Post-Game Talk: Preseason Game #3 | SABRES @ LEAFS | Fri, Sep 21 @ 7:30pm ET | SportsNet 1 | Scotiabank Arena

[Liferleafer]

Man, Sandin looks like a player. Dubas looking real good grabbing him at 29 and getting SDA in the process.

His body needs to catch up to his brain, but when it does we have a future #3D.

This is going to be the steal me thinks....

 

[Mr Hockey]

If Babs could have 6 Hainsey's in the lineup he would be in heaven. No matter how badly he plays he will be playing the exact same role this year as last year.

lol, does he have other options, Dubas hasn't brought in anyone to help the D.

 

[Seachd]

Happy to see Engvall is making a bit of a statement - I like the tools he has.

To me, as an outsider looking in, the most impressive part about Engvall’s game is that he plays without wearing any pads.

 

[biotk]

lol, does he have other options, Dubas hasn't brought in anyone to help the D.

Babs doesn't want other options. Babs loves the Hainsey types. I was in Detroit during his early years coaching the Wings (wasn't a wings fan, but followed the team due to location). The average age of his D was more than 34 his first season. The next year a 30 year-old Danny Markov joined the top 6 and soon after a 32-year-old Lilja and a 34 year-old Rafalski. Young D simply left after years in the minors (like Quincey who was LA's highest scoring D - over Doughty - after Detroit put him on waivers earlier in the season). The myth of over-cooking was just that - a myth. Hence why Detroit has such a crap team now. They didn't have a pipeline of developing great young players through over-cooking - they had a pipeline of convincing old players to sign - usually on cheap contracts (along with a scouting system that found great over-seas prospects who no one else was looking at).

 

[kb]

Sandin has to go back to the Soo. Can not play in the AHL this year.

Actually he can go to the AHL. He was on loan from Rogle to the Hounds.

EDIT: I'm very late to the party. lol

 

[Once]

If Babs could have 6 Hainsey's in the lineup he would be in heaven. No matter how badly he plays he will be playing the exact same role this year as last year.

Babs will eventually cut him back but someone needs to step up and steal his spot first. Whether that be Z, Oz, etc. Remember it's still preseason bud

 

[IPS]

Babs doesn't want other options. Babs loves the Hainsey types. I was in Detroit during his early years coaching the Wings (wasn't a wings fan, but followed the team due to location). The average age of his D was more than 34 his first season. The next year a 30 year-old Danny Markov joined the top 6 and soon after a 32-year-old Lilja and a 34 year-old Rafalski. Young D simply left after years in the minors (like Quincey who was LA's highest scoring D - over Doughty - after Detroit put him on waivers earlier in the season). The myth of over-cooking was just that - a myth. Hence why Detroit has such a crap team now. They didn't have a pipeline of developing great young players through over-cooking - they had a pipeline of convincing old players to sign - usually on cheap contracts (along with a scouting system that found great over-seas prospects who no one else was looking at).

Babcock has a bias towards vets, especially on the blueline. Nyqvist had to do some insanely ridiculous shit to get a roster spot over Dan f***ing Cleary.

But yeah, Babs has a big hard-on for the Hainseys and Polaks of the world.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

How did Leivo do last night? I'm hoping he gets something out of all this. Either a roster spot, or traded to a team with less forward depth where he can get on with his carreer.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Didn't Babs say Lil didn't have a good rookie tourney yesterday?

Babcock said he didn’t think Liljegren’s rookie tournament was “great”, but since he was also talking about last season and last playoffs for Liljegren at the time, I wasn’t sure which tournament he was referring to.

Not that it matters, Babcock is known to be conservative and risk-averse, he’s naturally predisposed against the high-risk, high-reward style of play of defenceman like Timothy Liljegren. I saw both rookie tournament games and thought he was very good, came out with two points in two games and looked “too good” for the competition according to many of the posters on here.

Of course Babcock will see his one bad overtime pinch and take it as a sign of immaturity or risky play, but that’s to be expected of the type of coach Babcock is.

 

[biotk]

Babs will eventually cut him back but someone needs to step up and steal his spot first. Whether that be Z, Oz, etc. Remember it's still preseason bud

It's a nice thought, but it doesn't happen. Players don't work their way up within the organization and steal a spot based on merit from one of Babs' veteran D, because to do so they would have to prove to Babs that he can trust them in the position, but that is a catch-22 because Babs won't allow them the opportunity to earn that trust. A favoured veteran D can drop a spot if a trade or signing brings in someone new who Babs knows he can trust (because some other coach has given the player the opportunity to play in those situations - like Quincey who was given up on waivers - played 20+ minutes for a couple other teams, and then came back to Detroit). Otherwise the favoured vets don't lose their spot until they retire or leave the organization for another team.

Last season Babs' trust of Hainsey playing the most difficult minutes only went up throughout the year. He trusted him than Rielly. That continued in the playoffs. It won't change next year.

 

[Slyfox]

Hainsey is this season's Leo Komarov. Will get too many minutes on the top pair and finally after half the season is done Babcock will try someone else and Hainsey will be demoted to the third pair.

 

[bluumax]

Really really impressed with SDA. Learning to say his name will be my everest.

Liljegren looks great, thought he looked really composed n made some good plays. Yes some mistakes, but nothing horrific.
Sandin looked good but made some real silly mistakes, not an issue, but he certainly needs some development.
Engval.... Does this guy have a shot, I feel like he should.

Leivo I think makes it this season and I think it sticks. He's absolutely an NHLer.

 

[Polaris1010]

you just can tell babs likes Sandin, aka sandman.

That guy is pretty good.

Some players just have a presence on the ice. He was there. In position on offense. In position on defense.

Just watching some of it, and you wonder, who is this guy?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Hainsey is this season's Leo Komarov. Will get too many minutes on the top pair and finally after half the season is done Babcock will try someone else and Hainsey will be demoted to the third pair.

The problem with Hainsey is not playing him 20 minutes a night. It's playing him 22+ minutes a night which are all really taxing (PK, shutdown, etc.).

Hainsey can handle a lot, but he's 38 or something now. Not many 38 year olds can handle 22 minutes night in and night out. He hardly did it in his prime.

My hope is Ozhiganov can step up early and take some of the heat off. If he can play 18 minutes a night out of the gate, that means Hainsey can probably get down to 20, since Zaitsev will likely be getting 22+ himself.

 

[Slyfox]

The problem with Hainsey is not playing him 20 minutes a night. It's playing him 22+ minutes a night which are all really taxing (PK, shutdown, etc.).

Hainsey can handle a lot, but he's 38 or something now. Not many 38 year olds can handle 22 minutes night in and night out. He hardly did it in his prime.

My hope is Ozhiganov can step up early and take some of the heat off. If he can play 18 minutes a night out of the gate, that means Hainsey can probably get down to 20, since Zaitsev will likely be getting 22+ himself.

Rather have Dermott take over a bigger role and perhaps even have Rielly/Dermott/Gardiner take some more PK minutes as well. Hainsey should be on the third pair and play the majority of PK's as this point. 5v5 he should be barely and only against weak competition or in a defensive zone faceoff.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Rather have Dermott take over a bigger role and perhaps even have Rielly/Dermott/Gardiner take some more PK minutes as well. Hainsey should be on the third pair and play the majority of PK's as this point. 5v5 he should be barely and only against weak competition or in a defensive zone faceoff.

I see Dermott taking ice time away from Gardiner. People talk about how Hainsey should not be playing 22 minutes a night. Gardiner should not be either. Rielly and Zaitsev are the only ones who should be over 22 minutes a night, and even then it should not be by a whole lot. Dermott and Ozhiganov should be as close to 18 minutes as possible for next year IMO, and then the rest goes to Gardiner and Hainsey. Ideally, they each play ~20 minutes a night. Gardiner plays mostly offensive situations and the 2nd PP. Hainsey mostly PK and tough defensive situations (aka the anti-Gardiner). Let Rielly, Zaitsev, Dermott and Ozhiganov handle all types of situations, with the obvious divide being that Rielly and Zaitsev handle the higher end competition and Dermott/Ozhiganov the easier guys. Rielly, Zaitsev, Hainsey are your main PKer's, with Dermott and Ozhiganov the 4th and 5th (the 5th plays more if Rielly is handling too much elsewhere).

Babcock needs to be as strategic with Gardiner as he does Hainsey IMO.

 

[Slyfox]

I see Dermott taking ice time away from Gardiner. People talk about how Hainsey should not be playing 22 minutes a night. Gardiner should not be either. Rielly and Zaitsev are the only ones who should be over 22 minutes a night, and even then it should not be by a whole lot. Dermott and Ozhiganov should be as close to 18 minutes as possible for next year IMO, and then the rest goes to Gardiner and Hainsey. Ideally, they each play ~20 minutes a night. Gardiner plays mostly offensive situations and the 2nd PP. Hainsey mostly PK and tough defensive situations (aka the anti-Gardiner). Let Rielly, Zaitsev, Dermott and Ozhiganov handle all types of situations, with the obvious divide being that Rielly and Zaitsev handle the higher end competition and Dermott/Ozhiganov the easier guys. Rielly, Zaitsev, Hainsey are your main PKer's, with Dermott and Ozhiganov the 4th and 5th (the 5th plays more if Rielly is handling too much elsewhere).

Babcock needs to be as strategic with Gardiner as he does Hainsey IMO.

I strongly disagree. Gardiner if anything should be playing more. Hes in his prime and his skating looks effortless and I can barely tell when he looks tired. If it was me I would take him off the power play completely. Put either Zaitsev or Dermott as the second PP dman and make Gardiner just play 5v5 mins. This will help with his contract discussion as his pt totals should drop. Also, Gardiner played the most 5v5 mins for any dman in the entire league last year while carrying the anchor Zaitsev last year. Hes amazing at 5v5, let him just do that and perhaps use him in some spot mins for PK as well.

 

[DarkKnight]

Babcock said he didn’t think Liljegren’s rookie tournament was “great”, but since he was also talking about last season and last playoffs for Liljegren at the time, I wasn’t sure which tournament he was referring to.

Not that it matters, Babcock is known to be conservative and risk-averse, he’s naturally predisposed against the high-risk, high-reward style of play of defenceman like Timothy Liljegren. I saw both rookie tournament games and thought he was very good, came out with two points in two games and looked “too good” for the competition according to many of the posters on here.

Of course Babcock will see his one bad overtime pinch and take it as a sign of immaturity or risky play, but that’s to be expected of the type of coach Babcock is.

That, or he sees way more than we can even comprehend.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Really really impressed with SDA. Learning to say his name will be my everest.

Liljegren looks great, thought he looked really composed n made some good plays. Yes some mistakes, but nothing horrific.
Sandin looked good but made some real silly mistakes, not an issue, but he certainly needs some development.
Engval.... Does this guy have a shot, I feel like he should.

Leivo I think makes it this season and I think it sticks. He's absolutely an NHLer.

Say it with me: ess dee aii

 

[81Leafs50]

I was the Leafs start of training camp in Niagara and I've been to two games so far. Also I will be at the game on Friday as well.

Sanding and Ozhiganov has looked the best so far on the backend in terms of the players that are fighting for jobs. Due to the numbers game he will go back to the Soo, but he is just about ready. Next year will be his year.

Leafs starting 7 or 8:
Reilly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Ozhiganov
7)Rosen
8)Borgman