Justin Holl

[Menzinger]

Hes been quietly having a really good season

 

[Mikeyg]

hes the most polished ahl plug in the world. his actual talent level is staggeringly low, when hes not trying to be good hes decent.

 

[LeafGrief]

If Holl doesn't have our top xGF%, I would be shocked. He's been at the top in every game I've checked despite some tough defensive usage.

Muzzin is 2nd with 66 xGF%. Thornton leads the forwards with 64.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I thought Holl was very good last season. I was a little worried over Holl's first couple of games. Now I think Holl's very good this season.

 

[zeke]

hes the most polished ahl plug in the world. his actual talent level is staggeringly low, when hes not trying to be good hes decent.

I don't get this. He's a great skater, he's huge, and he handles and moves the puck easily and safely. What other talent do you want?

 

[Mikeyg]

I don't get this. He's a great skater, he's huge, and he handles and moves the puck easily and safely. What other talent do you want?

he has no hands, often tries to make plays above his skillset.

 

[zeke]

he has no hands, often tries to make plays above his skillset.

I mean he's no offensive dman but he handles and moves the puck very well.

 

[shaner8989]

Played great tonight

 

[Mikeyg]

I mean he's no offensive dman but he handles and moves the puck very well.

he needs to act more like muzzin and less like mo. he routinely tries to do too much.

 

[meefer]

he has no hands, often tries to make plays above his skillset.

84

4

19

23

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

G/G/A/P...not too bad for a fella who is playing as our 4th D

 

[Leafs87]

He’s very average. Nothing fancy, nothing awful. He’s def more of a 5 than 4. As in he should be on the 3rd pair. With the cap lock at 81.5, he’s easily replaceable by someone making less for what he does. I thought the deal was decent when it happened. With the cap staying flat, it’s not so ideal

 

[Nineteen67]

He played really well today. Wasn't noticeable in a good way and broke up a lot of plays!

Keep it up Holl!

He was very noticeable. Made a lot of great plays, especially late in the third, and one error that ended up in the net.

 

[zeke]

He was very noticeable. Made a lot of great plays, especially late in the third, and one error that ended up in the net.

That was muzzin.

 

[A1LeafNation]

He’s very average. Nothing fancy, nothing awful. He’s def more of a 5 than 4. As in he should be on the 3rd pair. With the cap lock at 81.5, he’s easily replaceable by someone making less for what he does. I thought the deal was decent when it happened. With the cap staying flat, it’s not so ideal

Nothing wrong with #5 playing in the second pair. A #7 played with a #1 last year and they won a cup.

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Holl

Looking like a good top 4 so far.

 

[Critical13]

He’s very average. Nothing fancy, nothing awful. He’s def more of a 5 than 4. As in he should be on the 3rd pair. With the cap lock at 81.5, he’s easily replaceable by someone making less for what he does. I thought the deal was decent when it happened. With the cap staying flat, it’s not so ideal

Am I missing something?

A home grown RD leading our team in limiting chances against who only makes 2 million and you think he should be a cap casualty?

 

[Wafflewhipper]

He plays like a defenseman

 

[Martin Skoula]

He’s very average. Nothing fancy, nothing awful. He’s def more of a 5 than 4. As in he should be on the 3rd pair. With the cap lock at 81.5, he’s easily replaceable by someone making less for what he does. I thought the deal was decent when it happened. With the cap staying flat, it’s not so ideal

Like who? Guys like Gudas are getting 3x2.5 in FA. Borowiecki is barely NHL caliber and got 2x2. Both of those were under the flat cap and couldn't handle top unit shutdown minutes.

 

[zeke]

Most teams have much slower dmen with worse hands in their top 4 than Holl.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Most teams have much slower dmen with worse hands in their top 4 than Holl.

Underrated for sure.

 

[TMLeafer]

I did not expect this at any point.

Really though, he's been consistent to start the season and that pairing has been the most consistent one early on.

 

[Iapyi]

I don't get this. He's a great skater, he's huge, and he handles and moves the puck easily and safely. What other talent do you want?

Casual fans often focus on pedigree.

Holl was a 2nd rounder [54th overall] in 2010 and then played 4 years in the NCAA, 1 year in the ECHL and then 3 more in the AHL before he made his mark in the NHL.

With some people this automatically makes him someone they will never appreciate.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Another game and Holl was once again our best defenseman. It's crazy how good he is

 

[therealkoho]

Am I missing something?

A home grown RD leading our team in limiting chances against who only makes 2 million and you think he should be a cap casualty?

once LeaFland annoints a blueline whipping boy or forward for that matter, it's almost impossible to reverse the misconceptions and expectations of the player, it's unfortunate but it's very real thing.

I've been a Leafs fan since 62 and I've seen this phenomenon play itself out time and time again, who knows why, it just does.

When I was a kid the whipping boy was Mike Pelyk and average guy playing in the 5/6, he got beat occasionally on the outside didn't score much, fought on a fairly regular basis but didn't win more then he lost, but not really a goon either. The kind of guy you'd find on every NHL roster, decent skater, low maintenance and willing to stick up for teammates, but for some reason he became a symbol of Leaf futility and the reason for any goal against and all losses. He was a hometown kid but the timing of his arrival couldn't have been worse for him. He first pulled on the sweater the season following the last of the 60's cup champions. He toughed it out closed his ears to the noise until he finally said to hell with this nonsense and left for the WHA.

 

[IPS]

Like a young Ron Hainsey to start the season.

 

[Iapyi]

once LeaFland annoints a blueline whipping boy or forward for that matter, it's almost impossible to reverse the misconceptions and expectations of the player, it's unfortunate but it's very real thing.

I've been a Leafs fan since 62 and I've seen this phenomenon play itself out time and time again, who knows why, it just does.

When I was a kid the whipping boy was Mike Pelyk and average guy playing in the 5/6, he got beat occasionally on the outside didn't score much, fought on a fairly regular basis but didn't win more then he lost, but not really a goon either. The kind of guy you'd find on every NHL roster, decent skater, low maintenance and willing to stick up for teammates, but for some reason he became a symbol of Leaf futility and the reason for any goal against and all losses. He was a hometown kid but the timing of his arrival couldn't have been worse for him. He first pulled on the sweater the season following the last of the 60's cup champions. He toughed it out closed his ears to the noise until he finally said to hell with this nonsense and left for the WHA.

This is so true. There used to be a term for them which was The Whipping Boy Brigade aka WBB.

I've got a pretty good idea where the mindset of it sets in but will leave it at that for now.