Don't fit
- weirdoh

Go figure. Have a samwidge.

Howard, My name has been besmirched on this website with something I did not say please ban all who have laughed.

Howard, My name has been besmirched on this website with something I did not say please ban all who have laughed.
- mr.peanut

No.

I agree 100% with this. If the Bruins and Leafs split their 4 games this season they'd be tied for the division lead.
- mr.peanut

"If" being the keyword.

"If the Leafs could beat top teams, they'd be leading the division".

Howard, My name has been besmirched on this website with something I did not say please ban all who have laughed.
- mr.peanut

that's all you buddy...

Don't fit
- weirdoh

Fatso. And its not GLANDULAR!!!!

"If" being the keyword.

"If the Leafs could beat top teams, they'd be leading the division".
- Pecafan Fan

Actually it is one top team they can't beat. It just happens to be the one they need to catch.

Howard, My name has been besmirched on this website with something I did not say please ban all who have laughed.
- mr.peanut

Chump.

No.
- hscesq

I respect your choice on this issue.

Actually it is one top team they can't beat. It just happens to be the one they need to catch.
- mr.peanut

LEAFSIZDABEST

Actually it is one top team they can't beat. It just happens to be the one they need to catch.
- mr.peanut

Inconvenient.

I respect your choice on this issue.
- mr.peanut

You got this one oilhab?

I respect your choice on this issue.
- mr.peanut

You had better.

Actually it is one top team they can't beat. It just happens to be the one they need to catch.
- mr.peanut

can't beat...they get smoked every time they play them...

Inconvenient.
- Pecafan Fan

I know right?

Inconvenient.
- Pecafan Fan

If the habs were able to beat the sucky teams in the league, they would be in the playoffs.

Also, OT losses and not being able to hold a lead in the 3rd.

And injuries.

I respect your choice on this issue.
- mr.peanut

I appreciate that.

If the habs were able to beat the sucky teams in the league, they would be in the playoffs.

Also, OT losses and not being able to hold a lead in the 3rd.

And injuries.
- Dgrdnr

Refs?

If the habs were able to beat the sucky teams in the league, they would be in the playoffs.

Also, OT losses and not being able to hold a lead in the 3rd.

And injuries.
- Dgrdnr

If Markov played the Habs would have the top PP, and be in a playoff spot.

The stats on the pk are a direct reflection of the fact that while the Leafs are one of the league's youngest teams all round, they have the youngest team on D by far. The stat was up on CBC the other day where the average age of the Leafs D was like 23 and the next youngest was 25. This average might be up a bit with the return of Liles.



Most of the Leafs d men are 25 or younger. Liles is 31, Mike "Healthy Scratch" Komisarek is 30, Phaneuf is 26, Gunnarson is 24, Schenn 22, Gardiner 21 and Franson is 23. Their starting goaltender is also only 24 years old.



And sorry bicboi but Karlsson is not a defensive defenseman. The biggest plus in his game is that he 's so good offensively that he rarely has to play in his own end. Again, I'm a big Karlsson fan. But when I say shut down I think of a guy who goes head to head against the other team's top player and makes a difference. I think of guys like Chara, Shea Weber or Lidstrom. The usual candidates.



As for Seguin, yes he had two very good games against Tampa but was used sparingly throughout the rest of hte playoffs. Every playoff run can find guys who had huge games (Leino, Martin Gelinas) but Seguin was not nearly as big of a piece as Thomas, Chara, Marchand, Lucic, Kreiji or Bergeron all of whom were either 'players that other team's gave up on' or players that were acquired 2nd round or later.



The Leafs don't have any Gocnhars, Alfredssons, Horcoffs, Khabibulin type players who are aging veterans that provide leadership. I agree that this can hinder development but is also a good explanation for inconsistency.



By the way the Leafs PK hasn't just 'been good for a little while'. It's been 100% perfect in 2012. Not long enough to move them up in the PK department but long enough to establish that they've fixed a huge part of the problem that plagued them in December (their only losing month).



Anyways, here's my summation for the day:



- The Leafs and Oilers are very deep in terms of quality prospects.

- Nobody, not me and certainly none of you, can predict with any degree of accuracy how good somebody will be in a few years or exactly when they will good.

- It's fun to say "All Oilers prospects are amazing" and "All Leaf prospects suck" but if you want to have any credibility you should probably do some research.



The funny thing is that a lot of d men like Chara, Duncan Keith etc. fell into the same category that Luke Schenn does right now when they were his age. Schenn has three seasons under his belt at age 22. Duncan Keith, a Norris trophy winner, didn't even play a single game in the NHL until he was 22 and didn't put up good numbers until he was 24. When Zdeno Chara was 22 in the 1999-2000 season he had eleven points and was -27. He was exactly the same the following year.



I just can't understand how some of you can think you have any credibility in determining a 21 or 22 year old kid a bust when there are so many examples, ESPECIALLY of defencemen, who struggled at that age and went on to become top level NHL defencemen. Your shortsightedness astounds me. My guess is that if you were on a forum in 1999 and somebody listed Chara as one of the Islanders best prospects you'd all be calling him a future sixth d man or AHLer based on how he was performing then. Remember, as I just pointed out, Schenn is actually BETTER than Chara at the same age.



**Disclaimer:: I am NOT saying that Schenn will be better than Chara as that's pushing it; but he WILL improve and he's years away from his prime just like most of the Leafs D men and roster in general.



I'll leave you with this: The Leafs will improve and the Oilers will improve but nobody can say with any authority to what extent.



Enjoy the game tonight folks. Both teams are young, fast and play a forechecking style of hockey. Should be a good barnburner.
- Pecafan Fan

QFT

I appreciate that.
- hscesq

he's lying...

If Markov played the Habs would have the top PP, and be in a playoff spot.
- mr.peanut

yes...

Refs?
- hscesq

Oh yes, and the power play.

he's lying...
- Rtt19

Why would I lie? My hertiage does not come from Spain jr.

Refs?
- hscesq

Look to your location to find the answer to that question.