Post-Game Talk: William Nylander Leads Leafs to Victory!

[Clark4Ever]

How are Greening and Michalek doing for you guys?

Greening has been leaving it all on the ice every shift. What he lacks in skill, he makes up for with effort. I don't think he'll stick past next season though.

Michalek is still finding his stride after a long layoff, but his skillset is obvious. He had his best game as a Leaf tonight, and also scored his first goal. He'll play a significant role next season and be used as trade bait at the deadline.

 

[Cor]

How are Greening and Michalek doing for you guys?

Greening is doing great. Michalek looks a tad uncomfortable still, but scored a sick goal tonight.

Honestly, that deal couldn't have been better for us.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Greening I like. Michalek can fade away after this season

Michalek is under contract for next season.

 

[Erdinger]

Michalek is under contract for next season.

Lou will make him an offer he can't refuse

 

[Langdon Alger]

Greening is doing great. Michalek looks a tad uncomfortable still, but scored a sick goal tonight.

Honestly, that deal couldn't have been better for us.

Great trade for you guys. Getting Lindberg and a 2nd rounder next year is not too shabby either.

 

[Bullseye]

How are Greening and Michalek doing for you guys?

Both had very good games tonight. Greening fits right in and he seems to enjoy being the muscle with the kids out there.

Milan is here for another year. Looks fine but will be injured shortly into next season then healthy just before the TDD next Feb.

 

[Jacquestrapless]

That Babcock comment is great to hear... would hate to have to put up with years and years of guys taking liberties on our skilled players. I still would've liked to see Jamie Devane on this team as a guy we could spot in for games like this. He showed he can keep up playing with a bunch of these guys last season on the Marlies. Not a guy you really have to worry about playing regularly to develop either because he is what he is. Nice to see they'll address it in the offseason though as our team is going to be permanently young starting next season.

Also have to say that Marincin seems to be really improving so good for him. Awesome snipe tonight

Yeah, there were some tweets stating that there would be some discussion of grit and toughness in the off-season. It's all well and good to skate away from altercations but when teams start head-hunting, a 5 min powerplay and suspension wouldn't be enough to make up for potential injury. I would suspect if Babs follows the system of pairing two skill guys with a grinder, the grinder would be the one throwing hits with the ability to fight if needed. Our team is just discombobulated with injuries and call-ups right now so hopefully we get it sorted out next year

 

[garce]

That Babcock comment is great to hear... would hate to have to put up with years and years of guys taking liberties on our skilled players. I still would've liked to see Jamie Devane on this team as a guy we could spot in for games like this. He showed he can keep up playing with a bunch of these guys last season on the Marlies. Not a guy you really have to worry about playing regularly to develop either because he is what he is. Nice to see they'll address it in the offseason though as our team is going to be permanently young starting next season.

Also have to say that Marincin seems to be really improving so good for him. Awesome snipe tonight

They might be a little harder to find, but it's middleweights who can play who your going to have to find. Not the complete weasels, but Prust, Neil types who won't let the kids get run.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Both had very good games tonight. Greening fits right in and he seems to enjoy being the muscle with the kids out there.

Milan is here for another year. Looks fine but will be injured shortly into next season then healthy just before the TDD next Feb.

Haha Michalek is pretty injury prone. I hope you guys can get something for him before next year's deadline.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Both had very good games tonight. Greening fits right in and he seems to enjoy being the muscle with the kids out there.

Milan is here for another year. Looks fine but will be injured shortly into next season then healthy just before the TDD next Feb.

Where do you see them fitting into next years lineup when everyone else is healthy?

 

[Erdinger]

They might be a little harder to find, but it's middleweights who can play who your going to have to find. Not the complete weasels, but Prust, Neil types who won't let the kids get run.

The Tiger Williams types who could score and even kick the **** out of heavyweights are a rarity these days

 

[burpsalot]

How are Greening and Michalek doing for you guys?

Greening has been very good, good forecheck & grinds it out well & he has a head on his shoulder.

Michalek probably had his best game today, their line created opportunities, applied pressure & he was a big part of it & added a goal tonight. Previous games, not too impressive, maybe timing was off after just returning from his injury

 

[Budsfan]

 

[garce]

Where do you see them fitting into next years lineup when everyone else is healthy?

Both are either cap ballast in a big deal or dead line giveaways.

 

[Stats01]

he didn't expand but Selleck was like Maybe like a Milan Luicic (a skilled player who can fight)

no thanks. Lucic is going to get close to 7 mil a year on his new deal.

 

[garce]

The Tiger Williams types who could score and even kick the **** out of heavyweights are a rarity these days

Heavys are gone and that's not a bad thing but if you take a lineup of Leaf kids against say LA 2 or 3 have to be able to answer the bell or you get run over.

 

[burpsalot]

They might be a little harder to find, but it's middleweights who can play who your going to have to find. Not the complete weasels, but Prust, Neil types who won't let the kids get run.

Yup, no need for goons, but guys that won't let other teams take liberties. Guys like Roberts, Shanahan, Trottier, Iginla, Robinson & Tkachuk. They all play the game & won't be out trying to take someone's head off, but if you try to take liberties they'll go toe to toe with any middleweight & some heavy weights. You play a team with players like that, you walk softly.

The closest we have to that is Sam Carrick, not the same skill level as those mentioned above, but a legit 3rd/4th line player that is versatile & willing to do anything for his team-mates.

 

[deletethis]

"We're going to take care of that in the off season." Babcock about some of the Buffalo bullying in the 3rd.

A lot of talk about Gauthier's skating during the game but it looked fine to me.

 

[StanleyTOR]

What a shot - but that's not a surprise..

But he looks much more comfortable now. He basically controlled the whole PP (the one where he shortly scored after). Great talent, just need to build on his strength this Summer. Excited about watching him next year.

What a difference a coach can be especially someone like Babs with his pedigree to get the kids AND veterans to actually listen.
Gardiner looks so good nowadays, Marincin looks like he belongs in the top4. Gauthier didn't look out of place either.

This will be an important summer to impress Babs. These kids better work out. Marner too.

 

[garce]

"We're going to take care of that in the off season." Babcock about some of the Buffalo bullying in the 3rd.

A lot of talk about Gauthier's skating during the game but it looked fine to me.

Yes, he appeared to be in the middle of things every shift and didn't look like Jack Valliquette lumbering around out there as was predicted.

 

[deletethis]

Yes, he appeared to be in the middle of things every shift and didn't look like Jack Valliquette lumbering around out there as was predicted.

Jack Valiquete: the next Phil Esposito.

 

[garce]

Jack Valiquete: the next Phil Esposito.

Slow motion was flattering,he got a hundred points up north, that's when Harold would only allow the scouts to go as far as Belleville

 

[Erdinger]

Slow motion was flattering,he got a hundred points up north, that's when Harold would only allow the scouts to go as far as Belleville

As a kid all I saw was the junior stats in the Hamilton Spectator. I was excited at the Leafs getting Valiquette

 

[Erdinger]

Slow motion was flattering,he got a hundred points up north, that's when Harold would only allow the scouts to go as far as Belleville

Was that the limit Floyd Smith could drive drunk?

 

[garce]

As a kid all I saw was the junior stats in the Hamilton Spectator. I was excited at the Leafs getting Valiquette

Me too! I got the Hockey news 2 weeks late and the globe and star on the weekends if I was lucky and got to go to "town".