A Kinder, Gentler 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs thread

[Darts]

Zach Bogosian. Shoots right.

Maple Leafs sign defenceman Zach Bogosian to one-year, $1M contract

www.sportsnet.ca

Zach Bogosian - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Fun For All]

Johnsson is gone. We get Joey Anderson.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/leafs-joey-anderson-andreas-johnsson-devils-trade-1.5758824

Give Kyle Dubas credit, he knows the team has to change their pussy style.

 

[Fun For All]

Zach Bogosian

Maple Leafs sign defenceman Zach Bogosian to one-year, $1M contract

www.sportsnet.ca

That’s a good signing...

 

[superstar_88]

Leafs may still be looking for another defenseman with some teeth.

Indeed

 

[Darts]

Travis Boyd

 

[mellowjello]

Torey Krug signs for $6.5mm annually. Doubt Dermott will be offered more than that despite Dubas's reputation for throwing money at RFA's like it is free.

Krug is the 5'-9" type of player the Leafs need. He's a pitbull.
You get within 5 feet of the goal crease , you're going to get a beating.

 

[Gooseifur]

I’d say it takes a combination of heart, strength and techniques. First off you need foot speed to get into forechecking, you need heart/grit/strength to get into a physical battle and you need techniques like the angle you hit, when and how to push off or take half a step back, shift your weight to gain balance etc. All these take skills. Just like a wrestling match the stronger guy doesn’t always win. Just heart and grit won’t get you to the pro level.

Actually you mentioned can be taught, players even become better skaters. Skill can't be taught. You're either a goal scorer or your not same with passing. It all has to do with the hands. You either have that talent or you don't.

 

[Darts]

Krug is the 5'-9" type of player the Leafs need. He's a pitbull.
You get within 5 feet of the goal crease , you're going to get a beating.

Wonder how hard the Bruins tried to retain Krug, especially since Chara isn't getting any younger? $6.5mm is pocket change to Dubas (too bad there is a hard salary cap).

 

[WyattEarp]

What a joke! Tampa Bay, where no kid plays hockey, has won twice in the last 16 years.

I guess Lightning does strike twice.

 

[Archer2012]

Actually you mentioned can be taught, players even become better skaters. Skill can't be taught. You're either a goal scorer or your not same with passing. It all has to do with the hands. You either have that talent or you don't.

I think you’re getting in the weeds to much over the “word” skill. Absolutely 100% skills are taught / honed.
Simply put - Skating is a skill - correct? No one on the planet is born knowing how to skate. It is a skill that is developed. Some become better at certain skills than others.

 

[superstar_88]

Everyone can only reach their potential. You can only develop skill to that potential. There is no way you're going to get Gauthier to skate like McDavid no matter how much teachings you give him. Barb Underhill is not a miracle worker.

 

[The Oracle]

Everyone can only reach their potential. You can only develop skill to that potential. There is no way you're going to get Gauthier to skate like McDavid no matter how much teachings you give him. Barb Underhill is not a miracle worker.

Throw a few names out there.

Brad Marchand was a good junior but developed into a better pro.

John Tavares has improved his skated by leaps and bounds from when he first came into the league.

Through a determined work effort and proper training and instruction skills can honed.

But Hockey IQ hands soft hands those are gifts that few have. They used to say that Mario Lemieux saw the game at a different speed than everybody else. Can't teach that.

 

[shack]

Everybody is born with a certain skill potential. The amount of potential that somebody achieves is based on how hard they work. Obviously Gauthier is incapable of skating anywhere near CM. It could be argued though, that since turning pro his skating has improved more than has that of CM.

Skills can be improved to get closer to maximum skill potential.

 

[Darts]

Clifford gone.

 

[gcostanza]

There is no way you're going to get Gauthier to skate like McDavid no matter how much teachings you give him. Barb Underhill is not a miracle worker.

If you viewed Gauthier in his 1st season as a pro, and this past season, you just might call Barb Underhill a miracle worker.

 

[smuddan]

Clifford gone.

‘If Simmonds can play just half as good as his best years, this will be a great pickup and we won’t miss Clifford. As far as team toughness goes, it takes more than just one tough guy. The whole team has to learn how to push back as a gang instead of turning the other cheek when pushed around.

 

[Darts]

The whole team has to learn how to push back as a gang instead of turning the other cheek when pushed around.

Dubas actually said something similar. I think a start would be finishing their checks.

BTW: Heard that Taylor Hall signed with Buffalo for one year at $8mm. I always thought Hall is overrated (yeah I know he won the Hart one year). Looks like a one year audition. If he plays well the reward is a new longer term contract. Play poorly and he'll be gone after one year or sooner.

Taylor Hall - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[smuddan]

Dubas actually said something similar. I think a start would be finishing their checks.

BTW: Heard that Taylor Hall signed with Buffalo for one year at $8mm. I always thought Hall is overrated (yeah I know he won the Hart one year). Looks like a one year audition. If he plays well the reward is a new longer term contract. Play poorly and he'll be gone after one year or sooner.

This is a buyer’s market as far as free agents go. Teams have both the cap space and gate revenues to worry about with no end of the pandemic in sight.

 

[gcostanza]

Play poorly and he'll be gone ... sooner.

How exactly would that happen?

The only way Taylor Hall moves prior to his contract expiration is if he wants to be traded.

 

[Darts]

I assume if things go badly, the Sabres can get rid of Hall the same way the Oilers and the Devils got rid of him. Then he'll be an UFA again after one season.

Shero: Devils' Poor Start Led to Trade of MVP Taylor Hall

Devils GM Ray Shero said trading Taylor Hall to the Coyotes was a hockey decision based on the team's poor start and the likelihood Hall was going to test the free-agent market.

www.si.com