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I'd probably trade a 1st to acquire Foote - preferably next year's (as with the Miller deal) - it's hard to say how a player would pair with a partner until you actually see it - but he would seem like an excellent future fit for Hughes imo. 

I love your choice of targets smithers - I just think it would cost more to acquire them.

that's what I thought.

one liner.

no substance.

@Silky mitts

Beagle leads the team at 57.9% in the faceoff circle.

Lowest ozone starts on the team at 23.8%.  Largest positive diffential between those and his (top 10) 'possession' numbers.

Team best +3 (and again, tonight, gave up nothing 5 on 5 as the rest of the team bled.

4.2 on ice goals for per 60 is 3rd best on the team.

2.3 against is better than 17 team-mates - all who play easier minutes than him.

Leads the team in penalty killing.

otherwise, thanks for coming out.

Is that what he is?  A 4th line center?

one impressive night - where I certainly had a Laff at my own expense.

But doesn't change what my actual point was.

What I see is a guy getting over 50% ozone starts.

41.6% corsi.  meh.

21st amongst their penalty killers with 3 seconds a game last year...= 4th liner?

2.0 on ice goals for per 60.

3.0 against.

So - yeah - it's a good time for a Laff - on his hat trick night - and it's impossible not to be impressed with his powerplay goal or the one Nylander set up (signature 4th line material?).

Anyhow - always enjoyed Caboose's perspective on these boards (not your typical Leaf's fan, although perhaps buying into the score-all-the-goals build?)  - so hope you enjoy it while you can - but we've seen this show repeatedly - Leafs in first-month-Champion mode.....and as the season progresses.....

I'll be interested to see if John Tavares is their hard minutes guy in the playoffs - once again.

My favorite part of these Spezza discussions though - were the laughable cheap shots taken at Babcock (how long has he been gone now) - over having scratched Spezza....

For me the irony is - the present group of geniuses waived his ass already this year.

So who should be throwing the first stone?  He cleared waivers.

And for the record - I suggested claiming him (but certainly not to play a shutdown role here).

I think there are only a few real candidates to be dealt in any event - Vanek and perhaps Edler or Hutton - so my guess would be a continuance of the transition process we've seen the past three years.

My opinion/guess will be that they'll probably make the transition move and deal Vanek to a contender for a future if they're not realistically competitive at the deadline - if the payment warrants it and assuming he wants to go.  If JB is offered pittances like was the case with Hamhuis, I don't think we should be in the business of gifting contenders with cheap rentals or broadcasting that we're desperate for marginal futures unless Vanek indicates that he wants a shot at going deep in the playoffs, in which case I think he should be accommodated.

I think it will also depend on the health of this roster at that point.  If the team is healthy and surging, you simply don't sell - it is baseline unprofessional.   If it's unhealthy and/or not showing signs of real competitiveness, I'd lean to selling even if it may be close to a playoff birth.

It seems to me that Yzerman was in that type of position last year - borderline in the race for the playoffs - but not healthy/missing key elements, so he sold Boyle, a deal that I think was wise for TB and a headscratcher for a young, rebuilding team wasting a good future on a rental.   If the team were 3-5 out but missing Tanev and/or Horvat and/or Sutter for example, I might lean the way Yzerman did.

Shoulda moved the stale, declining core long ago eh Torture-fella.

Looks like your ballbusting isn't going over so well in Columbus either.  Shocking.

Love Johansen but three pieces like that depletes this team's depth too much imo.

That's great. I'll pass the Reynold's Wrap...

Hi "Tim Tebow" - just wanted to let you know that I quoted you in my blog - I hope you don't mind - I took a different viewpoint but nevertheless appreciated what you said. I will remove it if you object. Take care.

I understand why you spammed my thread, but ironically the colour and play by play guys are expected to dish out product placement announcements every game - not limited to the commericals between hockey... and then I come here and see you are making birdsnest cookies? I was thinkin', it just wasn't clear...