Post-Game Talk: Leafs 2 vs Rangers 4: Another Step Closer

[HitoftheMillennium*]

Nick doesn't get much appreciation for what he does do. He's an excellent PKer, FO and shutdown 3C. Should be no problem finding a taker needing a bottom 6 upgrade for a mid round pick.

He is not good nevermind excellent at anything. Complete scrub. Do you actually watch the guy play carefully or just defend him based on what you've heard/read he's supposed to be decent at?

Here you can see advanced stats for TOR:


http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?rep...sort=shotAttempts&aggregate=0&teamId=10&pos=S


Spaling is the third worst possession player on the team. He has a terrible relative SAT (Shot Attempts) ratio of -9.3 playing for the worst team in the NHL. Yes, he has the worst relative possession numbers of all the players on the NHL's worst team.


As for his penalty killing prowess, he's decent. McClement was a good killer. Komarov is a good PK guy. Spaling is a guy who plays on the PK because he has limited uses. He played on the PK tonight and did something idiotic.


The guy is straight up trash for an NHL player. No team will take him. Mark my words.



BTW, those stats show that Hunwick does indeed suck. He's so bad he drags Rielly down considerably, which isn't easy to do considering how good Morgan is.

 

[Lifeisnice]

One interesting thing, I kept an eye on the Leafs bench and Loov seemed the most pumped, was often jumping at the chance to get on the ice. He'd be standing up or have a leg over the bench well ahead of when others coming on were

 

[Hotel Mario]

I'll agree that Spaling is hot garbage and should be waived for next year. Colin Greening who has been in the AHL all year buries a grit grinder goal in front of the net, more than Spaling has done in 30+ games. How about Brendan Leipsic and Josh Leivo also in the minors all year, and produce in their NHL games.

To start the season there was a great deal of crap to clean up left behind by Phil Kessel and the rest of the rotten core. Placeholders were unfortunately a necessity, but there were many swings and misses (esp Spaling, Grabner). Thus it has felt like a waste of time because other teams know these players are limited/useless. Parenteau and Polak have been sufficient to get assets, get ready to suffer (or cheer to get the 4th overall pick) with all that remain.

 

[Hotel Mario]

Nick doesn't get much appreciation for what he does do. He's an excellent PKer, FO and shutdown 3C. Should be no problem finding a taker needing a bottom 6 upgrade for a mid round pick.

Until that taker realizes the extra year remaining at 2.2M. Then the taker (suppose a playoff team) realizes they have the depth necessary to acquire/promote a similar player at a fraction of the cost.

 

[MikeBabchuk]

Considering the large number of games played by Reimer recently, your last sentence is just wrong. Why the obsession about our goalies? Neither are worth it.

It was an inside joke to those couple of posters who keep saying Reimer is being showcased just because he's in net.

 

[Mckay]

Spaling is UFA this summer. He would be a rental, but I'd wager on him still being on the roster of the t
Deadline. I'll be shocked if anyone had any interest.

 

[Gallagbi]

I continuously reiterate, that I believe Rielly has Karlsson-like offensive potential, and I will stand by that for a while. There's so many times he just blows by guys, sets up chances and nobody can finish them. He's even developing a one timer and slapper now from what it seems. Without Hunwick bringing him down, he dominated in possession.

Karlsson is top 5 in league scoring and over a PPG.

Rielly has untapped offensive potential, but I have a lot of trouble seeing him on a Karlsson level offensively.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Nick doesn't get much appreciation for what he does do. He's an excellent PKer, FO and shutdown 3C. Should be no problem finding a taker needing a bottom 6 upgrade for a mid round pick.

Spaling is generally a decent to good PKer, but he hasn't performed well there this year. With him on the PK, we give up both more and better scoring chances. He's average, not excellent on the PK, and even strength he is a black hole offensively and likely to have us end up pinned in the defensive zone.

If we get rid of him, it'll be because of reputation, not performance.

Karlsson is top 5 in league scoring and over a PPG.

Rielly has untapped offensive potential, but I have a lot of trouble seeing him on a Karlsson level offensively.

Yeah. I think Rielly has the potential to be a second-tier offensive producer for a D-man, but Karlsson is pretty much generational in that regard. It's like saying that one think Marner can develop his shot a bit so he can score like a prime Stamkos.

 

[Sonny21]

Greening had a BEAST of a game. I noticed him whole game. Such a big difference from his previous game or two.

Hoping he can keep it up.

 

[taurine330]

What was Leo thinking there?

 

[Stigma]

Greening had a BEAST of a game. I noticed him whole game. Such a big difference from his previous game or two.

Hoping he can keep it up.

Yeah, he's been very noticeable (in a positive way). I'm starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of having him fill a bottom 6 spot next year. Our bottom 6 needs tweaking anyway.

 

[OttawaOilers]

Anyone have a video to the Ray Ferraro F-Bomb in the Leafs-Rangers game last night? Only video was taken down. Thanks.

 

[Macallan18]

would like to see more Corrado with Reilly. I think, at least from this game, he is a massive improvement over Hunwick. Now, that may be because Reilly is back on his natural side, and with Hunwick he is actually struggling on his off side? Anyways, I am not a big Hunwick fan, these games are better lost anyways, so why not play Corrado and see. Its not as if we are showcasing Hunwick for a trade like Polack. But who knows. Babcock seems to really like Hunwick, just don't understand why.

 

[deletethis]

Until that taker realizes the extra year remaining at 2.2M. Then the taker (suppose a playoff team) realizes they have the depth necessary to acquire/promote a similar player at a fraction of the cost.

You should be happy to find out that Spaling is on the last year on his contract.

 

[Macallan18]

You should be happy to find out that Spaling is on the last year on his contract.

i see no chance whatsoever of trading him.

 

[showtime8]

Greening had a BEAST of a game. I noticed him whole game. Such a big difference from his previous game or two.

Hoping he can keep it up.

I thought he's looked pretty good so far.

It always takes a couple games for a player to acclimate himself to a new team and linemates.

But I recall the pass last night where he went in and hit the Rangers dman and made a beautiful pass out to Brad Boyes.

 

[showtime8]

i see no chance whatsoever of trading him.

I don't think there's any need to trade him.

There's little value to trading him and you're going to be getting a guy back in return that does the same thing as he's currently doing.

I'm sure he'd like to score at least 1 goal this year though.

 

[Morguee]

What a brutal play by Rielly. Thanks though!

Captain material. He knows what matters in the long run. As one of the few that will still be around in the next years to come he wasn't going to let those guys screw up the odds.

 

[Mad Brills*]

As I said last night spaling for a 6th/7th could happen

 

[WilliamNylander]

would like to see more Corrado with Reilly. I think, at least from this game, he is a massive improvement over Hunwick. Now, that may be because Reilly is back on his natural side, and with Hunwick he is actually struggling on his off side? Anyways, I am not a big Hunwick fan, these games are better lost anyways, so why not play Corrado and see. Its not as if we are showcasing Hunwick for a trade like Polack. But who knows. Babcock seems to really like Hunwick, just don't understand why.

I think its a bit of both.

Rielly looks a lot better on his natural side and Corrado > Hunwick.

It was a nice idea in theory to bring in a vet to play with/teach Rielly and help him develop but as the season has progressed its become obvious that Hunwick is dragging him down.

 

[diceman934]

I thought that Marincin has looked a whole lot better away from Polak and looks like we will have him on our D next season.

 

[Budsfan]

 

[ULF_55]

I thought that Marincin has looked a whole lot better away from Polak and looks like we will have him on our D next season.

I thought the entire defense looked pretty good there.

What did the Rangers have, 19 shots?

Leadfoot is gone.
Hunwick was out.

Been saying for months, Hunwick is being played too high in the line-up, but that is Babcock's choice, and he must see something there I don't.

I remember Burns loved the vets, perhaps Babcock is the same way.

Gardiner, Rielly, Marincin, Corrado, ?Zaitsev?, Hunwick

Harrington, Loov, Percy,

 

[MJ65]

Boy these oilers won't go away - they are the champions of this art (i.e. the tanking), with experience of a decade

 

[BertCorbeau]

Yeah, he's been very noticeable (in a positive way). I'm starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of having him fill a bottom 6 spot next year. Our bottom 6 needs tweaking anyway.

Me too .. He adds some much needed size.

Who knows, maybe the Leafs could get him to overachieve and they could get a pick for him at next year's deadline. His salary isn't particularly desirable though.