Speculation: Hainsey Island

[ottomaddox]

Ok let me start off by saying that there's enough conversation about Ron Hainsey to create a thread about it.

Let me be clear by saying that I've always liked him: CAR, PIT, and TOR.

The title of the thread is tongue and cheek. I know we don't have to keep him away in order to make the cap work.

We all can see that he has lost a step. Perhaps he needs more time to find his legs. I also know that he was slowing down considerably last season.

At this point I would speculate that his role will have to deminish in order to continue with TOR.

Having Ron Hainsey as your number 6 D is not that bad, but who will step up to replace him?

Perhaps Zaitsev will have a 2D role? The top 4 should be interesting this season if Hainsey all of a sudden falls to a 6/7 D.

I am pulling for Hainsey. I like him as a Leaf, but I have admit that he looks like he's coming to the end of his NHL career.

What do you think?

Click to read more...

 

[Mr Hockey]

He needs to be in a role similar to Polaks, but the Leafs have no choice but to play him as a top 4 guy. Maybe they will trade for a d'man at the trade deadline to help?

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Hey, I have an idea! Why don't you start another thread....

 

[ottomaddox]

Hey, I have an idea! Why don't you start another thread....

Why don't you bump the most recent Ron Hainsey thread or link us to your Ron Hainsey hockey blog.

 

[djdev]

Ok let me start off by saying that there's enough conversation about Ron Hainsey to create a thread about it.

Let me be clear by saying that I've always liked him: CAR, PIT, and TOR.

The title of the thread is tongue and cheek. I know we don't have to keep him away in order to make the cap work.

We all can see that he has lost a step. Perhaps he needs more time to find his legs. I also know that he was slowing down considerably last season.

At this point I would speculate that his role will have to deminish in order to continue with TOR.

Having Ron Hainsey as your number 6 D is not that bad, but who will step up to replace him?

Perhaps Zaitsev will have a 2D role? The top 4 should be interesting this season if Hainsey all of a sudden falls to a 6/7 D.

I am pulling for Hainsey. I like him as a Leaf, but I have admit that he looks like he's coming to the end of his NHL career.

What do you think?

i think that zaits is a huge factor in our success this year. im gonna give hainsey a bit of a leash since it usually takes older players a bit longer to get going. that being said, i dont disagree, its discouraging to watch Hainsey out there nightly making costly mental mistakes and getting blown by...i hope he gets it together because hes not a bad defenseman, just used too much imo, he seems mentally exhausted on a nightly basis.

as for other dmen, i think by the mid point of the season, 2 of the bubble guys will be playing full time. babs seems to like the physicality of OZ and borgman can play that way too. and while i havent seen enough of OZ to see what his breakout is like, both borgman and Rosen are pretty good at it. i like what borgman brings the most (current play and potential combined), and rosen, while a lower ceiling player imo, really improved last year in the AHL. so we have 3 legitimate options to succeed hainsey should something happen with an injury or his plays falls off a ledge even more. i hope that at the end of the day the proper decisions are made for the good of the team if they are needed, last year babs scratched martin and leo eventually, which i never thought he would do, so i have more faith this year that the proper people get the jobs if they are deserving. gonna be an interesting remainder of training camp

 

[Zybalto]

Odd you start this thread after he had a decent pre-season game but it doesnt really matter as it's still pre-season.

Let's see how he starts the season and his usage before we start panicking about his play. Gotta remember he was a very pleasant surprise the first half of last year and the previous years gruelling cup run may have played a part in his tiring down the stretch in addition to his harder than capable minutes.

 

[crump]

Yes, might take a few games to get his legs. I would wait until the reg season to critique him. The key is obviously not to overplay him. Also, at his age there will come a time, sooner than later, that he will never get his legs back. That's a real concern. The speed of the game is just getting faster. If he comes out of the gate this season, the way he ended last season, how many games is Babcock going to flog that horse?

 

[Liminality]

He's not as bad as everyone overreacting is. (Although that seems to be what we're best at in pre season games)
He's good at some things and not good at others. He's still a placeholder for an actual RHD partner for Rielly and it seems like Rielly will have to live with him for at least another season.

 

[TOGuy14]

Some of the kids have had really good camps so far (Borgman / Sandin / Lil / Oz).

I think Hainsey makes the perfect stopgap to let those guys cook a bit more in the AHL / get spot call ups before they come full time next season.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Why don't you bump the most recent Ron Hainsey thread or link us to your Ron Hainsey hockey blog.

I would but just like Hainsey the thread is old and slow and the blog, like Hainsey's ability to remain skating, is non-existent.

 

[supermann_98]

He's not as bad as everyone overreacting is. (Although that seems to be what we're best at in pre season games)
He's good at some things and not good at others. He's still a placeholder for an actual RHD partner for Rielly and it seems like Rielly will have to live with him for at least another season.

Agreed. If Reilly and Zaits have any sort of chemistry (they sucked playing together last year) I wouldn't be as concerned.
Hainsey is part of the reason Reilly had such an improvement last year, as he had freedom to roam a bit knowing that Hainsey was back there to protect his ass

 

[DarkKnight]

He's not as bad as everyone overreacting is. (Although that seems to be what we're best at in pre season games)
He's good at some things and not good at others. He's still a placeholder for an actual RHD partner for Rielly and it seems like Rielly will have to live with him for at least another season.

He's actually fine, I think the concern is when he hits the age wall. I'd like to see him on the third pair at some point.

 

[supermann_98]

He's actually fine, I think the concern is when he hits the age wall. I'd like to see him on the third pair at some point.

One of the guys currently fighting it out for the 5/6/7 spots needs to come in and outplay Hainsey to push him down to the bottom pair, and it could happen.

Say Hainsey is wiped out from killing penalties and Reilly has Ozi as his D partner for a shift or two, and they show some serious chemistry, I could see Babs changing it up. He’s much less hesitant to mix up his D pairings as he is for his forward lines.

 

[Voodoo Child]

The whole Robidas Island concept stemmed from his being signed, playing about half a season, then the unfortunate issue of us needing to pay him 3 million dollars for two more years when he wasn't in any condition to play and he was a buyout proof over-35 contract.

However he was a real gud pro and didn't shoot off his mouth and worked with the team and cashed his checks, now he has a senior position with the team. I have to assume if Lupul didn't like his sluts and cocaine so much, he would be in the same position, but he's not.

It's similar to Michalek vs. Greening. Cry and whine like Milan did, off you go. Set a good example like Greening does, and you get your money and a high chance at a cushy and largely ceremonial gig in the front office making 250k per for the next twenty years.

...

Hainsey has one more year left, and then he's probably going to retire. I don't see how comparing him to Robidas pertains.

 

[Buds17]

As a pending UFA, bonus for the Leafs if six D can become better lineup options over the course of the season. That might be a matter of "if", and I'd think it's certainly a matter of "when" (as in it'd likely be far too early to start the season that way).

 

[biotk]

Hainsey is not going to play a diminished role. Go look at the games when the Leafs were holding a small lead. The last 2 or 3 minutes would consist of Zaitsev, Polak and Zaitsev rotating on and off with Hainsey on for the whole damn thing. Look at his role in the playoffs.

Maybe Hainsey has a older brother or father who Babs could play. Otherwise Hainsey will continue playing 22 minutes a night.

 

[frog]

Wait what? Hainsey is our most reliable defensemen.. God are people now turning on him now? In a close game we need hainsey out there over Gardner, Zaitsev, Dermott, Carrick, etc.. He is the only guy that can keep Reilly steady.. Remember the Reilly-Zaitsev -20 pairing

Im convinced leaf fans hate everyone who isnt fancy, only scores goals or is under 30. Hainsey is our 2nd best defensemen.

 

[Ratboy]

He does need lowered ice time. Not playing the whole PK is a good start. We can't gas him like last year.

 

[Once]

Some of the kids have had really good camps so far (Borgman / Sandin / Lil / Oz).

I think Hainsey makes the perfect stopgap to let those guys cook a bit more in the AHL / get spot call ups before they come full time next season.

Very good perspective.

 

[Mess]

Ron Hainsey is a top pairing Dman on the Leafs defense and getting the 2nd most TOI/g among all Leaf players.

Let that sink in ...

Ron Hainsey should be a 3rd pairing guy as he fades into the limelight of his career now age 37 on a Cup competitive team. IMO

 

[ottomaddox]

The whole Robidas Island concept stemmed from his being signed, playing about half a season, then the unfortunate issue of us needing to pay him 3 million dollars for two more years when he wasn't in any condition to play and he was a buyout proof over-35 contract.

However he was a real gud pro and didn't shoot off his mouth and worked with the team and cashed his checks, now he has a senior position with the team. I have to assume if Lupul didn't like his ****s and cocaine so much, he would be in the same position, but he's not.

It's similar to Michalek vs. Greening. Cry and whine like Milan did, off you go. Set a good example like Greening does, and you get your money and a high chance at a cushy and largely ceremonial gig in the front office making 250k per for the next twenty years.

...

Hainsey has one more year left, and then he's probably going to retire. I don't see how comparing him to Robidas pertains.

I didnt. I already explained that in the OP though.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Wait what? Hainsey is our most reliable defensemen.. God are people now turning on him now? In a close game we need hainsey out there over Gardner, Zaitsev, Dermott, Carrick, etc.. He is the only guy that can keep Reilly steady.. Remember the Reilly-Zaitsev -20 pairing

Im convinced leaf fans hate everyone who isnt fancy, only scores goals or is under 30. Hainsey is our 2nd best defensemen.

To be fair, Zaitsev's first assignment was trying to be a 2D in the NHL. Worked well for his production, but he needed to acclimate to the NHL before being able to do that. If he played with Rielly last year, he'd probably do a lot better than he did his first year.

However Rielly does need that guy who can let him do his thing. Just like literally every top guy in the NHL needs their guy to do their thing. Otherwise Rielly is too busy having to cover for the other guy, and clearly that is going to limit his effectiveness. Hainsey is maybe not the best guy for Rielly, but at the very least he lets him do his thing.

 

[Polaris1010]

Opening night roster Leafs defense.

Gardiner - Zaitsev
Reilly - Ozhiganov
Borgman - Hainsey

spare: Martin Marincin

Free Marty!!

Limit Hainsey ice time on the 3rd pair and let him kill penalties and close out the game, he still can do that.

 

[PuckMagi]

Hainsey is going to be this year's Hyman if Babcock keeps him on the top pair with Rielly and makes him kill entire penalties. Almost the exact same situation.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Play 7 d-men every night and only use Hainsey on the PK, lol.