wrong again. playing #1 in Toronto is very different than playing #4 in Ottawa.
- spatso

So is getting paid to play number 4 and being payed like number 1. But I digress. Phaneuf is not an impact player. He's just steady with flaws.

December has passed Spatso. Your take on Phaneuf is about as relevant as the stages of the Leafs season you so dearly hoped played out.

Good news though. At least we won't have to debate who the second best rookie forward is this year. Marner should pass Laine.

never mind Mathews and Marner vs Kessel. That TO leadership core was absolute poop
- Pie

Definitely

wrong again. playing #1 in Toronto is very different than playing #4 in Ottawa.
- spatso

7 million cap hit and he's #4?

wrong again. playing #1 in Toronto is very different than playing #4 in Ottawa.
- spatso

7 million cap hit and he's #4?

7 million cap hit and he's #4?
- RogerRoeper

What a steal!

Like finding a wallet!

Can you imagine what Karlsson will demand on his next contract seeing Phaneuf make 7 million playing a 4th man role?

What a steal!

Like finding a wallet!

Can you imagine what Karlsson will demand on his next contract seeing Phaneuf make 7 million playing a 4th man role?

- systemtool

A contract with a different team?

A contract with a different team?
- Tumbleweed

Despite looking like Dewey I'm sure he wants to win a cup.

Sens get Pittsburgh tonight on b2b, then get the leafs on Sat b2b
Advantage Sens

The leafs have a (frank)ed up schedule. Boston Plays tonight and will have played 6 more games than the Leafs

It's actually not a complex issue. The Sens shifted from a run and gun team that didn't care about defense, to a more defensive team. Just about anyone outside Ottawa, and most people in Ottawa, will acknowledge that Phaneuf and Ceci are a trainwreck pairing.

He really hasn't done anything to steady the team defensively.
- prock

So why does the coach keep putting them out there, they're averaging 23 TOI per game each (2nd and 3rd on the team behind Karlsson) ............ do you really think IF they were a trainwreck, the coach would keep putting them on ice?

Perhaps your extreme Ottawa bias, and uncontrollable natural instinct, to trash everything Senators related, makes your assessment meaningless.

But continue to believe yourself, if that helps you get through your day.

Coach
System

I didn't have to look far.

Go read the article by your fave blogger, now with TSN. Explains the whole thing pretty succinctly and it has NOTHING to do with Phaneuf.
- Aetherial

If you're referring to T Yost, never really read him when he was a local blogger............ but now that he's been hired, and working for a toronto based company, he's fallen in line with their "pump up the leafs, bash the Sens" formula that is designed to drive traffic to their site, as many leaf fans tend to bevery shallow in their knowledge of the Sens, and rely on these types of sports opinion commentators, and tend to lap up that crap.

But in reality, the Sens are not nearly as bad as those toronto based hockey commentators/columnists claim, when they spoon feed those low information leaf fans, and conversely, the leafs are not nearly as great they claim when pumping up their tires .................. it's the same formula CBC and others have used to draw eyeballs to the leaf broadcasts for years and years ............ and if you don't see that, then you're one of those leaf fans.

Sens get Pittsburgh tonight on b2b, then get the leafs on Sat b2b
Advantage Sens

The leafs have a (frank)ed up schedule. Boston Plays tonight and will have played 6 more games than the Leafs
- senstroll

calling out your "excuse" already?

If you're referring to T Yost, never really read him when he was a local blogger............ but now that he's been hired, and working for a toronto based company, he's fallen in line with their "pump up the leafs, bash the Sens" formula that is designed to drive traffic to their site, as many leaf fans tend to bevery shallow in their knowledge of the Sens, and rely on these types of sports opinion commentators, and tend to lap up that crap.

But in reality, the Sens are not nearly as bad as those toronto based hockey commentators/columnists claim, when they spoon feed those low information leaf fans, and conversely, the leafs are not nearly as great they claim when pumping up their tires .................. it's the same formula CBC and others have used to draw eyeballs to the leaf broadcasts for years and years ............ and if you don't see that, then you're one of those leaf fans.
- D0PPELGANGER

Do you take off your tinfoil hat when you shower?

If you're referring to T Yost, never really read him when he was a local blogger............ but now that he's been hired, and working for a toronto based company, he's fallen in line with their "pump up the leafs, bash the Sens" formula that is designed to drive traffic to their site, as many leaf fans tend to bevery shallow in their knowledge of the Sens, and rely on these types of sports opinion commentators, and tend to lap up that crap.

But in reality, the Sens are not nearly as bad as those toronto based hockey commentators/columnists claim, when they spoon feed those low information leaf fans, and conversely, the leafs are not nearly as great they claim when pumping up their tires .................. it's the same formula CBC and others have used to draw eyeballs to the leaf broadcasts for years and years ............ and if you don't see that, then you're one of those leaf fans.
- D0PPELGANGER

Did you even read the Article from Yost?

Feels like you just assumed a bunch of poop. He is asking the question if the Sens are really better than last season. There is Data to back up what he sees. Like he mentions they are different..but no necessarily improved

Do you take off your tinfoil hat when you shower?


- systemtool

Did you even read the Article from Yost?

Feels like you just assumed a bunch of poop. He is asking the question if the Sens are really better than last season. There is Data to back up what he sees. Like he mentions they are different..but no necessarily improved
- senstroll

I actually thought the Yost article was pretty good. The Leafs of this year are a little bit like the Sens of last year. Teams that can score are usually okay in the first half of the season. Goal scoring, even run and gun is rewarded with victories. But it will get a lot tighter in the second half.

Did you even read the Article from Yost?

Feels like you just assumed a bunch of poop. He is asking the question if the Sens are really better than last season. There is Data to back up what he sees. Like he mentions they are different..but no necessarily improved
- senstroll

Like any opinion piece, if you're catering (drive traffic to your site) to the toronto market A.K.A. leaf fans, you have to feed them what they want ....... leafs good, Sens bad ........... it's proven formula that works.

So Yost focuses on the stats that will feed into his opinion, based on the formula.

He ignores the stats, like the Sens improvement over last season such as their ROW improvement , 46% this season vs 39% last season........ because he knows this is not what leaf fans want to read ................ he knows which side his bread is buttered on.

Like any opinion piece, if you're catering (drive traffic to your site) to the toronto market A.K.A. leaf fans, you have to feed them what they want ....... leafs good, Sens bad ........... it's proven formula that works.

So Yost focuses on the stats that will feed into his opinion, based on the formula.

He ignores the stats, like the Sens improvement over last season such as their ROW improvement , 46% this season vs 39% last season........ because he knows this is not what leaf fans want to read ................ he knows which side his bread is buttered on.
- D0PPELGANGER

Because thats dumb

Lets move on you are lost

So why does the coach keep putting them out there, they're averaging 23 TOI per game each (2nd and 3rd on the team behind Karlsson) ............ do you really think IF they were a trainwreck, the coach would keep putting them on ice?

Perhaps your extreme Ottawa bias, and uncontrollable natural instinct, to trash everything Senators related, makes your assessment meaningless.

But continue to believe yourself, if that helps you get through your day.
- D0PPELGANGER

Because the alternative is playing Boro-Wideman more.

Like any opinion piece, if you're catering (drive traffic to your site) to the toronto market A.K.A. leaf fans, you have to feed them what they want ....... leafs good, Sens bad ........... it's proven formula that works.

So Yost focuses on the stats that will feed into his opinion, based on the formula.

He ignores the stats, like the Sens improvement over last season such as their ROW improvement , 46% this season vs 39% last season........ because he knows this is not what leaf fans want to read ................ he knows which side his bread is buttered on.
- D0PPELGANGER

It's easy to claim bias when ignoring context. Yost was extremely critical of the Leafs when the moves they were making didn't agree with what advanced stats pointed to as smart moves. It's not a bias towards the Toronto market, it's just seen through the lens of advanced stats.

If you're referring to T Yost, never really read him when he was a local blogger............ but now that he's been hired, and working for a toronto based company, he's fallen in line with their "pump up the leafs, bash the Sens" formula that is designed to drive traffic to their site, as many leaf fans tend to bevery shallow in their knowledge of the Sens, and rely on these types of sports opinion commentators, and tend to lap up that crap.

But in reality, the Sens are not nearly as bad as those toronto based hockey commentators/columnists claim, when they spoon feed those low information leaf fans, and conversely, the leafs are not nearly as great they claim when pumping up their tires .................. it's the same formula CBC and others have used to draw eyeballs to the leaf broadcasts for years and years ............ and if you don't see that, then you're one of those leaf fans.
- D0PPELGANGER

Way to miss the entire point.

You drew a stupid conclusion and then challenged us to find an alternate answer. More than one us found a MUCH more plausible answer.

Phaneuf is an average NHL Dman making high end money, no matter how you want to pretty it up.

I actually thought the Yost article was pretty good. The Leafs of this year are a little bit like the Sens of last year. Teams that can score are usually okay in the first half of the season. Goal scoring, even run and gun is rewarded with victories. But it will get a lot tighter in the second half.
- spatso

The Leafs this year are like the Sens last year



Good Lord.

[quote=D0PPELGANGER]


Yay you made something up!

I actually thought the Yost article was pretty good. The Leafs of this year are a little bit like the Sens of last year. Teams that can score are usually okay in the first half of the season. Goal scoring, even run and gun is rewarded with victories. But it will get a lot tighter in the second half.
- spatso

But what about December? And the stages?

The Leafs this year are like the Sens last year



Good Lord.
- Aetherial

We are moving into stage II of a typical blue koolaid summer. Fans are beginning to notice the stories being floated that Marner might not be fit enough or ready for NHL prime time. Leafs are a last place team, they are sort of like a very young Edmonton crew of last year without McDavid.

But Leaf fans are great hockey fans and now that the silly summer chatter is winding down, they are getting around to a more balanced level of hockey discussion. We will see the Stage III early season euphoria when they win a few games at the beginning of the season and the Toronto based media predicts good things for them. But the Stage III crash into despair will come like clockwork in early December. Stage IV acceptance of reality will include some anger and frustration but it is not long lasting. And, come early March, Stage I starts again with a high degree of hopefulness as speculation of the guaranteed Tavares signing gets ramped up and fans discuss the great potential of the impending lottery and draft.
- spatso

We are moving into stage II of a typical blue koolaid summer. Fans are beginning to notice the stories being floated that Marner might not be fit enough or ready for NHL prime time. Leafs are a last place team, they are sort of like a very young Edmonton crew of last year without McDavid.

But Leaf fans are great hockey fans and now that the silly summer chatter is winding down, they are getting around to a more balanced level of hockey discussion. We will see the Stage III early season euphoria when they win a few games at the beginning of the season and the Toronto based media predicts good things for them. But the Stage III crash into despair will come like clockwork in early December. Stage IV acceptance of reality will include some anger and frustration but it is not long lasting. And, come early March, Stage I starts again with a high degree of hopefulness as speculation of the guaranteed Tavares signing gets ramped up and fans discuss the great potential of the impending lottery and draft.
- spatso

- systemtool

this is great stuff

Spatso really breaking it down