Brian Boyle to Leafs

[Redleaf]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

 

[Zee]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

 

[Bullfrog]

Why not more love for our very own Goat?  The kid is already showing way more than Joe the Throw Colbourne. I like the trade, we will get back a few seconds and maybe a first in the next days

He's not doing anything this year, but Colborne did get 44 points last year. I'd be surprised if Gauthier ever hits that number.

 

[ZBBM]

Why do we need a fourth line of huge?

 

[herman]

Why do we need a fourth line of huge?

If Babcock's not going to change his mind about running Top 9/Bottom 3, might as well lean into it with better players.

 

[dekedastardly]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

With so many connections it seems it may be likely. Detroit, Babcock, and Shanahan / Smith are Mimico boys.

 

[ZBBM]

Why not a speedy 4th of puckhounds?  Seems to me in this league if you could ice 3 Hymans that would be  effective.

 

[herman]

Why not a speedy 4th of puckhounds?  Seems to me in this league if you could ice 3 Hymans that would be  effective.

That's what I'd be more interested in, but I'm not the coach.

 

[Zee]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

With so many connections it seems it may be likely. Detroit, Babcock, and Shanahan / Smith are Mimico boys.

Would be funny if our 3rd pairing ends up Smith-Marchenko who were both on Detroit at the start of the season.

 

[Coco-puffs]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

The problem with B. Smith is he's left-handed.  We already know how much stock Babcock puts into handed-ness.  So B. Smith won't help our 2nd pair because he'll be behind Gardiner and Rielly on the left side.  He's an upgrade on Hunwick, sure, but I'm not sure if he's worth the cost to upgrade like trading for Boyle is. 

 

[Zee]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

The problem with B. Smith is he's left-handed.  We already know how much stock Babcock puts into handed-ness.  So B. Smith won't help our 2nd pair because he'll be behind Gardiner and Rielly on the left side.  He's an upgrade on Hunwick, sure, but I'm not sure if he's worth the cost to upgrade like trading for Boyle is.

Yeah I misspoke with 2nd pair.  Although with him I think the d pairings look better.

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Marchenko
Smith-Carrick

 

[Coco-puffs]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

The problem with B. Smith is he's left-handed.  We already know how much stock Babcock puts into handed-ness.  So B. Smith won't help our 2nd pair because he'll be behind Gardiner and Rielly on the left side.  He's an upgrade on Hunwick, sure, but I'm not sure if he's worth the cost to upgrade like trading for Boyle is.

Yeah I misspoke with 2nd pair.  Although with him I think the d pairings look better.

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Marchenko
Smith-Carrick

I don't really think Smith is a huge upgrade over Hunwick.  Especially given the expected cost to acquire him.  Hunwick, for all his possession worries, is doing quite well in actually preventing goals (1.94 GA60).  I agree that his possession numbers could mean regression- but we've been saying that all year and it hasn't happened. 

 

[Zee]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

The problem with B. Smith is he's left-handed.  We already know how much stock Babcock puts into handed-ness.  So B. Smith won't help our 2nd pair because he'll be behind Gardiner and Rielly on the left side.  He's an upgrade on Hunwick, sure, but I'm not sure if he's worth the cost to upgrade like trading for Boyle is.

Yeah I misspoke with 2nd pair.  Although with him I think the d pairings look better.

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Marchenko
Smith-Carrick

I don't really think Smith is a huge upgrade over Hunwick.  Especially given the expected cost to acquire him.  Hunwick, for all his possession worries, is doing quite well in actually preventing goals (1.94 GA60).  I agree that his possession numbers could mean regression- but we've been saying that all year and it hasn't happened.

According to these charts he's a big upgrade defensively over Hunwick:

 

[Coco-puffs]

I do like this move. I must admit though, I was hoping they'd add a solid D-man instead. With Shattenkirk gone to the Caps, I'm not sure there is one to be had now?

Brendan Smith from Detroit?  I think they're sellers so he might be a good 2nd pairing fit.

The problem with B. Smith is he's left-handed.  We already know how much stock Babcock puts into handed-ness.  So B. Smith won't help our 2nd pair because he'll be behind Gardiner and Rielly on the left side.  He's an upgrade on Hunwick, sure, but I'm not sure if he's worth the cost to upgrade like trading for Boyle is.

Yeah I misspoke with 2nd pair.  Although with him I think the d pairings look better.

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Marchenko
Smith-Carrick

I don't really think Smith is a huge upgrade over Hunwick.  Especially given the expected cost to acquire him.  Hunwick, for all his possession worries, is doing quite well in actually preventing goals (1.94 GA60).  I agree that his possession numbers could mean regression- but we've been saying that all year and it hasn't happened.

According to these charts he's a big upgrade defensively over Hunwick:

The problems with those charts.

1.  Smith's CA60 this year is +8 higher than the last two.  Averaging really helps out his case.  His CA60 this year is 52.66, on a much lower event team.  -1.79 RelTM (ie, better, than his teammate average)

2.  Hunwick, for 2 of the last 3 years, has played on a high event Leafs team.  This year he sits at 58.6 CA60.  Note, that's -1.67 RelTM. 

3.  This year, on the Offensive side of the puck Smith has a CF60 of 51.8, which is +1.64 RelTM.  Hunwick's is 53.01 which is -8.73 RelTM.  Polak certainly doesn't help his shot generation though.


I like Brendan Smith more than Hunwick.  Smith can play on your 2nd pair and not hurt you, while Hunwick is fine as a 3rd pair defenseman, but no more.  However, we already have Rielly and Gardiner on the Left side, so there is little need to add a potential 2nd pair defenseman, who might just be a rental. 

However, I don't think acquiring him will move the needle very much and isn't worth the cost.  An upgrade on Polak to me is much more important and by all accounts we already have that if Babcock just goes with a Zaitsev-Marchenko-Carrick right-side. 

 

[bustaheims]

However, I don't think acquiring him will move the needle very much and isn't worth the cost.  An upgrade on Polak to me is much more important and by all accounts we already have that if Babcock just goes with a Zaitsev-Marchenko-Carrick right-side.

That's sort of where I'm at with him. I think he'd be a decent upgrade, but, unless the team can pick him up for less than or equal to what they get for Hunwick, it's probably not worth it.

EDIT: Seems like a moot point any way, as Bobby Mac is reporting he's close to being traded to the Rangers.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I really don't know about Smith. He seems like he'd either be a really good but overpaid 3rd pairing defenceman or just an average 2nd pairing defenceman. I don't really see that as something the Leafs should be targeting.

 

[bill0199]

Welcome to Toronto Boyle.  Don't forget to pack plenty of these:

 

[hockeyfan1]

Welcome to Toronto Boyle.  Don't forget to pack plenty of these:

Uh, I think I like him with da moustache.  )

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680660769095680
www.twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680660769095680
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680020533751808
www.twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680020533751808

Brian Boyle is Babcock's dream come true. All other gud pros that came before are merely limited facets of the complete package of gud pro that Brian Boyle embodies.

Let's see how he holds up while towing Martin around.

 

[Highlander]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680660769095680
www.twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680660769095680
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680020533751808
www.twitter.com/markhmasters/status/836680020533751808

Brian Boyle is Babcock's dream come true. All other gud pros that came before are merely limited facets of the complete package of gud pro that Brian Boyle embodies.

Let's see how he holds up while towing Martin around.

I just evisioned Boyle with a long bungie cord tied to Martins neck...LOL