Training Camp Thread - Now with 100% more Tavares

[CarltonTheBear]

Interesting. If that does happen I'd like to see Kadri moved to the other unit, and have Matthews play in that slot spot.

Tavares
Guy-Matthews-Marner
Rielly

Marleau
Johnsson-Kadri-Nylander
Gardiner

 

[herman]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/matthews-reveals-how-underhill-made-him-a-more-explosive-skater~1491841

A lot of people have noted that Matthews' skating has 'sploded.

 

[Bender]

Interesting you say that about Friedman. Care to elaborate?

Dregs is losing his marbles

Guys like him (and even Friedman to be honest) have such awful opinions on hockey, it's sad that they're always the go-to option for these radio hits just because of their ability to get scoops 30 seconds before everyone else.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Interesting you say that about Friedman. Care to elaborate?

"Awful" might have been an exaggeration for Friedman, he's not in the same realm as Dreger in that sense. But the same sort of criticism applies: guys like them are tremendous reporters and the best in the business in that regard (even if all they do is send a GM texts asking "what's up?"), but that doesn't necessarily mean they're great hockey analysts. And while I don't really have any specific examples I often find that when Friedman tries to give his opinion on something as opposed to just reporting what he's hearing other people say, it's usually pretty bland/old-school thinking.

 

[Kin]

And while I don't really have any specific examples I often find that when Friedman tries to give his opinion on something as opposed to just reporting what he's hearing other people say, it's usually pretty bland/old-school thinking.

My criticism would be a little bit of a quarter turn on that. I think if you ever listen to him talk about baseball or basketball he's a smart guy with considered opinions. The issue is that so much of his livelihood is getting "scoops" from team and agent sources that getting him to give any actual opinions is pulling teeth. Whether that's because of him being afraid of alienating a potential source or just thinking people want to hear his reporting instead of his thoughts I find that no matter the question with him on hockey it goes something like this:

Q: So the Maple Leafs signed John Tavares but lost Tyler Bozak. Is John Tavares a better hockey player than Tyler Bozak?

Friedman: Well, let me tell you what my sources are saying on this one...

 

[herman]

He's not outright awful, but he's certainly lost some of his lustre.

I think Friedman was super easy to respect and believe previously because a) it was legit information; b) it was doled out sparingly -- with his platform being much larger now, he has had to fill it more frequently, so the quality is suspect at the fringes; c) Sportsnet culture* seeped in at some point and the priority appears to have shifted towards entertainment more than journalism (insofar as any sports reporting is true journalism) on the part of his own opinions.

* Friedman talked about this on his podcast earlier on: guys like Glenn Healy, Doug Maclean are generally not morons (that's certainly not the term he used) but they play that role in the panel to generate conflict/interest in what is usually an inane discussion that is still too short to properly address the nuances. I think he's taken some of that on himself in how he positions his statements, knowing the 'I think' portion of his words will get cropped out.

 

[herman]

I don't really have any specific examples I often find that when Friedman tries to give his opinion on something as opposed to just reporting what he's hearing other people say, it's usually pretty bland/old-school thinking.

Spend enough time with people and you tend to absorb their views, especially if you respect them to any degree.

 

[Kin]

Spend enough time with people and you tend to absorb their views, especially if you respect them to any degree.

I think it's especially true of media guys who want to be respected and not get the "you didn't play the game" from the hockey doofuses.

 

[herman]

Mac Hollowell is back with the Leafs for now as Jake Gardiner appears to be out.

https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/1042065555627302914

Baby Gardiner has arrived!

 

[Zee]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/matthews-reveals-how-underhill-made-him-a-more-explosive-skater~1491841

A lot of people have noted that Matthews' skating has 'sploded.

I just hope Matthews is 100% healthy all season.

 

[princedpw]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/matthews-reveals-how-underhill-made-him-a-more-explosive-skater~1491841

A lot of people have noted that Matthews' skating has 'sploded.

I just hope Matthews is 100% healthy all season.

I hate that all tsn ?articles? are now videos and they they wont play in the IS

 

[disco]

I actually like Friedge. And watch out for that Guy on the left of PP1.

 

[Coco-puffs]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1042793802510086144

Is it happening?  Is Hainsey moving down to the 3rd pair?  Please make it happen Babs.

Be nice to find out who's paired with Rielly at the moment though.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1042793802510086144

Is it happening?  Is Hainsey moving down to the 3rd pair?  Please make it happen Babs.

Be nice to find out who's paired with Rielly at the moment though.

I wouldn't read into it like that. I can't find the quote, but Babcock said the other day he'd start to key in on who is going to make the bottom defence pairing by playing the candidates against top competition in the next few pre-season games. So I'm assuming this is Babcock giving Oz a chance to do that... and the fact that he's doing it with Hainsey instead of Rielly probably means the opposite of what you want it to.

edit: ah, the tweet:

https://twitter.com/HennyTweets/status/1042602457673687040

So Oz gets a chance with Hainsey in a top pairing role this coming game, and maybe Carrick or somebody gets that chance with Rielly in the game after. Something like that. Either way, Rielly-Hainsey will still be a thing in game 1.

 

[Coco-puffs]

Thanks for the downer CtB.

Found what the other pairings were this morning:

https://twitter.com/HennyTweets/status/1042793768922038272

Durzi is back in the main camp with Dermott out dealing with his shoulder.  But... plug Dermott in in Durzi's place... and then plug those two pairings into my veins.  (With Gardiner-Zaitsev the other)

 

[Fanatic]

Ozhiganov is a right shot. I thought he played the right side just as Hainsey does.

 

[Coco-puffs]

Ozhiganov is a right shot. I thought he played the right side just as Hainsey does.

Hainsey is a left shot.  So that pairing makes sense with Hainsey on the left instead of playing his off-side.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Durzi is back in the main camp with Dermott out dealing with his shoulder.  But... plug Dermott in in Durzi's place... and then plug those two pairings into my veins.  (With Gardiner-Zaitsev the other)

Honestly, I'd be a little apprehensive about throwing Dermott into those tough minutes right now. Not entirely sure he's up for them yet. Assuming Gardiner-Rielly will never happen, I'd actually go back to trying Rielly-Zaitsev again. I think that'd be an improvement over putting Hainsey there (which is saying something, as I might be the president of the Zaitsev anti-fan club).

 

[Coco-puffs]

Durzi is back in the main camp with Dermott out dealing with his shoulder.  But... plug Dermott in in Durzi's place... and then plug those two pairings into my veins.  (With Gardiner-Zaitsev the other)

Honestly, I'd be a little apprehensive about throwing Dermott into those tough minutes right now. Not entirely sure he's up for them yet. Assuming Gardiner-Rielly will never happen, I'd actually go back to trying Rielly-Zaitsev again. I think that'd be an improvement over putting Hainsey there (which is saying something, as I might be the president of the Zaitsev anti-fan club).

I'd prefer to see Dermott move up to the 2nd pair at this point as well. My top two choices for top pair, in order, would be

1. Gardiner - Rielly
2. Rielly - Zaitsev

At the end of the day, I want Hainsey on the 3rd pair.  Sure, sub him in in high-leverage moments for one of the other guys, but regular 5v5 shifts he shouldn't be seeing so many minutes.

 

[Bender]

Durzi is back in the main camp with Dermott out dealing with his shoulder.  But... plug Dermott in in Durzi's place... and then plug those two pairings into my veins.  (With Gardiner-Zaitsev the other)

Honestly, I'd be a little apprehensive about throwing Dermott into those tough minutes right now. Not entirely sure he's up for them yet. Assuming Gardiner-Rielly will never happen, I'd actually go back to trying Rielly-Zaitsev again. I think that'd be an improvement over putting Hainsey there (which is saying something, as I might be the president of the Zaitsev anti-fan club).

I'd prefer to see Dermott move up to the 2nd pair at this point as well. My top two choices for top pair, in order, would be

1. Gardiner - Rielly
2. Rielly - Zaitsev

At the end of the day, I want Hainsey on the 3rd pair.  Sure, sub him in in high-leverage moments for one of the other guys, but regular 5v5 shifts he shouldn't be seeing so many minutes.

You mean Dermott-Zaitsev?