GDT: Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | 10/11/2018 | 7:30PM ET | FSD

[newfy]

In a year's time, Gardiner will be off the books and it just so happens that the Leafs top prospect is a d-man in Liljegren. He looks like he can be Gardiner minus all the brain farts which is actually pretty damn good. The Leafs also have Sandin who was their first rounder last year who looked great in preseason, he might have a shot at a bottom pairing spot next year as well. The Leafs have heavily drafted defensemen over the past 2 years, for this very reason. Having Rielly on a sweet heart deal and your 2 top prospects being ready next year saves them a ton.

Either way, having too many good offensive players is a problem every team would love to have.

You really think Liljegren is going to be able to be like Gardiner but without the defensive lapses? So hes going to be a good defensive dman that can put up 50 points? Thats a number one dman, I wouldnt hold my breath on that until after he scores more than 17 points in the AHL.

Sandin was a 29th overall pick just last year. Youre sure hes going to be ready? How many dman picked that late skip out on their last year of junior to play in the NHL? Not to mention play on a contender? Teams like Tampa and Winnipeg would have a hey day with those guys in the leafs line up next season. Go look up who was picked 4 spots earlier than 29th in 2011

Torontos defense is an issue and if not addressed soon could actually screw up their rebuild and get them in a weird spot. If Toronto wins the cup in the next couple years without changing their defense it will be the worst defense to win since 2006. Theyre obviously in a great spot and have time to do it, but if they dont get that defense figured out before they get into cap issues its going to be a tough situation for them. Hoping that 2 mid to late first rounders pan out immediately after their draft years without much development time and significantly over perform their draft position isnt a good strategy for building a defense

 

[WingsMJN2965]

in 3 years Babcock make Toronto cup contender . He did it with Ducks , he did it with Wings and now Toronto . I believe he will be great general manager to , hope we will get him

Wut?

 

[Bondurant]

I am flying into town and I am going to catch my first game at the LCA.

I purposely bought tickets to watch Cholowski in the D zone 1st and 3rd periods. This really sucks that he is not playing.....but I guess I will be watching a lot of scoring.

Lots of scoring by Taveres and Matthews. Maybe Wings will sneak in a goal or two on Toronto's pourous defense. Bad break with Cholowski but you'll have a great time. Pizza Arena is a cool place. Definitely check out the Olympia sign.

 

[TatarTangle]

Everyone sitting here analyzing the game and I'm just wondering who's gonna chomp on their gum more between Blashill and Babcock

 

[Hinterland]

Abdelkader's been ****ing invisible. Helm at least gives 100% effort all the time. Abdelkader just seemed like he couldn't keep up.

I disagree strongly. Abdelkader may be a bit rusty but he's getting better and better while Helm has been trash all career long. If you watched the Anaheim game you may have noticed that Abdelkader, alongside guys like Larkin, Glendening or Ehn, was one of the few guys with gas left in the tank during the 3rd period. Pretty much all other forwards were just trying to survive instead of trying to hold on to the puck and make plays. Abdelkader may be sometimes a bit too hot headed but he's a great player. I'm well aware that that's not a popular opinion on this board but it is what it is. Babcock found some gold in Abdelkader. The ideal vet you want on a young rebuilding team. Versatile middle six guy, who, if healthy and needed, can play big minutes in all situations. Role model both on and off the ice. I like the guy even though that wasn't the case initially. Glendening is a similar case but Abdelkader is the better hockey player.

 

[taliababa]

I disagree strongly. Abdelkader may be a bit rusty but he's getting better and better while Helm has been trash all career long. If you watched the Anaheim game you may have noticed that Abdelkader, alongside guys like Larkin, Glendening or Ehn, was one of the few guys with gas left in the tank during the 3rd period. Pretty much all other forwards were just trying to survive instead of trying to hold on to the puck and make plays. Abdelkader may be sometimes a bit too hot headed but he's a great player. I'm well aware that that's not a popular opinion on this board but it is what it is. Babcock found some gold in Abdelkader. The ideal vet you want on a young rebuilding team. Versatile middle six guy, who, if healthy and needed, can play big minutes in all situations. Role model both on and off the ice. I like the guy even though that wasn't the case initially. Glendening is a similar case but Abdelkader is the better hockey player.

"Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong." Luke Skywalker

 

[Hinterland]

"Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong." Luke Skywalker

Like I said. I'm well aware that Abdelkader isn't exactly a hf posterboy. Thanks to Babcock he's still a great player. Surely better than Helm who can skate but sucks ass at hockey.

 

[turkleton85]

Everyone sitting here analyzing the game and I'm just wondering who's gonna chomp on their gum more between Blashill and Babcock

when it comes to this, blashhill is in a league of his own. He has a couple more spectacular facial moves...

 

[raymond23]

Hello Toronto fans. Nothing to see here.

 

[NickH8]

I disagree strongly. Abdelkader may be a bit rusty but he's getting better and better while Helm has been trash all career long. If you watched the Anaheim game you may have noticed that Abdelkader, alongside guys like Larkin, Glendening or Ehn, was one of the few guys with gas left in the tank during the 3rd period. Pretty much all other forwards were just trying to survive instead of trying to hold on to the puck and make plays. Abdelkader may be sometimes a bit too hot headed but he's a great player. I'm well aware that that's not a popular opinion on this board but it is what it is. Babcock found some gold in Abdelkader. The ideal vet you want on a young rebuilding team. Versatile middle six guy, who, if healthy and needed, can play big minutes in all situations. Role model both on and off the ice. I like the guy even though that wasn't the case initially. Glendening is a similar case but Abdelkader is the better hockey player.

My problem with Abdelkader this year is that he's not forechecking like he used to. Even in years where he slumps he at least had that forecheck going for him, in the past few games I haven't seen it. Maybe he'll turn it around but as of right now he doesn't deserve a promotion to the top line.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I disagree strongly. Abdelkader may be a bit rusty but he's getting better and better while Helm has been trash all career long. If you watched the Anaheim game you may have noticed that Abdelkader, alongside guys like Larkin, Glendening or Ehn, was one of the few guys with gas left in the tank during the 3rd period. Pretty much all other forwards were just trying to survive instead of trying to hold on to the puck and make plays. Abdelkader may be sometimes a bit too hot headed but he's a great player. I'm well aware that that's not a popular opinion on this board but it is what it is. Babcock found some gold in Abdelkader. The ideal vet you want on a young rebuilding team. Versatile middle six guy, who, if healthy and needed, can play big minutes in all situations. Role model both on and off the ice. I like the guy even though that wasn't the case initially. Glendening is a similar case but Abdelkader is the better hockey player.

I agree with everything you said except for the "great player" part. He is good, not great. Otherwise spot on.

 

[The Flying Octopus]

in 3 years Babcock make Toronto cup contender . He did it with Ducks , he did it with Wings and now Toronto . I believe he will be great general manager to , hope we will get him

easy, he walked into great situations and one could argue he wouldn't be that great of a coach on a team like we have, vancouver, NYR. He's walked into some pretty comfy situations.

 

[RedWingzz]

Abdelkader practicing on the top line!

I honestly feel bad for Blashill and the roster he has to work with.

There are plenty other options, this is just Blashill's choice. I actually agree with his thought process for taking Nyquist off the first line, in order to create more balance. I strongly disagree with his thought process of using Abdelkader as his replacement. Why not Bertuzzi? Why not Ras? Why not Vanek? Abdelkader was only ever producing as a top 6 forward when he had Datsyuk as his center. I love Larkin, but he's not even remotely close to Datsyuk.

 

[FMichael]

Great game for the slow, decrepit Kronwall to shake off the rust.

Indeed.

I saw a few pre-season games, and what little I saw of Kronwall.....Well lets just say I'd rather see 1 of the kids playing instead.

 

[lhsgolf19]

Black seats, or in this case seat covers lol

 

[TheOtherOne]

Black seats, or in this case seat covers lol

They look like tires. Motor City baby!

 

[marcmadsen]

Indeed.

I saw a few pre-season games, and what little I saw of Kronwall.....Well lets just say I'd rather see 1 of the kids playing instead.

In fairness, with Cholowski hurt Kronwall isn't exactly taking the spot of any of the kids tonight. Moving forward, when some of the other D return to the line up I could see your point. But, tonight Hicketts, Sulak, and Hronek are all playing

 

[Hammettf2b]

In fairness, with Cholowski hurt Kronwall isn't exactly taking the spot of any of the kids tonight. Moving forward, when some of the other D return to the line up I could see your point. But, tonight Hicketts, Sulak, and Hronek are all playing

We are going to win tonight and the coaching staff is going to attribute that to Kronwall's leadership thus giving him big minutes over a kid from he on out.

 

[Ezekial]

Yea! Then they'll send him down! This team can't do anything right!

 

[FMichael]

Black seats, or in this case seat covers lol

Wouldn't surprise me 1 bit if half the crowd was wearing blue tonight.

 

[marcmadsen]

We are going to win tonight and the coaching staff is going to attribute that to Kronwall's leadership thus giving him big minutes over a kid from he on out.

ha I don't know which situation is more outlandish, that Kronwall is still actually physically capable of playing big minutes or that the Wings will actually win tonight....

 

[marcmadsen]

Wouldn't surprise me 1 bit if half the crowd was wearing blue tonight.

Considering the cost of tickets in Toronto, how many tickets are available for Wings games these days, and how much better the Leafs are than the Wings, I'm expecting there to actually be more Leaf than Red Wings fans in attendance tonight

Being a lifelong Red Wing fan since birth, having been born in Toronto in the 80's, tonight is probably the worst game on the entire season schedule for me...

 

[Jon Cusack]

Sounds like Abdelkader is in tonight. Glad to see, would be tough to win without our top line winger in.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Wouldn't surprise me 1 bit if half the crowd was wearing blue tonight.

Seems like that has been the case since Matthews was drafted. Even before that there were always a ton of Leafs fans at the Joe.

Would love a surprising win, but would love to just not get blown out.

 

[Invictus12]

My problem with Abdelkader this year is that he's not forechecking like he used to. Even in years where he slumps he at least had that forecheck going for him, in the past few games I haven't seen it. Maybe he'll turn it around but as of right now he doesn't deserve a promotion to the top line.

I'd actually prefer Athanasiou to be the forechecker on that line and wouldn't be surprised if Blash is pushing the same narrative. The speed of the guy could be a cause of many headaches for opposing teams.