthews 63 points
Nylander 62 points
Kadri 55 points
Marleau 47 points
+
Jake Gardiner 52 points
Morgan Rielly 52 points

Toronto = 400 points

You forgot about the points in the standings where it actually counts:

Toronto = 105

NYI = 80

 

[taurine330]

I think NYI can really shoot up in the rankings next season. See Leafs when we hired Babs and Lou Lam.

 

[htpwn]

I think NYI can really shoot up in the rankings next season. See Leafs when we hired Babs and Lou Lam.

They have a more experienced team than the Leafs had then, which should help them.

But they don’t have talents like Marner and Nylander on the wing, no disrespect to Lee/Bailey/Eberle. We're still closer to being a Cup contender, if that makes a difference in Tavares' mind.

 

[Damisoph]

A 1st for Grubauer heh.

I love that his stats from one season are being posted like we're supposed to feel bad about our guy. Trollol.

 

[ShaneFalco]

 

[TheTotalPackage]

This has the Coyotes written all over it.

 

[LeafFever]

This has the Coyotes written all over it.

Oh yeah. A cap hit to reach the cap floor without actually paying money? You can bet on Arizona.
Oh and Auston Matthews can't wait to go there...

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Lol last year he was all about the Jets, this year he's gonna be all about the Islanders. Wonder which team he will bandwagon off of next?
Eventually he will pick a cup winner and then oh boy watch out...

ok who is TWS?

 

[Mess]

They have a more experienced team than the Leafs had then, which should help them.

But they don’t have talents like Marner and Nylander on the wing, no disrespect to Lee/Bailey/Eberle. We're still closer to being a Cup contender, if that makes a difference in Tavares' mind.

Lou Lam just drafted perhaps the best pure goal scorer in the draft in Oliver Wahlstrom @ #11

"Natural goal scorer - A threat whenever he's on the ice. Great anticipation & hockey sense", ISS Hockey

A sensational scoring threat, Oliver Wahlstrom is a fierce competitor that preys on weak play. He exploits gaps in the neutral zone; his positioning allows him to carry the puck forward immediately or shift up and into stride off of an outlet pass. He promptly takes easy lanes away from the opposition along his own blue line, but could stand to be more proactive defensively. Offensively, he might be described as uncontainable: the confidence he has in his individual puck skill, paired with a high level of thinking, makes him a difficult cog to take out of alignment. He is able to create opportunities for himself, as well as teammates, out of nothing; this, in turn, translates to energy on the ice and in the building as a whole. All-in-all, Oliver Wahlstrom is an instinct-driven hockey player gifted with the size, skating, skill, and smarts that coaches yearn for.

Oliver Wahlstrom's Player Profile

Adam Kimelman - NHL.com - April 30: "He has the puck skills to create room for himself and get his shot off from above the face-off dots, and the size and strength to execute below the circles."

Mike Morreale - NHL.com - April 30: "Wahlstrom already has an NHL-caliber shot with a quick release and the ability to create space for himself and linemates. He's most known for his goal-scoring ability and elite shot, and can hit a one-timer as good or better than many professional players."

Craig Button - TSN - April 28: "An elite scoring winger who can beat you with his quick release, velocity and accuracy."

Sam Cosentino - SportsNet - April 28: "Everything we’ve heard all season long was confirmed with a stellar U-18 performance. He can score and score in bunches."

Steve Kournianos - SportingNews/The Draft Analys - April 28: "Wahlstrom is one of the top goal-scoring prospects in this draft. He plays an in-your-face style and crashes the net with little regard for his own safety. He also kills penalties and can provide any coach with the necessary intangibles they covet."

Cam Robinson - DobberProspects - April 26: "Owns some of the best pure puck skills in the draft. The goal-scoring forward doesn’t shy away from attacking dangerous scoring areas and boasts strong speed and quick feet."

That is the kind of talent on the wing like Mitch and Willie!!!.