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Confirmed with Link: Leafs acquire Dzingel, Lyubushkin from ARI for Ritchie, c.2nd... Dzingel on waivers &claimed

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hobarth said:
Look at the last team that won the Cup, the last 2 Cups actually, their d isn't full of physical d-men, their d is a like TO's, all 3 pairings have d-men that can retrieve and move the puck. In fact look at all the teams that are better defensively because of good d-men, finding d-men on their rosters who are primarily physical are rare, for good reason.
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The average height of the back end for the Lightning is like 6'3 lol. They just happen to be able to move the puck decently.
 
Fogelhund said:
Yes, terrible franchise. Time to find a new one, maybe you might actually cheer for them?

Did you actually ever watch the Leafs, see Ritchie play? Surely nobody who ever actually watched Ritchie, though he even put forth much of an effort. Did the goal bounce off his butt again?
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Ur hilarious my friend
I never said he was good at the leafs
U just see guys struggle when playing in TO then do better when they leave

I guess something should be said about such a franchise as ours for ever picking up a guy this bad in the first place giving him a 2.5 per contract

don’t miss a game bud
Hope your reply made you feel better
 
Apotheosis said:
The average height of the back end for the Lightning is like 6'3 lol. They just happen to be able to move the puck decently.
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Tall doesn't mean physical, Engvall is 6'5" and Holl is 6'4", I wouldn't call either physical. The key to TB's d is they can move the puck.
 
So who else is done with Lyubushkin?

Once again "tough physical defensive dman" turns into "just plain slow and untalented" once you see them up close shift in shift out.

When we're healthy there's no way he should be in the lineup. Our #8 dman at best.
 
zeke said:
So who else is done with Lyubushkin?

Once again "tough physical defensive dman" turns into "just plain slow and untalented" once you see them up close shift in shift out.

When we're healthy there's no way he should be in the lineup. Our #8 dman at best.
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He is fine, but he is the 6/7 defenseman I think most people should have expected.

How anyone thought he was better than Holl is beyond me. He can provide some physicality out of the pressbox if we need it, just like Simmonds as our new spare forward.
 
zeke said:
So who else is done with Lyubushkin?

Once again "tough physical defensive dman" turns into "just plain slow and untalented" once you see them up close shift in shift out.

When we're healthy there's no way he should be in the lineup. Our #8 dman at best.
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I find him to be solid yet unspectacular. Although he might very well sit out sporadically whenever a fully healthy complement returns to the blueline, I wouldn't expect him to fall that far down the depth chart (#8) on a regular basis. There can also only be so much of a return possible when the trade bait consists of a 2nd - assuming Arizona is willing to wait for that - and having to take on a contract with some term left on it after it has passed through waivers unclaimed.
 
I love the pickup. A hard nosed, competitive, no nonsense simple D Man is always welcome on my team. The guy threw 7, count that, SEVEN hits last night in 13 minutes of play. I should go buy his jersey for that alone as he will be important for us in a series. I'd buy him a beer if I met him at a bar and I don't drink. More such players please.

That said, I still believe Ritchie could have worked here lower in the lineup if all were willing to accept that role. He had 2 goals and an assist last night, his third goal in AZ already. His teammates in T.O seemed to like him, but it's spilled milk now, we received full value in the trade.

Maybe we all miscast him on the top line which Bunting has fulfilled beyond expectation, but, he could have been an asset for us come playoffs lower in the lineup if he was motivated and accepted it. I'm not an insider to know.
 
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Richie starting off strong with Arizona. Shame it didn’t work here, he is the exact player the leafs need. wish he was given a slightly longer look at with the leafs.
 
zeke said:
So who else is done with Lyubushkin?

Once again "tough physical defensive dman" turns into "just plain slow and untalented" once you see them up close shift in shift out.

When we're healthy there's no way he should be in the lineup. Our #8 dman at best.
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You're obviously kidding Zeke.
His 5v5 xGF% is better than Hedman's. He must be better than Hedman right?
You crack me up brother, never stop being you.
 
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We just needed to see some sort of spark from Ritchie to give him more of a chance. He gave us nothing. Doesn't matter what he does with the Coyotes, he was a dud here. Taking up a roster spot and cap space. Arizona is taking advantage of a weird spot in the schedule. Getting some odd results lately, in a week/10 days time, things will auto-correct.
 
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Leafs87 said:
Richie starting off strong with Arizona. Shame it didn’t work here, he is the exact player the leafs need. wish he was given a slightly longer look at with the leafs.
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I agree. At least Dubas was able to find a physical player in replace of him. They need to address the backend with more crease clearers anyways so he at least plugged one hole.

I thought he might have a future with K & K on the third line, but, it is what it is.
 
Leafs87 said:
Richie starting off strong with Arizona. Shame it didn’t work here, he is the exact player the leafs need. wish he was given a slightly longer look at with the leafs.
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To be fair... he was given tons of looks with the Leafs... he just couldn't figure out how to put his game together in any reasonable fashion.

Personally, I believe the biggest challenge for him Toronto wasn't really "fixable" -- which is that the Leafs need every player to do something specific. Matthews, Marner, JT, and Nylander are there to create the chances. Their linemates, there to retrieve the puck and go to the dirty areas of the ice. Their 3rd line, there to receive heavy defensive zone usage, with an emphasis on transition up the ice. A 4th line player isn't going to get a ton of minutes at 5on5, so have to bring a ton of energy every shift.

Ritchie doesn't have the "motor" to be the puck retriever a la Bunting/Kerfoot, or to play on the 4th line. He certainly doesn't have the transition game to play on the 3rd line like Kampf/Mikheyev/Kase/Engvall. When you go through that process of elimination, it's just not going to work.

Arizona has the luxury of no pressure, and nowhere near the talent Toronto does. They can put Ritchie in an offensive role, but not necessarily as the puck-retriever. Heck, even in Boston, they were better equipped to use Ritchie than the Leafs were.
 
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seanlinden said:
To be fair... he was given tons of looks with the Leafs... he just couldn't figure out how to put his game together in any reasonable fashion.

Personally, I believe the biggest challenge for him Toronto wasn't really "fixable" -- which is that the Leafs need every player to do something specific. Matthews, Marner, JT, and Nylander are there to create the chances. Their linemates, there to retrieve the puck and go to the dirty areas of the ice. Their 3rd line, there to receive heavy defensive zone usage, with an emphasis on transition up the ice. A 4th line player isn't going to get a ton of minutes at 5on5, so have to bring a ton of energy every shift.

Ritchie doesn't have the "motor" to be the puck retriever a la Bunting/Kerfoot, or to play on the 4th line. He certainly doesn't have the transition game to play on the 3rd line like Kampf/Mikheyev/Kase/Engvall. When you go through that process of elimination, it's just not going to work.

Arizona has the luxury of no pressure, and nowhere near the talent Toronto does. They can put Ritchie in an offensive role, but not necessarily as the puck-retriever. Heck, even in Boston, they were better equipped to use Ritchie than the Leafs were.
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This is a fantastic assessment!
 
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I love defensive D.

Will be effective in the playoffs

when physical play is needed.

Our Leafs give up lots of garbage goals with loose pucks in front of the net.
 
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