Armchair GM 2018-2019

[herman]

My philosophy is that winning = scoring more than the other team, so three-four line domination is how the Cup is won in the long run. My salary cap money is going towards players that can put pucks in the net.

 

[AvroArrow]

My philosophy is that winning = scoring more than the other team, so three-four line domination is how the Cup is won in the long run. My salary cap money is going towards players that can put pucks in the net.

EDIT: Nuts, sorted statistics incorrectly.  Leafs GA/Game is actually pretty good overall.  Ignore my response...

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/1074707873760870400

 

[Bullfrog]

Man, I love Dubas's candidness.  "Play better or we're going to trade you."

 

[herman]

Haha play Marincin and Holl

Marincin and Holl won't be able to take Hainsey's minutes and be effective.  I'm not opposed to trying it, mind you, but I doubt it'll be a successful, long term solution.

Further to this fun discussion: it's not necessarily Marincin or Holl directly replacing Hainsey:

Rielly - Dermott
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Marincin - Holl/Ozhiganov

Marincin can eat up Hainsey's PK minutes easily.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Haha play Marincin and Holl

Marincin and Holl won't be able to take Hainsey's minutes and be effective.  I'm not opposed to trying it, mind you, but I doubt it'll be a successful, long term solution.

Further to this fun discussion: it's not necessarily Marincin or Holl directly replacing Hainsey:

Rielly - Dermott
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Marincin - Holl/Ozhiganov

Marincin can eat up Hainsey's PK minutes easily.

I know it's all fun but I don't think Dermott is quite ready for the #2 slot.

 

[herman]

I know it's all fun but I don't think Dermott is quite ready for the #2 slot.

Is he better or worse than the incumbent option? We don't even play our defense pairings in the traditional fashion.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I know it's all fun but I don't think Dermott is quite ready for the #2 slot.

Is he better or worse than the incumbent option? We don't even play our defense pairings in the traditional fashion.

True enough. We think he will be better but won't actually know until he's put in the spot. I hope come playoff time he is. Hainsey would be fine on the 5/6 spot

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/718800/2018/12/18/how-did-luke-schenn-go-from-cant-miss-prospect-to-29-year-old-minor-leaguer/

I'm sharing this article here because of our discussion has ranged from: Where are we going to find a top shutdown defenseman? to Who are the top shutdown defensemen?

I'll do you one better: Why should we bother with a top shutdown defenseman?

Luke Schenn had the prototypical build and profile of shutdown defensive defense: big, strong, hits, blocks. His career, now on its tail end, has been really quite good for a depth defenseman, and really only disappointing in that he didn't quite reach the loft expectation of a franchise cornerstone.

The way the game is played now (as it was when Schenn first broke into the league) is a skater's game, a puck-haver's game. Having another goalie with less padding in front hinders more than it helps. Get me more Travis Dermotts and Rasmus Sandins, who use their strength to take pucks away and their skating and smarts to break the puck out of the zone with control.

 

[Coco-puffs]

I think there is a difference between a "shutdown defenseman" in the antiquated sense, where all they do is play defense, hit, block shots, but can't move the puck, and asking for a defenseman who can shutdown the oppositions best by preventing scoring chances and just moving the puck up the ice efficiently.  I'm pretty sure just about nobody is on here nowadays asking for Luke Schenn to improve our blueline. 

But, guys who tilt the ice in your favour without necessarily putting up lots of points are still called "shutdown" defenseman in today's game:  Hampus Lindholm, Mattias Ekholm, Radko Gudas, Brett Pesce, Jacob Trouba.

 

[herman]

Fine, don?t appreciate my Drax reference.

 

[AvroArrow]

What Coco-puffs said.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Ray Ferraro mentioned something on the radio today about how Duncan Keith might be a good target for the Leafs. He'll be a bit old when the term ends, but could really help the team without huge expectation going back the other way. I assume that the Leafs would want them to take Zaitsev's contract, so it might involve some picks as a sweetener.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ray Ferraro mentioned something on the radio today about how Duncan Keith might be a good target for the Leafs. He'll be a bit old when the term ends, but could really help the team without huge expectation going back the other way. I assume that the Leafs would want them to take Zaitsev's contract, so it might involve some picks as a sweetener.

35 years old with 4 years left on his deal after this one at $5.5mil and he's already showing signs of decline? Not sure he'd be a guy I'd target.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Ray Ferraro mentioned something on the radio today about how Duncan Keith might be a good target for the Leafs. He'll be a bit old when the term ends, but could really help the team without huge expectation going back the other way. I assume that the Leafs would want them to take Zaitsev's contract, so it might involve some picks as a sweetener.

Interesting. Never thought of him but I really don't want a 35 year old with 4 more years @ 5.5 mill. I'd like Parayko who's 10 years younger. He'll cost more but it may be worth it.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://theathletic.com/718800/2018/12/18/how-did-luke-schenn-go-from-cant-miss-prospect-to-29-year-old-minor-leaguer/

Luke Schenn had the prototypical build and profile of shutdown defensive defense: big, strong, hits, blocks. His career, now on its tail end, has been really quite good for a depth defenseman, and really only disappointing in that he didn't quite reach the loft expectation of a franchise cornerstone.

Completely random point here but remember how Schenn's more attractive features were how big and strong he is? He's only 3 pounds heavier and 1 inch taller than Rielly.

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/718800/2018/12/18/how-did-luke-schenn-go-from-cant-miss-prospect-to-29-year-old-minor-leaguer/

Luke Schenn had the prototypical build and profile of shutdown defensive defense: big, strong, hits, blocks. His career, now on its tail end, has been really quite good for a depth defenseman, and really only disappointing in that he didn't quite reach the loft expectation of a franchise cornerstone.

Completely random point here but remember how Schenn's more attractive features were how big and strong he is? He's only 3 pounds heavier and 1 inch taller than Rielly.

Rielly is a tank but with actual skating ability. If Rielly felt like laying a hit, he could really blow someone up and outhit Schenn -- speed gains scale much faster than mass does when calculating kinetic energy.

Dermott also has quite a bit of tank; I'm trying to remember where I read he adjusted his training this offseason to trim back his upper body mass to focus strength and weight lower in the body for balance and explosiveness.

 

[Nik]

https://theathletic.com/718800/2018/12/18/how-did-luke-schenn-go-from-cant-miss-prospect-to-29-year-old-minor-leaguer/

Luke Schenn had the prototypical build and profile of shutdown defensive defense: big, strong, hits, blocks. His career, now on its tail end, has been really quite good for a depth defenseman, and really only disappointing in that he didn't quite reach the loft expectation of a franchise cornerstone.

Completely random point here but remember how Schenn's more attractive features were how big and strong he is? He's only 3 pounds heavier and 1 inch taller than Rielly.

Hockey DB has that as Rielly at 218 and Schenn at 221 but Wikipedia has Schenn at 230.

I'm not sure how accurate/current any of these weights are but I think something that is fair to say is that a lot of Schenn's hype came from how big he was when he was drafted whereas it seems like Rielly has grown quite a bit since the draft.

 

[Coco-puffs]

https://theathletic.com/718800/2018/12/18/how-did-luke-schenn-go-from-cant-miss-prospect-to-29-year-old-minor-leaguer/

Luke Schenn had the prototypical build and profile of shutdown defensive defense: big, strong, hits, blocks. His career, now on its tail end, has been really quite good for a depth defenseman, and really only disappointing in that he didn't quite reach the loft expectation of a franchise cornerstone.

Completely random point here but remember how Schenn's more attractive features were how big and strong he is? He's only 3 pounds heavier and 1 inch taller than Rielly.

Hockey DB has that as Rielly at 218 and Schenn at 221 but Wikipedia has Schenn at 230.

I'm not sure how accurate/current any of these weights are but I think something that is fair to say is that a lot of Schenn's hype came from how big he was when he was drafted whereas it seems like Rielly has grown quite a bit since the draft.

Schenn was listed at 216 lbs at the time of his drafting:  https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/lightning-select-stamkos-first-overall-at-nhl-draft-1.694691  (and Doughty was a MONSTER... 219 lbs at the draft!)

Rielly was 197 lbs.  https://thehockeywriters.com/morgan-rielly-the-next-ones-nhl-2012-draft-prospect-profile/

 

[Guilt Trip]

Schenn played a "heavy" and "bigger" then Rielly. Unfortunately he didn't have the foot speed or skill to keep up with the changing game.