Wings @ Leafs - Mar. 29th, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

It's not a great lineup, but it's drastically different with just a few moves.  Maybe they are moves that aren't viable, but who knows.

I've thought about a Lupul to Winnipeg trade to Byfuglien (or Enstrom) before, but I can't see Winnipeg being on his trade list. But Edler for Lupul/Franson really makes sense I think. Keep Phaneuf but having the Edler pairing take a bunch of his tougher minutes.

It's too bad there's so many forwards locked in, as I think we could use a face-list there too. I'd love to get upgrades on Bozak/Clarkson. This might have been the worst offseason I can remember.

 

[2badknees]

Too many flaws.

Too many minutes. Playing against top lines. It'll wear him down, and it has.

Leafs top priority shouldn't be to get rid of Phaneuf, it should be to get a substantial upgrade on Gunnarsson and Franson.

Gunnarsson is the least of the Leafs defensive problems.  That's just silly.  Franson can go (although he's actually been better lately).

By "upgrading" on Gunnarsson I meant in terms of his #2 status, not necessarily trading the player. 

 

[2badknees]

It's not a great lineup, but it's drastically different with just a few moves.  Maybe they are moves that aren't viable, but who knows.

Definitely different, but it looks more like a great lineup to have if you're looking to draft McDavid.

And if that is what it does, would that honestly be a bad thing.  Right now the team is just downright awful and are going to miss the playoffs barely and take a mid-teens draft pick.  That's about the worst outcome you can have for your team.

Absolutely not - if that was the plan, I'd fully support your lineup. But I figure realistically, we'll be looking at a new coach, and perhaps 3 roster changes.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The rest of your post makes sense.  Of course, they shouldn't have paid all that dough to a guy who, at a minimum, needs to be sheltered on the 2nd pairing. 

It's not really being sheltered. Phaneuf would still probably lead the Leafs defence in ice-time in a situation where Edler came in. Look at Chicago. Oduya and Hjalmarsson are often matched against the other teams top line, does that limit Keith's value at all?

 

[L K]

I know Kadri hasn't been the greatest of late, but Bolland has replaced him between Lupul and Raymond to start the 3rd.  What the hell has Bolland done to deserve that?  His 4 minute penalty?  His bad line changes that led directly to goals?  And then Kadri is apparently benched right now.  F-off Carlyle.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I know Kadri hasn't been the greatest of late, but Bolland has replaced him between Lupul and Raymond to start the 3rd.  What the hell has Bolland done to deserve that?  His 4 minute penalty?  His bad line changes that led directly to goals?  And then Kadri is apparently benched right now.  F-off Carlyle.

Kadri's on a line with McClement and Bodie. Team needs a goal and puts the guy 2nd on the team in assists on the 4th line.

 

[ZBBM]

Too many flaws.

Too many minutes. Playing against top lines. It'll wear him down, and it has.

Leafs top priority shouldn't be to get rid of Phaneuf, it should be to get a substantial upgrade on Gunnarsson and Franson.

Gunnarsson is the least of the Leafs defensive problems.  That's just silly.  Franson can go (although he's actually been better lately).

By "upgrading" on Gunnarsson I meant in terms of his #2 status, not necessarily trading the player.

I see.  Apologies for misunderstanding you. 

I was just thinking, in fact, that on a real contender Gunnarsson would be an excellent #5 guy.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I know Kadri hasn't been the greatest of late, but Bolland has replaced him between Lupul and Raymond to start the 3rd.  What the hell has Bolland done to deserve that?  His 4 minute penalty?  His bad line changes that led directly to goals?  And then Kadri is apparently benched right now.  F-off Carlyle.

Kadri's on a line with McClement and Bodie. Team needs a goal and puts the guy 2nd on the team in assists on the 4th line.

I truly don't understand how he handles Kadri.  Gets punished for every error, but Bolland takes a double-minor and gets promoted?  He's made a bunch of errors the past few games too.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I was just thinking, in fact, that on a real contender Gunnarsson would be an excellent #5 guy.

Outside of a Chicago or St. Louis he'd probably be on the 2nd pairing for most top teams.

 

[L K]

I know Kadri hasn't been the greatest of late, but Bolland has replaced him between Lupul and Raymond to start the 3rd.  What the hell has Bolland done to deserve that?  His 4 minute penalty?  His bad line changes that led directly to goals?  And then Kadri is apparently benched right now.  F-off Carlyle.

Kadri's on a line with McClement and Bodie. Team needs a goal and puts the guy 2nd on the team in assists on the 4th line.

I truly don't understand how he handles Kadri.  Gets punished for every error, but Bolland takes a double-minor and gets promoted?  He's made a bunch of errors the past few games too.

I'll say it again.  Bozak's career high - 47 points.  Kadri's "BAD" second season is 48 points on the 2nd line.

Carlyle's logic - Punish Kadri, Gardiner, Rielly, Reimer
Everyone else - you're awesome!

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

I know Kadri hasn't been the greatest of late, but Bolland has replaced him between Lupul and Raymond to start the 3rd.  What the hell has Bolland done to deserve that?  His 4 minute penalty?  His bad line changes that led directly to goals?  And then Kadri is apparently benched right now.  F-off Carlyle.

Kadri's on a line with McClement and Bodie. Team needs a goal and puts the guy 2nd on the team in assists on the 4th line.

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I truly don't understand how he handles Kadri.  Gets punished for every error, but Bolland takes a double-minor and gets promoted?  He's made a bunch of errors the past few games too.

Remember when Holland would get benched after every penalty?

 

[ZBBM]

The rest of your post makes sense.  Of course, they shouldn't have paid all that dough to a guy who, at a minimum, needs to be sheltered on the 2nd pairing. 

It's not really being sheltered. Phaneuf would still probably lead the Leafs defence in ice-time in a situation where Edler came in. Look at Chicago. Oduya and Hjalmarsson are often matched against the other teams top line, does that limit Keith's value at all?

Wait a minute.  Somebody called me out the other day when I hear-heared the way CGY used him ... which was exactly like that.  2 shutdown guys on the top-pairing.  They pointed out CGY sucked, but that didn't really address the validity of the concept.

 

[L K]

I was just thinking, in fact, that on a real contender Gunnarsson would be an excellent #5 guy.

Outside of a Chicago or St. Louis he'd probably be on the 2nd pairing for most top teams.

I think the difficulty in minutes dropping from the 1st unit to the 2nd gets really understated at times.  Either getting Gunnarsson off the top unit altogether, or getting a better 2nd pairing that can share some of the load against top players would do wonders for making Phaneuf and Gunnarsson look better.

 

[2badknees]

Reilly #1, 2 and 3 star

 

[ZBBM]

Rielly bails out Gardiner again....

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Wait a minute.  Somebody called me out the other day when I hear-heared the way CGY used him ... which was exactly like that.  2 shutdown guys on the top-pairing.  They pointed out CGY sucked, but that didn't really address the validity of the concept.

I don't recall that conversation, so I'm not really sure what you're getting at here. But I've always said I think the team and Phaneuf would be better off with Dion being used in an offensive role and the 2nd defensive pairing being used as the shutdown group.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Franson can't skate.

 

[ZBBM]

Darren Datsyuk kicks Franson's ass.

 

[2badknees]

Yup, that's Franson for you. Like watching oil tankers do three point turns in the english channel.