Edited Nov. 10, 2020 at 10:14 p.m.
Quoting: pharrow
calling Blueger a 4th liner with "little value" shows you know nothing about this team. Their "4th" line spent more time on the ice than their 3rd line and played the best competition on the ice when ever they needed a stop on the ice. They were a 4th line in the sense of NYI 4th line 2 years go. Hell Blueger in his 1st year matched Kerfoots points this year with a lot less offensive help around him.
It's a shut down line, it is what it is, but they won possession damn near every time they were on the ice. Make no mistake it's their 3rd line and it will be again next year by default of the "3rd" line being god awful. It's more than capable of skating 12-14 minutes a night and willing those puck battles. So spare me the little value. He'd already be your 3C over your slow as hell 36+ year old players.
For years TOR fans have been trying to tell everyone how great their defense is and yadda yadda yadda. FFS you are a fan base that thinks Holl is a 2nd pair defense man as your defense gets shredded.
But keep telling me I over value players. Riikola would probably start on TOR. The defense is that bad.
2 years of "our young players are stars" but Sandin, should be in the AHL where he probably stays. Dermott, is a 3rd pair guy at best. Holl is a joke. and the over hyped Liljegren can't seem to make the roster and play well.
It won't be long till we here TOR fans tell us Kral and Rubins are the next great thing.
Blueger got 22 points in 69 games, and this was his second season (which he only played 23 games, and I think he was healthy). Doesn't scream top 9er to me. After all, the lines without Kerfoot (since he's in this trade, he would replace Thornton if he wasn't traded) would likely be: Hyman-Matthews-Marner, Mikheyev-Tavares-Nylander, Robertson-Thornton-Simmonds. He could play with Spezza and Vesey/Barbanov/whoever.
As for Riikola, is he better than Dermott or Bogo? No. Is he better than Lehtonen? That we don't know. It will be close now. If Lehtonen is really good after all though, forget it. Riikola would be on the marlies (naturrally, Holl would be in the starting lineup. He might not be ideal for the second pairing, but he's better than every other option). Sandin is going to the ahl next year of course (barring this trade and also not counting on Lehtonen to suck), as is Liligeren. Toronto's defence doesn't get enough credit. It is incredably deep (Rielly-Brodie, Muzzin-Holl, Dermott-Bogosian, Lehtonen-Sandin, Marincin-Liligeren, Rosen-Wasofksy hey you know that guy) all these guys can play nhl if needed, the first 8 are starting lineup guys on most teams. The top pairing is good now, and So the weak link is Holl as a second pairing guy, but if that's the worst part of the d, the leafs are doing pretty good.
No one ever said Kral and Rubins are any good. They are good, obvoiusly, all player with nhl are contract are compared to most people, but those 2 are not nhlers and no one said they were. Stop critizing Toronto fans for things they didn't say.
Quoting: HockeyTownUSA69
Love it Pharrow!! Toronto fans are the worst. So cocky!! And then they lose. Ohh well, it’s the leafs!! Excuses, excuses, excuses. Just let them off the hook continually!! Such a shame where that franchise has gone and been with devoted fans!! U guys should demand a winner!! Just don’t show up until they Ice a winning team!!
Blueger is what they need. Defense and toughness. He’d be a fan favorite in Toronto. Toronto should be ecstatic to get a player like Blueger.
That includes you. It took the pens 4 years with Malkin and Crosby, which was just this past season for the leafs and Matthews. The capitals, and lightning took way, way longer. Give them one or 2 more year before we can say they aren't special. Now they are still young (Matthews is 23, Marner is also 23, Nylander is 24).