Clifford Mugford

[TopCheese]

I've seen this kid play AAA hockey and I'm sorry but he's nothing special. Since there is no fighting with the full cage, his penality minutes were not from that. From the games I've seen they were pretty stupid penalties. The kid had a lot of grit and liked the rough stuff, but was over-aggressive in many of the penalities he got. I only saw him play against the Maple Leafs, one of Atlantic Canada's top Midget teams, so many of those PIMs could have been due to frustration. I can however see this player drop the gloves in camp. I'm not too sure how he'll do, but he seems to have that aggressive attitude.

[Judas In My Mind]

killer said:

I can;t see Gallant sitting very many games unless he is injured

I didn't say it as a knock on Brett or anything but when I look at our lineup as it stands right now, and look at the lack of real threatening fighters/enforcers in the league this year...

Anyway here is our lineup. We likely dress 12 forwards each night although I would not be surprised to see an 11 forward 7 D lineup a time or two.

1. Dido
2. Knox
3. F. Charland
4. K. Charland
5. Leduc
6. Gauthier
7. Liske
8. Sparling
9. Anthony
10. Stoddard
11. Kirkpatrick

That leaves one opening for a 12th forward among guys like Gallant, Thomas and whoever else rounds out the lineup, be it a Langan, Richer, Pard, etc etc. Maybe Gallant won't be a healthy scratch as maybe his natural injuries over the course of the year from fighting will create enough openings for those other guys to squeeze into the lineup. If not though I can see on nights where having a fighter might not be needed but we still want grit, Thomas gets in there. If we want more skill, one of the other guys.

[canucklehead]

Great point Leask and thanks for putting that writeup in there for me Bert I'm alittle lazy sometimes.

Gallant will no doubt be sitting a fair number of games this season and I don't see him having a problem with it the team is getting better and as a result he may play less but he's always been a team player in my opinion and I don't see that changing. I'm not saying he'll sit alot because injuries happen and games where they may feel the need to have a true enforcer in their lineup.

[icepak]

I played with Mugford the past two seasons in Major Midget and I think he will have a shot at cracking the roster. The kid is crazy and knows what his role will be on this team, and forth line crasher and banger, and drop the gloves on a regular basis. Coach has already assured him that if he plays that way then he will get a long looka t camp. I will assure you that he will drop the mitts with anyone, he has balls as he fought numerous times over the past two seasons in our exhibition games with local Junior B teams, and on top of that he is an excellent skater and has a pro shot. Hopefully he will put up a good showing .

[berner]

jrsuperstar said:

killer said:

I can;t see Gallant sitting very many games unless he is injured

I didn't say it as a knock on Brett or anything but when I look at our lineup as it stands right now, and look at the lack of real threatening fighters/enforcers in the league this year...

Anyway here is our lineup. We likely dress 12 forwards each night although I would not be surprised to see an 11 forward 7 D lineup a time or two.

1. Dido
2. Knox
3. F. Charland
4. K. Charland
5. Leduc
6. Gauthier
7. Liske
8. Sparling
9. Anthony
10. Stoddard
11. Kirkpatrick

That leaves one opening for a 12th forward among guys like Gallant, Thomas and whoever else rounds out the lineup, be it a Langan, Richer, Pard, etc etc. Maybe Gallant won't be a healthy scratch as maybe his natural injuries over the course of the year from fighting will create enough openings for those other guys to squeeze into the lineup. If not though I can see on nights where having a fighter might not be needed but we still want grit, Thomas gets in there. If we want more skill, one of the other guys.

While I'd love to see all those 11 guys play 70 games this season, you can bank on the fact that there will be injuries, both minor and major, that will force any of these guys out of the lineup at some point. I think the 12th/13th/14th forwards will get more playing time than you may expect because of this. It's a grind on teenagers, you need that depth to conitnue to compete.

[berner]

icepak said:

I played with Mugford the past two seasons in Major Midget and I think he will have a shot at cracking the roster. The kid is crazy and knows what his role will be on this team, and forth line crasher and banger, and drop the gloves on a regular basis. Coach has already assured him that if he plays that way then he will get a long looka t camp. I will assure you that he will drop the mitts with anyone, he has balls as he fought numerous times over the past two seasons in our exhibition games with local Junior B teams, and on top of that he is an excellent skater and has a pro shot. Hopefully he will put up a good showing .

Thanks for the info on the Mugger - hopefulle he makes a splash at camp, sounds like the type of guy the crowd would get behind.

[dogbert]

I don't see anybody in that list of 11 that will strike fear into anyone on the opposition. I think a bigger more mature Thomas gets regular playing time, and (capable) guys like Mugford, Lewis, Richer, or whoever get rotated in to help.

4th line: Gallant or xxx - Leduc - Thomas

[Judas In My Mind]

dogbert said:

I don't see anybody in that list of 11 that will strike fear into anyone on the opposition. I think a bigger more mature Thomas gets regular playing time, and (capable) guys like Mugford, Lewis, Richer, or whoever get rotated in to help.

4th line: Gallant or xxx - Leduc - Thomas

No there isn't anyone in that list of 11 that would strike fear into the opposition, and that is what I am getting at Dogbert. There will be nights when we don't need someone to do that. I found the league to be "soft" last year and this year looks even moreso. I'm not only talking about fighters either, but heavy hitters/checkers. Last year at times when Gallant was injured I don't remember thinking to myself "We need him healthy fast. They are running our boys through the boards". Not very often anyway.

When we're playing a soft team with no real enforcer and that doesn't play a physical style of game, Gallant will likely see some time as a scratch, healthy or not.

And back on Mugford, I'm just glad to hear a kid saying he's going to bust his ass to try and make a team and if he doesn't make it he'll bust his ass wherever he ends up and try again next year. The work your ass off attitude is something every player should have, including the star players that have a "guaranteed" job.

[killer]

jrsuperstar said:

killer said:

I can;t see Gallant sitting very many games unless he is injured

I didn't say it as a knock on Brett or anything but when I look at our lineup as it stands right now, and look at the lack of real threatening fighters/enforcers in the league this year...

Anyway here is our lineup. We likely dress 12 forwards each night although I would not be surprised to see an 11 forward 7 D lineup a time or two.

1. Dido
2. Knox
3. F. Charland
4. K. Charland
5. Leduc
6. Gauthier
7. Liske
8. Sparling
9. Anthony
10. Stoddard
11. Kirkpatrick

That leaves one opening for a 12th forward among guys like Gallant, Thomas and whoever else rounds out the lineup, be it a Langan, Richer, Pard, etc etc. Maybe Gallant won't be a healthy scratch as maybe his natural injuries over the course of the year from fighting will create enough openings for those other guys to squeeze into the lineup. If not though I can see on nights where having a fighter might not be needed but we still want grit, Thomas gets in there. If we want more skill, one of the other guys.

Your lineup could very well look different by the start of the season since you didn;t factor in any trades...................

I have played hockey for years and there is always a need for a team tough guy in the lineup no matter how soft the team your playing against is.......teams play different when they know if they step out of line they will have to answer the bell.

I find dressing 7 defencemen pointless and really have not seen where it is of any benefit or having a kyle kelly type player that brings nothing to the table on the fourth line instead of a physical player

[killer]

canucklehead said:

Great point Leask and thanks for putting that writeup in there for me Bert I'm alittle lazy sometimes.

Gallant will no doubt be sitting a fair number of games this season and I don't see him having a problem with it the team is getting better and as a result he may play less but he's always been a team player in my opinion and I don't see that changing. I'm not saying he'll sit alot because injuries happen and games where they may feel the need to have a true enforcer in their lineup.

And you were probably one of the many who didn;t even give Gallant a chance of making the team last season........well he prove all them wrong and led the league in fights. I hear Brett is working really hard again this off season and is weighing in close to 200 pounds I hope he proves all his doubters wrong once again

[Judas In My Mind]

Had a post all ready to go. Computer crashed. Giving the lazy version now.

I do not doubt Gallant should be on the roster, and he should be in the lineup most nights. Some nights though he will not be needed. You can't ignore a league-wide trend Killer. Pure fighters and enforcers are disappearing at the moment. Even true physical play is being lessened because penalties are being called more strictly. Even clean big hits usually draw a penalty now. There were lots of games last year I never once saw any big hits.

Why the 7 D idea? We have the worst offensive team but have 7 capable D-men. Obviously you don't do this when you have a stretch of back to back games or something. Pumping out the top three lines as much as possible in a game when there will be several days to rest though, as an offensively challenged team, makes sense to me. Plus you have 2 other forwards to fill in when needed on whatever line.

Also physical play doesn't have to come only from Gallant. Thomas is capable. Our other forwards can step it up a bit but mainly our D can also step it up in that regard. Stich, Grant, Amyot, Sauve...all big boys who need to throw the body when the chance is there instead of hesitating, then trying to do it when the chance has passed.

Okay...maybe this version wasn't so lazy as I had planned.

(This post was editted from the original as I just noticed Killer was referring to Canucklehead in a post there and not myself. Sorry Killer. I'm all drugged out on pills for this damn ear infection.)

[canucklehead]

killer said:

canucklehead said:

Great point Leask and thanks for putting that writeup in there for me Bert I'm alittle lazy sometimes.

Gallant will no doubt be sitting a fair number of games this season and I don't see him having a problem with it the team is getting better and as a result he may play less but he's always been a team player in my opinion and I don't see that changing. I'm not saying he'll sit alot because injuries happen and games where they may feel the need to have a true enforcer in their lineup.

And you were probably one of the many who didn;t even give Gallant a chance of making the team last season........well he prove all them wrong and led the league in fights. I hear Brett is working really hard again this off season and is weighing in close to 200 pounds I hope he proves all his doubters wrong once again

Interesting comment but couldn't be more wrong! I completely expected Gallant to make the team last year to be honest and I would have been shocked if he didn't. I know he works hard never once questioned his work ethic and willingness to constantly drop the gloves anytime he was needed.

The point being that there are several guys on this team that can bang and crash and the need for enforcers is becoming less and less but none the less still required from time to time. I'm not saying he's not going to be on the team but I expect him to sit his fair share as well.

Why does that make me a doubter?

The guys a fighter I know that he knows that everyone knows that nobody is disputing that fact. I'm also not saying he won't play in the majority of games I'm sure he will but he will also have games where he is a healthy scratch that's just the nature of the beast. I consider 10 games to be a healthy scratch a fair number and no I wouldn't be surprised and if there are injuries that of course changes everything

Bottom line is this - I'm not a doubter of Gallant's ability he does what he does and he does it well but that type of player isn't required for every game that's the way the Q has been going more and more every season and hell if you think I don't love watching Gallant you are crazy I'm on the edge of my seat everytime he takes a shift.

[joey]

If Brett is healthy he wont miss a game, he is a charactor guy weather a tough guy is needed or not he will not be a healty scratch . He brings more than just fighting ,just being on the bench makes his team better.

[canucklehead]

Alot of guys on the team make the team better just by being on the bench not just Gallant and again I'm not opposed to having him play the bottom line is winning hockey games whether he plays or somebody else plays I don't care as long as they win and if they have injuries which I'm sure they will then he'll play no doubt but I'm not counting those yet I'm saying with the team as is.

It appears to me that at least 11 players have a spot and it's theirs to lose from what I'm understanding because I agree with the list of players posted above by Leask and the final spot being tossed up between Gallant and Thomas and yes of course trades could come into play but again we're only looking at the team as it is right now.

Let's not forget Andrew Langan I know he might be a bit of a long shot but I know alot of people think quite highly of Langan including Lala and JB himself just throwing it out there but this is why we have training camp

[mvp]

what is your source that 11 of them have a spot and " it 's theres to lose" from your understanding ?

i think there are a lot of ? marks coming into camp prolly more than you guys have been saying , 11 spots gone i doubt it


those 11 leask mentioned is a nice list , but i see alot of offensive minded guys

who takes on the defensive role to shut the opposition down ? maybe none maybe we go top line vs top line

liskes head ok ?

leducs knee ? ok ?

gauthier caught in a numbers game ?

lets atleast see kirkpatrick b4 we pencil him in

no tomas , gallant , langan , pard , and no free agents ? we have always had free agents im guessing this year wont be different

1 thing is for certain is that we have pretty good depth for the first time in our existance at every position

looking forward to watching this years team