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Why isn't Sandin getting a better shot?

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Future said:


:facepalm:

Great message, Sheldon.
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Maybe not the best message but it's good he's not taking away from Lehtonen. Keefe doesn't owe Sandin anything... he is young. I like Keefe and Dubas not giving anything easy. Time to rebuild a culture of earning your ice time and being ready to play and own the chance once you get. Look at Spezza, been fantastic since almost being forced into retirement, Boyd has been great and doesn't want to give his spot up etc etc. Jimmy Vesey is next ok the chopping block I assume, with Thornton and Robertson lurking in the shadows.
 
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Antropovsky said:
Maybe not the best message but it's good he's not taking away from Lehtonen. Keefe doesn't owe Sandin anything... he is young. I like Keefe and Dubas not giving anything easy. Time to rebuild a culture of earning your ice time and being ready to play and own the chance once you get. Look at Spezza, been fantastic since almost being forced into retirement, Boyd has been great and doesn't want to give his spot up etc etc. Jimmy Vesey is next ok the chopping block I assume, with Thornton and Robertson lurking in the shadows.
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Yeah you got to think Vesey is not secure on this roster
 
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I like Sandin alot, and he's got a great future with us, just not now. Lehtonen given his experience, age, and offensive skillset is more polished for the 6th dman role at this point. We need someone who has some offensive savvy at the point. That little move to the right on Simmonds' second goal was just a little subtle move that allows a clear shot. Even Rielly hasn't mastered that at this point. Sandin's time will come. In the meantime, he's learning.
 
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Saint Blue said:
Too many people are reading in to this RE Sandin. The reality is that a 20 year old LHD Sandin is competing with Dermott and Lehtonen for games. They are not going to scratch a young blossoming defender with 166GP, who happens to be one of the team's best defensive blueliners, to justify playing the new shiny toy. Scratching Dermott simultaneously makes your team worse and hampers his development. The NHL is not a development league, the AHL's start date is ambiguous, and the SHL is not accepting players on loan unless they finish out the season in Sweden. It's a weird position.

Keefe's also not going to let an unproven, undersized defender with legitimate areas for improvement (speed, strength, defending) usurp the most coveted European UFA defender who had 20+ teams courting him, after a measly 4GP. What message does that send to future free agents? Dubas will not undermine the recruitment program they've built so well just to rush a prospect. They need to play Lehtonen in as many games as possible early on to determine if he is a) an NHL regular, and b) worth re-signing in the off-season, which could impact their expansion draft decisions (e.g. might make Dermott/Holl more expendable).

The bigger cause for concern is Liljegren, who I totally agree should have been loaned to the SHL because I do not see him playing regular minutes at any point with the current depth, even though he's ready. That league might be a step back for him, but he's looking at 1+ year without games at this point. There's less for him to work on conditioning wise than Sandin, too.
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It would have been an easier decision if Liljegren was not NHL ready and wasn't going to make the team out of training camp. I don't blame the Leafs wanting him in the wings and in training camp rather than in the SHL. An injury at RD and he may be in the everyday lineup.
 
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This will hinder his development. Let him play anywere if he wont get any chance here. He might play if someone gets hurt, is not good enough reason. FFS play him at least one game against Vancouver. Give him someting.
 
Will be interesting to see how Sandin and Lehtonen are utilized (PP and ES).
 
Calling it right now. After tonight Sandin will secure himself a steady role in D. The kid is ready and already proved it last season.
 
Sandin is flat out better than Lehtonen ... it was obvious last night in very limited minutes ... time to let that ship sail back to Europe Dubie ... and bring in another vet defender for playoff run
 
JT AM da real deal said:
Sandin is flat out better than Lehtonen ... it was obvious last night in very limited minutes ... time to let that ship sail back to Europe Dubie ... and bring in another vet defender for playoff run
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I think Mikko is still an effective NHL defensmen. I think he is getting better each passing game. But yes, I do agree. To me it is obvious Sandin is ready, and I am very excited about him develop into an everyday NHL D-man. The apple aside, I thought his game was super simple and really clean. I don't think we as fans recognize just how hard it would have been for sandy to step in after not playing in any game for over a year. ANd on top of that play less than 2 shifts/period. Its extremely difficult to get into any rhythm and get a feel for the puck when you play 5 minutes a game. On the GWG it was a set play, I am not sure how much credit we want to give Sandy on that goal but I will say one thing he did particularly well on that play was walking the blue just long enough to draw Virtanen up high. Everyone commented on how could you leave Matthews that wide open in the slot, Part of that is because of how Sandin started the play. Sure Matthews being open was largely because of Rousell being completely absent, but the passing lane between marner and matthews is not there without Sandin drawing Virtanen up high. It's a high hockey IQ play. Think we got ourselves a hell of a player TBH. That said, I'm happy Rasmus got some ice time last night, but I cant stand 7D 11F. Something has to give
 
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Sandin should get a few games over Lethonen here to see what he can do. Looked great in limited minutes yesterday
 
Any other year I would have complained. Hard to complain about decision making this year.

Sandin will get his chances. So far D core has played well
 
Lethonen hasn't been bad at all. He's gets involved alot. Sandin looked good too but he didn't win the job over lethonen off one decent game. Let them rotate.
 
Twine Tickler said:
I think Mikko is still an effective NHL defensmen. I think he is getting better each passing game. But yes, I do agree. To me it is obvious Sandin is ready, and I am very excited about him develop into an everyday NHL D-man. The apple aside, I thought his game was super simple and really clean. I don't think we as fans recognize just how hard it would have been for sandy to step in after not playing in any game for over a year. ANd on top of that play less than 2 shifts/period. Its extremely difficult to get into any rhythm and get a feel for the puck when you play 5 minutes a game. On the GWG it was a set play, I am not sure how much credit we want to give Sandy on that goal but I will say one thing he did particularly well on that play was walking the blue just long enough to draw Virtanen up high. Everyone commented on how could you leave Matthews that wide open in the slot, Part of that is because of how Sandin started the play. Sure Matthews being open was largely because of Rousell being completely absent, but the passing lane between marner and matthews is not there without Sandin drawing Virtanen up high. It's a high hockey IQ play. Think we got ourselves a hell of a player TBH. That said, I'm happy Rasmus got some ice time last night, but I cant stand 7D 11F. Something has to give
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I have personally seen Sandin live with Marlies for a season of home games ... this take people have is so off base it makes me LOL ... I have seen him take a rocket slap shot to clear zone from behind net on a PP, jump/catch it in his weaker hand over his head, with a guy on top of him, bring it down to his foot, move puck seamlessly to his forehand, slide across blue line to open ice in traffic, make a cross ice pass to a team mate who then put it into slot for a nice goal (Coca Cola went silent as no one could believe it happened - I was sitting with a scout I know that game and we both looked at each other and said H*LY F*CK) ... in my life closest I can remember seeing (and I have seen/played in many many many thousands of games live over da years) was Salming make a play off glass at Gardens, where he brought puck down from his head to his feet made a pass to his stick, circled to avoid a hit and move to net with a snapper to score ... people who have commented that Sandin can't walk da line are just flat out ill informed ... da only issue Sandin has is his stride in full length up/down ice type games ... his issue is very simple his stride is too short and although his edge work is great he can't generate enough power from stride length to go at NHL pae quite yet ... but in games played in either end of ice he is fine ... in my opinion he should spend this winter here working daily with Barb on his issue ... an hour on technique and 2 hours working out for leg strength and then team practice ... I am not close enough now to know if this is actually occuring daily but i would place a small bet that is what Dubie is doing with Sandin
 
JT AM da real deal said:
I have personally seen Sandin live with Marlies for a season of home games ... this take people have is so off base it makes me LOL ... I have seen him take a rocket slap shot to clear zone from behind net on a PP, jump/catch it in his weaker hand over his head, with a guy on top of him, bring it down to his foot, move puck seamlessly to his forehand, slide across blue line to open ice in traffic, make a cross ice pass to a team mate who then put it into slot for a nice goal (Coca Cola went silent as no one could believe it happened - I was sitting with a scout I know that game and we both looked at each other and said H*LY F*CK) ... in my life closest I can remember seeing (and I have seen/played in many many many thousands of games live over da years) was Salming make a play off glass at Gardens, where he brought puck down from his head to his feet made a pass to his stick, circled to avoid a hit and move to net with a snapper to score ... people who have commented that Sandin can't walk da line are just flat out ill informed ... da only issue Sandin has is his stride in full length up/down ice type games ... his issue is very simple his stride is too short and although his edge work is great he can't generate enough power from stride length to go at NHL pae quite yet ... but in games played in either end of ice he is fine ... in my opinion he should spend this winter here working daily with Barb on his issue ... an hour on technique and 2 hours working out for leg strength and then team practice ... I am not close enough now to know if this is actually occuring daily but i would place a small bet that is what Dubie is doing with Sandin
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Oh I am very high on Rasmus, he thinks the game at a very high level and is able to back it up with his skillset. I agree, he doesn't have breakaway speed, which would certainly help in the defensive zone wheeling the puck out himself. But he makes a very strong first pass, and plenty of quality NHL D-men have similar to worse breakaway speed. His lateral movement and ability to walk the line with confidence is very strong. He has a very promising future
 
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i dont understand why they dont platoon sandin, dermott , bogo and lehtonen more often.
does bogo really need to play every game ? Especially all this when your playing 4 in 6 or 3 in 5.

you can even give muzzin who gets injured every year a couple of nights off for rest.
 
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