Game 34: Panthers @ Leafs - Mar. 26, 7:00pm - Sportsnet, Fan 590

[Kin]

Between Lupul and Beauchemin it's hard to say who won that swap, because both have been wildly successful for their new teams.

We did get Gardiner though, which is the trump card in this case.

If you say so. To me it looks like both teams have reason to be happy with the exchange.

 

[crazyperfectdevil]

i really don't care about how the ducks made out this year..we don't have to play them .....

gardiner has looked rough...he's still one hell of a skater..it's almost like he's forgotten that he doesn't have as much time to make the plays as he thinks he does...i'm hoping he'll figure that out soon

 

[Kessel Run]

i really don't care about how the ducks made out this year..we don't have to play them .....

gardiner has looked rough...he's still one hell of a skater..it's almost like he's forgotten that he doesn't have as much time to make the plays as he thinks he does...i'm hoping he'll figure that out soon

Yeah, maybe the slower pace of the AHL game was bad for him.

 

[Stickytape]

i really don't care about how the ducks made out this year..we don't have to play them .....

gardiner has looked rough...he's still one hell of a skater..it's almost like he's forgotten that he doesn't have as much time to make the plays as he thinks he does...i'm hoping he'll figure that out soon

Yeah, maybe the slower pace of the AHL game was bad for him.

He'll readjust.  He was great last year and I'm confident he'll clean up his game; it's just a matter of when, and whether RC has the patience for it.

 

[Zee]

Have we played anyone on the tail end of a back to back yet?

I heard on the radio that Anselmi made an inquiry with the league as to why the Leafs have more back to back games where the 2nd team hadn't played the night before. The answer was the Leafs insist on playing every Saturday night at home so the schedule is what it is. I call BS on this I think the league can still work out a better schedule.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

i really don't care about how the ducks made out this year..we don't have to play them .....

gardiner has looked rough...he's still one hell of a skater..it's almost like he's forgotten that he doesn't have as much time to make the plays as he thinks he does...i'm hoping he'll figure that out soon

It's a good point. I think that is what is wrong with his game also, as I was thinking about it right when he blew that coverage when Florida scored.

I'm not worried at all about him, but maybe something can be said for him staying in the AHL at tad too long?

 

[lc9]

i really don't care about how the ducks made out this year..we don't have to play them .....

gardiner has looked rough...he's still one hell of a skater..it's almost like he's forgotten that he doesn't have as much time to make the plays as he thinks he does...i'm hoping he'll figure that out soon

I guess I see the opposite.  I counted 4 times last night that Gardiner saved a breakaway or two on one after one of the forwards turned the puck over in the neutral zone and he was in great position.  He may be a half step behind adjusting to the pace of the game, but his position is great and his natural instincts looks fine.

 

[Andy007]

Do you suppose there's any way we can make Lupul the Captain without insulting Phaneuf? I'm thinking that they could probably convince Dion that the A stands for "Also Captain" and just get the rest of the team to play along.

Thought this deserved a re-post 

 

[Coco-puffs]

And it's worth mentioning that he was far from that when he was here (although perhaps he would have fared better under Carlyle) and we have an abundance of young blueliners coming along and enough veterans that we could afford to make that trade and what we got in return was a steal - particularly the throw in contract dump of a forward in whom the coach and management had lost confidence.

Here, all he does is contribute.

Even if Beauch's play had improved here we had a greater need that Lupul fills.

Well, I'd imagine that Anaheim, with Selanne, Ryan and Perry to score on the wing probably feel the same way in reverse about the respective needs Lupul and Beauchemin filled.  I mean it's not like Lupul was as good with Anaheim as he's been here either.

I think everyone needs to remember that the centerpiece in that deal was getting Gardiner, not Lupul.  At the time, Lupul was seen as injury prone and not worth his 4.2 million/yr contract.  If anything, Anaheim insisted he be part of the deal because they didn't want to pay him that to work his way back into the lineup playing on the 3rd line at that salary.  Burke has always liked Lupul, so he was willing to give him a chance.  Boy has that worked out for us!

 

[hap_leaf]

i really don't care about how the ducks made out this year..we don't have to play them .....

gardiner has looked rough...he's still one hell of a skater..it's almost like he's forgotten that he doesn't have as much time to make the plays as he thinks he does...i'm hoping he'll figure that out soon

I guess I see the opposite.  I counted 4 times last night that Gardiner saved a breakaway or two on one after one of the forwards turned the puck over in the neutral zone and he was in great position.  He may be a half step behind adjusting to the pace of the game, but his position is great and his natural instincts looks fine.

I agree.  He only looks bad at times because he is trying to do the right things but not doing them well.  I'd rather have a guy who knows what his assignment is and blowing it rather than a guy who doesn't have a clue.  He will get it together.

 

[dappleganger]

Anyone miss MacArthur last night?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Anyone miss MacArthur last night?

I didn't see the game, but possibly Kadri? Especially if Carlyle keeps Lupul on the top line.

 

[Andy007]

Anyone miss MacArthur last night?

Yes, there was one particular moment. It was when McLaren took that ridiculous penalty as his teamates were attacking the offensive zone.

 

[lc9]

Anyone miss MacArthur last night?

I am guessing you're implying he isn't needed.  It's obvious when he isn't playing.  He brings good speed and forechecking to every game and is defensively sound.   

So yes, he was missed.

 

[Frank E]

Anyone miss MacArthur last night?

I am guessing you're implying he isn't needed.  It's obvious when he isn't playing.  He brings good speed and forechecking to every game and is defensively sound.   

So yes, he was missed.

I think Bozak looked good last night, even though he got smoked in the dot again.

I think JVR is due for a scratch. 

 

[lamajama]

So if the top line is reunited does that make Bozak more likely
to be re-signed or not? Especially since that coveted #1 centre
is not coming to Toronto.

PS Kipper said Naz will command a $5 mil deal on his upcoming
contract... WTH?!

 

[pnjunction]

PS Kipper said Naz will command a $5 mil deal on his upcoming
contract... WTH?!

I don't know how people could expect him to be much cheaper.  He's top 10 in the league getting over a point per game averaging 16 minutes, and except for Lupul he's played with pretty mediocre wingers.

$5M is the magic number because that's where the offer sheet goes from 1st and 3rd to 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

If we're only putting 3.5M on the table I think other teams look at that 5M offer sheet pretty hard, especially if they figure that 1st pick will be 15-20th or higher.

 

[Omallley]

So if the top line is reunited does that make Bozak more likely
to be re-signed or not? Especially since that coveted #1 centre
is not coming to Toronto.

PS Kipper said Naz will command a $5 mil deal on his upcoming
contract... WTH?!

Kipper also said that Bozak would be getting a deal north of $5m.

Both are on the high end, but the longer that Kadri plays at a PPG level, the more likely his next deal is going to be a big one.

 

[Joe S.]

So if the top line is reunited does that make Bozak more likely
to be re-signed or not? Especially since that coveted #1 centre
is not coming to Toronto.

PS Kipper said Naz will command a $5 mil deal on his upcoming
contract... WTH?!

Kipper also said that Bozak would be getting a deal north of $5m.

Both are on the high end, but the longer that Kadri plays at a PPG level, the more likely his next deal is going to be a big one.

I'm not doubting Kadri's legitimacy, but I'd like to see this for a full 82 games. Even Wellwood was a ppg player over 40 odd games at one point. 

 

[Omallley]

So if the top line is reunited does that make Bozak more likely
to be re-signed or not? Especially since that coveted #1 centre
is not coming to Toronto.

PS Kipper said Naz will command a $5 mil deal on his upcoming
contract... WTH?!

Kipper also said that Bozak would be getting a deal north of $5m.

Both are on the high end, but the longer that Kadri plays at a PPG level, the more likely his next deal is going to be a big one.

I'm not doubting Kadri's legitimacy, but I'd like to see this for a full 82 games. Even Wellwood was a ppg player over 40 odd games at one point.

Exactly. That's why I don't necessarily think it is a slam dunk for him to get $5M next year, but one would think if he ended up with 45-50 points on the shortened year and say, added a solid playoff performance, he'd have a pretty strong case...