General Hockey Talk - Injuries, signings, factoids + other news from around the league

SpezDispenser wrote:Ian White's a healthy scratch tonight and apparently he's not pleased. Is he our guy? Right handed, always quite liked him. Might be a really solid fit.

Wow he is pissed:
http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/02/red_wings_ian_white_frustrated.html

It's really frustrating,'' White said. “I've played almost 500 games at this level and I've played the same way, so suddenly I guess it's not working.''

He added, “I am taken aback. I didn't see this coming. I feel like I'm playing the same way I played the last seven years. I work as hard as I can every night. Maybe I don't have the stats this year I've had in the past, but I feel I'm working hard and playing the same way I always have.''

It'll be interesting what happens,'' White said. “We got nine guys once everyone is healthy. I'm not sure exactly what the plan's going to be when that happens. It would be a tough spot to be in and out of the lineup all the time, that's for sure.''

Looking at the comments section, it seems no one would be sad to see him. He's 5'10 and 190lbs.

Jason York was running his mouth last week about how he never liked Babcock...Apparently when York was in Detroit, he was sent down to the AHL, and didn't enjoy that. I guess White feels the same way now.

At the very least, White does things the white way, so he has a fan in Darren Pang.

Heh. Gionta's empty net goal last night against the Laffs was not counted as an empty netter as Scrivens was not on the bench yet. Hilarious. Leafs looked like Dung last night. Pooneuf didn't accept Prust's offer to fight and looked like a Front Bum doing so. Man, no one is afraid of him anymore. Lame captain.

Phanuef is the worst captain in the NHL by a mile, it's not close, lol.

tim1_2 wrote:Jason York was running his mouth last week about how he never liked Babcock...Apparently when York was in Detroit, he was sent down to the AHL, and didn't enjoy that. I guess White feels the same way now.

At the very least, White does things the white way, so he has a fan in Darren Pang.

Meh, White is a dime a dozen guy and the only reason he has somewhat of a name at all is because he played in Toronto... simple as that. He was always a decent D man on really bad teams... Toronto, Calgary, and Carolina. In San Jose he wasn't great and in Detroit he hasn't been great. He's right though, he's been playing the same way his entire career and that's very average if not worse.

NEELY wrote:Phanuef is the worst captain in the NHL by a mile, it's not close, lol.

Heh. The post game call ins were all about "What would Wendel do?". Hilarious. Leaf Nation is stuck in the past still.

shabbs wrote:

NEELY wrote:Phanuef is the worst captain in the NHL by a mile, it's not close, lol.

Heh. The post game call ins were all about "What would Wendel do?". Hilarious. Leaf Nation is stuck in the past still.

The Leafs are going to be where they are for a long time, between 7th-10th most years... not good enough to really compete for a cup but not bad enough to tank.

When Toronto named Phaneuf their captain, I said it was a big mistake. Look at the guy, and tell me he's a guy you'd follow into battle. He'll be traded at the deadline next year, or walk as a free agent. They need more culture change in Toronto, and they need a captaincy change. That will only come with Phaneuf leaving.

tim1_2 wrote:When Toronto named Phaneuf their captain, I said it was a big mistake. Look at the guy, and tell me he's a guy you'd follow into battle. He'll be traded at the deadline next year, or walk as a free agent. They need more culture change in Toronto, and they need a captaincy change. That will only come with Phaneuf leaving.

They can easily get rid of him on the pretense that he was a "Jurke guy" at this point and barely cause a ripple.

Toronto still has no leader, nothing close. That's the issue since Sundin decided to retire. There is absolutely no one to follow and no one that can take that team on their back and drag them through the rough times. The only player that comes even close to that in Toronto right now is Grabovsky and he's no where near captain material.

The Leafs got shown what a solid young team is last night. They're still stuck being 'good'.

Bozak: -4
Kessel: -4
JVR: -4
Phaneuf: -3

All from last night. Sources say that's not good.

NEELY wrote:Phanuef is the worst captain in the NHL by a mile, it's not close, lol.

I'd say its a tossup between him and Ovechkin. OV flat out doesn't care anymore.

And Phaneuf doesn't fight because he sucks at it. Foligno beat him up and even Cowen tossed him around. He's more of a coward than a tough guy.

Carlyle and the Leafs just seem like a touch that's a decade too late. They play goons with their skilled (Orr plays with Kadi and played almost 15 minutes yesterday) and think they can beat you up and intimidate you. The good teams just ignore their attempts at getting a fight going and just play to win.

Remember the last Phaneuf big hit? It was on Da Costa, a small player. Remember the last time Neil freight-trained someone? It was the biggest guy on the other team, Brian Boyle.

One is a true tough guy, one is a fraud.

tim1_2 wrote:Remember the last Phaneuf big hit? It was on Da Costa, a small player. Remember the last time Neil freight-trained someone? It was the biggest guy on the other team, Brian Boyle.

One is a true tough guy, one is a fraud.

DaCosta returned the favour in their first meeting with the Leafs this season.

Apparently Kovalev is a scratch and is on the trading block. Kuba has also been a scratch and is a 3rd pairing D-man for $4M/year.

I thought Tallon was a good GM ?

Hoags wrote:Apparently Kovalev is a scratch and is on the trading block. Kuba has also been a scratch and is a 3rd pairing D-man for $4M/year.

I thought Tallon was a good GM ?

Only so much you can do with that team. They literally have no money.

NEELY wrote:

Hoags wrote:Apparently Kovalev is a scratch and is on the trading block. Kuba has also been a scratch and is a 3rd pairing D-man for $4M/year.

I thought Tallon was a good GM ?

Only so much you can do with that team. They literally have no money.

Neither of those were big mis-steps on his part. What worked with Karlsson may have worked with Soupy, even if it would have been to a lesser extent, with Kuba. Kovalev should have been a little hungry to re-prove himself in the NHL at only a million bucks.