Roster speculation XVIII - We're getting closer to things happening!

[Samsonite23]

If we're getting 4th overall we don't need Eberle.

Give us all of the forwards! Our defense is already great!

 

[Heraldic]

Let's not act like similar things weren't said about Phil Kessel and Jeff Carter that are said about Eberle.

These players fit in, they don't lead.

Carter has size, Kessel speed. That's why they fit. Them being leaders or not means pretty much nothing when considering how they worked in their given systems.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Carter has size, Kessel speed. That's why they fit. Them being leaders or not means pretty much nothing when considering how they worked in their given systems.

Eberle would work in LA and Pittsburgh. He would fit in.

 

[Zip15]

He also scores goals. People around here really hate that.

Posts like this make me love when you whine that people mischaracterize your posts. Pot, kettle, yada yada...

Let's not act like similar things weren't said about Phil Kessel and Jeff Carter that are said about Eberle.

These players fit in, they don't lead.

Eberle wasn't really asked to be a leader in the way that Carter was in Cbus and, to a lesser extent, Philly, or Kessel in Toronto. Eberle also doesn't have the positional versatility or proven ability to drive play against opponents' best players like Carter did, or Kessel's production as the focus of every one of the Leafs' opponents. A lot of the criticisms of those two players were overblown (beers, hot dogs, oh my!) or unfair. While I'm not opposed to Eberle, at a fair price, I don't think his situation is similar to Carter or Kessel.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Posts like this make me love when you whine that people mischaracterize your posts. Pot, kettle, yada yada...



Eberle wasn't really asked to be a leader in the way that Carter was in Cbus and, to a lesser extent, Philly, or Kessel in Toronto. Eberle also doesn't have the positional versatility or proven ability to drive play against opponents' best players like Carter did, or Kessel's production as the focus of every one of the Leafs' opponents. A lot of the criticisms of those two players were overblown (beers, hot dogs, oh my!) or unfair. While I'm not opposed to Eberle, at a fair price, I don't think his situation is similar to Carter or Kessel.

It's easy to say those opinions were unfair now.

Eberle also was developed on the worst team in hockey without any leadership around him. So even if he wasn't the guy in Edmonton, he had nothing to follow.

 

[TehDoak]

We will need a replacement for Kane on ELC.

Bailey? Fasching?

 

[stokes84]

Bailey? Fasching?

Do you really project those guys to be 1st liners?

 

[Captain Holt]

So tired of seeing Bailey and Fasching penciled in to the top 6.

 

[Myllz]

Do you really project those guys to be 1st liners?

Is Kane really a first liner?

 

[stokes84]

Is Kane really a first liner?

He was on pace for 28 goals this year. That's pretty much a 1st liner.

 

[old kummelweck]

Those players are not that easy to get. Girgs and Bogo both check that box.

Girgs has some weakness in his overall skating. He's OK north/south, that's about it.

 

[old kummelweck]

He was on pace for 28 goals this year. That's pretty much a 1st liner.

Fast, beats guys to pucks, wins battles, physical, forces turn-overs. Why would you want that on the first line?

 

[Zman5778]

Do you really project those guys to be 1st liners?

Is Connor Sheary a 1st liner?


With guys like Eichel and Reinhart and ROR.....terms like "1st liners" need to be thrown out the window. Find guys that work well with your top offensive threats, and they don't need to be 1st line talent.

Girgensons isnt a 1st line talent and worked awfully well with Eichel last year.
Hecht wasn't a 1st line talent but just meshed with Briere perfectly.

That's what we need.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Fast, beats guys to pucks, wins battles, physical, forces turn-overs. Why would you want that on the first line?

Because what you described is a great checking line wing. Either way, those players can fit almost anywhere in the top 9. For Bylsma it's a matter of finding a couple guys that play well together, or can cover each others' weaknesses. It doesn't matter a whole lot what line they're on, as long as they work well with their linemates and can fulfill that line's responsibilities.

 

[Sabre Dance]

He was on pace for 28 goals this year. That's pretty much a 1st liner.

20 % of his goals were empty net goals. Zero chance he kept that pace.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Is Connor Sheary a 1st liner?


With guys like Eichel and Reinhart and ROR.....terms like "1st liners" need to be thrown out the window. Find guys that work well with your top offensive threats, and they don't need to be 1st line talent.

Girgensons isnt a 1st line talent and worked awfully well with Eichel last year.
Hecht wasn't a 1st line talent but just meshed with Briere perfectly.

That's what we need.

Wonder twin powers, activate!

 

[Zman5778]

Fast, beats guys to pucks, wins battles, physical, forces turn-overs. Why would you want that on the first line?

The Kane that we got the last 10 games of his season or so is absolutely a top line guy.

Problem is, is that the Kane we get going forward? Or is it the puck-myopic one that doesn't pass and we saw for much of the season?

I'm not ready to say what EK is yet, because we saw 2 vastly different versions of him this year.

 

[stokes84]

Is Connor Sheary a 1st liner?


With guys like Eichel and Reinhart and ROR.....terms like "1st liners" need to be thrown out the window. Find guys that work well with your top offensive threats, and they don't need to be 1st line talent.

Girgensons isnt a 1st line talent and worked awfully well with Eichel last year.
Hecht wasn't a 1st line talent but just meshed with Briere perfectly.

That's what we need.

Did he really? We are a bad team that needs better players. That couldn't have been more obvious than when Girgensons was skating in the top 6. It was night and day from when Kane was on that line towards the end of the season. Did some of you really actually think our forwards were good enough last year?

 

[stokes84]

The Kane that we got the last 10 games of his season or so is absolutely a top line guy.

Problem is, is that the Kane we get going forward? Or is it the puck-myopic one that doesn't pass and we saw for much of the season?

I'm not ready to say what EK is yet, because we saw 2 vastly different versions of him this year.

It doesn't matter, because you want THAT Kane going forward, and that is why you trade up for Tkachuk. So when Kane leaves, you have a good chance of improving that spot.

 

[TehDoak]

Did he really? We are a bad team that needs better players. That couldn't have been more obvious than when Girgensons was skating in the top 6. It was night and day from when Kane was on that line towards the end of the season. Did some of you really actually think our forwards were good enough last year?

On an unrelated note, how much long are you required to have that avatar

 

[Zman5778]

It doesn't matter, because you want THAT Kane going forward

Ah yes.

But what we WANT isn't always what we GET.

We WANT Kane to be that force that he was his last 10 games or so. But, is that who we get? Who knows.

 

[stokes84]

On an unrelated note, how much long are you required to have that avatar

I can change it if I want, but it's easy to spot when I'm scrolling through, so I've kept it.

 

[stokes84]

Ah yes.

But what we WANT isn't always what we GET.

We WANT Kane to be that force that he was his last 10 games or so. But, is that who we get? Who knows.

This is the argument for not trying to improve our forwards in the draft???

 

[Zman5778]

This is the argument for not trying to improve our forwards???

Improve has such a sketchy definition here. I'm not looking for the most talented guys to improve our forward group. I'm looking for guys that will fit best with ROR, Jack and Sam. They don't need to be a guy like Tkachuk or some other high-talent, high-cost (eventually) guy.

How Pittsburgh won the Cup is easy to ID: a speedy forward corps that ran 3 lines deep in scoring ability and a mobile defense that blocked everything in sight and transitioned the puck well.

I think we can get the "speedy forward corps that ran 3 lines deep in scoring ability" largely off of what we have and lower cost FA additions (especially if we shift Sam to center).

It's that 2nd part that concerns me moving forward.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

I don't think that Fasching or Bailey are first liners, but I think that they could compliment an already-effective forward duo. Especially Hudson, who looked good ending the season with O'Reilly and Girgensons.