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GDT JAN 21: TOR @ COL, 9pm

MindzEye said:
I'm not a Holzer fan, but MacWilliam though...dude can legitimately skate, and hits like a freight train, a lot. I don't know if his puck skills can handle a full time role in the NHL yet (or ever), but he looks like a pretty ideal #7 defender for next season.
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I'm totally with you ME. Percy and MacWilliam are my top 2 from that list. Eventually Finn but I think he could use some pro experience.
 
Granberg is as big as Holzer, but a better skater and has played at a high level in the SEL. And I know +/- isn't great, but considering the lack of AHL stats we have, he leads the teams D with a +15. By a lot. Yeo is next at +2.

he's a legit prospect.
 
Pronger84 said:
Gardiner is what he is an offensive through bred horse, he's a high risk guy who's going to **** up a lot trying to be the hero, he reminds me alot of Berard. Rielly at 19 is a lot smarter then Gardiner is at 24, Rielly is every bit of a skater as Gardiner is but he knows when to pull back and when to jump not to mention he's a lot better positonally then Gardiner is.
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Gardiner will iron out his decision making with experience. We've seen him when he's on the top of his game and he's a pure impact defender when he's there.
 
zeke said:
I wouldn't mind seeing holzer get one more look, but this time in a more appropriate bottom pair role. Both his size and skating are nhl legit and he's been really good for the marlies.

I think we used him completely wrong and unfairly last year.
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Yeah, it is pretty hard to judge his performance last year, when Randy threw him to the wolves by giving him a steady diet of top-pairing minutes and top-pairing competition.
 
Pronger84 said:
IMO it doesn't work on several levels 1. Rielly is 19 you cannot expect him to play 25 plus minutes a night against the leagues best players and thrive 2. Buff isn't a defensive guy and Gardiner is a nightmare in his own end he needs a stay at home guy to anchor him.... Buff isn't that guy.
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Seems worth pointing out Rielly is turning 20 in just over a month.
 
MindzEye said:
I'm not a Holzer fan, but MacWilliam though...dude can legitimately skate, and hits like a freight train, a lot. I don't know if his puck skills can handle a full time role in the NHL yet (or ever), but he looks like a pretty ideal #7 defender for next season.
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Yeah, he has bottom pair/#7 potential IMO. We have better prospects. Granberg, Percy, Finn and Nilsson are legit prospects I think.
 
Percy and granberg are the most hopeful of the currnt marlies D but at the same time have the most to benefit from more ahl time. I'd prefer to see them start the year with the marlies one more time...though that could change if they continiue to improve quickly this year.

And i'd like to see the older guys holzer and brennan (even marshall) get one more look before either we lose themmor they get permanently condemned to caree ahler status.

Having holzer and brennan start the year as the leafs 6/7 guys, and then having Percy-Granberg and Finn-Macwilliam in reserve is what i'd like to see to start the year at least.
 
MindzEye said:
Gardiner will iron out his decision making with experience. We've seen him when he's on the top of his game and he's a pure impact defender when he's there.
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To a point he will but really he'll never be anything more then average in his own end, Gardiner gets himself into a lot of bad spots but his saving grace his his elite speed to either skate the puck out or get back into positon.
 
leafman101 said:
Yeah its now or never for Holzer and Brennan. They are turning 26 and 25 soon.
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I don't know much about Brennan, but Holzer has been in this system since 07' and a lot of prospects have passed him by on the depth chars, when he has had a chance to crack the lineup he's faltered. Just because he's good in the AHL doesn't mean jack shit about how well he'll fare in the NHL, just look at Zigmanas he was a great player for the Marlies but could never crack many shitty Leafs rosters over the years.
 
leafman101 said:
Yeah, he has bottom pair/#7 potential IMO. We have better prospects. Granberg, Percy, Finn and Nilsson are legit prospects I think.
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I agree, but MacWilliam is pretty damn ready for a look at that role, and frankly, with the amount of trouble everyone not names Dion or Tim has breaking up a cycle, a kid who can skate well and hits like a tank with a legit mean streak would be a lovely add to the 3rd pairing if he's able to handle the pace.
 
Pronger84 said:
To a point he will but really he'll never be anything more then average in his own end
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You make way too much of this. Who gives a **** if he's only average at chasing the puck around in his own zone, if he's elite at moving the puck out of his own zone when he gets a hold of it.

Gardiner gets himself into a lot of bad spots but his saving grace his his elite speed to either skate the puck out or get back into positon.
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You call it a "saving grace", where it's really him trying to anticipate the game in a way a lot of defenders can't because they don't have that skating ability. Gardiner's play without the puck is fine, better than fine really. Very rarely are we bitching in game about Gardiner losing his man and a goal being scored because of it. When Gardiner ****s up, it's because the stick was on his puck and he did something dumb with it.
 
MindzEye said:
You make way too much of this. Who gives a **** if he's only average at chasing the puck around in his own zone, if he's elite at moving the puck out of his own zone when he gets a hold of it.

Becayse a defenceman's job is twofold 1) To seperate the oppositon from the puck 2) Transition the puck up to the forwards.
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