Unofficial 2012/2013 Armchair GM

[OldTimeHockey]

I don't get the hate for Franson. IMO, what we've seen isn't the finished product and what he is now isn't that bad.

Bingo

 

[moon111]

At work, discussion turned to Kessel not resigning with Toronto.  If you knew he wasn't going to resign, would you trade him?  Who do you think one could get?  OV?  OV/Grabs/Kulemin as the #1 line?  Think a change of scenery would do OV good?

 

[maplesyrup]

I'm warming up to the idea of offer sheeting Subban. At worst, it would force Montreal's hand.

 

[Zee]

I'm warming up to the idea of offer sheeting Subban. At worst, it would force Montreal's hand.

The only teams that should offer sheet Subban are those that don't have the possibility of finishing 29th or 30th in the league.

 

[Kin]

I'm warming up to the idea of offer sheeting Subban. At worst, it would force Montreal's hand.

The only teams that should offer sheet Subban are those that don't have the possibility of finishing 29th or 30th in the league.

Yeah, I'd have to think the worst case scenario in offering Subban the kind of offer sheet he'd sign is that Subban, who looks like he'll be a good but not world-changing player, costs the Maple Leafs a ton of 1st round picks.

 

[maplesyrup]

Maybe Boston then?

 

[Zee]

Maybe Boston then?

They already have his brother, have a bunch of good young players and are recent Cup champs.  If there's any team that can mortgage a bit of future in draft picks I would think they could do it. Would REALLY upset the Habs too LOL.

 

[Big Daddy]

Lineup I would put out tomorrow.  Why not?

JVR/Kadri/Kessel
Mac/Grabo/Kulemin
Frattin/Bozak/Komarov
Orr/McClem/Brown

Gunnar/Phaneuf
Liles/Gardiner
Kosta/Komisarek

Gives Mac another chance till Lupul gets back.  Gives Dion his buddy back. I like the 3rd lines moxie. The 4th is better without Steckel, seems to slow this year. Allowing Kessel to be the veteran of the line at 25 might be fun for him, it would be a real quick skilled line.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Lineup I would put out tomorrow.  Why not?

JVR/Kadri/Kessel
Mac/Grabo/Kulemin
Frattin/Bozak/Komarov
Orr/McClem/Brown

Gunnar/Phaneuf
Liles/Gardiner
Kosta/Komisarek

Gives Mac another chance till Lupul gets back.  Gives Dion his buddy back. I like the 3rd lines moxie. The 4th is better without Steckel, seems to slow this year. Allowing Kessel to be the veteran of the line at 25 might be fun for him, it would be a real quick skilled line.

I agree with that entire line up. I was thinking about the JvR/ Kadri/ Kessel line just this morning. Kadri and JvR might help to get Kessel going and if they click, it could just win some games.

Giving Gunnarsson back his job is worth a look, but it also gives Kostka a chance to breath. I do think Kostka is capable of playing bigger minutes, but maybe Carlyle could try him with Komisarek for a bit. I'm not sure which of those 3 (Liles, Gardiner or Kostka) will play the right side though, you've picked Gardiner, but it could look different tomorrow night.

 

[nutman]

Lineup I would put out tomorrow.  Why not?

JVR/Kadri/Kessel
Mac/Grabo/Kulemin
Frattin/Bozak/Komarov
Orr/McClem/Brown

Gunnar/Phaneuf
Liles/Gardiner
Kosta/Komisarek

Gives Mac another chance till Lupul gets back.  Gives Dion his buddy back. I like the 3rd lines moxie. The 4th is better without Steckel, seems to slow this year. Allowing Kessel to be the veteran of the line at 25 might be fun for him, it would be a real quick skilled line.

I like that, It could be very intresting.

 

[Redleaf]

Lineup I would put out tomorrow.  Why not?

JVR/Kadri/Kessel
Mac/Grabo/Kulemin
Frattin/Bozak/Komarov
Orr/McClem/Brown

Gunnar/Phaneuf
Liles/Gardiner
Kosta/Komisarek

Gives Mac another chance till Lupul gets back.  Gives Dion his buddy back. I like the 3rd lines moxie. The 4th is better without Steckel, seems to slow this year. Allowing Kessel to be the veteran of the line at 25 might be fun for him, it would be a real quick skilled line.

I like the idea, with the option of switching Bozak and Kadri if need be.

 

[Andy007]

I like JVR with Grabs and Kulemin. Put Kadri with Kessel and Frattin and let Mac underachieve on the 3rd line with Bozak and Komarov.

As for the defense, keep Phaneuf at around 20 mins. Pair him with Gunnar and Kostka with Liles.

 

[dappleganger]

I like JVR with Grabs and Kulemin. Put Kadri with Kessel and Frattin and let Mac underachieve on the 3rd line with Bozak and Komarov.

As for the defense, keep Phaneuf at around 20 mins. Pair him with Gunnar and Kostka with Liles.

I like those lines.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I posted this over on the Colborne thread, it probably belongs here.  I'd give the following a try.

If Mac can't go I'd be willing to try him with Phil and JVR for a game or two, play Bozie with Kadri and Frattin and put Komarov on Grabo and Kooly's wing.

JVR-JoeC-Phil

Leo-Grabo-Kooly

Naz-Bozie-Frattin

 

[cw]

I posted this over on the Colborne thread, it probably belongs here.  I'd give the following a try.

If Mac can't go I'd be willing to try him with Phil and JVR for a game or two, play Bozie with Kadri and Frattin and put Komarov on Grabo and Kooly's wing.

JVR-JoeC-Phil

Leo-Grabo-Kooly

Naz-Bozie-Frattin

I don't think Colborne's defence is ready to be tested on a first line in the NHL. I also wonder if he can keep up in terms of skating. He has ok straightaway speed (nowhere near Kessel's speed) but he's not too nimble with his turns.

If Bozak gets moved off that line, my guess would be they give Kadri a look there.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I posted this over on the Colborne thread, it probably belongs here.  I'd give the following a try.

If Mac can't go I'd be willing to try him with Phil and JVR for a game or two, play Bozie with Kadri and Frattin and put Komarov on Grabo and Kooly's wing.

JVR-JoeC-Phil

Leo-Grabo-Kooly

Naz-Bozie-Frattin

I don't think Colborne's defence is ready to be tested on a first line in the NHL. I also wonder if he can keep up in terms of skating. He has ok straightaway speed (nowhere near Kessel's speed) but he's not too nimble with his turns.

If Bozak gets moved off that line, my guess would be they give Kadri a look there.

I think the idea of those lines is that there is no bona fide number one line, it might allow Kessel to get away from other teams top players and JVR and Colborne's body presence might open up some space for him.

Also JVR has been good on the PK thus far imo and could perhaps be relied on as a little more of the defensive conscience.

I think it would be worth a look for a game or two, my concern with it was whether the big guys could live with Kessel's speed off the rush, but if they could generate some space for him, it has potential.

 

[cw]

I posted this over on the Colborne thread, it probably belongs here.  I'd give the following a try.

If Mac can't go I'd be willing to try him with Phil and JVR for a game or two, play Bozie with Kadri and Frattin and put Komarov on Grabo and Kooly's wing.

JVR-JoeC-Phil

Leo-Grabo-Kooly

Naz-Bozie-Frattin

I don't think Colborne's defence is ready to be tested on a first line in the NHL. I also wonder if he can keep up in terms of skating. He has ok straightaway speed (nowhere near Kessel's speed) but he's not too nimble with his turns.

If Bozak gets moved off that line, my guess would be they give Kadri a look there.

I think the idea of those lines is that there is no bona fide number one line, it might allow Kessel to get away from other teams top players and JVR and Colborne's body presence might open up some space for him.

Also JVR has been good on the PK thus far imo and could perhaps be relied on as a little more of the defensive conscience.

I think it would be worth a look for a game or two, my concern with it was whether the big guys could live with Kessel's speed off the rush, but if they could generate some space for him, it has potential.

A guy I'd like to see tried there is JVR. He played center in college & in the US program. If he could pull that off, it would be a giant find for the Leafs because big scoring centers are so tough to come by (as we've come to know since Sundin left).

Kessel played center in college as well but I think his game is best suited to the wing.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

A guy I'd like to see tried there is JVR. He played center in college & in the US program. If he could pull that off, it would be a giant find for the Leafs because big scoring centers are so tough to come by (as we've come to know since Sundin left).

Kessel played center in college as well but I think his game is best suited to the wing.

I think it's certainly worth trying it and something tells me that Carlyle will eventually do it. It has to be too enticing not to try it, even short term. If it works, it's like you say, a huge find for the Leafs.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Lineup I would put out tomorrow.  Why not?

JVR/Kadri/Kessel
Mac/Grabo/Kulemin
Frattin/Bozak/Komarov
Orr/McClem/Brown

Gunnar/Phaneuf
Liles/Komisarek
Gardiner/Kosta

Gives Mac another chance till Lupul gets back.  Gives Dion his buddy back. I like the 3rd lines moxie. The 4th is better without Steckel, seems to slow this year. Allowing Kessel to be the veteran of the line at 25 might be fun for him, it would be a real quick skilled line.

I like that, It could be very interesting.

I like it too.  I would just switch Komisarek and Gardiner to create pairings that played together in the past.

Actually I would like to see if the Leafs could trade Liles to Detroit for their 1st pick this summer.  That might get the Leafs a prospect like Frederic Gauthier.

I would then have the dmen pairings like:

Gunnar/Phaneuf
Gardiner/Komisarek
Fraser/Kosta

 

[maplesyrup]

Phaneuf for Stastny... Couldn't hurt either team right now.