01-18-13 05:43 PM - Post#1500020    

Man I feel really bad for these three this year. With no Western teams playing the East, they are just going to have to coast through the year while fighting g eachother.

Bordeleau finally makes it to the big show and can't show his stuff on a regular basis unless the Avs are playing the Wild or Predators.

Kassian came into his own last year and looked to be a top contender for this season, but he also can't prove himself.

And McGrattan, this might be his last kick at the can.

Ryan Reaves better step up.

formerly Belak_2 aka Bleka... DOWN GOES BRASHEAR!

01-18-13 05:47 PM - Post#1500022    

    In response to Twist 'n Belak

At least they're all up!

1. Colton Orr 2. Brian McGrattan 3. Shawn Thornton 4. John Scott 5. Frazer McLaren 6. Patrick Bordeleau 7. George Parros 8. Deryk Engelland 9. Jay Rosehill 10. Kevin Westgarth

01-18-13 06:08 PM - Post#1500031    

    In response to Brawls16

True but I was really looking forward to seeing Bordy and Kassian fight the East toughguys. It's hard to wait another year lol. But at least the east will be fun.

formerly Belak_2 aka Bleka... DOWN GOES BRASHEAR!

01-18-13 06:12 PM - Post#1500033    

    In response to Twist 'n Belak

Dallas could really use Gazdic.

01-18-13 06:45 PM - Post#1500039    

    In response to gulash

• gulash Said:

Yea I have no clue who they got after letting Dowell go and trading Fistric. Morrow?

formerly Belak_2 aka Bleka... DOWN GOES BRASHEAR!

01-19-13 12:38 AM - Post#1500086    

    In response to Twist 'n Belak

McLaren made the Sharks so that's 4 heavies in the West...

"I may be an emotional cripple but am becoming a strong, burly fucking hunk of a man." -Crowder

01-19-13 12:59 AM - Post#1500088    

    In response to haymaker36

I could see Bordelau being the next John Scott. He'll beat the fucking shit out of some middleweights and light heavies who step too him but with only a few other true contenders in the conference he might pick his spots and avoid the heavyweight showdowns as the one knock on him in the AHL is that he doesn't seem overly interested in fighting and his card is not that great. Hopefully he wants to make his mark and prove he can handle the best of the best rather than skip them over for fear of looking bad in defeat when he can beat up most of the tough guys on the pussy teams with ease and look like a killer.

Kassian's way more proactive in looking for fights, but he may not fight too many. The East seems to be where the bulk of the action will be.

McLaren's can hang with anyone in the West but would probably be the underdog against the big three mentioned here. Darcy Hordichuck can still hang with anyone and upset anyone on a given night but he's gotta be starting to go down the other side of the hill just a little bit. Bollig's a gamer and can hang with or upset anyone on a given night but he'd be the underdog against McGrattan, Kassian and Bordeleau. Same goes for Rosehill if he gets the call and Jared Boll in Columbus can hang as well but will be overmatched a little bit by those 3.

They should be the Big 3 to run the West, a PL3 callup in Anaheim or a Joel Rechlicz callup in Pheonix could add a little bit more compeition at some point.

"To be honest, even though he lost, Hendricks did a better job of enforcing than most heavyweight enforcers do." - Peatycap Not only is the NHL totally fucked it's fans are out to lunch now as well

01-19-13 01:36 AM - Post#1500094    

    In response to Drunk_24-7

I would use these guys in the games where is possibvle meeting. McGrattan get those 10-20 games.
Not great player from his skills but his value is high for his team.
Not bone crusher with his hits but bone crusher in the fights.
Smart fighter, very strong...
Kassian who seems to be a fighter who outlanding you.
Fast hands.
Not sure about him how good he is by a player but his value is important for his team.
Everyone enforcers are very value for own team, PERIOD.
And Bordeleau, newcomer...

I hope they not sitting a whole game on the bench but getting some ice minutes... their plus minus numbers arent that bad though but on the other hand they arent playing so so much.



Edited by juha82 on 01-19-13 01:36 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

01-19-13 03:44 AM - Post#1500097    

    In response to juha82

How do you guys feel about Brandon Bollig? Heavy or light heavy? I waffle on this issue myself

Take the shortest route to the puck and arive there in Ill Humor

01-19-13 08:37 AM - Post#1500115    

    In response to Blues 34

Ya, his fight card is all over the place.

But he's 6'3 220 and fights them all.

Heavy.

1. Colton Orr 2. Brian McGrattan 3. Shawn Thornton 4. John Scott 5. Frazer McLaren 6. Patrick Bordeleau 7. George Parros 8. Deryk Engelland 9. Jay Rosehill 10. Kevin Westgarth

01-19-13 10:18 AM - Post#1500131    

    In response to Brawls16

Really rooting for the kid even though he plays for the Hawks. He is an area kid and I have seen him play quite a bit as a kid

I waffle on heavy or light heavy with him much like I do Reaves of the Blues. Hopefully they have several this year

Take the shortest route to the puck and arive there in Ill Humor

01-19-13 11:17 AM - Post#1500138    

    In response to Blues 34

He is really a light heavy with the heart of a true heavyweight. He will fight anyone and can usually hold his own. He understands, accepts and embraces the enforcer role and plays it well. He has some hockey skill and can play a reglular shift which should keep him around for a while. Right now I would say he is among the top Light Heavyweights in the league which in todays NHL could still put you in the top ten heavyweights overall as the trend toward Light Heavyweights replacing true heavyweights continues. I see a lot of Shawn Thornton's game in Bollig. He is a very skilled technical fighter who can go with both hands, has a solid chin and good balance. He's not small but he is outsized by the few remaining Monsters that are out there. If he continues to fill out muscle wise and continues to improve as a hockey player with his attitude and work ethic, he could potentially have Thornton like effectiveness in the role.

He is not going to scare or intimidate any decent heavyweight but he is a tough enough and skilled enough fighter to earn the respect of those guys and he should see the kind of ice time he'll need to be in the face of the pests and middleweights and guys he can intimidate. He'll throw a beating into anyone if they deserve it, lightweights, non fighters and skilled players alike and he won't back down from the biggest or baddest guys you can throw at him. Win or lose he will usually get his licks in and at the very least let his opponenent know they're in a fight.

I think he would be the underdog on paper against McGrattan, Kassian, Bordeleau and would lose to those guys more often than he would beat them but he would make it a battle nearly every time out and would get some draws and probably score an upset win here and there as well. Right now he would probably rank along side guys like Cam Janssen, Ryan Reaves, Mike Rupp, Kevin Westgarth, Jared Boll, Chris Neil, Brandon Prust, Jay Rosehill and these type of guys in terms of fighting albility but the technical tools, excellent work ethic and perfect attitude and passion for the role to go with some pretty decent hockey skills create an opportunity for him to be one of the best enforcers in the NHL at some point if it continues to water down around him. He is a throwback player who would have been a light heavy lucky to make it ten years ago but his combination of fighting ability and hockey ablity could very well allow him to be one of the top heavyweight enforcers in todays NHL going forward. Of McGrattan, Kassian and Bordeleau, Bollig may not be the best fighter but he probably has the best odds of seeing the most ice and sticking around the longest to a point where when you look around the league at the guys in the enforcer role, he would be one of the top heavyweights left playing.

"To be honest, even though he lost, Hendricks did a better job of enforcing than most heavyweight enforcers do." - Peatycap Not only is the NHL totally fucked it's fans are out to lunch now as well