Good to see the Leafs can laugh at themselves.

He wasn't a very good player last year for Columbus and he didn't look great in the preseason. I think Raffl is going to need to carry that line. He did it with the 4th line last year, so I think he's capable.
- PhillySportsGuy

Raffl is the one guy on that line I don't have worries about. He's got the smarts and wheels to be a good NHLer.

Conditioning or not, Lecavalier and Umberger were bad at 5 on 5 last season. Combining the two may well end up being an issue. Not that they lack positives, but like MacDonald & Coburn, they might be better on separate lines

Have you ever seen the Solomon Kane movie? It was much better than it deserved to be.

Edit: If you're a big REH fan, you may want to pick up his collection of Kull/Solomon Kane/Bran Mak Mon/others that was put out a few years back. There's a few viking/Irish/Galeic stories that are full of ridiculous bloodshed.
- jmatchett383

I have to get around to watching the Solomon Kane movie.... I've read all the REH conan's need to get around to his other stuff. Heard Robert Jordan's Conan is pretty good too.

Edit: James Purefoy is an underrated actor IMO really liked him in HBO's Rome and In Ironclad... Think since I'm spending the day studying for ase's I might take a break and on demand this.

My prediction:

1. Leafs finish with the best record in the league, only to realize the season is not 60 games long. They go 4-18 over the final 22 games and miss the playoffs by 1 point losing 4-3 to Montreal on the final day after holding a 3-0 lead midway through the 3rd.

2. Rinaldo misses 10+ games due to suspension(s).

3. Claude Giroux wins the Hart, presented at the awards by Bobby Orr. Giroux grabs his butt. Hot make-out session ensues.

4. Chris Pronger is the (frank)ing man.

My prediction:

1. Leafs finish with the best record in the league, only to realize the season is not 60 games long. They go 4-18 over the final 22 games and miss the playoffs by 1 point losing 4-3 to Montreal on the final day after holding a 3-0 lead midway through the 3rd.

2. Rinaldo misses 10+ games due to suspension(s).

3. Claude Giroux wins the Hart, presented at the awards by Bobby Orr. Giroux grabs his butt. Hot make-out session ensues.

4. Chris Pronger is the (frank)ing man.
- jmatchett383

Is Pronger healthy enough to be the (frank)ing man? When I had concussion issues I got blinding headaches and nausea when I was...oh wait

I have to get around to watching the Solomon Kane movie.... I've read all the REH conan's need to get around to his other stuff. Heard Robert Jordan's Conan is pretty good too.
- JoeRussomanno

Jordan's okay, but a lot of his stuff took place in places like Turan and other desert lands, so it's a bit bleak. I like Sprague and de Camp as well. I have a bunch of non-REH stuff, I could lend you some if you'd like.

But if you like REH, there's a book called Conan's Bretheren which is the other book I was talking about. It has a bunch of one-offs of stories he wrote, and some of them rival or are better than some of the Conan stories.

Jordan's okay, but a lot of his stuff took place in places like Turan and other desert lands, so it's a bit bleak. I like Sprague and de Camp as well. I have a bunch of non-REH stuff, I could lend you some if you'd like.
- jmatchett383

Hmm I'll have to take you up on that sometime but I have lots of projects on hand

Brad Marsh has another must-read blog this week. He talks about what the end of training camp and the start of the NHL regular season is like from the perspectives of a rookie, an established NHLer about to enter his prime, and as a bubble player nearing the end of the line.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=62875

We are scanning the scene
in the city tonight
We are looking for you
to start up a fight

SEARCHING SEEK AND DESTROY!!!!!
- 2Real

Umberger struggled with some injuries last year, so I'm willing to give him a pass on that.

I agree his preseason was pretty lame and I don't see him as more than a 3rd line player at this point, which is why I think he will be fine with Raffl and Vinny in limited minutes. But yeah, Raffl will be the leader of that line, I think.
- mcefalu

I think it was more than injuries. I just think he's not a very good player anymore. I don't notice him being much faster than Hartnell was either.

I think it was more than injuries. I just think he's not a very good player anymore. I don't notice him being much faster than Hartnell was either.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah, he stays on his feet better than Hartnell and is positionally more sound, but thats about it. Would not shock me one bit, if he's bought out after this season, especially if they feel Leier and/or Alderson are ready to step up.

My prediction:

1. Leafs finish with the best record in the league, only to realize the season is not 60 games long. They go 4-18 over the final 22 games and miss the playoffs by 1 point losing 4-3 to Montreal on the final day after holding a 3-0 lead midway through the 3rd.

2. Rinaldo misses 10+ games due to suspension(s).

3. Claude Giroux wins the Hart, presented at the awards by Bobby Orr. Giroux grabs his butt. Hot make-out session ensues.

4. Chris Pronger is the (frank)ing man.
- jmatchett383

THIS

Raffl is the one guy on that line I don't have worries about. He's got the smarts and wheels to be a good NHLer.

Conditioning or not, Lecavalier and Umberger were bad at 5 on 5 last season. Combining the two may well end up being an issue. Not that they lack positives, but like MacDonald & Coburn, they might be better on separate lines
- Jsaquella

If the 4th line proves to be strong enough, it might just be easier to hide them both on a line together with a good possession player like Raffl.

I just hate the idea of giving precious, offensive zone time to this line because you can't trust them at the other end of the ice. It makes life harder for the other top lines.

Is Pronger healthy enough to be the (frank)ing man? When I had concussion issues I got blinding headaches and nausea when I was...oh wait
- Jsaquella

Pessimist

If the 4th line proves to be strong enough, it might just be easier to hide them both on a line together with a good possession player like Raffl.

I just hate the idea of giving precious, offensive zone time to this line because you can't trust them at the other end of the ice. It makes life harder for the other top lines.
- PhillySportsGuy

That's the drum I've been beating all summer-if you have 4 good lines it lessens the burden on the other lines. If you have a really effective set of lines it makes everything better

Is Pronger healthy enough to be the (frank)ing man? When I had concussion issues I got blinding headaches and nausea when I was...oh wait
- Jsaquella

You're not Chris Pronger.

Yeah, he stays on his feet better than Hartnell and is positionally more sound, but thats about it. Would not shock me one bit, if he's bought out after this season, especially if they feel Leier and/or Alderson are ready to step up.
- BiggE

The trade just never made sense to me. I feel like that couldn't have been the best possible deal.

Pessimist
- Marc D

I'm not the miserable bastard pissing all over other people's point projections

That's the drum I've been beating all summer-if you have 4 good lines it lessens the burden on the other lines. If you have a really effective set of lines it makes everything better
- Jsaquella

VL was so bad last year on every line. The way people talked about Umberger made me feel he was just as bad for Columbus. It might be better to have 2 anchors on one line than 1 anchor on 2 lines.

Only other option would be

Raffl-VL-Akeson
Rinaldo-PEB-Umberger

The trade just never made sense to me. I feel like that couldn't have been the best possible deal.
- PhillySportsGuy

Pessimist

Yeah, he stays on his feet better than Hartnell and is positionally more sound, but thats about it. Would not shock me one bit, if he's bought out after this season, especially if they feel Leier and/or Alderson are ready to step up.
- BiggE

I feel like the cap would have to go up pretty significantly in order for them to decide it's worth carrying his buyout hit. But I don't think it's completely out the question. Depends on what kind of season he has.

Pessimist
- jmatchett383

I remember when the trade happened. Everyone jumped on me for criticizing it so harshly without having seen the result yet. I guess we get to see the result starting tonight.

I remember when the trade happened. Everyone jumped on me for criticizing it so harshly without having seen the result yet. I guess we get to see the result starting tonight.
- PhillySportsGuy

No, I was actually right there with you. If they wanted to move on from Hartnell, I get it. But the way it went down, it just seems like there had to be a better way.

I think it was more than injuries. I just think he's not a very good player anymore. I don't notice him being much faster than Hartnell was either.
- PhillySportsGuy

What is that belief based on?

Yeah, he stays on his feet better than Hartnell and is positionally more sound, but thats about it. Would not shock me one bit, if he's bought out after this season, especially if they feel Leier and/or Alderson are ready to step up.
- BiggE

Scott Hartnell will always be one of my favorite Flyers from the past 10 years, if only for "Suck it, Phaneuf".

That said, he's "Captain Gravity" until he retires.