Post-Game Talk: Preseason Game #2 - Toronto at Ottawa, Sept 18th -- 19:30 TSN

[Mr Hockey]

I thought everyone played well ...the Matthews line and Rielly stood out as the elite, the new Russian kid got better every shift, Ceci looked pretty decent as i thought he would, never listen to people on this board lol

 

[The Iceman]

27+ minutes for Reilly in his first exhibition game....WHY????

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Its not baseless, though. There is a strong pattern where larger defensmen tend to take longer to develop.

If you want a comparable, Robert Bortuzzo is a great example. Everything Harpur has done at this stage of his career has been more impressive than Bortuzzo. Edmundson is another good examples. These guys don't start getting half decent until they're about 25 years old.

After reading your last statement, I'm confused now. Its sounds like you agree with my stance. I'm saying he's a good #6 option, and stated that he's going to get the Zach Hyman treatment... thats it.

Not really. Bortuzzo, Edmunson, etc had the good foundation (I.e decent puck skills, size, speed). Harpur only has size and can use it well. But he's very slow and can't move the puck at all.

He's not a good #6 option at all.

 

[Mr Hockey]

27+ minutes for Reilly in his first exhibition game....WHY????

Leafs wanted to win, lots of specialties minutes, the new coach wants to see what he has in Rielly/Ceci, they both played 27 minutes, probably trying to give those two as much time together as possible to gell before the season starts IMO

There is always a reason if you look for it

 

[The Iceman]

Remember big guys usually look slow. Chara doesn't look fast. Harpur looked fine once he got skating. Very slow pivots and first step though. Decent puck skill.

But you can't teach 6'6" reach. If he learns to use his other attributes to his advantage he can play on our bottom pairing IMO.

 

[Magic Man]

Not really. Bortuzzo, Edmunson, etc had the good foundation (I.e decent puck skills, size, speed). Harpur only has size and can use it well. But he's very slow and can't move the puck at all.

He's not a good #6 option at all.

I thought he showed many positive attributes last night. His ability to move the puck was fine, he didn't just dump it off the boards, he even had several moments where he carried the puck into the offensive zone and even jumped deeper into the zone. He's not flashy but I can't recall a single mistake with the puck on his stick. Kind of like Gauthier in the sense that if he gets into a puck battle he comes away with it and makes smart safe plays. I think he'll make life miserable for opponents on the PK, he plays mean.

His competition is Marincin, Schmaltz, Gravel and Holl. None of them deserve it more. I think he made the obvious decision pretty easy with his game last night. Babs confirmed it post game.

 

[MyBudJT]

Not really. Bortuzzo, Edmunson, etc had the good foundation (I.e decent puck skills, size, speed). Harpur only has size and can use it well. But he's very slow and can't move the puck at all.

He's not a good #6 option at all.

Harpur has better offensive seasons than both Edmundson and Bortuzzo in junior and in the AHL.

Harpur has better hands and is as mobile As those guys..

 

[Isaac Nootin]

27+ minutes for Reilly in his first exhibition game....WHY????

Leafs wanted to win, lots of specialties minutes, the new coach wants to see what he has in Rielly/Ceci, they both played 27 minutes, probably trying to give those two as much time together as possible to gell before the season starts IMO

There is always a reason if you look for it

100%

It's not like he'll play every pre season game either. He's probably only got 2 to 3 more of the remaining 6, might as well get him some work before the real season starts. I see no issue here.

 

[Kiwi]

I thought he showed many positive attributes last night. His ability to move the puck was fine, he didn't just dump it off the boards, he even had several moments where he carried the puck into the offensive zone and even jumped deeper into the zone. He's not flashy but I can't recall a single mistake with the puck on his stick. Kind of like Gauthier in the sense that if he gets into a puck battle he comes away with it and makes smart safe plays. I think he'll make life miserable for opponents on the PK, he plays mean.

His competition is Marincin, Schmaltz, Gravel and Holl. None of them deserve it more. I think he made the obvious decision pretty easy with his game last night. Babs confirmed it post game.

Schmaltz looked good in the first game

He's the best player for the right side out of all those guys you listed imo

 

[therealkoho]

Were we watching the same player? Guy looked very Andy Wonzniewski like to me out there.

skates a lot better then the lumbering Woz

 

[Boutette]

...and price him off the team the following season.

Brown scored twenty goals his first season. He got 2mil which is eminently affordable for a top 9 player on the squad. the reason he got moved is because he was no longer a top nine player on this team.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Johnsson Matthews Nylander looks really good as a line

 

[Magic Man]

Early feels from camp and pre-season.

Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Kapanen - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Bracco - Heavily sheltered 3rd scoring line.
Agostino - Gauthier - Moore - Intangibles line, all PK'ers.
ex. Spezza - Can fill in at center or wing and be a veteran voice in the black ace role.

Rielly - Ceci
Muzzin - Barrie
Harpur - Sandin

Andersen
Hutchinson

Schmaltz the top call up on D, Liljegren #2. Camp decides whether Aberg or Shore are first in line at forward if they clear waivers, Marchment could over take them early into the season. When Hyman comes back he can replace the worst performer between Bracco and Mikheyev on 3rd line wing. Mikheyev has more skill than I thought he would, but his compete level, defensive game and physical game didn't translate in night #1. For that reason I think the 3rd line is a little weak defensively and physically and should be used at the right times until Hyman returns to add to the lines weaknesses. Dermott replaces Sandin when he comes back.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Harpur has better offensive seasons than both Edmundson and Bortuzzo in junior and in the AHL.

Harpur has better hands and is as mobile As those guys..

Dude ... Ask the Ottawa guys who've watched him ... He can't handle the puck at a NHL level and is NOT mobile at all. They literally called him a pylon whenever he played lol. If you watch Edmunson and Bortuzzo, those guys can skate for big D-men. Edmunson should not be playing as high as he has, but they're both fine as bottom pairing D-men.

Harpur's speed and first-step are terrible, but his lateral movement is incredibly bad.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Schmaltz looked good in the first game

He's the best player for the right side out of all those guys you listed imo

I thought so too.

If Sandin/Lilijegren aren't ready or don't win the spots, I'd like to see Kivi - Schmaltz as the 3rd pairing.

 

[MyBudJT]

Dude ... Ask the Ottawa guys who've watched him ... He can't handle the puck at a NHL level and is NOT mobile at all. They literally called him a pylon whenever he played lol. If you watch Edmunson and Bortuzzo, those guys can skate for big D-men. Edmunson should not be playing as high as he has, but they're both fine as bottom pairing D-men.

Harpur's speed and first-step are terrible, but his lateral movement is incredibly bad.

Dude, I work in Ottawa and none of my sens fan colleagues talk shit about Harpur at all. All thought he was a good 3rd pairing guy.

You’re just making shit up now.

 

[ottomaddox]

Harpur's name keeps coming up. I think there are pre-concieved views here, and a point of contention in philosophies.

Welcome to Toronto and buckle up.

 

[Coachcorner]

Harpur's name keeps coming up. I think there are pre-concieved views here, and a point of contention in philosophies.

Welcome to Toronto and buckle up.

He finna kick in some rear ends and hard at that sire. Harpur has the sezise, the bigs, the guns and the toughness. He that hard. He will shakesphere thangs and suckas up so hard they won't even remember it was yesterday. Harpur will be our robocop, our predator and john rambo in the same blood. He will kick in doors and rob mothas so blind they can't even understand. But its life so it'll be aaight. Harpur was one of the most surprising sucka moves we did during summer and dubas will lift his persona up to the hilt. Statues is what I'm talkin bout mayne.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Dude, I work in Ottawa and none of my sens fan colleagues talk **** about Harpur at all. All thought he was a good 3rd pairing guy.

You’re just making **** up now.

This isn't Ottawa man ... Their 3rd pairing standards aren't Leafs standards.

That being said, search up 'Harpur slow' on Twitter. Have fun reading Sens fans hate on his slowness lol.

Ben Harpur a.k.a Jarden Cowen 2.0

In all seriousness, I do hope he becomes a clutch defender. But at this point of time, he's not even close.

 

[ZippityDooDa]

He finna kick in some rear ends and hard at that sire. Harpur has the sezise, the bigs, the guns and the toughness. He that hard. He will shakesphere thangs and suckas up so hard they won't even remember it was yesterday. Harpur will be our robocop, our predator and john rambo in the same blood. He will kick in doors and rob mothas so blind they can't even understand. But its life so it'll be aaight. Harpur was one of the most surprising sucka moves we did during summer and dubas will lift his persona up to the hilt. Statues is what I'm talkin bout mayne.

Poetry

 

[Kiwi]

I thought so too.

If Sandin/Lilijegren aren't ready or don't win the spots, I'd like to see Kivi - Schmaltz as the 3rd pairing.

I would to

If there going to be getting sheltered usage on the third pair I'd be looking for guys that can move the puck and kill those minutes rather than guys who are just going to exist and do nothing positive

 

[ITM]

Opinions on Kivihalme?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Opinions on Kivihalme?

didn't think much of him in the first, but he was very noticeable as the game went on. It's clear that creating offense is a strength of his

 

[Kiwi]

Opinions on Kivihalme?

Struggled in the first period, looked really promising in the 2nd and 3rd

He's a strong skater and can skate or pass the puck out of his own zone and he's got good offensive instincts when the pucks in the offensive end, a good heavy shot and jumps up into the rush

Babcock seemed to use him quite a bit as the team was trying to tie up the game in the 3rd period as well, really promising start

 

[Magic Man]

Opinions on Kivihalme?

Looks pretty solid so far. Skates well, good defensive instincts and stick, can move and carry the puck very well. Should be on the top pairing for the Marlies with Liljegren in Sandin's absence. He is close to NHL ready.