Unofficial 2013-2014 Armchair GM Thread
- Thread starter Champ Kind
- Start date
Just an interesting tidbit to add:
Britishbulldog
Active member
Erndog said:
The only player I want off the Panthers is 6'5" 210 lbs RH shooting Gudbranson. He is young and makes some mistakes like Rielly but Gudbranson is a big stay at home dman with a mean streak and a booming shot from the point. The Leafs have young rushing dmen that haven't shown a booming shot.
The only issue is that Gudbranson is one of the names Tallon but in the 'except' column when he told the press anyone on the roster is available 'except these players'.
I was fantasizing that if Tallon was offered the trio of Gardiner (or Finn), Connor Brown (or Gauthier) and MacWilliam (or Granberg) he would change his mind.
Corn Flake
New member
After last night I'm sold on dismantling the 4th line and completely re-configuring. I still want physical play from that line but I don't want complete ineptness at everything else.. oh and some actual physical play would be nice as well.
1. FML on waivers
2. Recall Bodie.
3. Recall one of Broll or Devane to play the other wing.
4. Orr to the press box for a few games and see if after a few off he will go back out and do his job. If not, cya.
5. Smithson can fill in for now but hopefully with players getting healthy he can be the 13th guy and McClement goes back to that line.
1. FML on waivers
2. Recall Bodie.
3. Recall one of Broll or Devane to play the other wing.
4. Orr to the press box for a few games and see if after a few off he will go back out and do his job. If not, cya.
5. Smithson can fill in for now but hopefully with players getting healthy he can be the 13th guy and McClement goes back to that line.
I'm fine with that. I still think we need to get Leivo on the team though as well while Lupul is out. Without him our 3rd line still won't provide any offence. With him, Bozak/Lupul out, and your changes:
JVR-Holland-Kessel
Raymond-Kadri-Kulemin
Leivo-Smith-Clarkson
Broll-McClement-Bodie
Not enough roster room though unless Bozak goes on the IR, so Orr might have to play.
JVR-Holland-Kessel
Raymond-Kadri-Kulemin
Leivo-Smith-Clarkson
Broll-McClement-Bodie
Not enough roster room though unless Bozak goes on the IR, so Orr might have to play.
Highlander
Active member
I like that line up Carlton, just get Frazer off the ice, please
Corn Flake
New member
CarltonTheBear said:
Works for me.
Highlander
Active member
I was thinking the same thing Avro. That line could pop? did you read Elliot F's blog on what two NHL scouts and one former coach said about Gardiner (each independently), it that he could be a top 6 forward no problem..
Maybe something we should look at at some point. He has the hands and the skills and would be responsible as a defensive forward as well.
Maybe something we should look at at some point. He has the hands and the skills and would be responsible as a defensive forward as well.
AvroArrow said:
Kadri and Clarkson haven't clicked at all this season, while Kulemin has a fair bit of history with Kadri. Clarkson and Smith have also had some success this season in their short time together. I think it makes sense to have those guys paired. Leivo and Raymond would be pretty interchangeable though.
Corn Flake
New member
CarltonTheBear said:
Put Kadri back with Kessel and try Holland with Clarkson.. Kadri most productive with PK and vice versa, try Holland who is a bit more of a north/south guy than Kadri... either way agree that Clarkson/Kadri hasn't clicked at all.
Highlander
Active member
Well one of the plugs is gone but not the right one. Goodbye Smithson, can you please pack Bolthead, Frazer and Frazer in your Durango and head out of Dodge
Corn Flake said:
I've liked the small amount of ice-time Holland has had with the top line enough to want to try it out for a few games. That and, especially with Lupul out, I'm not sure I want to load up the top line right now by putting Kadri there as well.
Britishbulldog
Active member
Highlander said:
You keep spelling it wrong. It is Orr, McLaren and Ranger.
Highlander
Active member
Ranger is figuring it out and is getting better game by game?where Frazer is a plug and always will be a plug
Britishbulldog
Active member
Highlander said:
Mark Fraser has a role on the team unlike some players. Unless you mean Frazer McLaren, then I agree with you.
Britishbulldog said:
I didn't agree with you before the season about Fraser, but I could at least kind of see where you were coming from in regards to his role and whatnot. But you must be able to see that Fraser simply cannot skate with NHLers anymore. The brace on his knee is killing what very little skating ability he once had.
So if the team does need to have a designated tough bottom pairing defenceman MacWilliam, Granberg, and Holzer should all be ahead of Fraser on the depth chart at this point.
Britishbulldog
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
Leivo is a RH LW and Kulemin is a LH RW, Raymond is a LH LW and Clarkson is a RH RW and they had played together with Bolland. As you mentioned Kadri and Kulemin have history together as well.
The Brolldozer hits and fights but from what I have read Devane has really been trying to round out his game since his last 2 years in Junior. Bodie also tries to play hockey rather then just fight....which is good since he isn't any better at fighting than Clarkson even though he is supposedly 6'4" and 230 + lbs.
I also agree that I would like to see what Holland can do on the top line a bit longer.
I would run the forwards like this:
JVR-Holland-Kessel
Leivo-Kadri-Kulemin
Raymond-Smith-Clarkson
Devane-McClement-Bodie
Britishbulldog
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
[jk] I would just hope he would have Rielly as his defense partner to hand it off. [/jk] MacWilliam would be the guy who would replace Fraser but when Fraser was getting rowdy in the playoffs Boston had Thornton go after to settle him down but Fraser went toe to toe and kept playing with an edge. If that had been MacWilliam, Thornton would have probably broken MacWilliam's orbital bone and/or concussed him or any other Leafs dman in the organization.
I guess I see the couple of positive attributes that Mark Fraser has and overlook his multitude of weaknesses. I have hated the lack of grit the Leafs defense has had for years in front of the net and protecting the goalie. Fraser hasn't had that problem.
Back to Florida, Gudbranson has O'Byrne's size, Phaneuf's shot and Fraser's mean streak and ability to fight. He isn't a rushing defenseman but that isn't really a weakness of the Leafs currently.