The Official 2011/2012 Armchair GM thread

[bustaheims]

There's sharks in Manitoba?

Land sharks, yeah.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

I forgot about that...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLdfuky6BRg

 

[pnjunction]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

I forgot about that...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLdfuky6BRg

I was reading into this and there is an article on an interview with Eric about it on nhl.com today.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=599307

 

[caver]

There's sharks in Manitoba?

Land sharks, yeah.

"DING DONG"  ....candygram....  ;D ;D

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

Just for the record, the hit was last February, not during pre-season.

 

[lamajama]

There's sharks in Manitoba?

Land sharks, yeah.

"DING DONG"  ....candygram....  ;D ;D

AWESOME  ;D  ;D

The above aside, I lost any respect for opinions when Connolly was to be included in a possible trade.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

Just for the record, the hit was last February, not during pre-season.

Thanks, I don't know why I thought it was in the preseason. Strange that he didn't miss any time at that point.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

Just for the record, the hit was last February, not during pre-season.

Thanks, I don't know why I thought it was in the preseason. Strange that he didn't miss any time at that point.

I was reading an article about it and it said:

Immediately after that game, Marc told Eric he was ?upset? and ?disappointed? at being hit like that.

I don't think Eric should let up because it's his brother.  He's paid by the Hurricanes to play hard.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Just idle speculation, but I wonder if his tough start to the season could have something to do with the fact that his brother Marc still hasn't returned from the concussion that he got because of a hit by Eric during the pre-season.

Just for the record, the hit was last February, not during pre-season.

Thanks, I don't know why I thought it was in the preseason. Strange that he didn't miss any time at that point.

I was reading an article about it and it said:

Immediately after that game, Marc told Eric he was ?upset? and ?disappointed? at being hit like that.

I don't think Eric should let up because it's his brother.  He's paid by the Hurricanes to play hard.

Looked like a clean hit to me.

 

[Bender]

So what do we need to do to clean this team up, outside of a coaching change?

 

[maplesyrup]

So what do we need to do to clean this team up, outside of a coaching change?

Milbury (yes Milbury) had a good point on Saturday... It's very rare that chemistry on a line (when it's there) exists between all 3 players. Almost always, it's just 2 guys. It's obvious that Lupul/Kessel is that line really and it doesn't matter much who rides the'r coattails. What this team needs in my opinion is a a big-time upgrade on one of MacArthur, Grabovski, ur Kulemin. I'd package one of those guys plus a spare defencmen plus a prospect to get some big-time talent for that second line (whatever position it may be.) In my mind, it's more important then that "#1 center."

 

[Erndog]

So what do we need to do to clean this team up, outside of a coaching change?

Milbury (yes Milbury) had a good point on Saturday... It's very rare that chemistry on a line (when it's there) exists between all 3 players. Almost always, it's just 2 guys. It's obvious that Lupul/Kessel is that line really and it doesn't matter much who rides the'r coattails. What this team needs in my opinion is a a big-time upgrade on one of MacArthur, Grabovski, ur Kulemin. I'd package one of those guys plus a spare defencmen plus a prospect to get some big-time talent for that second line (whatever position it may be.) In my mind, it's more important then that "#1 center."

I just don't understand what has happened to all 3 of the second line.  Kulemin looks like a shell of his former self.  MacArthur is almost invisible.  Grabs seems to be the best of the bunch but even he isn't really generating much.

I said it at the beginning of the year that I think all 3 over achieved last year.  I think expecting 3 guys to repeat career years was probably a recipe for disaster. 

 

[maplesyrup]

So what do we need to do to clean this team up, outside of a coaching change?

Milbury (yes Milbury) had a good point on Saturday... It's very rare that chemistry on a line (when it's there) exists between all 3 players. Almost always, it's just 2 guys. It's obvious that Lupul/Kessel is that line really and it doesn't matter much who rides the'r coattails. What this team needs in my opinion is a a big-time upgrade on one of MacArthur, Grabovski, ur Kulemin. I'd package one of those guys plus a spare defencmen plus a prospect to get some big-time talent for that second line (whatever position it may be.) In my mind, it's more important then that "#1 center."

I just don't understand what has happened to all 3 of the second line.  Kulemin looks like a shell of his former self.  MacArthur is almost invisible.  Grabs seems to be the best of the bunch but even he isn't really generating much.

I said it at the beginning of the year that I think all 3 over achieved last year.  I think expecting 3 guys to repeat career years was probably a recipe for disaster.

I totally understand it was somewhat unreasonable to expect a repeat year from those three but at the same time, isn't more than somewhat unreasonable to expect a lot of success from this team if they don't? Know what I mean? 

 

[Bender]

So what do we need to do to clean this team up, outside of a coaching change?

Milbury (yes Milbury) had a good point on Saturday... It's very rare that chemistry on a line (when it's there) exists between all 3 players. Almost always, it's just 2 guys. It's obvious that Lupul/Kessel is that line really and it doesn't matter much who rides the'r coattails. What this team needs in my opinion is a a big-time upgrade on one of MacArthur, Grabovski, ur Kulemin. I'd package one of those guys plus a spare defencmen plus a prospect to get some big-time talent for that second line (whatever position it may be.) In my mind, it's more important then that "#1 center."

I just don't understand what has happened to all 3 of the second line.  Kulemin looks like a shell of his former self.  MacArthur is almost invisible.  Grabs seems to be the best of the bunch but even he isn't really generating much.

I said it at the beginning of the year that I think all 3 over achieved last year.  I think expecting 3 guys to repeat career years was probably a recipe for disaster.

Yeah, the second line looks completely inept. I think Mac looks ok, but Kooly is looking terrible.

I think the order of business is to find a bona fide second liner, augment the third line with another forward (Making Bozak expendable) and bring in Nabokov. Use Franson to get that forward. Although we'd likely have to shed some salary.

I think that ship will be able to float while dealing with injuries and will play pretty good hockey when injuries are dealt with.

 

[maplesyrup]

Just to be clear, I think those three are "bonafide 2nd liners" but I'm looking for a guy much better then that.

 

[Bender]

Just to be clear, I think those three are "bonafide 2nd liners" but I'm looking for a guy much better then that.

True. So what do you do then? Do you let Kooly struggle and hope he finds his form again? Because he's looking as effective at scoring as Matt Frattin.

 

[maplesyrup]

Just to be clear, I think those three are "bonafide 2nd liners" but I'm looking for a guy much better then that.

True. So what do you do then? Do you let Kooly struggle and hope he finds his form again? Because he's looking as effective at scoring as Matt Frattin.

I think I'd get a feel for what the market might be on all three... Not just Kooly. If I found a deal for either  (I'm not biased against one or the other) that upgraded that 2nd line, I'd do it... Even if it is Kulemin that stays. 

 

[Champ Kind]

Just to be clear, I think those three are "bonafide 2nd liners" but I'm looking for a guy much better then that.

True. So what do you do then? Do you let Kooly struggle and hope he finds his form again? Because he's looking as effective at scoring as Matt Frattin.

I think I'd get a feel for what the market might be on all three... Not just Kooly. If I found a deal for either  (I'm not biased against one or the other) that upgraded that 2nd line, I'd do it... Even if it is Kulemin that stays.

Agreed on potential deals for Grabovski and MacArthur, but for me Kulemin is off the table unless it's an earth shattering move.  At the start of this season, there was debate on this board over who the better player is: Kulemin or Kessel.  So while I understand the frustration in Kulemin's play, these suggestions of actively looking to move one of the Leafs' best and brightest assets (I'll include Schenn here, too) is the definition of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[Big Daddy]

Seems to me Kessel seems decent in the faceoff circle with Bozak getting kicked out so much.  Why not try a lineup of
Lupul/Kessel/MacArthur
Frattin/Grabovski/Kulemin
Lombardi/Bozak/Crabb
Dupuis/Steckel/Brown
Phaneuf/Schenn
Liles/Komisarek
Gunnarrson/Gardiner