Avalanche @ Leafs - Jan. 22nd, 7:00pm - SNO, TSN 1050

[herman]

Hockey is still a strong-link game, so the deltas between this 4th line and a differently composed one but built on the same Babcock premise of minimal event hockey, is not going to be meaningful enough to spend on.

I don't understand what you mean by having to "spend" to get a better 4th line. We already have Moore-Marner/Brown. Add any of Leivo/Kapanen/Soshnikov once he gets healthy (), and you're there. An upgrade on Moore would be ok but he's a perfectly capable 4C.

I don't even think our 4th line of Martin-Moore-whoever was that much of a problem prior to Gauthier coming in. It was scoring at a reasonable rate and keeping the shot-shares close. The Goat really tanked it.

There's a a potential asset loss to cramming all those guys into the roster. We've got some injuries now, but when we don't, either the exempt players get loaned, a vet gets waived, or someone gets traded. I don't think those trades will result in much at this moment, but they probably get picked up on waivers. It's a freed up contract slot, but it's also the team waiving a guy the coach has been asking them to emulate the habits of for the past two years. Most would say, then don't ask players to emulate them... *shrug* this is where we are already.

 

[Hobbes]

Hockey is still a strong-link game, so the deltas between this 4th line and a differently composed one but built on the same Babcock premise of minimal event hockey, is not going to be meaningful enough to spend on.

I don't understand what you mean by having to "spend" to get a better 4th line. We already have Moore-Marner/Brown. Add any of Leivo/Kapanen/Soshnikov once he gets healthy (), and you're there. An upgrade on Moore would be ok but he's a perfectly capable 4C.

I don't even think our 4th line of Martin-Moore-whoever was that much of a problem prior to Gauthier coming in. It was scoring at a reasonable rate and keeping the shot-shares close. The Goat really tanked it.

That's something that I've wondered about. I know a lot of people here have a serious hate on for Martin but he isn't all that terrible a player. Hands of stone, sure, but he is pretty consistent on the forecheck, doesn't cough the puck up a lot, is a reliable worker, and does provide a bit of muscle on the odd occasion when it's needed. I understand people questioning whether he's any sort of deterrent against other teams targeting our smaller skilled players but I don't think he's quite the hopeless case that people seem to think he is.

I suppose the argument is add even more skill to the lineup by replacing him with someone else, but only Sosh or perhaps Leivo brings that same heavy play to the table (or Leo but he's already dressing). I think there are a few intangibles about his attitude and work ethic and attention to detail that appeal to management as an example to younger players, but I suspect his tenure is limited to his current contract or could get moved before that if someone is knocking at the door to take his spot.

 

[herman]

Btw, I'm the guy who wanted a Leivo-Holland-Brown 4th line last year, and wished for Seth Griffith to have room in the top-9, so I'm very open to getting rid of Martin, Gauthier, Polak, Komarov, and just playing pond hockey. We wouldn't win with that in the long run, but it's hella fun to watch.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

There's a a potential asset loss to cramming all those guys into the roster. We've got some injuries now, but when we don't, either the exempt players get loaned, a vet gets waived, or someone gets traded. I don't think those trades will result in much at this moment, but they probably get picked up on waivers. It's a freed up contract slot, but it's also the team waiving a guy the coach has been asking them to emulate the habits of for the past two years. Most would say, then don't ask players to emulate them... *shrug* this is where we are already.

That's not really a problem. When we're entirely healthy one of Dermott or Borgman are going to have to get sent down, and then Kapanen will have to go back down too. Two of Leivo-Martin-Soshnikov are in the pressbox along with Carrick or Polak (but probably Carrick) while the other plays. Nobody lost on waivers, nobody needs to get traded.

Again, the biggest problem with our 4th line has already been solved (Gauthier). We should be fine there going forward with the guys already on our roster.

 

[Highlander]

There's a a potential asset loss to cramming all those guys into the roster. We've got some injuries now, but when we don't, either the exempt players get loaned, a vet gets waived, or someone gets traded. I don't think those trades will result in much at this moment, but they probably get picked up on waivers. It's a freed up contract slot, but it's also the team waiving a guy the coach has been asking them to emulate the habits of for the past two years. Most would say, then don't ask players to emulate them... *shrug* this is where we are already.

That's not really a problem. When we're entirely healthy one of Dermott or Borgman are going to have to get sent down, and then Kapanen will have to go back down too. Two of Leivo-Martin-Soshnikov are in the pressbox along with Carrick or Polak (but probably Carrick) while the other plays. Nobody lost on waivers, nobody needs to get traded.

Again, the biggest problem with our 4th line has already been solved (Gauthier). We should be fine there going forward with the guys already on our roster.

Don't know about you but I feel a trade is in the air. I feel that we have a situation were we are going to clear out a lot of prospects (a la Grabner trade) including the Goat, Leivo etc.  They are going to need some space with the 50 man limit and lets face it the Goat, Leivo are not going anywhere in this organization......anymore.  Throw in about 2 others and Komarov or Bozo and a deal is done.