The Defensive Logjam
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
Highlander
Active member
Austiny, Mitchy, Leovy, Andersony, Moorey, Kapany, Meaurly, Rielly, Zaitezy, Hainsey, Kadriy, etc etc.
herman
Well-known member
https://www.reddit.com/r/leafs/comments/95w59h/daily_offseason_player_discussion_18_connor/e3w0x4h
Okay, which one of you is this...
Okay, which one of you is this...
LH | RH | |
| Rielly Gardiner Dermott Hainsey Marincin Rosen Borgman Nielsen | Zaitsev Carrick Holl Ozhiganov Liljegren Subban Lindgren |
herman said:
I'm kstacey.
herman said:
P-A-P-I
Guilt Trip
Active member
Agree. Holl will be useless if he doesn't get in more then the 2 in 42 so far.princedpw said:
I get Hainsey not sitting, at least from Babcock's point of view. He considers him a central part to the defence and plays a large role on the PK. I really don't get why Oz has a permanent spot in the line-up though.
And yeah if come playoff time we have an injured defender, I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable throwing Holl or Marincin out there if they've essentially sat in the pressbox all season long. I'd be calling up a Marlie instead.
And yeah if come playoff time we have an injured defender, I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable throwing Holl or Marincin out there if they've essentially sat in the pressbox all season long. I'd be calling up a Marlie instead.
herman
Well-known member
princedpw said:
Guilt Trip said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Hainsey is the Komarov 'safety blanket', so I get where Babcock is coming from even if my eyes and the deeper stats don't really see it. Hainsey's contract is up this season and we're not juicing his stats to trade him; Holl's deal goes into next season when cheap depth is gold, so I know he's at least nominally in the longer term plans.
At this point, it would pay dividends down the road to ensure Marincin, Holl are in game shape, which we as hockey fans already know is a real issue (that some people somehow will ignore for a certain player and the narrative around him because their feelings were hurt). I know it's outside the comfort zone of hockey culture, but this needs to be Popovich'd, not waiting for an injury and getting caught pants down before using your extended bench. Consider it an extension of the 40 second shift: if you're fresh, you can go harder than the other guy*.
Ozhiganov and Lindholm are about to be playing more games than they're used to, even if they're in the veteran prime age, and it's been showing lately.
* yeah, I know, phrasing.
herman
Well-known member
cabber24 said:
I think I know what you mean (negligible on ice?), but I wouldn't advocate for it if that were truly the case.
If this goes on as it has, then it is to the team's detriment in a non-negligible way: Holl having to come in cold when spelling an RD injury means you're forced to play a sub-optimal player; Holl has played 2 games so far with some 20 games of Corrado-ing in between and he has been for all intents and purposes a tire fire. That's not an accurate portrayal of his capabilities at the NHL level when he is up to game speed. Marincin and Holl were a top of the league shutdown pairing (PK too) and two-way threat in the AHL; getting your timing down on gapping up and establishing passing rhythm can only be done in game situations.
Missing every third game isn't going to make Hainsey or Ozhiganov worse. Playing Marincin and Holl more would improve the team overall and present FREE OPTIONS. They should've been coming in for games with Sparks at the beginning of the season to give the rookie goalie established chemistry to outlet to.
I think the Leafs will maintain the status quo with the defense until a trade is made. But I think Dubas will do that before the absolute trade deadline, I think he'll be early, probably the week before.
I'd be surprised if they pulled off a blockbuster for a d-man, probably a lesser target but capable of top four, because I don't think they want to make one of their young d-men like Liljegren part of a blockbuster package. They are going to want him and Sandin to become inexpensive parts of the d-core until all this cap stuff gets sorted out. Once they add another righthanded D man, I can see Hainsey and Ozi rotating a bit, maybe even sit Zaitsev once and a while. I've always tried to be a Jake Gardiner supporter, but I can't see the Leafs keeping him after this year. I know Babs brags him up, but man he's look really lacksadaisical of late. Why he didn't stick with Wagner and just push him out of the way, just bizarre. Then, a soft clearing attempt. Then, their are all those stretch passes that are off the mark and go for icings. He's been slow at keeping pucks in, while Rielly covers one side of the ice to the other. Really a tale of two defencemen - going in different directions. Jake is into his 8th year now, and if anything, you would think he would be trying to redeem himself against the Bruins. I wish him well, but I just don't get where he's at right now. Kind of sad really because he's seems like a really good guy. I feel bad he probably won't be around for a Toronto cup, but he'll be well paid somewhere. Dermott will move up and Sandin will slot in. Pretty much a given I think...
I'd be surprised if they pulled off a blockbuster for a d-man, probably a lesser target but capable of top four, because I don't think they want to make one of their young d-men like Liljegren part of a blockbuster package. They are going to want him and Sandin to become inexpensive parts of the d-core until all this cap stuff gets sorted out. Once they add another righthanded D man, I can see Hainsey and Ozi rotating a bit, maybe even sit Zaitsev once and a while. I've always tried to be a Jake Gardiner supporter, but I can't see the Leafs keeping him after this year. I know Babs brags him up, but man he's look really lacksadaisical of late. Why he didn't stick with Wagner and just push him out of the way, just bizarre. Then, a soft clearing attempt. Then, their are all those stretch passes that are off the mark and go for icings. He's been slow at keeping pucks in, while Rielly covers one side of the ice to the other. Really a tale of two defencemen - going in different directions. Jake is into his 8th year now, and if anything, you would think he would be trying to redeem himself against the Bruins. I wish him well, but I just don't get where he's at right now. Kind of sad really because he's seems like a really good guy. I feel bad he probably won't be around for a Toronto cup, but he'll be well paid somewhere. Dermott will move up and Sandin will slot in. Pretty much a given I think...