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The ****ing Season thread, 2015/16 Edition

Jonas Siegel ‏
Babcock confirms that Bernier will start tomorrow.

Babcock also says he has no idea when James Reimer will return. Notes that Reimer is dealing with groin injury. Reimer missed 10 days last time with groin issue and re-aggravated it upon return. Babcock says Leafs will take more time now as a result.
 
No surprise there.

This is going to be a pretty critical stretch of games for Bernier's NHL career.
 
Its certainly a good opportunity to get on a roll and steal his starts back, but with $4.1 million due next year I doubt it will be his last one.
 
Reimer loses another opportunity to injury. Can't trust that guy for an extended period of time.
 
leafman101 said:
Its certainly a good opportunity to get on a roll and steal his starts back, but with $4.1 million due next year I doubt it will be his last one.
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You may be right. I guess the better way to phrase it is it's a pretty critical stretch of games for his career with the Leafs.

Babcock isn't Randy---he's not going to keep putting a guy into his lineup just because he's got a sizeable NHL contract if he doesn't have any confidence in him.

If Bernie comes in over the next couple of games and keeps doing what he's been doing so far this year, I wouldn't put it past Babcock to hand the net back to Sparks, and get Bernie off the roster one way or another when Reimer's healthy (whether that be a trade or waivers).

At the same time, it could just as easily go the other way if he starts looking like a competent NHL goalie again. The opportunity is there for him to steal the crease back from Reimer.

It'll be fascinating to see which way it goes.
 
Babcock isn't Randy---he's not going to keep putting a guy into his lineup just because he's got a sizeable NHL contract if he doesn't have any confidence in him.
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when did randy carlyle ever do this?
 
mbow30 said:
when did randy carlyle ever do this?
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Frequently? No so much with his goalies. It's hard to judge him there, since Randy never had an option in the AHL that's been playing as well as Sparks this year.

But how often did he ever sit out any of his veteran players, many of whom clearly deserved to spend some time in the press box over the last couple of seasons? And how long did he keep running the unbroken trio of JVR-Bozak-Kessel out there with first line ice-time and first crack at PP opportunities, no matter how abysmally the line performed 5-on-5 on the defensive side of the puck?
 
Bernier is COLD-COLD-COLD, which would be awful for a team looking for a play-off berth - not so much for the Leafs. It is a crazy buzzkill for a Leafs team that scores 4 goals and still loses in OT, but as long as his team-mates are still supporting him, he'll be given the opportunity to turn his game around. Just like when a goal-scorer goes through a drought, they just need to keep working to dig themselves out. Would have been nice if the schedule would have had a gimme game to ease him back in - but the Leafs have a pretty tough schedule right up until Christmas.
 
He's just tightening his own noose now.

All they're thinking about is how to get this guy off the team, I can assure you.

Babcock won't allow him many more shots. It's pretty much over unless he drastically turns it around somehow, which he won't because he's clearly cooked. Soon Sparks will get the net permanently, until Reimer returns.
 
No surprise. Babcock's got no more patience left for Bernie.

Now the question is what happens when Reimer's healthy again.
 
I still think they send down Sparks. No sense in not giving him game action when he could be playing on a competitive Marlies team and actually developing his game.

in any case Reimer will likely not be able to stay healthy for long anyway and Sparks will be up to play again.
 
leafman101 said:
Phaneuf Corsi
With Gardiner: 53%
Without Gardiner: 44.8%

Gardiner Corsi
With Phaneuf: 53%
Without Phaneuf: 55.9%

http://www.tsn.ca/more-consistent-gardiner-still-an-unknown-quantity-for-leafs-1.410323
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Good read.

Gardiner is sure a high possession guy, and this year he's been more consistent, but IMO he's also been tamed ... I hope he'll continue to develop his game and find the balance between 'unleashing' his offensive ability and playing a sound defensive game.
 
Advanced stats love Gardiner. When he is on the ice the Leafs create way more offense than when he is off of it, and he is producing chances at a higher rate than any other Leafs dman. Its just a matter of a lack of talent on the Leafs that has prevented him from picking up some points.

Individual High Danger Scoring Chances
1. Gardiner - 5
2. Hunwick - 5
3. Rielly - 4
4. Polak - 2
5. Phaneuf - 0

Relative High Danger Scoring Chances For
1. Gardiner - 7.82
2. Phaneuf - 5.33
3. Polak - 0.66
4. Rielly - -6.16
5. Hunwick - -10.17

Also it looks like Phaneuf really hasn't been any better, despite the easier workload. He's just gotten to play with Gardiner.
 
There's always just been this sense of unlocked massive potential with Gardiner.

Still hoping Babcock find a way to unleash the beast within.
 
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