TLN Monday Mailbag: December 4th

The call the mailbag post the most anticipated post of the week is an understatement. Well it’s probably an incorrect statement, but for those of us who get to answer the questions it’s probably more fun than it is for anyone reading this. I’m not sure how every single blog has landed on Monday as they a mailbag post goes up either. That’s always bothered me. I don’t think I’ve ever checked my physical mailbox on a Monday. I like to let the mail build up until at least Wednesday. That seems like a good day to check mail. Anyway, the man says the post goes up today, so I’m not about to be hassled by the man over this, so here’s handsome answers to your questions.

This seems like it’s gonna be one that comes up an awful lot over the course of the year? My thoughts on this are that I don’t think having guys like Polak and Matt Martin in the lineup will prevent the Leafs from winning enough of the regular season games that are needed for them to take second in the Atlantic division. Catching up to Tampa doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen, so why not dress a player who solely exists to absorb shots on the penalty kill? Every time Polak dresses that’s one more day that another player isn’t hurt. That may be crappy reasoning, but ultimately I’m not ready to freak out about Polak unless he’s still playing in May. The regular season is a marathon, treat Polak games like when you walk or jog. Don’t get upset over the regular season, that’s so 2014.

If there’s a blueline situation I’m worried about it’s that the organization seems to think Nikita Zaitsev is a top four guy.

I mean, the Leafs are still on the positive side of things, and are 15th in the league. That’s good enough to be on the bubble, so it’s not a huge concern. Also I went to Corsica.Hockey to explore it further and  

*extreme Dave Staples voice* Five of the teams ahead of the Leafs are not even playoff teams, including the top two.

I’m not going to say that CF% isn’t the be all and end all, but I think the story for the Leafs is that they are a high event (FUN!) team, and the Leafs are blessed with forwards that haven’t had much trouble finishing on their chances this year, while Andersen had a very hot November which covered up a wealth of defensive sins. I don’t think it’s something to be worried about because no matter what the Leafs are good enough to hang on in terrible division, but it’s not something to dismiss either. It’s a reminder than upgrading on Bozak could be a smart decision, and the team should consider renting a defenseman sooner rather than later.

This is a very handsome question and one worth exploring. The problem with Laine isn’t so much that he isn’t good at hockey, it’s that he frightens small children. That seems like it would alienate a large portion of the Leafs fanbase and prevent the next generation from growing up as Leafs fans. Having Laine wind up in a city that no one cares about and the locals don’t own TVs is ideal for the NHL, and wouldn’t doubt that the NHL fixed the draft lottery so that Laine ended up there on purpose.

Now if we were to consider alternate draft plans for the Leafs it makes the most sense that the Leafs would have struck a deal with Arizona, where they could draft their local boy, and the Leafs could have acquired Oliver Ekman-Larsson as well as the Coyotes draft pick which would be used on Clayton Keller. This is downgrading a little at center but provides the Leafs with the defense they need. This combination still is incapable of matching the joy I experience everyday by having Auston Matthews be a Leaf, but it’s the only acceptable other option.

As for the Jets success, it’s only going to make their first round playoff exit that much sweeter.

I assure you that the mailbag is real. Every other blog makes theirs up though. The Leafs Nation is the only blog committed to mailbag excellence and that’s why the mailbag is kept under lock and key at the Nation Network Headquarters. I saw it once, but I wasn’t allowed to take a picture. And again, all other sites are lying about their mailbags and don’t love you like we do.

 

 

 

Daryl Katz is wealthy man who has received so much from the City of Edmonton, I’m sure he’ll take his extra money and use it improve one of the communities in need. Just kidding, that’s his propositioning money. At best he’ll use it to buy a rare painting or buyout Kris Russell. Wait, I don’t want him to buy out Russell. Hopefully he finds a nice painting.

Always good to get an important question like this from Dad twitter. The easy answer would be to go with whatever Paw Patroller that my kid currently likes the most, and that seems to be Everest. What’s not to like about a snowboarding Husky? With all due respect to my daughter, I have to disagree with her and say that Rocky is far and away the best member of the Paw Patrol. First of all, I’m partial to mutts, and Rocky is the only member of the paw patrol who isn’t a pure breed. He promotes the idea that dogs at your local shelter are just as awesome as those found at breeders and will appreciate your love so much more. Rocky also lives in a garbage truck, and that’s pretty awesome. And he has a tugboat. There are lots of reasons why Rocky is the best, but it’s also worth noting that I like the colour green.