Leafs Training Camp Opens

[Kin]

I don't see much comparable between Rielly and Kaberle other than they both play(ed) defense. Kaberle was a passer, and a great one; you'd never see him jump into a rush, and if he ever shot the puck, it was a complete last resort.
Rielly on the other hand pinches a great deal, joins the rush, skates out the puck, shoots, and while not a physical dman, at least takes the body routinely along the boards.

Besides, if they were that comparable, at least half the board would have suggested that the team consider moving Rielly to forward by now.

I don't know if it's true that Kaberle would never join the rush. It was definitely a part of his game.

But otherwise I think maybe there's something to be said that Rielly should maybe take a bit of a cue from Kaberle and how he played. The two of them have pretty comparable numbers through their first three years. 19 goals and 92 points for Rielly, 17 goals and 107 points for Kaberle. Kaberle scored a few more points because he got more ice time and was on a better team but it's pretty comparable.

Rielly did shoot a little more(although Kaberle's reluctance to shoot is exaggerated) but it didn't lead to much in the way of goals or points. Kaberle's gpg in those three years and Rielly's are virtually identical(Rielly with a slight edge, .081 to Rielly's .076).

I think that's because despite the fact that they're not all that stylistically similar, they share an important weakness. I don't think either guy has a particularly good shot, the difference being Kaberle was smarter about using it. Kaberle was tremendously smart about his shot and when to use it in a way that the dummies in the stands yelling at him to shoot didn't understand. Kaberle wasn't a threat to score 15+ a year but most defensemen aren't.

If Rielly gets a little more judicious with his shot he might score 10-12 a year but his assists should jump more to Kaberle's level.

 

[Kin]

So the Leafs are over the cap by ~$700K.  What does that mean?  If they unload someone via a trade midway through the season, does that bring them back down under the cap?  Maybe their strategy is to load up now and then unload everyone at the trade deadline if they tank again this season.  IMO the Leafs are too good this year to tank, though.  Their defense will be really bad but otherwise they are going to be an interesting team this year.

If you're using General Fanager for that it should be noted that I think they're counting Horton and Robidas in the team's total.

edit: That's also with the Leafs carrying the full 23.

 

[Kaberle15]

Did #44 and #34 arrived at Camp yet ?

 

[herman]

Did #44 and #34 arrived at Camp yet ?

They and all other scrubbed out World Cup players have the day off until tomorrow when they join camp.

 

[TBLeafer]

Tonight's Game vs Sens is on TSN4.

Bibeau starts.  Bozak out.  Kadri in.

Leaf line rushes in Halifax:

Rychel-Kadri-Brown
Greening-Laich-Marner
Johnsson-Froese-Kapanen
Prust-Cliche-Moore

Probable D Pairings:
Gardiner-Corrado
Hunwick-Nielsen
Campbell - Hrabarenka

Antoine Bibeau in home end this morning.
Expected to start vs Sens, Kaskisuo backs up.

[tweet]780399458668449792[/tweet]

[tweet]780399836667473920[/tweet]

[tweet]780400136069476353[/tweet]

 

[TBLeafer]

Puck drop is at 6PM

 

[Kin]

So what jobs do people feel are genuinely up for grabs right now? 7th defenseman, I think is the easy one. How many forward spots have legitimate question marks as to who fills them?

 

[TBLeafer]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

 

[Frank E]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

How what now?

 

[Kaberle15]

So what jobs do people feel are genuinely up for grabs right now? 7th defenseman, I think is the easy one. How many forward spots have legitimate question marks as to who fills them?

My best guess is that are 5 spots as fowards, 2 at top 3, 2 at bottom 3, 7th/8th D up for grabs

JVR - Matthews - Marner
Nylander - Kadri - Soshnikov
Hyman - Bozak - Brown
Martin - Laich - Komarov
Greening - Holland -  Michalek

Gardiner - Zaitzev
Hunwick - Rielly
Marincin - Carrick
Corrado - Polak

23 men without both goalies, so at least, 2 cuts are needed, barring someone who overplay the main candidates to play with the big club.

 

[Kin]

I suppose I'm more asking about actually making the team more than I am where a guy slots into the lineup. So Matthews, for instance, is definitely going to be on the roster but where he'll play will shake out.

Like, for instance, I can't really imagine Marner won't make the team. So to me the real questions are about the 11th, 12th and 13th forward spots. I don't think Michalek, Greening or Holland are locks. Hyman, Brown and Sosh are the obvious replacements if they impress.

 

[TBLeafer]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

How what now?

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/09/25/opportunity-knocks-with-plenty-of-open-spots-on-leafs-roster

?The younger group will have an opportunity that they will never have again,? Lamoriello said on Sunday. ?There?s only 10 players on the opening roster from last year that are here so there?s lots of positions open.

 

[Kin]

That's pretty markedly different than there being only 10 guys with signed NHL contracts. Martin and Laich weren't around last year on opening day but I'm pretty sure they're signed to contracts.

 

[Frank E]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

How what now?

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/09/25/opportunity-knocks-with-plenty-of-open-spots-on-leafs-roster

?The younger group will have an opportunity that they will never have again,? Lamoriello said on Sunday. ?There?s only 10 players on the opening roster from last year that are here so there?s lots of positions open.

That makes more sense...there's isn't anyone in camp without a contract except for the PTO boys.

 

[TBLeafer]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

How what now?

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/09/25/opportunity-knocks-with-plenty-of-open-spots-on-leafs-roster

?The younger group will have an opportunity that they will never have again,? Lamoriello said on Sunday. ?There?s only 10 players on the opening roster from last year that are here so there?s lots of positions open.

That makes more sense...there's isn't anyone in camp without a contract except for the PTO boys.

Sure, when I said NHL contract, I was excluding things like an ELC or 2 way deal.  But that quote is what I meant.

 

[Frank E]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

How what now?

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/09/25/opportunity-knocks-with-plenty-of-open-spots-on-leafs-roster

?The younger group will have an opportunity that they will never have again,? Lamoriello said on Sunday. ?There?s only 10 players on the opening roster from last year that are here so there?s lots of positions open.

That makes more sense...there's isn't anyone in camp without a contract except for the PTO boys.

Sure, when I said NHL contract, I was excluding things like an ELC or 2 way deal.  But that quote is what I meant.

You shouldn't do that.

 

[Coco-puffs]

I suppose I'm more asking about actually making the team more than I am where a guy slots into the lineup. So Matthews, for instance, is definitely going to be on the roster but where he'll play will shake out.

Like, for instance, I can't really imagine Marner won't make the team. So to me the real questions are about the 11th, 12th and 13th forward spots. I don't think Michalek, Greening or Holland are locks. Hyman, Brown and Sosh are the obvious replacements if they impress.

I doubt Michalek doesn't make the roster, but I'm with you on Greening and Holland.  I think many here are overlooking Josh Leivo.  His start to camp has been good according to what I've read/seen, and at his salary he'd easily be picked up on waivers.  I have my doubts that he DOESN'T make the roster.  I think he comes in ahead of Holland and Greening.

I think it's obvious we'll be going with 8 D, so that means 13 forwards.  This is how I see it working out:

Locks (6):
JvR
Kadri
Bozak
Komarov
Matthews
Martin

Most Likely (4):
Laich
Michalek
Nylander
Marner

Bubble (Leafs- 3):
Brown
Leivo
Holland

Bubble (Marlies - 3):
Greening
Hyman
Soshnikov

Not Likely, with an outside shot:
Froese
Rychel
Kapanen
Leipsic

Potential Lines (based on the above):

JvR - Kadri - Brown
Leivo - Bozak - Marner
Komarov - Matthews - Nylander
Martin - Laich - Michalek
Holland

 

[Tigger]

Lou stated that as of now only 10 Leafs are going into camp with signed NHL contracts.  Says all remaining spots are open and up to the players to earn, be they vet or rookie.

How what now?

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/09/25/opportunity-knocks-with-plenty-of-open-spots-on-leafs-roster

“The younger group will have an opportunity that they will never have again,” Lamoriello said on Sunday. “There’s only 10 players on the opening roster from last year that are here so there’s lots of positions open.

That makes more sense...there's isn't anyone in camp without a contract except for the PTO boys.

Sure, when I said NHL contract, I was excluding things like an ELC or 2 way deal.  But that quote is what I meant.

You shouldn't do that.

Yeah. Even if you exclude elc's and such ( why? ) there's still like 17 or so off the top of my head.

 

[Kin]

Maybe also worth mentioning that a GM would never say anything along the lines of "We know what our roster will be, we're just praying guys don't get hurt and use training camp to find their legs" even if that's true 95% of the time.

 

[herman]

What I take Lou to mean here is that Management is taking the meritocracy route in terms of who will land on the final roster. This is slightly more serious lip service to internal competition than usual.

I kind of hope it's a backdoor tank play (line up extra youth, yield higher pick).

Locks:
G: Andersen
D: Rielly, Gardiner
F: Kadri, JvR, Bozak, Komarov, Matthews, Nylander, Martin (meh)

Roadblocks to hurdle:
Enroth, Polak, Hunwick, Holland, Laich, Michalek, Greening

(Most) Hopefuls:
Marner, Zaitsev, Carrick, Marincin, Corrado, Leivo, Brown, Soshnikov, Hyman, Loov, Valiev, Rychel, Kapanen, Johnsson