Brian Boyle to Leafs

[herman]

I don't know what that means.

He likes having a line he can tank with defensive zone draws and rely on to mostly come out of it unscathed (and kill penalties too).

 

[louisstamos]

That's actually one thing I've noticed - both with Smith and Gautier, they'd be out there to win the draw on the PK, and as soon as they clear the zone, even if it's right away, they go to the bench.

At least in this case, Boyle can win the draw AND stay out for 30-45 seconds an kill the penalty.

 

[TBLeafer]

They're telling us Gauthier isn't going to make it in this league.

Or they're showing Gauthier the perfect example of a player he needs to strive to be like.

 

[mr grieves]

I like the trade, provided the picks are recouped through other moves (JvR, Bozak, Komarov before the draft).

What's "lost" in Froese, a draft pick, and time/space for Gauthier to "grow into his role" as a 10/min night center at the NHL level is, I think, more than made up for in what's to be gained by Matthews, Nylander, Marner, etc. being in a playoff push, maybe even getting a round.

Although I wonder whether they really needed an upgrade at 4C more than, say, a shootout specialist.

 

[Nik]

Or they're showing Gauthier the perfect example of a player he needs to strive to be like.

Babcock: Fred, we need you to be a defensively responsible Centre who wins faceoffs and can kill penalties

Gauthier: Coach, I've been a hockey player all my life. I don't understand a word you're saying.

Babcock: Be good defensively, win faceoffs, kill penalties, be big.

Gauthier: Are you speaking English? Or French? Or some sort of new alien language?

Babcock: Be good defensively...

Gauthier: Bub gorn defornsively?

Babcock: Forget it.

(trades for Brian Boyle, Gauthier figures it out.)

 

[TBLeafer]

[tweet]836310969303302144[/tweet]

Patrick O'Sullivan
‏Verified account @realPOSULLIVAN

Boyle is one of the best teammates I ever played with. Valuable and versatile on the ice and great for the room. The kids get a good leader.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Babcock: Fred, we need you to be a defensively responsible Centre who wins faceoffs and can kill penalties

Gauthier: Coach, I've been a hockey player all my life. I don't understand a word you're saying.

Babcock: Be good defensively, win faceoffs, kill penalties, be big.

Gauthier: Are you speaking English? Or French? Or some sort of new alien language?

Babcock: Be good defensively...

Gauthier: Bub gorn defornsively?

Babcock: Forget it.

(trades for Brian Boyle, Gauthier figures it out.)

Now why couldn't this have been your 20,000th post?

 

[hockeyfan1]

Boyle gives the Leafs that depth centre the team was looking for,  plus he's a 53% at the face-off circle.  Not bad for a rental player soon-to-be free agent. 

 

[Bill_Berg]

I assume the odds are they won't resign him, which is fine to me. It does show they would really like to make the playoffs, which at this point, being so close, I can't argue with.

I have no guess at all about future deadline moves. More depth? Trade for picks? Nothing? If you like anticipation, this year's trade deadline is where it's at.

 

[TBLeafer]

Babcock: Fred, we need you to be a defensively responsible Centre who wins faceoffs and can kill penalties

Gauthier: Coach, I've been a hockey player all my life. I don't understand a word you're saying.

Babcock: Be good defensively, win faceoffs, kill penalties, be big.

Gauthier: Are you speaking English? Or French? Or some sort of new alien language?

Babcock: Be good defensively...

Gauthier: Bub gorn defornsively?

Babcock: Forget it.

(trades for Brian Boyle, Gauthier figures it out.)

I LOL'ed. 

 

[lamajama]

That's very true, but I'm surmising based on Babcock's deployment at the beginning of the year with his null-out assignments (Hunlak, 4th line). Historically, Babcock needs a group he can count on to make the other team stand on their head and do triple salcows coming out of backflips to potentially pot a goal.

I don't know what that means.

I think it means to score you have to break some branches, throw up a few ally-oops and drive that
pigskin into the uprights no?

 

[pnjunction]

I hope they figure he can teach the youngsters a thing or two?  Otherwise it seems premature to be spending draft picks on rentals.  I guess it's possible they have looked at the draft class and don't think we are missing out on much between the 1st and 2nd that we'll still have.

Edit: the deal also makes a ton of sense if Bozak is shipping out

 

[LuncheonMeat]

A nice article by Mirtle at The Athletic giving his perspective on the trade. Not locked for me (non-subscriber).

https://theathletic.com/40859/2017/02/27/mirtle-why-brian-boyle-is-the-perfect-deadline-addition-for-maple-leafs/

 

[ZBBM]

They're telling us Gauthier isn't going to make it in this league.

Or they're showing Gauthier the perfect example of a player he needs to strive to be like.

I like him but unfortunately he came into the league 10 years too late.

 

[Nik]

That's very true, but I'm surmising based on Babcock's deployment at the beginning of the year with his null-out assignments (Hunlak, 4th line). Historically, Babcock needs a group he can count on to make the other team stand on their head and do triple salcows coming out of backflips to potentially pot a goal.

I don't know what that means.

I think it means to score you have to break some branches, throw up a few ally-oops and drive that
pigskin into the uprights no?

If the point was "Babcock wants to have a really good defensive 4th line" I figured the fixing would start with Martin but defending everything Babcock does by the virtue of guessing at his thought process presupposes he's already married to Martin so Martin must be good defensively otherwise Babcock wouldn't already have him on the 4th line so it doesn't need fixing.

Or something.

 

[TBLeafer]

It's clear Lou needed to make sure fan impatience didn't Boyle over.

So he didn't Froese up and pulled the trigger.

 

[Highlander]

They're telling us Gauthier isn't going to make it in this league.

Or they're showing Gauthier the perfect example of a player he needs to strive to be like.

Why not more love for our very own Goat?  The kid is already showing way more than Joe the Throw Colbourne. I like the trade, we will get back a few seconds and maybe a first in the next days

 

[Highlander]

Babcock: Fred, we need you to be a defensively responsible Centre who wins faceoffs and can kill penalties

Gauthier: Coach, I've been a hockey player all my life. I don't understand a word you're saying.

Babcock: Be good defensively, win faceoffs, kill penalties, be big.

Gauthier: Are you speaking English? Or French? Or some sort of new alien language?

Babcock: Be good defensively...

Gauthier: Bub gorn defornsively?

Babcock: Forget it.

(trades for Brian Boyle, Gauthier figures it out.)

Now why couldn't this have been your 20,000th post?

Best of all time Nik, you should use your humour more frequently, U is 1 funny guy!

 

[Boston Leaf]

Doesn't Smith need like 4 or 5 more games to qualify to be let exposed in expansion draft this summer? I thought that was plan with him

 

[McGarnagle]

So, 2nd rounder in a weak draft and a warm body for a 4th line center who looks like an oversized Inigo Montoya on an expiring contract rental?

I'll pretty much rubber stamp it a half-approving "meh".