Post-Game Talk: Leafs fall. Now 1-3 in Pre-Season :(

[OVO16]

I know a lot of people are down on him, especially with the great play of Sandin thus far in preseason...but I can't help but want a guy like Harpur on the team come playoff time. He needs to be with a puck mover though for sure. May be him and Sandin as the third pairing to start

Agreed. Social media is already up in arms though about Harpur.

People making such a big deal about a 6th D-man. As long as Harpur does his job, he's a perfect 6th dman

 

[Nylander88]

I think Harpur is/will be the #7 guy ... Marincin will be #6 and Sandin will need to play well in the last few preseason games against NHL players

I don't think there's any way Marincin plays over Harpur. Not even in Babs world. But we shall see

 

[Mr Hockey]

When Timashov is put on waivers he’d be a nice pickup for a rebuilding team. Middle 6 tweener. I’d lay odds Ottawa grabs him.

I dont think he has to pass waivers this year

 

[OVO16]

I think Harpur is/will be the #7 guy ... Marincin will be #6 and Sandin will need to play well in the last few preseason games against NHL players

Lol Marincin is hot garbage. Now thats a player who I never want to see play a regular-season game for us ever again. At least Harpur has some grit. Marincin doesn't even have that

 

[Nylander88]

Agreed. Social media is already up in arms though about Harpur.

People making such a big deal about a 6th D-man. As long as Harpur does his job, he's a perfect 6th dman

Exactly. And comments like Krug's about how Muzzin is he only guy on Toronto that will hit gets under my skin

 

[LeafChief]

Neuvirth and Woll are both nice to get a look at tonight.

Oh nice. Didn't realize Woll was in the lineup.

 

[OVO16]

Exactly. And comments like Krug's about how Muzzin is he only guy on Toronto that will hit gets under my skin

Everyone in the league knows the leafs are soft as butter. Its just a known fact. And trading away Kadri this year is only gonna make it worse.

One of the reasons Kadri kept getting suspended against Boston was because he was the only one on this team who has any balls to stand up for his teammates.

Maybe if our team had more of the "team grit mentality"..kadri wouldnt be the only trying to stick up for himself/teammates and not get suspended

 

[Mr Hockey]

I don't think there's any way Marincin plays over Harpur. Not even in Babs world. But we shall see

I dunno, about that

 

[Martin Skoula]

Harpur was definitely solid in this 1st game. The hate he's gotten so far is completely unwarranted.

This fanbase just hates and makes a villain out of anyone who actually has some grit.

Matt Martin is fan-favorite in New York...but we wanted to kick him out as soon as possible. Matt Martin again was a solid 4th lineplayer last year, for a team who went to the 2nd rd of the playoffs.

Martin is also making 2.5 mil, you'd really hope he doesn't look bad on a 4th line.

 

[crump]

I dont think he has to pass waivers this year

edit...Just checked Capfriendly, hes not listed as waiver exempt. ya, just checked again...that was a fast 4 years.

 

[Kiwi]

I dont think he has to pass waivers this year

He's almost 23 and he's had 3 seasons in the AHL so I believe he's going to need waivers this year

 

[Not My Tempo]

A Sandin - Dermott bottom pair would be amazing. Ceci has also actually been decent. I just don’t want Harpur anywhere near this team. He was the worst defensemen on the worst defensive team last year. No amount of grit is ever going to compensate for the fact that he isn’t capable of playing defense at the NHL level

 

[OVO16]

I dunno, about that

Marincin isnt Playing. Take it to the bank

The 3rd pairing is down to Harpur/Schmaltz/Sandin. 2 of the 3 will start opening night barring any injuries.

Sandin is clearly the best player out of the group...but for someone who's that young and with that much potential...do you really want him to start on the 3rd pairing on a playoff team. He's bound to get limited minutes.

Our top 4 will get most of the minutes

 

[OVO16]

Martin is also making 2.5 mil, you'd really hope he doesn't look bad on a 4th line.

He clearly hasnt looked bad on the 4th line in New York

 

[Nylander88]

I dunno, about that

We shall talk again Oct 2nd my friend haha

 

[Mr Hockey]

He's almost 23 and he's had 3 seasons in the AHL so I believe he's going to need waivers this year

im not 100% sure but im leaning towards he doesn't, maybe someone in the marlie thread knows for sure?

 

[Mr Hockey]

We shall talk again Oct 2nd my friend haha

no probs

 

[Martin Skoula]

He clearly hasnt looked bad on the 4th line in New York

That's the very least you would expect for that money. Guys like Agostino bring way more value for less than a third of the money.

If you remember, Martin was in the pressbox in the playoffs. That's not the fans hating on him, that's Mike "Gudpro" Babcock deciding he isn't a good enough hockey player.

 

[Kiwi]

no probs

I just went back through a couple of threads and it looks like he requires waivers

 

[Mr Hockey]

I just went back through a couple of threads and it looks like he requires waivers

ok, i will go with that, hopefully, he clears then

 

[Mr Hockey]

 

[OVO16]

That's the very least you would expect for that money. Guys like Agostino bring way more value for less than a third of the money.

If you remember, Martin was in the pressbox in the playoffs. That's not the fans hating on him, that's Mike "Gudpro" Babcock deciding he isn't a good enough hockey player.

Lol dude Im not debating Martin vs Agostino. I completely agree that Martin was overpaid.

I'm merely speaking into the fact that any player with an ounce of grit in a maple leafs sweater tries to get run out of town.

Roman Polak for example...was a really solid 6th d-man imo. He did his job perfectly almost every night. Yet all I heard here after every game was the constant complaining and moaning about a 6th effin D-man.

Meanwhile during the same time frame, guys like McQuaid, Engelland, Cernak, Coburn, Gudas, Ian Cole...were all praised and loved.

 

[MattySnipes]

Everyone in the league knows the leafs are soft as butter. Its just a known fact. And trading away Kadri this year is only gonna make it worse.

One of the reasons Kadri kept getting suspended against Boston was because he was the only one on this team who has any balls to stand up for his teammates.

Maybe if our team had more of the "team grit mentality"..kadri wouldnt be the only trying to stick up for himself/teammates and not get suspended

Love Kadri, but your over emphasis on what he brought is a reach as well as the Leafs being soft which is a bad narrative. Did you check the stats on the hits in the playoffs? Bruins were outhit by Leafs. We even outplayed them 5v5. It was the PK that killed us.

You keep mentioning he's the only one with "balls". Kadri using his "balls" to chase a kid around, who got under his skin? So manly. Year before he used his "balls" to drill a player. Dirty hit! No place in the game. This man exudes being a man

If he really had "balls" like you say, he'd drop the gloves and fight the last two playoffs. But he didn't. He got suspended. Gave away our 3 centremen advantage. Selfish.

There is being gritty, then there is being stupid. Kadri was stupid. I have no problem saying that even though he was one of my favourite's here during his time.

 

[OVO16]

Love Kadri, but your over emphasis on what he brought is a reach as well as the Leafs being soft which is a bad narrative. Did you check the stats on the hits in the playoffs? Bruins were outhit by Leafs. We even outplayed them 5v5. It was the PK that killed us.

You keep mentioning he's the only one with "balls". Kadri using his "balls" to chase a kid around, who got under his skin? So manly. Year before he used his "balls" to drill a player. Dirty hit! No place in the game. This man exudes being a man

If he really had "balls" like you say, he'd drop the gloves and fight the last two playoffs. But he didn't. He got suspended. Gave away our 3 centremen advantage. Selfish.

There is being gritty, then there is being stupid. Kadri was stupid. I have no problem saying that even though he was one of my favourite's here during his time.

No doubt we matched the bruins hit for hit. But that didnt stop Krug from saying Leafs defense was as soft as butter.

We also got rid of a player who led us in those hits in the 1st 2 games in Kadri.

Honestly, its not all about hits/bodychecks. It's about winning a board battle, knocking someone over when they're trying to skate by you, clearing the front of the net with a purpose, not afraid get grimy in 1 on battles, etc..

Bruins have those type of players. Even their soft players can get gritty, AKA Tory Krug.

We need to teach that to our young players in Mathews/Nylander/Reilly..

 

[Martin Skoula]

Lol dude Im not debating Martin vs Agostino. I completely agree that Martin was overpaid.

I'm merely speaking into the fact that any player with an ounce of grit in a maple leafs sweater tries to get run out of town.

Roman Polak for example...was a really solid 6th d-man imo. He did his job perfectly almost every night. Yet all I heard here after every game was the constant complaining and moaning about a 6th effin D-man.

Meanwhile during the same time frame, guys like McQuaid, Engelland, Cernak, Coburn, Gudas, Ian Cole...were all praised and loved.

If Martin was a 800k Marlie call up, it would be a different story. People are rooting for guys like Marchment.

I just don't see the value in a 2.5 mil plug that doesn't even want to fight anymore. Wanting him off the team has nothing to do with his toughness, it's just the smart decision.

Polak is a capable 6D, just not with this team. He sticks out more than he would anywhere else because he can't make a quality first pass and the other teams take advantage of it. If he had 2 strong puck moving RHD ahead of him and a high end 3LD to move the puck for him, he wouldn't draw that much criticism.

Most of the other D in your list are either more skilled than Polak or got sat in the playoffs like McQuaid.