Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
He's been absolutely fantastic on the Gophers this season.
I think there's a decent chance he becomes an NHLer if he keeps this up. Has become.kne of my favorite Leafs prospects to track
Prospect Info: Marlies/Prospects Thread - The AHL is up and prospects are in play
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He's been absolutely fantastic on the Gophers this season.
I think there's a decent chance he becomes an NHLer if he keeps this up. Has become.kne of my favorite Leafs prospects to track
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
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Top NCAA free agents for NHL teams include Kiersted, Hardman, Mann
2021 NCAA All-Free Agent Team
It is a pretty weak NCAA UFA crop this year. C Josh Dunne signed with Columbus and would not have been a bad option as a potential key bottom 6 center.
We don't need defense or goalies, but the crop is pretty weak for those positions anyways. We are mostly looking for ECHL depth and may turn to younger guys from the CHL instead.
Potential ELC Candidates for the Leafs
LW Alex Steeves - Late 99' junior; one of the top goal scorers in the NCAA; not a high talent, but in this weaker crop, arguably the best chance of getting a middle-6 NHLer. Will have a ton of interest.
LD Matt Kiersted - 98' senior; could have signed an ELC last year but chose to finish his NCAA eligibility with Kawaguchi; will have his pick of the litter as a highly productive two-way puck moving defenseman.
C/LW Ben Meyers - late 98' sophomore; he's bulked up; he has speed; he can score in a variety of ways and is a strong forechecker; he may return to the NCAA for another year and could easily end up as the top forward UFA next year if his production explodes but I can see a team just giving him the deal right now and developing him themselves; could be a perfect complimentary winger on our team.
RD Zach Metsa - Late 98' junior; first team ECAC defenseman this year; undersized, but logged the second most minutes in the NCAA last year and was the defensive leader on one of the better NCAA defenses this year; was tied for first in NCAA production for a defenseman; likely won't sign with the Leafs given our RD depth and numerous smaller and offensively skilled RD options coming up (Liljegren, Duszak, Hollowell, and Rindell).
G Adam Scheel - 99' junior who finally found his footing behind a powerhouse team and was the NCHC First-Team All Star Goalie and Goalie of the Year; could have the best size-athleticism-mental game package of any NCAA goalie out there right now more than likely; Leafs do not need a goalie right now so may make more sense for us if he returns to school as a senior and we look at him next year; needs to prove this year was not a fluke, as it is the first really productive season he has had since he started in the NCAA.
C Marc McLaughlin - 99' junior; captain of BC this year; plays a complete, physical game and won Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward award; not a huge offensive producer but was tied with Matt Boldy and Mike Hardman (see Honourable Mentions) for goals on BC this year; his complete game make him a candidate for the AHL next year and that is why I think he gets an ELC this year; needs to round out his offensive game a little bit more, and BC may be the better place to do that, especially if he wants to finish his degree or win a Championship.
Potential AHL Candidates for the Marlies/Growlers
LW Jordan Kawaguchi - 97' playmaking; he will almost certainly earn an ELC from someone given he had that interest last year and is a two-time NCHC First-Team All Star; reminds me of Taro Hirose, and like Hirose, I think he struggles to be an NHLer (but should be a high end AHLer or European player); some rebuilding team like Ottawa will sign him given all of their North Dakota guys.
C Odeen Tufto - 97' playmaking senior; has put up major production all four years, but also has struggled to put up goals; Hobey Baker Finalist; another guy who likely earns an ELC, but I don't think makes the NHL and turns out to be a high end AHLer/European.
C Ty Pelton-Byce - 97' senior; I think he benefits a lot from playing with Caufield, but he has some size and has proven he can play with talented players, so that is worth checking out on an AHL deal; some team may give him an ELC given he was one of the most productive players in the NCAA last year.
RW/C Brannon McManus - 99' senior; a once highly touted prospect out of Shattucks, he never quite translated the sniping potential he had from his U16 days. That being said, he is exactly the kind of guy you love to sign on a 2 year AHL deal and seeing what he can become after a year in the ECHL. Being young is a major advantage for him.
RD Will Cullen - 96' Senior; plays in a weaker conference and is older, but he was the guy who tied Metsa as the top scoring defensemen in the NCAA last year and was Co-Defenseman of the Year in the WCHA; could be great ECHLer for the Growlers.
RD Connor McCarthy - 96' Senior; the other top ECAC defenseman this year; 6'7", 240 lbs monster; struggled to produce this year but put up 20 points in 36 games last year; could be a solid ECHL option for the Growlers.
C/RW Zach Solow - Late 98' senior; two-way guy who can play both special teams; he is small (5'9", 175 lbs) and not extremely talented, but works really hard and finds ways to be productive; not worth an ELC right now, but he is a priority AHL contract who could easily work his way into one later on and some team may be willing to give him a chance on an ELC right now; was the highest scoring USHL player in his DY but still went undrafted.
RW Connor Ford - 98' senior; pure AHL depth guy but was 4th in NCAA goal scoring so I figured he could be another option for the Marlies to bring in on an AHL deal and provide ECHL depth for next year.
C Max Johnson - 98' senior; another pure AHL depth guy who works hard and has put up good production in the NCAA over his career, especially in his sophomore year; his production fell off big time in his junior and senior years, but could end up being a better version of Colt Conrad, which makes him a very intriguing AHL contract option.
LW Alex Limoges - late 97' senior; another guy who fell off after being the top scoring guy in the NCAA as a sophomore; is big and leverages his size well in physical contests; can be used in a variety of ways, but most likely is just a bottom 6er if he makes the NHL at any point; could be a major steal if he returns to his sophomore year and improves his skating ability.
RW Johnny Walker - 96' Senior; he got a lot of hype after posting back to back 20 goal seasons as a sophomore and junior, but really struggled this year with only 4 goals in 16 games; he has some size and plays a nice gritty game to pair with a great shot; he is already turning 25 so I am not sure about his upside, but worth a shot as a potential replacement for a guy like Scott Pooley if he decides to move on.
Honorable Mentions
C/RW Parker Ford - 00' Sophomore; pretty much a carbon-copy of Zach Solow, but is two years younger; I had him as a potential late round option last year; undersized but works really hard and can contribute in a variety of ways; plays a simpler game despite high IQ which, combined with his size, severely limits his upside; should finish off his NCAA career and may be able to become a more intriguing candidate later on (TBD if that is as an ELC or AHL contract candidate).
G Dryden McKay/Strauss Mann/Matt Galajda - all are junior goalies although Galajda and McKay are 97' goalies while Mann is a 98'; I am not a big fan of smaller goalies, but all of them have a lot of what you want and need out of smaller goalies for them to succeed; I expect all three to finish their NCAA careers (especially Galajda since he sat a year to maintain his eligibility) and potentially be a undersized three-headed dragon in next year's goalie crop (along with the larger, more attractive option in Adam Scheel if he returns for his senior year), but McKay or Mann may get an ELC offer this year given there aren't many great goalie options out there right now and they've generated a lot of hype over the years.
RW/LW Mike Hardman - 99' sophomore; teammate of Marc McLaughlin at BC this year; also plays a very physical game and has the size to back it up; offensively needs about as much work as McLaughlin, but lacks the defensive game and skating which makes McLaughlin a potential pro player and strong ELC candidate right now; should return to BC but should be an attractive NCAA UFA in a year or two.
LW/RW Chayse Primeau - 97' junior; he is a good net front presence and has great size that he uses well; at his age, his production is not overly impressive so I don't see enough to give him an ELC but was Second Team NCHC All Star; should return for his senior year and should at least get an AHL deal next year.
LD Brandon Scanlin - 99' sophomore; big bodied defenseman with some nice production (mostly on PP) in a tougher conference; he is one of the better NCAA UFA defensemen out there in this weaker market; still a little bit too raw defensively and needs more ES production to warrant an ELC at this point; offensive upside + size combo makes him a potential top target next year.
RW Jonny Evans - 97' Junior winger who was Tverberg's teammate and was the main driver of their offense last year; undersized, but the top scoring guy in Hockey East and a First Team All Star should turn some heads; outside shot he gets an ELC, but despite the offensive outburst there are some legitimate concerns about his upside similar to Kawaguchi and Tufto so I think he goes back for his final year of NCAA eligibility and dominates.
LW Bobby Trivigno - 99' Junior winger who also did very well offensively in Hockey East and was a First Team All Star, but lack of size is holding him back too; should be going back to the NCAA for one more year.
2021 NHL Draft Watch
Not even going to discuss Kent Johnson, Owen Power, or Matt Beniers because all three are clear top 10, if not top 5, talents in this draft.
C Josh Lopina - 01' Freshman; He shared the Hockey East Rookie of the Year award with Nikita Nestorenko this year and should be a guy who gets drafted in the 2021 NHL draft as a D+2; excellent in the dot and a strong defensive player even for his age in addition to putting up solid offensive numbers; already has found himself as an occasional 1C on a top 10 NCAA program; might be the highest drafted NCAA guy this year outside of the big Michigan 3.
G Cameron Rowe - 01' Freshman; was once highly touted once upon a time, including being 4th ranked NA goalie, but struggled in his DY and DY+1; originally committed to North Dakota before changing his commitment to the heavily struggling Wisconsin program to have a shot at their starting job (and that was the best move for him); very competitive player with a chip on his shoulder; very athletic and can make huge saves; excellent size; amazing numbers on a high end team; still needs a good amount of work on his technique and composure (was lit up against Minnesota in the Big 10 Finals), but he is a Freshman goalie with a good amount of time to work on that; could be a good pick in the later rounds if the top options are gone.
C/LW Dovar Tinling - 03' Freshman; the fourth, lesser known DY player in the NCAA; he really struggled to adapt on the weakest team in a tougher conference but he wanted to play with his brother; it is looking like he will have to hope that a team picks him up late and believes he can develop in a weaker Vermont program; he does have very intriguing Hockey IQ and playmaking abilities and has always dominated older competition everywhere he went until now.
RD Anthony Kehrer - 02' Freshman; another guy who was once highly touted Wisconsin player who failed to get selected in his DY (lack of production and injuries held him back); he is not the tallest guy at 5'11", but is already 200 lbs so he is tightly packed; solid defensive guy who struggled to put up production just like every other Wisconsin defenseman; would only be a late round pick at best, and probably will go undrafted and reconsidered if he improves in his D+2 year.
2021 NCAA All-Free Agent Team
It is a pretty weak NCAA UFA crop this year. C Josh Dunne signed with Columbus and would not have been a bad option as a potential key bottom 6 center.
We don't need defense or goalies, but the crop is pretty weak for those positions anyways. We are mostly looking for ECHL depth and may turn to younger guys from the CHL instead.
Potential ELC Candidates for the Leafs
LW Alex Steeves - Late 99' junior; one of the top goal scorers in the NCAA; not a high talent, but in this weaker crop, arguably the best chance of getting a middle-6 NHLer. Will have a ton of interest.
LD Matt Kiersted - 98' senior; could have signed an ELC last year but chose to finish his NCAA eligibility with Kawaguchi; will have his pick of the litter as a highly productive two-way puck moving defenseman.
C/LW Ben Meyers - late 98' sophomore; he's bulked up; he has speed; he can score in a variety of ways and is a strong forechecker; he may return to the NCAA for another year and could easily end up as the top forward UFA next year if his production explodes but I can see a team just giving him the deal right now and developing him themselves; could be a perfect complimentary winger on our team.
RD Zach Metsa - Late 98' junior; first team ECAC defenseman this year; undersized, but logged the second most minutes in the NCAA last year and was the defensive leader on one of the better NCAA defenses this year; was tied for first in NCAA production for a defenseman; likely won't sign with the Leafs given our RD depth and numerous smaller and offensively skilled RD options coming up (Liljegren, Duszak, Hollowell, and Rindell).
G Adam Scheel - 99' junior who finally found his footing behind a powerhouse team and was the NCHC First-Team All Star Goalie and Goalie of the Year; could have the best size-athleticism-mental game package of any NCAA goalie out there right now more than likely; Leafs do not need a goalie right now so may make more sense for us if he returns to school as a senior and we look at him next year; needs to prove this year was not a fluke, as it is the first really productive season he has had since he started in the NCAA.
C Marc McLaughlin - 99' junior; captain of BC this year; plays a complete, physical game and won Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward award; not a huge offensive producer but was tied with Matt Boldy and Mike Hardman (see Honourable Mentions) for goals on BC this year; his complete game make him a candidate for the AHL next year and that is why I think he gets an ELC this year; needs to round out his offensive game a little bit more, and BC may be the better place to do that, especially if he wants to finish his degree or win a Championship.
Potential AHL Candidates for the Marlies/Growlers
LW Jordan Kawaguchi - 97' playmaking; he will almost certainly earn an ELC from someone given he had that interest last year and is a two-time NCHC First-Team All Star; reminds me of Taro Hirose, and like Hirose, I think he struggles to be an NHLer (but should be a high end AHLer or European player); some rebuilding team like Ottawa will sign him given all of their North Dakota guys.
C Odeen Tufto - 97' playmaking senior; has put up major production all four years, but also has struggled to put up goals; Hobey Baker Finalist; another guy who likely earns an ELC, but I don't think makes the NHL and turns out to be a high end AHLer/European.
C Ty Pelton-Byce - 97' senior; I think he benefits a lot from playing with Caufield, but he has some size and has proven he can play with talented players, so that is worth checking out on an AHL deal; some team may give him an ELC given he was one of the most productive players in the NCAA last year.
RW/C Brannon McManus - 99' senior; a once highly touted prospect out of Shattucks, he never quite translated the sniping potential he had from his U16 days. That being said, he is exactly the kind of guy you love to sign on a 2 year AHL deal and seeing what he can become after a year in the ECHL. Being young is a major advantage for him.
RD Will Cullen - 96' Senior; plays in a weaker conference and is older, but he was the guy who tied Metsa as the top scoring defensemen in the NCAA last year and was Co-Defenseman of the Year in the WCHA; could be great ECHLer for the Growlers.
RD Connor McCarthy - 96' Senior; the other top ECAC defenseman this year; 6'7", 240 lbs monster; struggled to produce this year but put up 20 points in 36 games last year; could be a solid ECHL option for the Growlers.
C/RW Zach Solow - Late 98' senior; two-way guy who can play both special teams; he is small (5'9", 175 lbs) and not extremely talented, but works really hard and finds ways to be productive; not worth an ELC right now, but he is a priority AHL contract who could easily work his way into one later on and some team may be willing to give him a chance on an ELC right now; was the highest scoring USHL player in his DY but still went undrafted.
RW Connor Ford - 98' senior; pure AHL depth guy but was 4th in NCAA goal scoring so I figured he could be another option for the Marlies to bring in on an AHL deal and provide ECHL depth for next year.
C Max Johnson - 98' senior; another pure AHL depth guy who works hard and has put up good production in the NCAA over his career, especially in his sophomore year; his production fell off big time in his junior and senior years, but could end up being a better version of Colt Conrad, which makes him a very intriguing AHL contract option.
LW Alex Limoges - late 97' senior; another guy who fell off after being the top scoring guy in the NCAA as a sophomore; is big and leverages his size well in physical contests; can be used in a variety of ways, but most likely is just a bottom 6er if he makes the NHL at any point; could be a major steal if he returns to his sophomore year and improves his skating ability.
RW Johnny Walker - 96' Senior; he got a lot of hype after posting back to back 20 goal seasons as a sophomore and junior, but really struggled this year with only 4 goals in 16 games; he has some size and plays a nice gritty game to pair with a great shot; he is already turning 25 so I am not sure about his upside, but worth a shot as a potential replacement for a guy like Scott Pooley if he decides to move on.
Honorable Mentions
C/RW Parker Ford - 00' Sophomore; pretty much a carbon-copy of Zach Solow, but is two years younger; I had him as a potential late round option last year; undersized but works really hard and can contribute in a variety of ways; plays a simpler game despite high IQ which, combined with his size, severely limits his upside; should finish off his NCAA career and may be able to become a more intriguing candidate later on (TBD if that is as an ELC or AHL contract candidate).
G Dryden McKay/Strauss Mann/Matt Galajda - all are junior goalies although Galajda and McKay are 97' goalies while Mann is a 98'; I am not a big fan of smaller goalies, but all of them have a lot of what you want and need out of smaller goalies for them to succeed; I expect all three to finish their NCAA careers (especially Galajda since he sat a year to maintain his eligibility) and potentially be a undersized three-headed dragon in next year's goalie crop (along with the larger, more attractive option in Adam Scheel if he returns for his senior year), but McKay or Mann may get an ELC offer this year given there aren't many great goalie options out there right now and they've generated a lot of hype over the years.
RW/LW Mike Hardman - 99' sophomore; teammate of Marc McLaughlin at BC this year; also plays a very physical game and has the size to back it up; offensively needs about as much work as McLaughlin, but lacks the defensive game and skating which makes McLaughlin a potential pro player and strong ELC candidate right now; should return to BC but should be an attractive NCAA UFA in a year or two.
LW/RW Chayse Primeau - 97' junior; he is a good net front presence and has great size that he uses well; at his age, his production is not overly impressive so I don't see enough to give him an ELC but was Second Team NCHC All Star; should return for his senior year and should at least get an AHL deal next year.
LD Brandon Scanlin - 99' sophomore; big bodied defenseman with some nice production (mostly on PP) in a tougher conference; he is one of the better NCAA UFA defensemen out there in this weaker market; still a little bit too raw defensively and needs more ES production to warrant an ELC at this point; offensive upside + size combo makes him a potential top target next year.
RW Jonny Evans - 97' Junior winger who was Tverberg's teammate and was the main driver of their offense last year; undersized, but the top scoring guy in Hockey East and a First Team All Star should turn some heads; outside shot he gets an ELC, but despite the offensive outburst there are some legitimate concerns about his upside similar to Kawaguchi and Tufto so I think he goes back for his final year of NCAA eligibility and dominates.
LW Bobby Trivigno - 99' Junior winger who also did very well offensively in Hockey East and was a First Team All Star, but lack of size is holding him back too; should be going back to the NCAA for one more year.
2021 NHL Draft Watch
Not even going to discuss Kent Johnson, Owen Power, or Matt Beniers because all three are clear top 10, if not top 5, talents in this draft.
C Josh Lopina - 01' Freshman; He shared the Hockey East Rookie of the Year award with Nikita Nestorenko this year and should be a guy who gets drafted in the 2021 NHL draft as a D+2; excellent in the dot and a strong defensive player even for his age in addition to putting up solid offensive numbers; already has found himself as an occasional 1C on a top 10 NCAA program; might be the highest drafted NCAA guy this year outside of the big Michigan 3.
G Cameron Rowe - 01' Freshman; was once highly touted once upon a time, including being 4th ranked NA goalie, but struggled in his DY and DY+1; originally committed to North Dakota before changing his commitment to the heavily struggling Wisconsin program to have a shot at their starting job (and that was the best move for him); very competitive player with a chip on his shoulder; very athletic and can make huge saves; excellent size; amazing numbers on a high end team; still needs a good amount of work on his technique and composure (was lit up against Minnesota in the Big 10 Finals), but he is a Freshman goalie with a good amount of time to work on that; could be a good pick in the later rounds if the top options are gone.
C/LW Dovar Tinling - 03' Freshman; the fourth, lesser known DY player in the NCAA; he really struggled to adapt on the weakest team in a tougher conference but he wanted to play with his brother; it is looking like he will have to hope that a team picks him up late and believes he can develop in a weaker Vermont program; he does have very intriguing Hockey IQ and playmaking abilities and has always dominated older competition everywhere he went until now.
RD Anthony Kehrer - 02' Freshman; another guy who was once highly touted Wisconsin player who failed to get selected in his DY (lack of production and injuries held him back); he is not the tallest guy at 5'11", but is already 200 lbs so he is tightly packed; solid defensive guy who struggled to put up production just like every other Wisconsin defenseman; would only be a late round pick at best, and probably will go undrafted and reconsidered if he improves in his D+2 year.
LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
Any idea how many days into his quarantine SDA is? Did I read Hallander is coming over as well?
I agree. I think Sandin is the player the Leafs brass are the highest on personally. That would be where my opinion is as well. He can be a game breaker for us eventually. Obviously this board is super high on Timmy right now, as they should be. he has looked outstanding in the Marlies games I have watched this year. I do think there is a touch of recency bias for some to pegTimmy ahead of Rasmus on their overall prospect rankings, but I can respect if people genuinely feel he will be the better player. Obviously with Timmy excelling in the AHL early on, while Sandin was sidelined is going to do that to some degree. To me, its really close. 2 outstanding defensemen prospects. I just think Sandy has another gear. He might not be as well rounded as Timmy at the current moment, but I think he will have a more impactful career in the end. But I do expect them to both be huge pieces for us long term. I cannot wait to see these 2 for years to come.
stickty111
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At Dubas's presser, he said SDA was in either I think day 3 or 4 of quarantine, so he has probably about a week to go. Hallander will be coming over but Lulea is likely to go on a long playoff run, so it might be a while.
TheGoldenJet
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stickty111
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justashadowof
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Koster's skating ability stood out immediately. Like I said the first time I saw that I always make a personal earmark for those defense prospects who show something with their skating.
Another one I'm watching is Kral who seems to be blessed with a form of Kaberle's evasiveness.
Sandin has the hockey IQ that is very hard to find .
If he gets strong enough to handle the boards and front of the net I think he will be a top 4 offensive d man.
Lilijegrin to me is the opposite.
He has all the physical tools but is he one of those guys who makes bad decisions or is he evolving?
If he gets strong enough to handle the boards and front of the net I think he will be a top 4 offensive d man.
Lilijegrin to me is the opposite.
He has all the physical tools but is he one of those guys who makes bad decisions or is he evolving?
stickty111
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Liljegren and Sandin's IQ is the same level. Lilly has really improved in this area, but for some reason gets judged on his draft reports
pucksakes666
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- Mar 8, 2018
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When will the goalie from Columbus make his debut? Or are they just going to run with D’Agostini all year?
Leaf Fans
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- Sep 29, 2017
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Leaf Fans
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I wonder if the Leafs will be a more desirable landing spot for top college FA’s this year.
There’s a LOT of expiring contracts, a few open spots on the big team which is a very competitive one, and the Marlies won’t likely be flush with prospects next year.
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
- 35,591
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SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
- 35,591
- 16,777
They will be defensively and in net.
Up front, we will be adding Hallander, SDA, and Abramov, but we will have some room for other guys... Especially since it looks like most of the AHL contracts we currently have are not worth keeping.
I don't think we are going to get anything for defense. We are adding Kral. We might add Kokkonen. We already have Kivihalme, Rubins, Hollowell, Duszak, Hoefenmayer, and McCourt there right now. If we add anyone, it should probably be an NHL-ready veteran more than a Kierstad, Metsa, Dronov, or Stenqvist. We could probably add a McCarthy or Cullen, but they should be ECHLers and depth guys.
If we could get Steeves and McLaughlin, that would be pretty solid. Maybe look at Limoges, Solow, Johnson, and McManus on AHL deals. I'd also look at Stotts, Luke Henman, and Curtis Douglas as CHL UFA's.
Woll is letting in a lot of goals, haven't been able to see any of his games is it a Woll issue or team/coach issue?
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
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I haven't been watching today's game, but I watched the first game. He was solid for most of the game but let in a seeing-eye shot from the point. It was a soft shot but it was in the perfect spot and he was a bit screened.
Our defense is not that great. We have 4 offensive defensemen in the lineup today... That should probably give you a good idea of their defensive ability.
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