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Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo Part I and II

Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

I love his tools - and still even like the pick.

But apparently he was a pretty poor possession guy even in the AHL last year, which surprised me.

Ah that is surprising. Any more detail on his possession numbers? I'd imagine a good shot suppressor but horrible generator?
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

I'm so over watching Kadri try to toe drag people. Come on man , how many years is it going to take for him to realize he's not in London anymore???
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

You'd prefer he just chip the puck in the corner instead of living with his 10-20% success rate on toe drags that create a good scoring chance every time he succeeds in it?
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

I'm so over watching Kadri try to toe drag people. Come on man , how many years is it going to take for him to realize he's not in London anymore???

Yeah not like he was the best player on the ice or anything. Golly why does he have to show creativity!
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

You'd prefer he just chip the puck in the corner instead of living with his 10-20% success rate on toe drags that create a good scoring chance every time he succeeds in it?

He barely even attempts them anymore. If anything he has become a bit too responsible for my liking. It works clearly, but I'd like him to take more risks offensively if anything.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

At this point for Kadri, it would be more creative if he literally tried anything else!
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

Ah that is surprising. Any more detail on his possession numbers? I'd imagine a good shot suppressor but horrible generator?

eh, i might be making it up, but i thought i saw it somewhere.

but i was dissappointed to see him scratched in the playoffs too - that doesn't happen to a valuable player.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

eh, i might be making it up, but i thought i saw it somewhere.

but i was dissappointed to see him scratched in the playoffs too - that doesn't happen to a valuable player.

I don't know.. A good skating center with that size, strength and defensive IQ seems like he'd be a lock to AT least be a 4th line NHLer. Like you said, I liked the pick all along. Can't fault them for going after a guy with that skillset. Unfortunately, it looks like he will reach his floor rather than upside.

I'd like to see his possession numbers in more detail though.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

Most of what I see watching Gauthier is a guy who probably isn't going to be much better with the puck than your average borderline 3rd liner like Martin, isn't a great enough skater to be a plus defensive player, and isn't smart/committed enough to play a physical game despite being larger than some mainline freight locomotives. Maybe he could be a useful player but I'm not sure he's the kind of guy you go out of your way to develop.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

So I was at the game. Not much to comment on, Kadri and Nylander were the best Leafs. I thought Dermott had a real good game, which is nice to see against NHLers.

One cool thing was having Lou and Dubas walk by as everyone was shuffling out of the arena. Made room for them to get by. Lou is shorter then I expected.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

I thought Dubas wasnt allowed in the inner circle. Steve Simmons wrong again? Weird
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

Most of what I see watching Gauthier is a guy who probably isn't going to be much better with the puck than your average borderline 3rd liner like Martin, isn't a great enough skater to be a plus defensive player, and isn't smart/committed enough to play a physical game despite being larger than some mainline freight locomotives. Maybe he could be a useful player but I'm not sure he's the kind of guy you go out of your way to develop.
I do think The Goat could be a useful NHLer at some point, but my perception of him is more in line with yours that some others in this thread.

I just don't see any offensive upside there, and I don't see him as a guy that you're ever ideally going to want centering one of your top-3 lines. If he can develop into a strong possession player at the NHL level though, I can see how a young, inexpensive 6'5" center could be useful to anchor the middle of our fourth line, and as a PK specialist.

There's no rush for him, though. He's only got one professional season under his belt, and another season or two spent with the Marlies getting professional experience and working on his skills would be more to his benefit than forcing him into the NHL as a 4th line checker already. The Marlies could use him too, as their center situation is a little uncertain this year with the departures of William Nylander and Mark Arcobello.


I thought Dubas wasnt allowed in the inner circle. Steve Simmons wrong again? Weird
Really? Has Steve Simmons been peddling that idea? I must have missed that.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

Oh I forgot to mention. This Martin Marincin? He's really really really good. Like.. really good. Like.. so good defensively that he can get away with playing top 4 minutes despite having no offense in him. Pay attention to the little plays he makes.. It really is something else to watch.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

Oh I forgot to mention. This Martin Marincin? He's really really really good. Like.. really good. Like.. so good defensively that he can get away with playing top 4 minutes despite having no offense in him. Pay attention to the little plays he makes.. It really is something else to watch.
He's about as unspectacular as you can possibly get, but yeah, he is a quiet, very dependable defenseman.

Team Europe would've been wise to take him ahead of some of the grey-beards on their defense, I think.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

I'm interested to see how Marincin handles higher level competition for an entire season. If he can play against opposition top lines and be a legit shutdown guy in that role, he becomes a pretty nice piece that we can play with either Rielly or Gardiner on one of the top 2 pairs. He looked good beside Rielly at the end of last season, but for a guy lacking a track record, I think we have to see it for a longer period of time before we start pencilling in someone with his lack of offence into a top 4 spot going forward.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

I'm interested to see how Marincin handles higher level competition for an entire season. If he can play against opposition top lines and be a legit shutdown guy in that role, he becomes a pretty nice piece that we can play with either Rielly or Gardiner on one of the top 2 pairs. He looked good beside Rielly at the end of last season, but for a guy lacking a track record, I think we have to see it for a longer period of time before we start pencilling in someone with his lack of offence into a top 4 spot going forward.
Marincin's been spending a lot of time playing on the right-side so far this pre-season, so Babpenis might be having similar thoughts.
 
Re: Exhibition GDT - Toronto vs Buffalo

Really? Has Steve Simmons been peddling that idea? I must have missed that.

He was on 1050 last week and said Lou has a inner circle he confides in and Dubas is not part of it
 
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