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NHL April 2013 |OT| Darren Dreger: The NHL's Shane Kim

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S

Spl1nter

Member
Quick said:
They have nothing else to do, so might as well write fan fiction.
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Definitely could use more fan fiction. Manics was right all along. We need more of this for are other top prospects.

Kadri: The Boy Inside The Man

On a hot, sweltering Toronto afternoon, I meet up with the Leafs 2009 top pick Nazem Kadri. This was the 2nd time I have met the young budding star and to say I was surprised is putting it mildly. The first time I met Nazem was September 2009, a scrawny young kid listed at 170lbs. I doubted he'd tip 165 in a wet suit when I first met him. This time around I was blown away. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was just the excitement of seeing this rising young star again at the beginning of his career. He had obviously started to fill out, and the results of all his hard work at the gym were more than evident. I bit my lip and thought to myself "Oh to be 19 again". What was once scrawny was now filled out and buff. Muscles rippled, pecs stood out, the face of the young lad had started to turn into that of a man. He sensed my shock when I saw him and greeted him.

"Wow", I say. "You're not how I remember"
Kadri giggles nervously and replies "Yeah, it's taken a lot of hard work".

I must have stared a moment too long because he seems to get nervous just then and suggests we move on and get the interview under way. I forget he's still a boy even though he's looking more and more like a man. I offer to buy him a smoothie from the Papaya Hut in downtown Toronto but he tells me he's on a strict diet. I grab my smoothie, and we leisurely stroll down Yonge St. and discuss his potential to make the Leafs this season.

Kadri is realistic about his chances this upcoming season and knows he has a tremendous opportunity if he works hard. He tells me it's been his dream since he was a kid to make the NHL and the opportunity presented by the Leafs is one he doesn't want to miss out on.

"We have a young core of players here in Toronto, the youngest in the league, I just hope I can show enough at camp to stick with the big club". Kadri has been penciled into the Leafs lineup by many observers but he knows it won't be that easy. "Last season was tough. I really thought I could stick in the NHL, but I realized later on that I still had a ways to go. I set out to improve myself and my game in hopes of making it this season"

The willingness and the ability to improve are two strong traits in this young man. After a slow start to the OHL season, Kadri picked up the pace to finish with 93 points in only 56 games and was named as a finalist for OHL player of the year. He continuted his strong play into the playoffs where he netted an incredible 27 points in only 12 games. These are stats that should get any Leafs fan excited about this young man's potential.

We briefly chat about his muslim upbringing and how he is being viewed as a potential role model in the league, a barrier smasher so to speak.
"I don't think about that stuff", replies Kadri, "I'm just me, I try to be the best I can be, if I inspire any other kids that's great, but I don't see myself as anything special in that regard".

I tell him he IS special, and he nervously accepts my compliment.

As we end the interview, I watch him walk away from me, I gaze and think about the future of this young star, this mere boy who is now filling out a man's body. The heat from the afternoon has coated Kadri's shirt in sweat, and I can easily make out the physique under his shirt. I still can't believe how much he's filled out, and I have to finally turn away as I bite my lip again.

I can't see into the future, but I predict great things for Kadri. Leafs fans should prepare themselves for success, with Kadri on a young Leafs team, the future is oh so bright.
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M

MetatronM

Unconfirmed Member
The Adam Hall shenanigans are terribly amusing.



Chris Kreider, JT Miller, and Jesper Fast have all been sent down to the Connecticut Whale. Fast makes sense since he's new to North America and needs time in the minors before he can hit the big time, and he may need to go back to Sweden in a couple weeks anyway, but I'm a little surprised that BOTH Kreider and Miller are going down. Would have thought Kreider would and not JT. On the one hand, Torts doesn't trust them yet with the season on the line, so it does make sense. On the other hand, they're two of our youngest, fastest (aside from Hagelin), and most dynamic skaters. At a time when goals are hard to come by, it seems counter-intuitive to add guys with no goals while taking away young secondary scorers.
 
L

LevelNth

Banned
Tabris said:
TSN is actually the best NHL coverage in the league and they are the #1 source for authentic information.

They've had a rough time. The Boston Bruins GM tells them the deal is done, so they report it. They hear from Toronto that talks went really well with Kipper and his agent, but then Kipper gets cold feet (probably talked to his wife).

Can't blame them for those. If they waited to confirm all 3 sides, then they would miss out on being the source of getting the news ASAP.
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But they didn't report the Boston/Iginla thing until after, all they said prior was Boston was a frontrunner; we all knew that.

The reality is that insiders are judged on the frequency of truth to their 'inside' information, and no one is ever expecting 100%.

The issue is how large of a drop TSN sees during trade deadline day. Aka, they are making up bullshit to get viewers to tune in.
 
C

CrazedArabMan

Member
If Burmi is on the table, I would like to see Holland go out for him, may give Datsyuk someone to mentor as well.

Asking price though is probably high, though I wouldn't mind parting with a prospect and pick or something around Flip for him. Plus the Jets aren't in our conference this year, and they won't be next year either, no other team is like that I believe.
 
A

apocalidiot

Banned
LevelNth said:
But they didn't report the Boston/Iginla thing until after, all they said prior was Boston was a frontrunner; we all knew that.

The reality is that insiders are judged on the frequency of truth to their 'inside' information, and no one is ever expecting 100%.

The issue is how large of a drop TSN sees during trade deadline day. Aka, they are making up bullshit to get viewers to tune in.
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The media hypes up an event for ratings, what a fucking shock
 
B

bonesmccoy

Banned
Tabris said:
If they waited to confirm all 3 sides, then they would miss out on being the source of getting the news ASAP.
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Except that TSN is already the default sources of 'official' trade information. It doesn't even matter who reports it first, people will read/watch/visit TSN for their take and/or confirmation. This whole rush to be first, when you essentially are already first, is counterproductive - especially when it results in embarrassment (Aaron Ward seems to have quieted down).
 
M

MetatronM

Unconfirmed Member
Marc Staal was working out with the Rangers today. Still not back on the ice.

Got a new helmet, though.

marc-staal-visor.jpg
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A

Acid08

Banned
MetatronM said:
ryane-clowe.jpg


Yup, he's already here in New York, so at the very least he'll probably be practicing with the team today. May play tonight against the Pens.
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Looks really good, hope he gets a Gordie Howe hatty tonight :)

If his first game is against Murray....lol that's just too serendipitous.
 
M

MetatronM

Unconfirmed Member
Acid08 said:
Looks really good, hope he gets a Gordie Howe hatty tonight :)

If his first game is against Murray....lol that's just to serendipitous.
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Well if he's not in tonight (though now that we've sent JT and Kreider down it's probably a given that he's in), he would play on Friday, which is ALSO against the Pens, so that's going down no matter what. :)


Word is Clowe might be on a line with Richards and Gaborik. LOL at that offensive power!
 
A

Acid08

Banned
MetatronM said:
Well if he's not in tonight (though now that we've sent JT and Kreider down it's probably a given that he's in), he would play on Friday, which is ALSO against the Pens, so that's going down no matter what. :)


Word is Clowe might be on a line with Richards and Gaborik. LOL at that offensive power!
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Ha, it's just too perfect!

As long as Torts keeps him away from the fucking half boards you guys should be good.
 
T

Tabris

Member
I would love to know what the market is for Schneider.

If Luongo is so hard to move, maybe we go the extreme opposite way and get a really big young (or a really good contract) forward for Schneider and stay with Luongo. Try to score our way out of Luongo's breakdowns?
 
P

Parch

Member
Dubbedinenglish said:
Smithson to the Oilers
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Fills a 4th line hole. A big center that might win a faceoff once in awhile. Something the Oilers lacked, and for a 4th round pick, why the hell not.
At least it's telling the fans that the team does have the playoffs in sight. Whitney is gone off season but trading him now really sends the wrong message.
 
M

Marvie_3

Banned
Parch said:
Fills a 4th line hole. A big center that might win a faceoff once in awhile. Something the Oilers lacked, and for a 4th round pick, why the hell not.
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Replace Oilers with Blackhawks and this is exactly what was said about the Handzus trade. :lol
 
D

Dubbedinenglish

Banned
Parch said:
Fills a 4th line hole. A big center that might win a faceoff once in awhile. Something the Oilers lacked, and for a 4th round pick, why the hell not.
At least it's telling the fans that the team does have the playoffs in sight. Whitney is gone off season but trading him now really sends the wrong message.
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Less on the "big" part, more of a face off specialist and PK'er.
 
K

Keslord

Banned
Nick Kypreos ‏@RealKyper 29s
In 3 trades so far, the 4 players moved Sauve, Flick, Hannan, Smithson) have combined for 6 PTS in the #NHL this year. #TradeTracker
 
S

Spl1nter

Member
Down Goes Brown ‏@DownGoesBrown 42s
Shero: “Hey guys, we just acquired Jokinen…” Iginla: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Shero: “No, no, the other one.”
 
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