[moon]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Lupul's health is the only reason he's not more on Team Canada's radar. Same with Spezza. Both put up star numbers, but need to stay healthy more.

Well health is a big issue when considering if a guy is one of the very best forwards in the league. I would say his lack of defense is also a concern for a team that stacked.

Not top 30? Come on. How many wingers are over PPG the last 3 years? And I'm overrating him? The Lupul you see now is the star Edmonton thought they were getting for Pronger years ago.

Well I would say that 21 of the forwards invited to the Canadian Olympic camp are better than him (I excluded J. Staal, Lucic, Marchand, Sharp, Ladd and Kunitz although using PPG as the sole determining factor and short sample size I guess Kunitz should be ahead of him). Throw in guys like Kane, AO, Malkin, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kopitar from other countries and you are looking at him being 27th at best in my view for forwards. That excludes a lot of guys likely better than him in Hossa, Kessel, Sedin Sisters, Backstrom.

So yes he is looking like the player Edmonton thought they were getting but that still doesn't put him in the "very best forwards" in the game category.

I bring up his stats, you obviously don't want to talk about that so you bring up a two week tournament that's not NHL related. His statistics and play say he's a star winger.

I bring up the Olympic camp because it does a good job of showing who are elite or very best players in the game because it takes the best players to make a team like that.

I addressed the stats and will again say nice if he keeps that up over longer than a 16 game and 26 game period. Plus, stats alone do not decide if a player is amongst the "very best forwards" in the game.

And most guys in Toronto grew up cheering for other teams in other cities in the country.

Based on what are you saying that?

Most, if not all, guys from Toronto cheered for Toronto growing. Just like most guys from Calgary cheer for Calgary, Edmonton cheers for Edmonton etc.

If you seriously think that TO is the most hated team in the media then you are nuts. I know it is a horrible argument to just say that but there is 0 basis or reason for that belief and this is from a guy who has Toronto as his second favorite Canadian team by a long shot.

Bernier was considered a future superstar goalie by everyone before he came to Toronto. I say it now and it's shocking LOL.

First, he was considered a potential superstar goalie and that and what you say there are a lot different from you claiming people thought he was a franchise goalie. Future and potential are the very key words you excluded last time you talked about this.

And yes, Ottawa has gotten their asses kissed all year. And Bobby Ryan was going to lift them to greatness.

Would love to hear who said this and when. Doesn't have to be specific for dates but start of the season, after a few games, did TSN say it, MacKenize, Kypreos. Because I haven't heard anything close to this at all over the summer or to start the season.