AppsSyl
Registered User
- May 28, 2015
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- 2,291
Sorry my bad, I assumed it was Liljegren given the thread.Was talking about Matthews
Sorry my bad, I assumed it was Liljegren given the thread.Was talking about Matthews
That's funny.everyone makes mistakes but with Gards i swear he gets stoned before the game , he just makes plays where you have no idea where his heads at
Very excited about Liljegren, but the reality is when you throw him in with a group that includes Rielly, Gardiner, Zaitsev, you have many of the same skillsets on the blueline and not enough diversity. Not even talking about "truculence" but you'd probably do well to throw in a big all around defenseman like an Ekholm, Pietrangelo into the mix and or a kind of do it all Provorov/Doughty type.
Jake Gardiner is actually a fairly decent comparison for the kid.. He's also prone to making the same mistakes, as are most that control the puck as much as these two.
more skill is good, less skill is bad.
It's more diversity in skillsets in your top four. Look at Nashville. They have four skilled defensemen in Josi, Subban, Ellis, Ekholm and they all do different things.
I'd probably lean towards a blueline group with a max. of three of those guys and maybe four of them, with Zaitsev being the most disposable, followed by Gardiner then Rielly and Liljegren based on his upside.
Zaitsev's skillsets is quite different then Rielly, Gardiner and Liljegren IMO...
I understand your point though... which is why I think one of Rielly and Gardiner are not in our long-term plans... its early yet, but its starting to look like Rielly is taking another step forward and thus Gardiner could be the odd man out.
I don't know if it's from playing with Gardiner, but Zaitsev often looks like a poor man's Gardiner out there. Elite skaters, good puck handling, good offensive instincts but so soft on the puck, weak zone play, spindly builds and lack of strength in the scrums. I'd get rid of Zaitsev before Gardiner.
Although some of what you've said is probably true, I think they're fairly different...
[1] Gardiner is better puck handler
[2] Gardiner is more elite at the breakout passes...
[3] Zaitsev has a better/more effective shot
[4] Zaitsev has a better stick (defending)
[5] Zaitsev is stronger positionally
I kind if view Gardiner more of a puck rusher, and Zaitsev more of a well-rounded D-man.
It's more diversity in skillsets in your top four. Look at Nashville. They have four skilled defensemen in Josi, Subban, Ellis, Ekholm and they all do different things.
I'd probably lean towards a blueline group with a max. of three of those guys and maybe four of them, with Zaitsev being the most disposable, followed by Gardiner then Rielly and Liljegren based on his upside.
notice how nashville is always ditching the big slugs for skilled skaters?
If he isn't ready are Jake Morgan and Polak...
I'm the last person to ever advocate for a Luke Schenn/Richardson "shut down" bruiser, so let's dispel that notion. Second Nashville lost Suter in free agency, traded one slug in Weber and traded Seth Jones to upgrade another position.
We need skating and skill. But what kind of skill. We are also missing skating and skill guys with minute munching abilities and big wingspans to cover the ice (Pietrangelo, Jones, Slavin), skating and skill guys who are field marshals (Doughty, Suter).
So what we need are 1) a tower of power and 2) a bowling ball to compliment Rielly, Liljegren and Gardiner who are the rushing, transition speed and skill guys. Zaitsev is a bit of a tweener, very similar to Gardiner.
Raises at a similar time? Rielly is signed for 4 more years after this, and if you were referring to Zaitsev, he's signed for 6 more. Gardiner is only signed for 1 after this.I don't see it as Gardiner vs Zaitsev, more of Gardiner vs Rielly. Both guys will be need raises at the similar time, and I think management will likely only opt to keep one.
Issue is though, not sure who they go with longer term.
I enjoy most of your posts. but this one has me confused.
Are you suggesting that Liljegen should be moved up to the Leafs because he's equal or better than: Jake, Morgan and Polak?
Really?
My friend, you've got to slow down and lay off the pipe. TL is a fine prospect with great upside, but he's not ready yet. Change for the sake of change is not how this team will move forward.
Raises at a similar time? Rielly is signed for 4 more years after this, and if you were referring to Zaitsev, he's signed for 6 more. Gardiner is only signed for 1 after this.