You realize that the tundra starts on fire every year? It is a natural cycle. Worse this year but literally it’s part of the ecosystem. A lot of fear mongering. Lightning starts it on fire in the Arctic, Siberia and Russia but somehow that information has been scrubbed from google search. Like a lot of poop is.

Yeah climate is changing. Tundra fires are nothing even remotely new.
- Jet Jaguar BD

Yeah man, totally natural.

https://twitter.com/markm...tatus/1667451131490979845

I must have missed it - which elite defenseman are known as being "mean"? I think you're thinking of an era that passed long ago. You're way too hung up on his size.
- Slump Buster

I think you continuously fail to think outside the box. You’re thinking of my thinking is wrong.

You’re blinded by comps and now are arguing the ceiling of a 1OA because of it. You have put limitations on a player for what reason?

I think you continuously fail to think outside the box. You’re thinking of my thinking is wrong.

You’re blinded by comps and now are arguing the ceiling of a 1OA because of it. You have put limitations on a player for what reason?
- washedup20

(laughing) thinking outside of the box? Is that what you think you are doing? You can't teach snarl. When a guy comes up he either has it or he doesn't. Besides, "snarl" is so overrated. I'd much rather have a guy that isn't afraid to take a hit over a guy that is regularly trying to lay people out.

The league is trending more towards skilled players and less towards knuckle draggers. Better yet, how many elite players would be considered to have "snarl"? Tkachuk and.... its a short list.

(laughing) thinking outside of the box? Is that what you think you are doing? You can't teach snarl. When a guy comes up he either has it or he doesn't. Besides, "snarl" is so overrated. I'd much rather have a guy that isn't afraid to take a hit over a guy that is regularly trying to lay people out.

The league is trending more towards skilled players and less towards knuckle draggers. Better yet, how many elite players would be considered to have "snarl"? Tkachuk and.... its a short list.
- Slump Buster

Nothing in your response is correct.

Unless he uses his 6'6" frame and plays mean, add that to his elite talent and there is the number 1 defenseman in the game, which to me should be the expectation as a 1OA pick.
- washedup20

Similar to how Dahlin has added a nasty streak to his game that wasn't evident when he was a rookie?

Nothing in your response is correct.
- washedup20

If it isn't correct, why don't you name some names? Should be easy, right?

And why would you want your franchise 25-minute-a-night defenseman to be playing a heavy game anyway? That isn't the league now, and that's a good thing.

Similar to how Dahlin has added a nasty streak to his game that wasn't evident when he was a rookie?
- kingcong39

You don't think that it was evident as a rookie? People were taking shots at him and he would get right in their face. He may look like a busboy but you can tell he likes to give a little.

Similar to how Dahlin has added a nasty streak to his game that wasn't evident when he was a rookie?
- kingcong39

Correct and it has made him a significantly better player when he plays that way.

(laughing) thinking outside of the box? Is that what you think you are doing? You can't teach snarl. When a guy comes up he either has it or he doesn't. Besides, "snarl" is so overrated. I'd much rather have a guy that isn't afraid to take a hit over a guy that is regularly trying to lay people out.

The league is trending more towards skilled players and less towards knuckle draggers. Better yet, how many elite players would be considered to have "snarl"? Tkachuk and.... its a short list.
- Slump Buster

Did Dahlin exhibit snarl or have a nasty streak during his first season or two?

If he did, I don't remember seeing it, but he sure has developed it the past couple of years.

If it isn't correct, why don't you name some names? Should be easy, right?

And why would you want your franchise 25-minute-a-night defenseman to be playing a heavy game anyway? That isn't the league now, and that's a good thing.
- Slump Buster

Your inside the box thinking is showing...

Your inside the box thinking is showing...
- washedup20

So are your Leafs pajamas

Agreed. If this happens it would be a huge win for us, but a bridge is more likely, especially with the cap going up.
- The_Inkwell

Not sure I agree with this whole Power signing this season. Only reason would be to protect against injury with a long term contract in place, which will be a significant consideration by itself.
Why would he commit now outside of the injury factor. Why not wait until next offseason and place a bet on himself especially in view of now having a better line mate in Clifton to help improve his metrics, coupled with the increase in the Cap.
If I'm Adams I'm pushing hard to get him signed long-term.
If I'm Power/his Agent I'm not biting unless it rivals Dahlin's deal.

You don't think that it was evident as a rookie? People were taking shots at him and he would get right in their face. He may look like a busboy but you can tell he likes to give a little.
- Slump Buster

No, and certainly nowhere near like it has been the past two seasons.

Not sure I agree with this whole Power signing this season. Only reason would be to protect against injury with a long term contract in place, which will be a significant consideration by itself.
Why would he commit now outside of the injury factor. Why not wait until next offseason and place a bet on himself especially in view of now having a better line mate in Clifton to help improve his metrics, coupled with the increase in the Cap.
If I'm Adams I'm pushing hard to get him signed long-term.
If I'm Power/his Agent I'm not biting unless it rivals Dahlin's deal.
- IonSabres

Always this risk with every contract whenever they sign. Is part of sport

If it isn't correct, why don't you name some names? Should be easy, right?

And why would you want your franchise 25-minute-a-night defenseman to be playing a heavy game anyway? That isn't the league now, and that's a good thing.
- Slump Buster

I think people are going too far in the direction of hitting and physicality not mattering.

“Bigger and stronger” teams are actually becoming more successful again especially in the postseason.

Your inside the box thinking is showing...
- washedup20

Ok, we'll chalk this one up to another "makes claims without examples" incident. See you next time

No, and certainly nowhere near like it has been the past two seasons.
- kingcong39

He has been between 1.2 hits per game (rookie season) and 1.5 H/G (2021-2022) for his career. When you factor in that he is probably playing more minutes in later years (and thus having more chances to have another hit), he has been pretty consistent. I think he might have a handful of more big hits than he did earlier in his career, but overall he is the same guy.

I think people are going too far in the direction of hitting and physicality not mattering.

“Bigger and stronger” teams are actually becoming more successful again especially in the postseason.
- sbroads24

Not sure I agree. I think you'd have a point if finesse teams were being slugged out of games - where do you see that happening? I know we've covered this before - I think team toughness is far more important.

Guess we won't find that out until they find that partner that helps him reach his potential. If the Sabres would have helped Dahlin more you probably would have seen the Dahlin we saw last year a couple years earlier. IMO that is the one thing this organization needs is a better Defensive Development Coach. Losing Peca is gonna hurt, he had a big hand in the development of the forwards the last few years. With the young D coming up it will only make it easier on the transition.
- Buff36

Nathan pasuch
Tim Kennedy
Will help

Lol

Who can see that coming
Hire from within


Ain't the rangers guy still in organization ?

He has been between 1.2 hits per game (rookie season) and 1.5 H/G (2021-2022) for his career. When you factor in that he is probably playing more minutes in later years (and thus having more chances to have another hit), he has been pretty consistent. I think he might have a handful of more big hits than he did earlier in his career, but overall he is the same guy.
- Slump Buster

Heres Dahlin bullying Matthews. So then Auston gives him a cheapy.

https://www.youtube.com/w...2zyY&ab_channel=SPORTSNET

And heres Cozens laying the boom a bit later. And then embarrassing a retaliating Bunting.

https://www.youtube.com/w...ggg&ab_channel=NHLRejects


Those fits were MINT

Not sure I agree. I think you'd have a point if finesse teams were being slugged out of games - where do you see that happening? I know we've covered this before - I think team toughness is far more important.
- Slump Buster

There’s actually data suggesting that bigger players and teams are trending to be more successful.

There’s also data that bigger defenders are better.

I’d have to find the data to expand on this but I think like with most things people took the size arguments too far in one direction

Owen Power is a great example actually- a lot of people claimed he wasn’t worthy of a #1 overall pick because he was 6’6. They thought his size was the only reason scouts liked him and sort of ignored his skill.

There’s actually data suggesting that bigger players and teams are trending to be more successful.

There’s also data that bigger defenders are better.

I’d have to find the data to expand on this but I think like with most things people took the size arguments too far in one direction

Owen Power is a great example actually- a lot of people claimed he wasn’t worthy of a #1 overall pick because he was 6’6. They thought his size was the only reason scouts liked him and sort of ignored his skill.
- sbroads24

Ok, even if that were true, being big isn't directly related to having snarl. It was said earlier that we need Power to develop snarl because of his size. That just isn't him. Sure, maybe Dahlin developed his as the years went buy but it was clear that he was at least feisty as a rookie.

Ok, even if that were true, being big isn't directly related to having snarl. It was said earlier that we need Power to develop snarl because of his size. That just isn't him. Sure, maybe Dahlin developed his as the years went buy but it was clear that he was at least feisty as a rookie.
- Slump Buster

So the data is wrong and Power has no ability to learn how to utilize his body to improve his game - another gem Slump.

Things I don’t trust:

People who drink draft beer (exception: Guiness)

People who drive pickup trucks (exception: 1995-2000 Ford Rangers)

No exceptions: A guy who drives a Ford Ranger drinking Guiness draft. Don’t trust that guy, he has demons.

You can do one. Not both.
- Jet Jaguar BD

I drink draft beer. I had a 98 Mazda B3000 and my 2020 Tacoma has a license plate that starts with BD so we are now best friends.

So the data is wrong and Power has no ability to learn how to utilize his body to improve his game - another gem Slump.
- washedup20

I understand that, my point was that like most hockey narratives that go against the traditional old school views, they get taken too far in the other direction.

If I could choose between a 6’6 super skilled D man who’s also hard to play against and nasty, versus a 5’10 super skilled defensemen who isn’t, I’m picking the bigger player. Because it does matter to a degree