Sabres @ Leafs - Jan. 15th, 7:30pm - TSN, SN 590

[Joe S.]

Good thoughts on Myers.  The thing about him is that he's got the frame to (if built out) approach becoming a Chara-like player.  Chara's a good defenseman, but I wouldn't say his skill set is off the charts; he uses his reach and physicality very well to play at an elite level.  But you win Cups with guys like him (rare as they are).  In fact, having a player like him (or Pronger, Stevens) almost always leads to a team being a contender.

After having a good goalie, I'd say having a big, physical defenseman is a centerpiece of most perennial contenders.

So I guess if I were BUF I'd be very patient with him.

Maybe Chara is a good comparison. From what I remember, he was kind of a mess of a player for maybe his first 5/6 years in the league. He seemed awkward and gangly, then came into his own maybe a couple of years into his tenure in Ottawa.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I want to see Reimer play, put up a first star shutout, and make for a real dilemma for who gets the following start.

I'd love to see that too. Because it means the Leafs will win.

I don't think it will matter much on who gets the following start. I'm under the impression that, at this point, Bernier is clearly both management's and the coach's guy.

My hope wasn't from any strategic perspective, it's only because I feel bad for Reimer and think he deserves more chances than he's getting.  And arguably if the team is looking to trade him some day, it would be nice to see his trade value maximized, too.

 

[Bonsixx]

Good thoughts on Myers.  The thing about him is that he's got the frame to (if built out) approach becoming a Chara-like player.  Chara's a good defenseman, but I wouldn't say his skill set is off the charts; he uses his reach and physicality very well to play at an elite level.  But you win Cups with guys like him (rare as they are).  In fact, having a player like him (or Pronger, Stevens) almost always leads to a team being a contender.

After having a good goalie, I'd say having a big, physical defenseman is a centerpiece of most perennial contenders.

So I guess if I were BUF I'd be very patient with him.

Maybe Chara is a good comparison. From what I remember, he was kind of a mess of a player for maybe his first 5/6 years in the league. He seemed awkward and gangly, then came into his own maybe a couple of years into his tenure in Ottawa.

Totally. Chara was like a deer learning to skate in Long Island.

 

[Kin]

Maybe Chara is a good comparison. From what I remember, he was kind of a mess of a player for maybe his first 5/6 years in the league. He seemed awkward and gangly, then came into his own maybe a couple of years into his tenure in Ottawa.

Totally. Chara was like a deer learning to skate in Long Island.

But that's where the comparison, other than them being very similarly sized players, struggles because while Chara had that clear learning curve, Myers came into the league gangbusters and has struggled to recapture that form.

I guess the more basic point might should be that teams should be fairly patient with defensemen and try not to read too much into their first few years, good or bad.

 

[Bonsixx]

Maybe Chara is a good comparison. From what I remember, he was kind of a mess of a player for maybe his first 5/6 years in the league. He seemed awkward and gangly, then came into his own maybe a couple of years into his tenure in Ottawa.

Totally. Chara was like a deer learning to skate in Long Island.

But that's where the comparison, other than them being very similarly sized players, struggles because while Chara had that clear learning curve, Myers came into the league gangbusters and has struggled to recapture that form.

I guess the more basic point might should be that teams should be fairly patient with defensemen and try not to read too much into their first few years, good or bad.

Except when you can trade Luke Schenn for JVR. Then do it. Every time.

 

[Jalili]

Good thoughts on Myers.  The thing about him is that he's got the frame to (if built out) approach becoming a Chara-like player.  Chara's a good defenseman, but I wouldn't say his skill set is off the charts; he uses his reach and physicality very well to play at an elite level.  But you win Cups with guys like him (rare as they are).  In fact, having a player like him (or Pronger, Stevens) almost always leads to a team being a contender.

After having a good goalie, I'd say having a big, physical defenseman is a centerpiece of most perennial contenders.

So I guess if I were BUF I'd be very patient with him.

Maybe Chara is a good comparison. From what I remember, he was kind of a mess of a player for maybe his first 5/6 years in the league. He seemed awkward and gangly, then came into his own maybe a couple of years into his tenure in Ottawa.

I'm not crazy about Chara as a comparison for Myers, mainly because he's nowhere near as intelligent or nasty as Chara.

Admittedly, I recall some Bruins/Sens fans wishing Chara was more nasty; however, Myers is a powder puff compared to Big Z.

And not that anyone has said otherwise, but a lot has gone into Chara becoming an elite player besides his size.

 

[Kin]

Except when you can trade Luke Schenn for JVR. Then do it. Every time.

Even thenwhile I'm glad that it obviously worked out for the best I'm still not entirely sure I loved that move in theory. Obviously the balance changes when you're getting a very good player of a similar age the way the Leafs did there but I feel like if you make moves like that in the future you've got a greater chance of getting burned than you'd like.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Except when you can trade Luke Schenn for JVR. Then do it. Every time.

Even thenwhile I'm glad that it obviously worked out for the best I'm still not entirely sure I loved that move in theory. Obviously the balance changes when you're getting a very good player of a similar age the way the Leafs did there but I feel like if you make moves like that in the future you've got a greater chance of getting burned than you'd like.

I'd give a bit of credit to the Philly GM, he seems to have given up on core players more than average, if there is an average stat for that kind of thing.

 

[Bonsixx]

Except when you can trade Luke Schenn for JVR. Then do it. Every time.

Even thenwhile I'm glad that it obviously worked out for the best I'm still not entirely sure I loved that move in theory. Obviously the balance changes when you're getting a very good player of a similar age the way the Leafs did there but I feel like if you make moves like that in the future you've got a greater chance of getting burned than you'd like.

I always felt JVR was the "higher ceiling" player in that swap. True though, it's few and far between when a trade occurs featuring two still-developing prospects designed to fill the immediate needs of both teams.

Definitely worked out better for the Leafs up to this point. But maybe Schenn can still turn his career around.

 

[iwas11in67]

Leafs win tonight plus an Ottawa win over the Habs tomorrow(quite possible as Ottawa is playing very good right now) makes Saturday's game against Montreal at ACC a huge game. We could be 2 points behind them if this all plays out. However about 4-6 teams would also be within striking distance.

But just win tonight. No letup please.

 

[bustaheims]

jonasTSN1050: James Reimer makes second start since Dec. 21 tonight vs. Buffalo.

 

[Jalili]

I always felt JVR was the "higher ceiling" player in that swap. True though, it's few and far between when a trade occurs featuring two still-developing prospects designed to fill the immediate needs of both teams.

Definitely worked out better for the Leafs up to this point. But maybe Schenn can still turn his career around.

That's exactly how I felt as well, and was actually ecstatic when the trade went down. All things being equal, Schenn was not going to burn the Leafs the way JVR could potentially burn the Flyers.

JVR always had a very intriguing skillset, even if it was up for debate if he could put it all together, whereas with Schenn the more we saw of him the more it became apparent that he's ill-suited in the new post-2005 lockout NHL.

 

[Sanecow]

Anyone else got a bit of a hate-on for Buffalo?

 

[drummond]

Leafs can not afford handing any more points to Buffalo

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Anyone else got a bit of a hate-on for Buffalo?

 

[drummond]

holland-kuli-clarkson line looks very good

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Peter F'in Holland!

 

[ZBBM]

Miller looks reboundy.

 

[Deebo]

I hope Holland stays when Bolland returns.

Why don't their names rhyme?

 

[drummond]

wicked shot