A thread speculating about possible lines? Already?!

[maplesyrup]

Well, for one, guys can't be signed right now - the lockout is still in effect.

Yeah, bit I was assuming he meant they'd have to wait even after it was ratified. Either way, I'm probably caring too much.

 

[Bender]

I don't understand the hate for Connolly and never will. We tried him out for one year with very few better options out there and his salary is gone in less than 6months. His signing had next to no negative impact unless you want to go down the road of what ifs, which could lead to any conclusion you want it to.

I can understand Komisarek but a guy on a relatively cheap 2yr deal? Jeez. People go on about this contract as if it were Jason Blake's.

I think we've become a little too obsessed with cap figures and salary structure when you don't understand the dislike for a guy when it's based on the fact that he played like crap.

His price performance wasn't good but I doubt the alternative would've made much difference. We dont have another centre the calibre of Tyler Bozak and he gets enough complaints. Secondly, how many times have we seen a player have an off year? The guy was hated on before he even got here for being injury prone when he's been relatively healthy for the last 3 years. Colaiacovo he ain't but how much tether did we give him?

Worst comes to worst he could be a semi-valuable asset to a playoff team looking to make a push.

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah, bit I was assuming he meant they'd have to wait even after it was ratified. Either way, I'm probably caring too much.

Well, Carlyle isn't going to risk anything by talking about that kind of stuff when he's not allowed to. All he can say is that guys currently on NHL contracts aren't eligible to join the roster.

 

[Kin]

His price performance wasn't good but I doubt the alternative would've made much difference.

No, his performance wasn't good. That's enough for most folk to be dissatisfied with a player. This is pretty basic, 101 stuff. If an athlete doesn't play well, fans give him crap. That's true regardless of salary or outside circumstances.

Worst comes to worst he could be a semi-valuable asset to a playoff team looking to make a push.

Well, worst comes to worst he's useless and not valuable to a team making a playoff push. Him turning into assets at the deadline is near to a best case scenario right now.

 

[Bender]

His price performance wasn't good but I doubt the alternative would've made much difference.

No, his performance wasn't good. That's enough for most folk to be dissatisfied with a player. This is pretty basic, 101 stuff. If an athlete doesn't play well, fans give him crap. That's true regardless of salary or outside circumstances.

Worst comes to worst he could be a semi-valuable asset to a playoff team looking to make a push.

Well, worst comes to worst he's useless and not valuable to a team making a playoff push. Him turning into assets at the deadline is near to a best case scenario right now.

Dissatisfied is a soft word to use IMO. I'm not satisfied with his performance but he's hardly an albatross and our hands will be washed off him soon enough. People complained less about Colby who, Id argue, had a much worse impact on the team. I'm surprised no one is complaining about his needless buyout.

 

[bustaheims]

I'm surprised no one is complaining about his needless buyout.

Oh, people did and some people still are.

 

[Kin]

Dissatisfied is a soft word to use IMO. I'm not satisfied with his performance but he's hardly an albatross and our hands will be washed off him soon enough. People complained less about Colby who, Id argue, had a much worse impact on the team. I'm surprised no one is complaining about his needless buyout.

Again, not everyone sees personnel issues strictly through the lens of cap management. The people who don't like Colby Armstrong are probably pretty satisfied by the fact that he's not on the team anymore.

 

[princedpw]

This is my best guess for now

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
Kulemin-Grabo-Mac
JVR-Connolly-Frattin
Steckel-McClement-Brown
Lombardi

Phanoops-Gunnar
Liles-Holzer
Gardiner-Komi
Franson

Reimer
Someone who isn't already on the team

Yeah, I think your line up is pretty much on with what can be done with today's roster.  The wildcards for me are Kadri, Komarov, Colborne and Ashton at forward and Kostka, Ranger and hopefully Fraser (to help with the toughness against most of the Eastern teams).

...and yes, I like the nickname.  I hope it sticks.

At the moment, I don't see much of a future for Colborne or Ashton.  They are scoring at a 1/2 point per game in the AHL at ages 21-22?  Doesn't that usually translate to carreer minor leaguer or perhaps 4th line scrub if their defense is good enough?

 

[Britishbulldog]

Dissatisfied is a soft word to use IMO. I'm not satisfied with his performance but he's hardly an albatross and our hands will be washed off him soon enough. People complained less about Colby who, Id argue, had a much worse impact on the team. I'm surprised no one is complaining about his needless buyout.

I just want to go on record to state that I complained about Colby endlessly.  I hated him before he was a Leaf, I hated him as a Leaf and I hate him as a Hab.

 

[Frank E]

This is my best guess for now

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
Kulemin-Grabo-Mac
JVR-Connolly-Frattin
Steckel-McClement-Brown
Lombardi

Phanoops-Gunnar
Liles-Holzer
Gardiner-Komi
Franson

Reimer
Someone who isn't already on the team

Yeah, I think your line up is pretty much on with what can be done with today's roster.  The wildcards for me are Kadri, Komarov, Colborne and Ashton at forward and Kostka, Ranger and hopefully Fraser (to help with the toughness against most of the Eastern teams).

...and yes, I like the nickname.  I hope it sticks.

At the moment, I don't see much of a future for Colborne or Ashton.  They are scoring at a 1/2 point per game in the AHL at ages 21-22?  Doesn't that usually translate to carreer minor leaguer or perhaps 4th line scrub if their defense is good enough?

I've watched a few Marlies games this year, on tv mind you, and I agree that neither of the two is really looking like much of an NHLer.

But again, they're still of an age where they're growing into their bodies.  They're both bigger guys, so who knows.

 

[Justin]

Jeez, this lineup is a mess. There's too much useless dead weight up front clogging up spots on our roster. In an ideal world Burke would have dumped Lombardi and Connolly to free up spots for Kadri/Frattin/Komarov etc. but that hasn't happened. This is what I'd like to see:

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Grabovski - MacArthur
Kulemin - Connolly - Frattin/Kadri
Brown - Mcclement - Steckel/Komarov
Lombardi

What a mess. Connolly isn't being used properly on the 3rd line and I'd like to see him regain his scoring touch and move up to the top 6. Lombardi was invisible and useless last season and I don't see how we leave him in the lineup at Frattin and/or Kadri's expense. It is possible Burke can unload some people before the season starts?

 

[bustaheims]

I've watched a few Marlies games this year, on tv mind you, and I agree that neither of the two is really looking like much of an NHLer.

But again, they're still of an age where they're growing into their bodies.  They're both bigger guys, so who knows.

Ashton's also only in his 2nd professional season. Some hiccups are to be expected there. Colborne's performance is much more of a disappointment, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Britishbulldog]

As louisstamos noted Phanoops played well with a defensive partner in Calgary.

I wish the Leafs had a solid defensive defenseman that played with an edge, had good size and cost between $3.5 and $4.5 MIL.  Unfortunately that could have been Komisarek or Beauchemin but neither had worked out.  Hopefully Carlyle can help Komisarek settle down as he would be an ideal player if he just played half decent as a tough stay at home defenseman.

 

[Bender]

I've watched a few Marlies games this year, on tv mind you, and I agree that neither of the two is really looking like much of an NHLer.

But again, they're still of an age where they're growing into their bodies.  They're both bigger guys, so who knows.

Ashton's also only in his 2nd professional season. Some hiccups are to be expected there. Colborne's performance is much more of a disappointment, as far as I'm concerned.

Colborne has definitely fallen off. I don't notice him while watching the Marlies to be honest. Usually it's Aucoin, Kadri, Abbot and Kostka, maybe a few others I notice, but Colborne is a very big disappointment and hasn't shown much offensive improvement since playing for Providence.

Also I probably mentioned this somewhere earlier but I'd like to see Kostka duke it out with Franson for a spot.

 

[Frank E]

I've watched a few Marlies games this year, on tv mind you, and I agree that neither of the two is really looking like much of an NHLer.

But again, they're still of an age where they're growing into their bodies.  They're both bigger guys, so who knows.

Ashton's also only in his 2nd professional season. Some hiccups are to be expected there. Colborne's performance is much more of a disappointment, as far as I'm concerned.

I agree, and D'Amigo doesn't look good either...and Kadri is still prone to those boneheaded plays.

Although not considered prospects anymore, that Marlies defense is a sure source of depth for the Leafs this year...although there's the contract status issues with Ranger. 

Is Kostka on an AHL only deal as well?

 

[bustaheims]

Is Kostka on an AHL only deal as well?

No, he's on a 2-way NHL deal.

 

[bustaheims]

I agree, and D'Amigo doesn't look good either...and Kadri is still prone to those boneheaded plays.

D'Amigo's probably developing closer to what should have been expected from him when he was drafted rather than the hype he developed from a good WJHC. As for Kadri, his boneheaded plays will be mostly overlooked if he can produce at the rate he has for the Marlies.

 

[Frank E]

Is Kostka on an AHL only deal as well?

No, he's on a 2-way NHL deal.

Good.  Thanks...I wasn't sure.

He's interesting.

 

[Frank E]

I agree, and D'Amigo doesn't look good either...and Kadri is still prone to those boneheaded plays.

D'Amigo's probably developing closer to what should have been expected from him when he was drafted rather than the hype he developed from a good WJHC. As for Kadri, his boneheaded plays will be mostly overlooked if he can produce at the rate he has for the Marlies.

If that were the case, then sure...a point a game would likely get him a pass on the giveaways.

But man, I see the look on Eakins' face, and I can't imagine Carlyle putting up with some of those mistakes.

 

[Frank E]

I've watched a few Marlies games this year, on tv mind you, and I agree that neither of the two is really looking like much of an NHLer.

But again, they're still of an age where they're growing into their bodies.  They're both bigger guys, so who knows.

Ashton's also only in his 2nd professional season. Some hiccups are to be expected there. Colborne's performance is much more of a disappointment, as far as I'm concerned.

Colborne has definitely fallen off. I don't notice him while watching the Marlies to be honest. Usually it's Aucoin, Kadri, Abbot and Kostka, maybe a few others I notice, but Colborne is a very big disappointment and hasn't shown much offensive improvement since playing for Providence.

Also I probably mentioned this somewhere earlier but I'd like to see Kostka duke it out with Franson for a spot.

He doesn't get mentioned much, but Hamilton's having a good year...big kid too.