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B, you've seen me fish. I always wear the rose coloured sunglasses................... they soften the blow when reality smacks me in the face. ?

Agreed. I would be scared having Gardner on my top line in the cup final.

I'm strange. I am left handed in all things (writing, swinging a baseball bat, shooting a hockey puck) but I cast with my right and reel with my left. I always figured I wanted the dexterity on my reeling hand and strength to set the hook was easier to teach for my non-dominant hand. Now, the problem has become, about 5 years ago JoeyTier taught me how to do the 'pencil grip' for ice fishing jigging. I love it but I can only do it with my left hand. So its, jig, set the hook, switch hands, reel........ or more accurately, jig, set the hook, switch hands, fish has spit the hook, scream into the hole for 15 minutes.

Gardner for Hamilton will never happen unless its a sign and trade deal. I'm pretty sure the Canes aren't making the playoffs this year and to give up Hamilton for a rental wouldn't really make much sense. Plus if the leafs are all in, which it looks like they are going to be, they are going to try really hard to keep all of their roster players. Though that is looking a lot harder with what they have left now.

Holy smokes. What would it take for the leafs to get Hamilton? Also he is a cap hit of 5.75 for two seasons after this. How would they make him fit? Maybe Bret Pesce? He is only a hair over $4 million. Still though, the cap is going to be tight for a few years in leaf land.

@DJ, before I forget, if you have free time can you send me a PM about Stucco lake. Not looking for hot spots or anything but I have been meaning to fish that lake for about 3 years now for crappie either spring or through the ice. Seems like you have em dialed in. If you are willing to share tips on what worked for you I would be super grateful. Again, I know its a big ask so if you don't feel comfortable no worries.

What a pickup. Gave up practically nothing for him and he still has a year left. So long Jake Gardner, your replacement is here.

Wow. Well done.

I think people value ‘the best player in the game’ too highly now in the NHL. There is so much parity. It’s not like back when Gretzky was getting over 200 points and everone else (Save Mario Lemieux) was getting 150. Or even when Crosby was the only player over 100 points every season. You’d be trading 160 some odd points with McKinnon and Rantanen for between 100 and 130 for McDavid. The problem with hockey is even your best players can only be on the ice for 30 minutes max. That is when you start talking trading more then 1 star for a superstar it doesn’t make sense. You get more icetime our or the 2 stars overall. We were talking about this as well, maybe the asking price for McDavid is too large and as such, he is stuck in Edmonton until his contract runs out.

I should start betting against the Leafs every game. Before the Tampa game I thought 'They are slumping. Tampa is on fire. If I was a betting man I'd put some surefire money on Tampa' Oops. At around 4pm yesterday I said the same thing about Washington. Double oops. Also my co-worker and I were talking about this yesterday. Want to get everyone's opinion on this. We were talking about if Edmonton was to move McDavid what it would take. I said it would be interesting if they started talking with Colorado. I say it would probably take 2 players and both of the 1st round picks Colorado has this year to start (Theirs and Ottawas lottery pick). I say if I'm Colorado I could go as high as Rantanen but McKinnon would be off the table. I say it makes no sense to move McKinnon plus other stuff when McDavid is just only a little bit better. My co-worker says she would make the deal (The deal we were thinking was McKinnon (Or Rantanen) and Tyson Barrie plus both of Colorado's first round picks) What is everyone's thoughts on this? Also we said we could see McDavid going to Vegas a la Gretzky to LA however many years ago.

Wow. Man oh man, looks like you had a great day.

I just realized I think I found something in the NHL we can all agree on. At least the Leafs and the Sens aren't the Edmonton Oilers. If I still lived in Edmonton I'd be asking for Chirelli's head on a pike. Remember when Pittsburgh got Crosby? The team was terrible. Looked like they had to fold. Then they drafted smart around him. Fleury, Malkin, (I think they drafted Jordan Staal) and they became the closest thing to a dynasty in the salary cap era. Take Edmonton in the same situation. They may go down in history as the biggest waste of a generational talent of all time. How long before McDavid demands a trade out of Edmonton?

Most of this was my thoughts exactly. I'd rather be making the playoffs, even if its limping into them (which it won't be. This is just a really really cold patch) then go back to when the Leafs gave Boston Tyler Seguin. Welcome to Karma Matt.

The moment i’m Going to hold him to is the Nylander signing. It was a big moment for Dubas and we will see how it all turns out. I would have been totally fine if Nylander rode the pine the entire season rather then Dubas caving in to make a deal. Now we are hearing he won’t be able to keep Kapanen and Johnson. This summer will be interesting to see if the leafs keep making strides forward towards the cup.

I would have lost a lot of money if I had bet on this game. With them slumping and Tampa surging I figured the leafs were in for a long night. Glad to see the bounce back.

Looks good bud. Can't wait to try it out next season.

I love reading between the lines. Sens suck and are giving Hughs (Hues?) to the Avs. So Matt is watching the leafs again. It’ll be ok. He’ll come out of the closet as a leafs fan in a few years.

On the radio they were saying they can’t figure out why the fans were booing Gardner last night. Its simple. His compete level has to be better. He can be better and his last 2 games were just dreadful. He needs to know that level of compete is not good enough for a team of this caliber. People are saying they don’t want to see him go next year. Honestly, we don’t need puck movers. If we had 2 defensively responsible right handed D men that won battles and didn’t lose their head with the puck, we’d be better off

Nice. Glad to hear you guys got out.

Dang that looks good.

I think eventually my soon to be wife will get bored with me and I'll be able to get out fishing more. Specially when we have a baby, when its old enough to go fishing and when I can get it out of her hair for a few hours........ in conclusion, I'll be able to go ice fishing more in about 10 or so years.

She's pretty good. Over the summer she loves fishing and back country camping. I think I get to fish most days from May to October. But she can't stand the cold and loves spending time with me. She'll come out when we have a warm hut and the bite is good but I remember we went out once for Crappie and got skunked in about 6 hours of fishing. She was not happy.

Its not so bad when we get weather. There are local lakes that can produce and I love going to Simcoe once she finally freezes over. Can usually get to my spots in about 45. I don't mind that too much. That being said, they've closed down Little Lake access in Barrie which I used to love and Scugog has a fishing ban. While I agree with the ban on Scugog it makes getting to lakes from the big city in the winter a lot harder. Now, that being said, its a time issue as well. Back when I was contract and was laid off over the winter (and single) I'd drive 4 hours up north for a new lake. The lake have no access or no safe ice? Keep driving. I had no problem doing that for a day and figuring out hot spots, new access points and ice thickness. Now between the missus and work, I think I get 1 day off a month to ice fish. I can't take my vacation or my lieu time (This year its going towards our honeymoon in May) so I have to make every time I'm allowed out on my own count. Like I said, I have no problem paying a few extra bucks. Its honestly worth it. Last year I struck a deal with a cottage owner on my favorite lake. $5 a day for a parking spot that is a 5 minute walk from my favourite spot. Sign me up!

It just makes it easier for us folks here in the South. I'd gladly pay a few bucks or a coffee for a bit of info. I used to hate when I'd drive 2-3 hours to my favourite lake only to find it had 2 inches of ice. When that happens I often find myself playing the game of 'Am I going to roll the dice or write off my day plus $40+ worth of gas, bait etc'. If I have a bud that lives up in the area and says '2 inches and its not really safe' I plan the day with the missus or crossing stuff off the honey do list.

Hyman showed last night how a pro returns after time off. Yes the goal and the +4 were nice but he was fighting every shift. Winning puck battles and really digging for the puck. Maybe Babcock should have him room with Nylander for road games. The kid might learn a thing or two.