Pre-Game Talk: Ottawa @ Toronto - Home Opener - 7PM (EST) - CBC

[Eb]

Franson and Ranger?

Ranger wasn't on the team last year.

Ya, I jumped the gun there boys. Read Fraser.

Apologies to OP.

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

They were are most stable pairing last year. Why are you pulling sh** out of your a**?

Ya, I jumped the gun there boys. Read Fraser.

Apologies to OP.

Yeah no doubt Franson/Fraser was a great pairing, but Ranger's timing seems off and a step behind so far. Will this last? I don't think so.

I'm simply saying I'd like the two most mobile D on the corps Rielly & Gardiner to split up arguably the two least mobile of the six (Franson & Ranger).

 

[Joufreau]

Hope Devane gets in the lineup, love his game. Hands arent bad for an enforcer

Rielly - Gardiner makes me a little nervous
I get that we have last change and Carlyle will be able to protect them somewhat but I still dont like it
would rather see

Gunnar - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Franson
Ranger - Rielly

better balance on the back end that way IMO

 

[Suntouchable13]

I don't like this. RC is really taxing his top 4 D already early on. I doubt Rielly and Gards will get lots of minutes. Looks like RC is going to lean heavily on the top 4.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Would rather have the Gardiner-Franson pairing reunited

 

[zeke]

for the record, Carlyle said post-practice that it was "unlikely" that Gardiner and Rielly would be paired together.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Devane and Orr on a line? That is scary!!

Fraser, Mclaren and Clarkson all missing.

Orr cant do everything by himself. It was only right we call up devane

Yup. Ottawa would've played our own game against us, crashing bodies and taking names if we hadnt called up Devane. Love this move.

 

[Asif16*]

By the way, just curious...doesn anybody actually know Mclarens status? Like when was he supposed to be back? Ashton really did a number on his finger didnt he

 

[gabeliscious]

for the record, Carlyle said post-practice that it was "unlikely" that Gardiner and Rielly would be paired together.

i would think there is zero chance that gardiner and rielly are a pairing. it would be disaster waiting to happen.

what does everyone think about,

phaneuf-ranger
gardiner-franson
rielly-gunnarson

gunnarson is arguably are most solid defensive so he will be able to cover for rielly. gardiner and franson has worked in the past so why not again, and phaneuf is used to be paired with plugs so ranger will fit in.

 

[The Professional]

They got skill and some fine speed I have noticed it too. We are not underestimating them at all, that comes from carlyle also but from our team certainly as well. Good pick ups on the sens play btw.

My thinking is still that they have always built the whole team in a different manor. We have always been the harder team who dominates the mental game superiorly. Just like we did in all those past playoff runs against them. Ottawa senators will never be able to beat us in the playoffs. It's the whole philosofy in how be approach things and build things. We are the harder team and that prevails almost everytime in life.

Those playoff series were more than a decade ago. You realize that both current Leafs and Sens teams have little to nothing to do with those teams. Ottawa hasn't had the Jacques Martin philosophy in a long, long time. The Sens match the Leafs toughness easily, settle down.

Like we already have seen we are dropping players in this 82 game run. The Leafs are quickly dropping all those division rivals and their players out like we all have proven. In this long 82 game run it's important and carlyle I'm sure has mad his point. Weaken the opposite teams early on makes their journeys even tougher. Loving the fact we have the hardest team in the world now again.

You're really saying that after 2 games?

 

[TonsofPuppies*]

what does everyone think about,

phaneuf-ranger
gardiner-franson
rielly-gunnarson

Ranger has easily been our worst defensemen in the first two games and your suggestion is to give him top paring minutes?

 

[Primary Assist]

By the way, just curious...doesn anybody actually know Mclarens status? Like when was he supposed to be back? Ashton really did a number on his finger didnt he

Well he's on LTIR, so he won't be available til October 25th at the earliest. Same game as Clarkson. Injuries like his take about 6-8 weeks to recover, and it happened about 3 weeks ago.

 

[I Am The Stig]

for the record, Carlyle said post-practice that it was "unlikely" that Gardiner and Rielly would be paired together.

Lol that would've been equivalent to a Schenn-Phaneuf pairing.

-shiver-

 

[ACC1224]

i would think there is zero chance that gardiner and rielly are a pairing. it would be disaster waiting to happen.

what does everyone think about,

phaneuf-ranger
gardiner-franson
rielly-gunnarson

gunnarson is arguably are most solid defensive so he will be able to cover for rielly. gardiner and franson has worked in the past so why not again, and phaneuf is used to be paired with plugs so ranger will fit in.

Gunnar does need to get away from Phanuef but he is by no means "are most solid defensive".

I'd switch Franson with Ranger in your scenario.

 

[Eb]

Yeah no doubt Franson/Fraser was a great pairing, but Ranger's timing seems off and a step behind so far. Will this last? I don't think so.

I'm simply saying I'd like the two most mobile D on the corps Rielly & Gardiner to split up arguably the two least mobile of the six (Franson & Ranger).

I agree.

It's a shame that Fraser got injured. If he didn't, Ranger would be no doubt.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Ranger has easily been our worst defensemen in the first two games and your suggestion is to give him top paring minutes?

Isn't that the Carlyle way, though? Look at Kostka

 

[Dangles McGavin]

I just remembered that we got Franson for Lebda.

Wow. Burke is a god.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

i would think there is zero chance that gardiner and rielly are a pairing. it would be disaster waiting to happen.

what does everyone think about,

phaneuf-ranger
gardiner-franson
rielly-gunnarson

Good lord no to Dion being paired with that plug Ranger, Ranger can't even hack it against 3rd/4th liners, it would be a disaster to put him out against the best players in the league. I like the rest of the pairings though they match well together, I espically like Rielly being with Gunnarsson, I mean who better to show him the ropes then our best defensive player?

 

[I Am The Stig]

I just remembered that we got Franson for Lebda.

Wow. Burke is a god.

We also got Lombardi from the Preds too for Lebda and Slaney. Lombardi didn't exactly work out here but it was a good pickup at the time.

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

I just remembered that we got Franson for Lebda.

Wow. Burke is a god.

I'm a little pissed off we gave up Slaney for only a top 4 D

Should've gotten more

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Gunnar does need to get away from Phanuef but he is by no means "are most solid defensive".

I'd switch Franson with Ranger in your scenario.

Franson is probably going to displace Gunnarsson soon. I think Gardiner is another contender as well.

PS: I doubt we're going to see a Gardiner - Rielly pairing.

 

[Maplestory*]

3-0 win for Leafs.

 

[Paradoc]

8 hours ago
@jonasTSN1050: Randy Carlyle said he's had goaltending plans drawn out for a while. Would think Reimer's history vs. Ottawa would seal decision (1.69 GAA).

So that means Reims is definetly playing on Saturday while Bernie probably plays a bunk of western conference teams.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

8 hours ago
@jonasTSN1050: Randy Carlyle said he's had goaltending plans drawn out for a while. Would think Reimer's history vs. Ottawa would seal decision (1.69 GAA).

So that means Reims is definetly playing on Saturday while Bernie probably plays a bunk of western conference teams.

At this point, Game 3 - Reimer, Game 4 (Avs) - Bernier.

I also think Bernier will get Game 5 @Nashville by the way it has played out thus far. But it can change in next 2 games.

 

[PuckMagi]

i would try:

phaneuf - franson
gardiner - gunner
rielly - ranger

phaneuf and franson have been our two best D-men. they play on the PP together, so it makes that aspect easier since they wont have to switch things up. they will probably play a lot of minutes.

gardiner could benefit from having a stay at home D partner to back him up. and gunner can let gardiner move the puck.

rielly and ranger have a lot of potential, but it's probably best that they play shelted minutes until they get a little more comfortable in the NHL