Game 53: Oilers @ Maple Leafs 7:00Pm Sportsnet/am640 The duel of Hot Hands!

[maplesyrup]

LOVE.THIS.TEAM

 

[Kaberle15]

Bring on the Jets...

 

[L K]

Leafs in 7th now, with 5th and 6th within striking distance.

And 8 points up on 10th with 2 games in hand.  They could have Winnipeg back 10 points with a big 4-point swing tomorrow night.

 

[azzurri63]

How about Jake Gardiner: 10 points and -1 in 37 games to start the year.  He goes on that little 4-5 game hiatus and has come back with 2G 5A +11 in 8GP

His game the other night against Ottawa I think was his best all round of the year. Kid was a steal. Skates with the puck so well and his poise is amazing. He's getting more and more confident with the puck. Like I said Saturday when he learns to take it end to end and also jump into the rush he's going to be dynamite. Starting to see more and more of that.

 

[bustaheims]

And 8 points up on 10th with 2 games in hand.  They could have Winnipeg back 10 points with a big 4-point swing tomorrow night.

1 game in hand after tonight, but, nevertheless . . .

 

[Moot Point]

And Gagner gets 0 goals.  Nothing more to see here, please move along! LOL

 

[Capn_Crunch]

Yes Phil has started to turn his two way game around and has made big improvement for sure Grabbo's has been more comple?e for a longer period.

I think the only real difference between the scoreboard results from each line is that bozak has bounced back and Kuil has had emotional personal baggage that has affected him in every aspect of his life for a while. Looks like he's been getting his hustle back as of late tho.

I'm probably being homerish a bit but I don't think Kulemin ever lost his hustle, maybe his shot totals and shooting percentage but I don't see a lot of reason to believe in projecting anything on him.

That said, while Grabovski has been a pretty fair two way player he doesn't have the top end offensive skill that Lupul and Kessel are exhibiting currently and his contract will reflect that.

I love having Mik as the second line centre so, please, don't think I'm down on him or anything but to say he's the Leafs best player is, to me, more of an 'in the moment' kind of pov. Clearly Kessel and Lupul are the best two forwards on the team, to me at least.

I personally value a 2 way guy more tbh as he's less of a liability overall. I don't think it would be going out on a limb to say that grabbo would be putting up even more points then he has if he played with Phil and Lupes more. Phil and Lupal are good players and have elite level offensive skills but do they make others better like Grabs does?

That's kind of an unproven testament though, absence of proof and all.

I do appreciate what you're saying but let's get real for a minute, if you were going to make a trade who do you think would bring more value, Grabovski, Lupul or Kessel? Free agency aside...

If you think Grabovski would be more successful playing with those two I have to wonder who is making who a better player?

( ...and suddenly AC/DC becomes relevant to hockey.. )

I'd have to answer with grabbo brings a hell of a lot more to the first line then lombardi and bozak and a damn sight more then connelly.
That's how I look at it.

As for who'd get more... Obviously it would be kessel but I think grabbo has made enough of a name for himself to garner a significant return as well.

 

[Peter D.]

LOVE.THIS.TEAM

I'm getting excited with the possibilities of this team this year. The playoffs are starting to look like a really good possibility.

 

[ZBBM]

The key tomorrow will be the PK.  You can bet there won't be 0 penalties called out there.  And Leafs will look to tie franchise record at 15 games w/o a PP goal allowed.

 

[Newbury]

Dion was absolutely terrible tonight.

And yet, he had two assists and made one or two decent plays. I'll take it with him, really.

 

[bustaheims]

2 points back of Pittsburgh, with the same number of games played, 1 back of Jersey, though they have a game in hand. Even Philly is within reach right now - 4 points, but they have a game in hand.

 

[bustaheims]

Dion was absolutely terrible tonight.

And yet, he had two assists and made one or two decent plays. I'll take it with him, really.

He was awful in the 1st period, but, after that, I didn't think he was all that bad. Not good, but, not bad either.

 

[Tigger]

Yes Phil has started to turn his two way game around and has made big improvement for sure Grabbo's has been more comple?e for a longer period.

I think the only real difference between the scoreboard results from each line is that bozak has bounced back and Kuil has had emotional personal baggage that has affected him in every aspect of his life for a while. Looks like he's been getting his hustle back as of late tho.

I'm probably being homerish a bit but I don't think Kulemin ever lost his hustle, maybe his shot totals and shooting percentage but I don't see a lot of reason to believe in projecting anything on him.

That said, while Grabovski has been a pretty fair two way player he doesn't have the top end offensive skill that Lupul and Kessel are exhibiting currently and his contract will reflect that.

I love having Mik as the second line centre so, please, don't think I'm down on him or anything but to say he's the Leafs best player is, to me, more of an 'in the moment' kind of pov. Clearly Kessel and Lupul are the best two forwards on the team, to me at least.

I personally value a 2 way guy more tbh as he's less of a liability overall. I don't think it would be going out on a limb to say that grabbo would be putting up even more points then he has if he played with Phil and Lupes more. Phil and Lupal are good players and have elite level offensive skills but do they make others better like Grabs does?

That's kind of an unproven testament though, absence of proof and all.

I do appreciate what you're saying but let's get real for a minute, if you were going to make a trade who do you think would bring more value, Grabovski, Lupul or Kessel? Free agency aside...

If you think Grabovski would be more successful playing with those two I have to wonder who is making who a better player?

( ...and suddenly AC/DC becomes relevant to hockey.. )

I'd have to answer with grabbo brings a hell of a lot more to the first line then lombardi and bozak and a damn sight more then connelly.

Well ok but that was never the question to me, we ( I thought ) were talking about Grabovski versus Lupul and/or Kessel.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

2 points back of Pittsburgh, with the same number of games played, 1 back of Jersey, though they have a game in hand. Even Philly is within reach right now - 4 points, but they have a game in hand.

It's definitely nice to see that we're in a better position to move up than we are to move down.

 

[Bender]

Leafs in 7th now, with 5th and 6th within striking distance.

It's almost unbelievable that they're that close to 5th!

 

[Kin]

Dion was absolutely terrible tonight.

I've essentially accepted who Phaneuf is at this point. He's not going to wow us defensively but he'll contribute offensively and, on nights where he does, you can't complain too much.

 

[Erndog]

A little scary at times tonight but a wins a win.  I'm loving Kessel, Grabs, Mac, Gunnar and Gardiner lately.  Gardiner looks like a stud in the making.  Dion was pretty bad tonight but calmed down a bit at the end.  And Kulemin still can't buy one but he's player a better all around game. 

Sloppy, but a wins a win.  I love the Bozak flip pass to Phil... Nice little play theyve tried a few times this year.  And Lombardi is pretty good driving the puck wide with speed and cutting in eh?  I'm curious to see how good he can be once fully recovered and a summer of training under his belt.

On the other side Eberle is unbelivable...

 

[maplesyrup]

Dion was absolutely terrible tonight.

I've essentially accepted who Phaneuf is at this point. He's not going to wow us defensively but he'll contribute offensively and, on nights where he does, you can't complain too much.

Yup. That sums it up. 

 

[azzurri63]

Dion was absolutely terrible tonight.

And yet, he had two assists and made one or two decent plays. I'll take it with him, really.

I changed my sat channel so I could'nt go back on my pvr to Lupul's goal but yahoo has Dion getting the lone assist and the first of his night but I recall and think it was Liles that shot the puck from the point. Anyone have a replay of that?

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Burke was on the Edmonton feed at second intermission, mentioned he liked the group, thought we had been lucky tonight, not pleased.  Said he purposely invested a lot in defence, likes the group we had tonight.

I was wondering if the Oilers would consider Komi and Connolly for Gagner and a pick or Aulie for Gagner straight up.  If we can't sign Grabo. 

Mentioned teams with size ain't moving anyone either.