They’re not contenders until they actually do something to prove they are.
Tampa and Boston are better teams and will probably finish ahead. Teams below them got better while they didn’t really improve
Post-Game Talk: Sens vs Leafs in lands newly found (5:30 p.m. ET)
- Thread starter Clayonator
- Start date
They’re not contenders until they actually do something to prove they are.
Tampa and Boston are better teams and will probably finish ahead. Teams below them got better while they didn’t really improve
JungleBeat
Registered User
I would argue adding Barrie is an improvement. No team is a “lock” for the playoffs as anything could happen but I highly highly doubt they miss.
L'Aveuglette
つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
I'm going to go ahead and bet a tenner that you'll own a Parker Kelly jersey within a few years time anyway.
- Sep 29, 2016
- 11,833
- 5,535
Go to the Avs board and post that there. They'll laugh at you. They couldn't wait to lose Barrie. At first I didn't understand but watching closely I got it. Great hockey player of course but sometimes playing like a grade a idiot. This Rielly/Barrie pairing would give me sleepless nights if I was a Leafs fan. They're gonna get abused night after night. Who should actually defend for the Leafs? The only one better than the ex Sens is Muzzin.
JungleBeat
Registered User
The leafs d core is better than anything the Sens had during the EK era. Karlsson did so much while being paired with straight scrubs.
The only reason Colorado is laughing is because Duchene returned them half of their top 4 in Byram and Girard.
Barrie is a one trick one year pony in Toronto. He helps them this year during the regular season and then he's gone. He's not a great defender at the NHL level.
Toronto will make the playoffs but I dont see contender at all. Florida with top notch goaltending and coaching joined the party. TB is still there. Toronto's best bet at finishing in the top 3 might come from the Bruins cup run short summer hangover
Toronto will make the playoffs but I dont see contender at all. Florida with top notch goaltending and coaching joined the party. TB is still there. Toronto's best bet at finishing in the top 3 might come from the Bruins cup run short summer hangover
bert
Registered User
Just physically maturing late, was obvious he is a late bloomer. He won't his prime for another 3 years or so. Lots of development to go. Everyone wants the shiny new toys to fully develop at 20/21 thats just not how it works. Was pretty obvious who needs time in the AHL still. Everyone needs to be patient.
This stuff about the leafs missing the playoffs is ridiculous they improved their team big time. Barrie is an awesome hockey player lol these takes are bad. Barrie has been a stud in the playoffs too.
Also if people are actually basing them missing the playoffs after losing 1 exibition game.... Come back to reality.
Last edited:
Joeyjoejoe
Registered User
- Dec 18, 2015
- 6,126
- 8,625
When we're the worst team in the league but still have no trouble beating Toronto
This post should be used in all our games/wins against the Leafs.
- Sep 29, 2016
- 11,833
- 5,535
Good hockey player yes, but not a very smart one which is why the Avs couldn't get more for him than just Kadri...and to be honest not even that because they had to retain salary and Kerfoot is better than Rosen.
Losing an exhibition match itself wouldn't be a problem...but the way they did it and against who...that's concerning. The Sens team from yesterday has very little in common with the expected opening night roster while the Leafs iced a very veteran squad. I couldn't name you one single Leafs player who wasn't bad yesterday. And their most veteran guys were the worst, particularly Marner, Spezza and Andersen.
Last edited:
Do Make Say Think
& Yet & Yet
- Jun 26, 2007
- 51,167
- 9,909
It is funny how some the most negative posters on here are commited to praising the "greatness" of the Leafs at every chance they get.
Last edited:
BondraTime
Registered User
They are a very good team, makes sense to me
Do Make Say Think
& Yet & Yet
- Jun 26, 2007
- 51,167
- 9,909
We all know they are very good though. No one is disputing that. I don't imclude you in the negative posters for the record.
BonkTastic
ಠ_ಠ
"No officer, he committed hyperbole...
... Yeah I know, it's not really a criminal offence, but could you arrest him anyways?"
Fair point, though vets tend to half-ass preseason games as they have their spots locked up.
- Sep 29, 2016
- 11,833
- 5,535
Fair point, too but even half-assing a game, you still shouldn't let in two such bad goals or risk a suicide pass from behind the net.
Spezza should be lucky he even got a contract at this point. He was beyond awful in Dallas. If he has his spot locked up, that would be kinda concerning for the Leafs. He's still useful on the PP but if he continues to play like yesterday or last season, he probably has to hang up his skates before we even reach 2020.
Do Make Say Think
& Yet & Yet
- Jun 26, 2007
- 51,167
- 9,909
That and our squad was filled with kids fighting for jobs.
We can't take much of anything away from this game outside of a few individual performances like Duclair and Nillson who really stood out.
Last year, watching Duclair, it was clear he had impressive offensive skills. However he looked legitimately lost in the defensive zone. However, much of our team looked lost in the defensive zone last year, so I couldn't figure out if Duclair was really that bad, or it was mainly a result of coming into a team partway through the year and into a defensive system that appeared to be entirely broken.
I'm very curious to see how he does defensively, as he could be a steal if he at least cover his man / zone in the defensive end.
bert
Registered User
100 percent bad take on Barrie. Its not accurate at all. Especially the part about the Avs board.
Barrie is a UFA at the end of the season.... The fact they got a player like Kadri under contract was fantastic value, the sens didnt get a single asset close to as value as Kadri in the Karlsson deal, exact same scenario. The only reason the Avs traded Barrie was because they have Makar, Girard, Timmins and Byram coming up on the back end and he is going to get a big pay day. They need to spend the money elsewhere. Barrie is a stud mobile puck moving D man that ANY team would want.
Its an exibition game these leaf players could play 100 games this season they arent going 110% like the sens player who actually have spots to compete for. Secondly no one is playing their systems and players are rusty AND the games do not matter. Like I said anyone that reads anything into this game as a projection for the season has no idea what they are talking about.
This is directed at me I assume? I dont let my evaluation of a player be effected based on the jersey they are wearing. Anyone that does probably shouldnt engage in a hockey discussion as their opinion carries no value.
I am not negative about the sens players that play well, I am negative towards poor play and poor decisions by management. Is there another way I should be going about it? I am extremely positive about Tkachuk, White, Batherson, Formenton, Wolanin, Chabot, Duclair, Pageau and am leaning that way with a few other players and prospects the more they show me. I am even a Bobby Ryan defender.
I am very negative about the state of this franchise from an ownership and management standpoint, I dont know how you cant be if you actually care and have been paying attention.
aragorn
Do The Right Thing
- Aug 8, 2004
- 28,573
- 9,085
- I really liked the way the Sens played last night & it seems to be a continuation of how the prospects played in the rookie tournament which IMO is a huge improvement in structure from last yr under GB. They are constantly attacking in all three zones & played physical throughout the entire game.
- I loved that the Sens played a physical game & every time the stinking Leafs hit back it did not stop the Sens & they kept on hitting. Ottawa is going to have (eventually) three big physical forwards soon in Tkachuk, Batherson & Formenton & if Paul can ever mimic those guys, they could have a fourth.
- I thought the goaltending was very good last night especially Hogberg coming in cold in the 3rd period & was tested often & came up big allowing one goal in front of a very tired group who were on the ice too long. Goaltending looked solid yesterday.
- Formenton has to at some point find some consistent goal scoring with the amount of breakaways he gets per game. It will be very disappointing to see him get all these breakaways & not convert as we saw with Duclair & Gauthier last night. I think he can be more consistent but needs to learn what it will take to score on NHL goalies.
- Ottawa has a much faster team than one would think & size to go with that speed in some cases. I thought the Formenton, Norris & Abramov line was good at times & not so good at other times, all three IMO will need some AHL time. Norris is going to be a good player & at times seems to play the game similar to Tkachuk especially when fighting foe pucks along the boards.
- While I'm not a fan of the lines last night, it looks to me like Smith wants to place a rookie/prospect with a veteran or two to protect them, I assume. Should be another interesting game tonight.
- I loved that the Sens played a physical game & every time the stinking Leafs hit back it did not stop the Sens & they kept on hitting. Ottawa is going to have (eventually) three big physical forwards soon in Tkachuk, Batherson & Formenton & if Paul can ever mimic those guys, they could have a fourth.
- I thought the goaltending was very good last night especially Hogberg coming in cold in the 3rd period & was tested often & came up big allowing one goal in front of a very tired group who were on the ice too long. Goaltending looked solid yesterday.
- Formenton has to at some point find some consistent goal scoring with the amount of breakaways he gets per game. It will be very disappointing to see him get all these breakaways & not convert as we saw with Duclair & Gauthier last night. I think he can be more consistent but needs to learn what it will take to score on NHL goalies.
- Ottawa has a much faster team than one would think & size to go with that speed in some cases. I thought the Formenton, Norris & Abramov line was good at times & not so good at other times, all three IMO will need some AHL time. Norris is going to be a good player & at times seems to play the game similar to Tkachuk especially when fighting foe pucks along the boards.
- While I'm not a fan of the lines last night, it looks to me like Smith wants to place a rookie/prospect with a veteran or two to protect them, I assume. Should be another interesting game tonight.
SpezDispenser
Registered User
- Aug 15, 2007
- 26,761
- 6,277
Dear Columbus:
Thanks for giving us Duclair. What a great 1 for 1 trade.
Wait...TWO 2nd round picks too??
Thanks for giving us Duclair. What a great 1 for 1 trade.
Wait...TWO 2nd round picks too??
Do Make Say Think
& Yet & Yet
- Jun 26, 2007
- 51,167
- 9,909
I remain very skeptical about Formenton's upside in the NHL. He is fast but this is the best of the best: he may remain quick but the difference between his best and everyone else's is not as pronounced and he doesn't have much going for him outside of the speed factor.
- Sep 29, 2016
- 11,833
- 5,535
I used to like Barrie...only started to take a closer look after reading all the hate he got on hfboards. Every offensive defenseman has his brainfarts but Barrie isn't an elite defender at NHL level. He can be excellent for a stretch but he's unable to play consistently over a full season.
Also, Norris, if he can stay healthy, is gonna be much better than Kadri ever was...hopefully also minus his brainfarts.
bert
Registered User
Great... You can say bad post but you didnt bring any proof in your argument, didnt answer all the points I made which were tangible. No Barrie isnt an elite defender but he is an elite puck moving defenseman at the NHL level. Why would all his former teammates talk about how good he is? Why is he consistently playing on team Canada? Why is he always one of the top scoring D men in the NHL? He is elite, no he isnt going to be out there defending a lead but his ability to get back to pucks and break them out is one of the best in the league which means less zone time. A team with Torontos skill and transition ability is perfect for him.
Also the last part is hiliariously bad, Kadri is a former 7th overall multiple 30 goal scorer that plays very hard both ways. Best case scenario for Norris is a 2nd line player, he has never produced at an elite clip and isnt even projected as a top 6 forward. I hope he becomes one but there is no evidence up to this point that anyone would say he is projected to be better than Kadri is.
- Sep 29, 2016
- 11,833
- 5,535
I was never impressed with Kadri's game against the puck.
Also, he scored 30 goals only twice...both times he scored almost half of his goals on the PP when he was part of a strong group with several top players on it. On his own, he's not elite...not offensively and not defensively. We'll find out about Norris but I'd be very disappointed if he doesn't become a better player than Kadri.
