Hockey Trash Talk & BS thread

Andersen and Gibson are both relaxed goalies. Glad Andersen is a #1 on a team that will continue to develop.

 

K. Still the article goes over Babcocks systems hence why I posted it. I stay off of Leafs forums. If you think TW is a shit hole try adding in about a thousand guys like @OZ-T and you have a Leafs forum.

 

For the record, I'd still take Gibson all day long. But I am biased. Lol

 

I think sometimes we get caught up in thinking about what Anaheim was thinking. How about the rest of the league? Toronto traded the 30th overall pick last year, a middle of the road 2nd road pick this year, Jonathan Bernier, and the payment for Bernier's bonus for Andersen. Given how shitty Elliot turned out for the Flames in the crunch, how Bishop flopped like a fish in LA's playoff run, and how Pittsburgh wants your 18 yo sisters virginity for Fleury Toronto made out like a bandit on Andersen. No one else who was available last year did nearly as well for his new team and the Leafs gave up assets they had an abundance of to get him. What a win. I'm guessing if the Flames, Jets, or (insert other teams who need a goalie here) could go back in time they would of made a deal on Andersen at way higher prices.

From Anaheim's POV Andersen's deal was a win as well and everyone knows that. They got FMV for Andersen in draft picks and a serviceable 1B type goalie to replace him. They didn't even have to pay Bernier his bonus, Toronto bent the rules so that they paid it, which save a cash strapped team like Anaheim a pile of money. Anaheim has all sorts of cap but a lot of extra money to spend around on things like multi million dollar bonuses.

 

Liked for the gif, but I think Marleau is under rated in the give a shit category. He's come up clutch in international tournaments but just can't pull off that magic for SJ for whatever reason.

 

I think Toronto did the right thing, by all means. They got the right guy for what they need. He kinda proved that this year, I'd say. Maybe a slightly rocky first week or so but then settled in and established himself as a steady #1, behind a sometimes shaky defense. He showed in Anaheim that he was solid, and I'm sure that's what Lou saw, when bringing him to Leafs.

As far as Gibson, I think he's the best of the crop of young starters, along with Murray. So I can see why Ducks kept him as the guy. But Andersen was too good, no way they could keep 2 guys that were so good, at their ages.

 

I know I sound like a broken record, but I still need to see more games out of Murray before he will be in my Top 3 NHL goalies. I agree with your earlier point though that he probably deserved a Veniza nomination for this years work. If he comes back in this off season and plays like he did last year I'll be sold. Just need to see a little more playoff time.

I think Bishop will bounce back with a team next year, probably the Flames, but I think Elliot is done as a true number 1. The guy has blown so many key games for Ottawa, St Louis, and Calgary now that I can't see a team paying him big money in the off season.

 

I agree on all of that.

Here's my take on Murray. I started paying attention to him when he started posting absurd number for WBS. His style really stood out to me and then seeing him in his first few NHL games, I was amazed how calm he is. It's textbook. The save is made before the puck even leaves the shooters stick. And he is great at bouncing back after a bad goal or bad game. It's just stuff you don't see from young goalies. Plus, if you break down his nhl career into quarters (basically 20 game slices, his reg season last year, playoffs last year and 1st and 2nd half of this regular season) his numbers are pretty much identical through all 4 slices. He dipped a tad at the end of this year, but that was also when3-4 of the top defensive unit was out. So, who knows what will happen in the future but so far there is a lot of evidence that suggests he is the real deal, in my opinion.

For some reason, people around here don't seem to agree with the above. The fans and media love MAF, which I get. Plus, people who don't actually play hockey and think they know everything about goaltending, think that playing positionally sound, like Murray does, means you aren't athletic. But whatever, everyone is an expert these days.

 

So what is San Jose's next step? Should they have dumped Thorton and Marleau last year when their value was higher? Just want to hear a fan of the teams opinion.

Personally I don't know if the sharks would of been happy with the results either way. Without those two players the return would probably not of been enough to get them the limited success they had in the last two years.

 

Can it be said that they over-achieved last year and really weren't that good to begin with? Not trolling. Jones was amazing in the playoffs, when Burns and Pavelski are on their game they are some of the best in the game. But I was blown away that when the Finals were about to start last year, EVERYONE was basically picking the Sharks because of their size and possession game . What exactly were they watching, because I wasn't seeing it? I was actually tweeting NHL XM hosts about it, because they were all acting like SJ was some dominant force. The Finals went exactly like I thought it would've. Who had them in the Finals at preseason, last year? This year they looked about what they are. A good, but not great team. Again, not bashing but to me they are very good but not shocking that they ended up where they are, this year (as long as you assume they over-achieved last year, like I am saying).

 

Too be fair though the Sharks lead the Western Conference in the standings for a good part of the second half of the year. I don't think you can say they just weren't good. They were good but probably missing a few elements that they need in the playoffs and have arguably needed for over a decade.

I think of Minnesota the same way. That slide at the end of the year might of been that team all along.

 

Yep.

Both good teams but at the same time, I don't feel like they were so good that you are left wondering why they lost (like Chicago).

 

ouch

 

Blackhawks Clean House Starts and won't stop just there I'm guessing from the tone of Bowman's press confrenence
https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/news/blackhawks-relieve-mike-kitchen-of-coaching-duties/c-289062316

https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/video/bowmans-season-ending-presser/t-277437096/c-51673803

 

Thanks for the backhanded compliment.

... and as always, REVERSE SWEEP !! That's a rare gem which cannot go forgotten or unmentioned, no matter how much time passes.

 

..and so he has no system. Gotcha.

Bottom line is whoever plays the best defense, WINS !

Just ask Larry Robinson, who was an assistant coach when NJ won in 1995, then came to LA as head coach and produced notta, only to return to NJ as head coach and win the cup in 2000 then notta, fired, rehired as assistant and win it all again in 2003.

 

The way the Wild played during that slump was certainly not indicitive of the team overall. A breakdown in defensive structure along with half decent play by Dubnyk ended up with them losing more games than they should've during that stretch. But for the other 80% of the year they were farrrrr better. And continued that play through the series with the Blues. It's unfortunate they ran into a hot goalie because he's the only player that the Wild did not out playin the series.