the Sabres, Habs and Sens have gotten a lot tougher.
I don't know about you, but the Sabres with Ott instead of Roy, the Habs with a couple of extra fourth-liners and the Sens with Latendresse but without Carkner/Konopka aren't particularly frightening to me.
Last edited by Frank Stallone: 07-21-2012 at 12:54 AM.
Pretty funny all the "tough guy" experts speaking about the Habs have not even mentioned Ryan White. The Habs are way tougher than the Leaf squad at the moment. BB better do something soon, because the Sabres, Habs and Sens have gotten a lot tougher. Our team IS soft.
And anyone who thinks Frattin should be moved out for some half-ass player needs their ****ing head examined. He's EXACTLY what this team is lacking. Tough, doesn't back down, lays the body and goes hard to the net. How many people talk about "potential" and "ceiling" and don't see it in our own backyard. I'm a Burke fan, but if he actually moved Fratts for an unproven Bernier or some other lateral move, I'll lose my ****. That's not even a lateral move. That's going backwards. I'm sure all you Kule slurpers will go on about how he "does all the little things", but I'll take Fratts over Kule any day of the week.
/rant
Frattin is not tough. He is a sniper. Watch the kid play, sure he battles in the corners but he is primarily a scorer. Any hits he gets is a bonus, don't make the kid out to be something he is not.
Frattin is not tough. He is a sniper. Watch the kid play, sure he battles in the corners but he is primarily a scorer. Any hits he gets is a bonus, don't make the kid out to be something he is not.
I agree that he's no mitts' droppin power forward, but he does have more grit and guts to his game than the likes of some of the other forwards we've seen here.
IMO he's a good 20/20 guy in the future, but his release and shot, balance and speed do give him more upside.
now that Kule is signed we def need to move a guy or.two... Just a waiting game now.
I know that some people have mentioned getting Sam Gagner over Bozak before, so I just wanted to repost this video to confirm that I don't want him anywhere near our team.
Words can't describe how much I wish I could fast forward to when Edmonton is faced with the prospect of trying to re-sign and fit Eberle, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov under the cap is successive years. Wipe that smug smirk right off Tambellini's face. Worst GM in the league, bar none.
Words can't describe how much I wish I could fast forward to when Edmonton is faced with the prospect of trying to re-sign and fit Eberle, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov under the cap is successive years. Wipe that smug smirk right off Tambellini's face. Worst GM in the league, bar none.
If all of these guys turn into stars that's a good problem.
Think if the Leafs offered the Penguins Kadri, Biggs, Percy and a 1st. they could land Malkin?
I don't get the argument that drafting successfully is ever going to be a bad thing.
Add to this the new CBA is supposed to change some of the timelines and lengths required for UFA and entry level contracts.
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Woodlief
using his big frame to create space and his skating ability to find open lanes to drive the net. He stands 6-3 and is a natural goal scorer with plenty of confidence.
He's a scout's dream in the way he prepares himself and plays an unselfish game, making smart decisions with the puck. With his bloodlines, he certainly understands what it will take to make it at the next level.
Words can't describe how much I wish I could fast forward to when Edmonton is faced with the prospect of trying to re-sign and fit Eberle, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov under the cap is successive years. Wipe that smug smirk right off Tambellini's face. Worst GM in the league, bar none.
Not really fair to call him the worst GM. More like the luckiest GM. We'll see how bad or good of a GM he is in like 2-3 years from now if he's still around
Frattin is not tough. He is a sniper. Watch the kid play, sure he battles in the corners but he is primarily a scorer. Any hits he gets is a bonus, don't make the kid out to be something he is not.
I'm not talking about fighting. Battling in the corners is exactly what this team is lacking. You're saying he doesn't hit but you're telling me to watch him play? Good stuff. Making him out to be something he's not? Has the tools to be the prototypical PF this team has been missing. I think in a year or 2 he'll be the player everyone is lamenting we need on the team if he's traded for anything less than a stud forward.
Its tough to compare Matt Frattin with any player in the league. He's not the height of Marian Hossa, but uses his abilities in a comparable way. And while Hossa doesn't fight, he's not a guy that's going to back away from a hit or delivering one.
Its tough to compare Matt Frattin with any player in the league. He's not the height of Marian Hossa, but uses his abilities in a comparable way. And while Hossa doesn't fight, he's not a guy that's going to back away from a hit or delivering one.
Matt Frattin's ceiling is probably about a Nikolai Kulemin circa 10/11. 30G-57pts 100hits+ great 2way play. Frattin might have more hits, but lesser defensive play.
Would be great. Obviously not specifically Backes/Simmonds/Doan, but players that play similarly to them. Could be some of our prospects, other team's young players, etc.
EDIT: And obviously this would be a couple years away.
Frattin is not tough. He is a sniper. Watch the kid play, sure he battles in the corners but he is primarily a scorer. Any hits he gets is a bonus, don't make the kid out to be something he is not.
His shot is a weapon that hasn't been utilized to it's best. It's an elite shot that makes him dangerous and a top notch prospect in the offensive zone however don't make it out that he's a one trick pony there's more to his game one of which is that he's really strong, hard to contain when he's driving to the net and yes he does play tough just that he's not a fighter of a regular occurrence but will drop the gloves if he has to.
I'm not talking about fighting. Battling in the corners is exactly what this team is lacking. You're saying he doesn't hit but you're telling me to watch him play? Good stuff. Making him out to be something he's not? Has the tools to be the prototypical PF this team has been missing. I think in a year or 2 he'll be the player everyone is lamenting we need on the team if he's traded for anything less than a stud forward.
edit: Like my avi?
He's already 24 years old. Frattin is a player with some sand in his game who is hard on the forecheck, but the kid is primarily a scorer. I never said he doesn't hit, but he is certainly lacking the tools of a prototypical power forward. Biggs or Ashton have those tools, not Frattin. If Frattin is to stick as an NHL regular it will be based on his scoring prowess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dimi78
His shot is a weapon that hasn't been utilized to it's best. It's an elite shot that makes him dangerous and a top notch prospect in the offensive zone however don't make it out that he's a one trick pony there's more to his game one of which is that he's really strong, hard to contain when he's driving to the net and yes he does play tough just that he's not a fighter of a regular occurrence but will drop the gloves if he has to.
He's tough the same way Lupul is tough. Doesn't shy away from contact, finishes checks. He isn't the physical force that people are making him out to be on here.
That being said I see Frattin as a 2nd/3rd line tweener in the NHL with 25 goal/ 15 assist upside. Offensively, he doesn't use his teammates well. He is already 24.
When is Burke going to bring some size and toughness into the line up.
I thought his priorities this offseason were:
- Bring in a #1C
- Solidify goaltending situation
- Bring in size and toughness.
He hasn't addressed anything so far.
Nope those were areas he wanted to address for the last couple years. The answer is pretty simple depending on where we are in the season. Below is a handy reference.
1. Patience and wait for trades at draft to address the shortcomings
2. Patience and wait for UFA signing period
3. Patience and wait for trades before the season start
4. Patience and wait for the prospects to breakout this year
5. Patience and wait for trade deadline
6. Patience and wait for College UFA signings
7. Go to 1
Eventually something will work out. That said, Burke has tried - he signed some of the best undrafted Euro goalies (monster) that have not amounted to much, college UFA signings (Bozak) that are not really the solution, Connolly UFA signing last year who has been entirely underwhelming, drafted Biggs too add size in three or four years and hopefully Kadri/Colborne finally stick this year in the big club. Nothing really with high probability of success but he has tried.
Further to Frattin, I forgot about the Foligno fight vs. Buffalo. Leafs were getting absolutely man-handled and no one on the team did SFA about it and Fratts was the one who finally dropped the mitts - on a guy a lot bigger than him. Yeah, he's not tough - "just a sniper".
I guess he's not one of those imaginary 6'-6", 250lbs guys who are always the fastest player on the ice and score 40G and 100 pts a season.....so just a solid 3rd-liner then.
Further to Frattin, I forgot about the Foligno fight vs. Buffalo. Leafs were getting absolutely man-handled and no one on the team did SFA about it and Fratts was the one who finally dropped the mitts - on a guy a lot bigger than him. Yeah, he's not tough - "just a sniper".
I guess he's not one of those imaginary 6'-6", 250lbs guys who are always the fastest player on the ice and score 40G and 100 pts a season.....so just a solid 3rd-liner then.
There's nothing wrong with being a second/third-line 'tweener' who can put up 40-50 points and play in all three zones, but those types of guys aren't so indispensable that you should refuse to move them for a young goalie with big upside when your team's most glaring hole for nearly a decade has been between the pipes.
He's already 24 years old. Frattin is a player with some sand in his game who is hard on the forecheck, but the kid is primarily a scorer. I never said he doesn't hit, but he is certainly lacking the tools of a prototypical power forward. Biggs or Ashton have those tools, not Frattin. If Frattin is to stick as an NHL regular it will be based on his scoring prowess.
He's tough the same way Lupul is tough. Doesn't shy away from contact, finishes checks. He isn't the physical force that people are making him out to be on here.
That being said I see Frattin as a 2nd/3rd line tweener in the NHL with 25 goal/ 15 assist upside. Offensively, he doesn't use his teammates well. He is already 24.
So power forwards don't score a lot of goals? hahaha
