GDT: Leafs @ Sens - 7pm - TSN

[Stephen]

He reminds me of Josh Leivo. When he was moving you thought maybe he has skill but then, he just watched the play and lacked awareness. Pretty sure it was Leivo or maybe Holland? Either way he doesn't look engaged or like he is anticipating the play.

I think Holland.

 

[Stephen]

Looks like Cowan needs his last year of junior, dominate the OHL and world juniors and see how he does next training camp.

Think he got a little too wound up to try and make the team and it’s affected him this camp.

 

[darrylsittler27]

We want to play heavy but lack the tools. Time for Berube to talk Tre bout some changes. They were hoping some young guys were ready. They ain't. Let's hope looking at all possibilities means they have plan b. Newsflash! This ain't a top 4 team.

 

[Stephen]

I can't believe the one guy you gave a compliment to was none other than Kampf.

We’ve all been trying to vote him off the island but he looked pretty strong tonight.

 

[darrylsittler27]

We’ve all been trying to vote him off the island but he looked pretty strong tonight.

The problem is Kampf can play, if he wants to.

 

[Stephen]

We want to play heavy but lack the tools. Time for Berube to talk Tre bout some changes. They were hoping some young guys were ready. They ain't. Let's hope looking at all possibilities means they have plan b. Newsflash! This ain't a top 4 team.

Part of it is just the roster mix tonight but a lot of the guys that make up for forward depth in this realization are just too similar. They play that blandly competitive but polite kind of hockey. No offensive pop. No edge. It’s going to take a few offseason cycles and drafts to alter course.

 

[Stephen]

The problem is Kampf can play, if he wants to.

Give him a narrowly defined 4th line role and a couple of big dudes to do the dirty work with.

 

[Fogelhund]

Give him a narrowly defined 4th line role and a couple of big dudes to do the dirty work with.

Who have some speed, and can carry the puck.

 

[Ciao]

I sort of liked the players I already like, and aside from one defenceman didn't really see anything too remarkable from anyone else.

I'm partial to McMann, Timmins, Benoit, Rifai, and Hildeby. I thought McMann stood out, and the rest were okay.

I'm pulling for Robertson and Cowan but despite my best efforts didn't see much from either of them. Robertson certainly doesn't look like a top-six forward. Cowan still looks like a Smurf, less energetic and less impressive that last pre-season, and more like a junior than a pro.

I'm indifferent to Alex Nylander. Had he been one of my fav's I would have said he looked okay -- and he did -- but he didn't really do anything to impress.

I like the idea of a 6'6" right-handed defenceman with NHL experience, and tried to keep an eye on Philippe Myers, but he made me a bit jumpy. We'll, as jumpy as I can get for an early pre-season game. He did not exude confidence, and I thought the Leafs had better defencemen on the ice.

Some others looked okay as well. I missed Steeves' goal, and watched for him after that but saw nothing. I don't think there was another Leafs' player that really stood out.

Maybe that's as much good as bad.

 

[no2ninja]

edit: forget to mention Steeves... I mean he scored our only goal... but it was more luck than skill, and otherwise didn't give enough reason to consider him for a spot.

I don't know brother, the 8 hits was double of anyone on our team. We need physical players like that, leaf's have been considered soft for a while... hit them, ride them, and you can choke them out.

 

[Enniskillen]

Stolarz was solid. Otherwise, the game was very boring.

 

[no2ninja]

I have to say, as a leaf fan, Ottawa looked great. They were attacking us at speed... while our guys were scrambling to get a piece of the puck. I was really impressed with the way they attacked our net, this game could of easily been 5-1.

The only good thing for us was our goaltending.

 

[Stringer Bell]

I feel bad for Mattinen. He is obviously not an NHL player and most likely never will be...but I think he's probably better than this game. This was his first preseason game of any pro North American league and I think that should be taken into consideration.

 

[Ciao]

Steeves, Timmins, Rifai, Mermis, and Myers are the waiver-wire candidates who were on the ice tonight.

I think Steeves, Timmins and Rifai are very much in the mix to avoid waivers, one way or another.

Myers might be there too. Others liked his game more than I did, and there's certainly a lot to like about him as a depth defenceman. Personally, I think they will waive him and hope he clears.

Mermis is a 30 y.o. fringe defenceman with limited NHL experience. I don't think Leafs' management needs to see any more of him before putting him on waivers. He didn't stick out as bad or anything, but he's not good enough to help the Leafs and he won't be claimed. He's a possible emergency call-up, and could help stabilize the Marlies. He might get a game here or there, but his future is not in the NHL.

He's on a one-way deal. Drawing an NHL salary at the Ricoh will be just fine.

 

[Racer88]

I find tonight is a nice break from watching Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Rielly. The pattern to that groups ups and downs is very repetitive and personally annoying when they give the B effort. So at least it’s not that.

I like our goalies a lot in this game. That’s the bright spot.

 

[Stringer Bell]

Not sure anyone we send down would get claimed unless it's someone like Holmberg or Timmins. Every team is going to have a Steeves or Myers that they're sending down. No one is going to pick one up.

 

[Racer88]

Other than the goalies who looked decent I didn’t see a single prospect that wanted a job. So much for the silly narrative that hungry young prospects will beat a squad that already has a spot.
Apparently it’s only the leafs a team that doesn’t show up for a preseason game because they don’t give a crap

Mattinen is not NHL material, and he's too old to fit in a developmental league like the AHL.

Perhaps he could catch on in a lower level European league, or in coaching or player development.

I hope his hockey experience opens a door for him somewhere, but he just gave Leafs' management their easiest decision of the night.

I’m thinking lumber department at Home Depot

 

[Ciao]

Speaking of Niemela, he really needs a look over guys who are clearly not in the plans on D. He needs a preseason NHL feel to take into the AHL season.

I think they've scratched a few of the waiver-eligible players off the list, and will give more waivers-exempt players who might actually help the team a better look next.

Niemela, Minten, Tverberg, Kokkonen, Villeneuve, Pare and some others should be in that group. Niemela must be at or near the top of the list.

What's with Abruzzese? Is he in camp? I would have expected to see him tonight.

 

[Racer88]

Berube is probably thing to himself right now……what the hell did I get myself into

 

[Ciao]

I’m thinking lumber department at Home Depot

I'm thinking business, marketing, education or athletics for a former pro hockey player like Mattinen will be soon enough.

I hope there's something with a future in it for him.

The system chews these kids up and spits them out after spending their prime formative years pursuing a career in hockey. There's got to be a better way.

 

[Stringer Bell]

I'm thinking business, marketing, education or athletics for a former pro hockey player like Mattinen will be soon enough.

Ridiculous. It's one game. If he doesn't make the NHL he could probably still carve out a long career in the AHL or KHL. One game.

 

[Legion34]

Holmbergs first 2 punches and a couple of good looks from Robbie were about all I saw tonight.

Everyone else was meh save the goalies

 

[Ciao]

Ridiculous. It's one game. If he doesn't make the NHL he could probably still carve out a long career in the AHL or KHL. One game.

True, but that too will come to and end -- without much of a financial payoff.

 

[Skullz]

Nothing like Timmins and looking good in the preseason!

I thought Myers and Rifai were also okay.

Liked Knies, Holmberg, and McMann

 

[weems]