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Leafs' Prospect/Marlies Discussion Thread!

Bracco has figured the AHL out. He has Next? We gotta see him at the NHL level, guy has exploded. Gotta let him try to climb further.

He might fall back, or he might climb, but we have to let him see the next level and see if he can survive there.

Just imagine if he can ppg the next level. Phew, crazy forward core.
 
Liljegren has been practicing and might be in the lineup today.

Would be fun if he could pick up where he left off and maybe get a look before the trade deadline.
 
Liljegren has been practicing and might be in the lineup today.

Would be fun if he could pick up where he left off and maybe get a look before the trade deadline.
 
I think Bracco has to be brought up at some point, see what he can do at this level. Guy might literally be a real player at the NHl level, he has a pretty big bag of tricks.

Great to see him explode like this, awesome.
 
Key point to the positive. Dubas sends back down a guy like Moore who he wants to get big time PP, and first line minutes. The guy is getting paid now to work on his game. Ideal situation

Same for Liljegren, first round pick, playing big minutes, learning his craft. Its what all the best NHL clubs have been doing for decades.

Now the Leafs are doing it.

Question, what has become of Andreas Borgman?
 
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zeke said:
Dermott - Rielly
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Hainsey - Liljegren
Click to expand...
Zaitsev playing in #4 spot is still gonna be a problem for us. Also, Oz isn't going to disappear and get pushed down by Liljegren. And Liljegren has not even dominated the AHL yet, I don't think Dubas will move him into the 3rd unit so soon.
 
Jake-Zaits has actually been a real solid big minute 2nd pairing for us overall this year, despite an awful first few weeks. Not sure it's a worry spot, even if Zaits is the weak half of that.

and the bottom pair has been a very good bottom pair.

the issue right now is the top pair.
 
zeke said:
Jake-Zaits has actually been a real solid big minute 2nd pairing for us overall this year, despite an awful first few weeks. Not sure it's a worry spot, even if Zaits is the weak half of that.

and the bottom pair has been a very good bottom pair.

the issue right now is the top pair.
Click to expand...
I don't have the exact #'s at hand, but I believe while Gardiner has got better every month, Zaitsev continues to struggle mightily in zone exit and denied zone entrance, giveaways and xGA/60. He's basically been crap in most games trying to play 20min a game, despite the softer usage this year compared to last year. Gardiner has been the one keeping the unit afloat but he'd be so much better if he had a better partner.

With all the problems on the R side, no question our opponent (BOS) will keep attacking the R side in playoff and I don't think we can afford to have that exposure again. Trying Dermott on RD1 is a good idea, but how he handles the minutes and the matchup is another. If it makes sense, Dubas is much better off trying to land a 4D to play on the right side ... at the right price, of course
 
number17 said:
I don't have the exact #'s at hand, but I believe while Gardiner has got better every month, Zaitsev continues to struggle mightily in zone exit and denied zone entrance, giveaways and xGA/60. He's basically been crap in most games trying to play 20min a game, despite the softer usage this year compared to last year. Gardiner has been the one keeping the unit afloat but he'd be so much better if he had a better partner.

With all the problems on the R side, no question our opponent (BOS) will keep attacking the R side in playoff and I don't think we can afford to have that exposure again. Trying Dermott on RD1 is a good idea, but how he handles the minutes and the matchup is another. If it makes sense, Dubas is much better off trying to land a 4D to play on the right side ... at the right price, of course
Click to expand...

there was a piece in the athletic recently showing, if I am remembering right, Zaitsev improving and stabilizing a bit possession wise after getting off to a rough start. will try and track down the numbers
 
Wayward DP said:
there was a piece in the athletic recently showing, if I am remembering right, Zaitsev improving and stabilizing a bit possession wise after getting off to a rough start. will try and track down the numbers
Click to expand...

I read the same piece. I didn't see them use anything other than the standard CF/xGF numbers which had absolutely stabilized. This coincided with the improvement of Jake from dumb Jake to normal Jake though, so the possibility of Zaitsev being carried to those results is absolutely possible if his own personal contribution to that (exits/entries/etc) haven't improved.
 
I don’t think the leafs would have too hard of a time unloading zaitsev. Probably have to take a contract back but it’s hard to find decent d depth and at 4.5 he’s paid like a 4/5 and by the end of the deal likely a 5/6.
 
He's paid like a 4 but he's clearly a 5/6.


With that said he has the rhd thing going for him. Everyone and their mama is looking for a rhd. Perhaps a selling point is that he has played top four minutes an elite elite team. I'm sure they can fool a GM or two to not have to give up assets to unload the contract.
 
Zaitsev is just pure mean. I say work with him get better coaches around him, the guy came over his first season and scored major points and played well.

I think our coaching is at fault with this guy. I love him for one reason, he will Bobby Clarke anyones face, ankle or back any time you want him to.

The guy scored what? 36 points his first season? Get him back there. And hurry up. Its not going to happen with Babcock say FUK FUK FUK all game long.
 
BeLeafer said:
Enough of the Jake-Zaits thing.

Gardiner-Rielly (25 min)
Dermott-Zaitsev (20 min)
Hainsey-whatever (15 min)
Click to expand...
That will kill Dermott.

I know a lot of ppl here wanna think Dermott is the answer, and I think he's got a bright future, but every time Babs' given him more icetime and less sheltered minutes, Dermott has not looked nearly as good as he does in the 3rd unit sheltered role. This is a young kid afterall and we can't put him on the 2nd unit with an anchor like Zaitsev.

Given Hainsey and Zaitsev are going to stay on our roster this season and playoff, I'd say we're best if they play on the 3rd unit. This leaves me with ....

Rielly - XXXX
Gardiner - Dermott
Hainsey - Zaitsev

And it's up to Dubas to find us XXXX
 
Timmy has been loaned to the Growlers on a conditioning stint and will he returned to the Marlies tomorrow
 
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