Blues @ Leafs - Mar. 7th, 7:00pm - CBC, Fan 590

[Redleaf]

Most bottom feeders usually like to play the part of 'spoilers' as well as players wanting to keep their jobs.

Seems like the Leafs are doing their best to achieve the opposite.

Yes, tanking is one thing, but giving a truly gutless, couidn't-care-less performance is another.  The two don't match.

It only makes the decision for a full-on rebuild easier for everyone involved. It also helps in selecting which players, if any, will be a part of the rebuild and which will not. I consider it a much needed blessing in disguise. The last thing we need to have happen at this point, is for this team to rediscover their passion.

 

[Chris]

On the one hand, these kinds of gutless performances increase the likelihood of a higher draft pick (even #1 potentially).

On the other hand...I think it's obvious that NONE of the core players should be part of the team going forward. Phaneuf, Bozak, Kessel, Lupul, and yes even JVR should all be dealt as soon as feasible. For a while I was on the fence about possibly keeping Kessel around but that is no longer the case. I'd rather take my chances with the young players and/or draft picks trading him would yield. I just hope his pathetic effort the past couple of months hasn't hurt his trade value too much.

 

[Redleaf]

On the one hand, these kinds of gutless performances increase the likelihood of a higher draft pick (even #1 potentially).

On the other hand...I think it's obvious that NONE of the core players should be part of the team going forward. Phaneuf, Bozak, Kessel, Lupul, and yes even JVR should all be dealt as soon as feasible. For a while I was on the fence about possibly keeping Kessel around but that is no longer the case. I'd rather take my chances with the young players and/or draft picks trading him would yield. I just hope his pathetic effort the past couple of months hasn't hurt his trade value too much.

Yeah. I agree. I wonder though if management would have a little different perspective on keeping a player like Kessel should they end up with McDavid? Wouldnt they want to see what kind of chemistry Kessel has with the kid first? What if its a Hull-Oates kind of fit between the two? Could be one helluva A top line. Just a thought.

 

[L K]

That was just painful.  The only positives about the game were Sill's uppercuts, Phaneuf's hits, and the hilarious mock chants about the Leafs shot totals (they likely weren't loud enough for the broadcast).

The refs are allowing full on open season on Phaneuf though.  It was insane what they let St. Louis get away with.  Phaneuf with a clean hit gets jumped and somehow gets a roughing penalty.  He comes out of the box and a St. Louis player skates half-way across the ice to cross check him in the upper chest right in front of a ref and the ref lets him get away with it.  Phaneuf got slashed on the hand right in front of a ref and I'm pretty sure he took an elbow at one point, also in front of a ref.  They let all of that go.

They did managed to find a half dozen hooks in the game though.

I think my Dad is a St. Louis Blues fan now. 

 

[Chris]

Yeah. I agree. I wonder though if management would have a little different perspective on keeping a player like Kessel should they end up with McDavid? Wouldnt they want to see what kind of chemistry Kessel has with the kid first? What if its a Hull-Oates kind of fit between the two? Could be one helluva A top line. Just a thought.

It's something I've wondered about as well, and it has been discussed in other threads. More and more I'm coming to the belief that I wouldn't want Kessel around any young developing talent, just based on what I have read about his summer "training" habits and work ethic. Others have different opinions.

 

[bustaheims]

It's something I've wondered about as well, and it has been discussed in other threads. More and more I'm coming to the belief that I wouldn't want Kessel around any young developing talent, just based on what I have read about his summer "training" habits and work ethic. Others have different opinions.

I think a lot of this has been overblown. All Kessel said was that he didn't skate much in the summer. Nothing about other training exercises. The fact that he showed up at camp as one of the most fit players there should tell you that there was plenty of other types of training in his regimen. It's honestly a non-issue. On-ice training in the summer is not a necessity by any means. Fitness training is, and Kessel was obviously doing that.

As for his "work ethic" . . . I feel like most of the talk about that comes from his style of play. He's not a traditional "hard working" player, in that he doesn't dig pucks out of scrums, go into corners, etc. That doesn't mean he doesn't have a strong work ethic. It just means he's not a grinding type player. As long as he continues to score goals, that's a total non-issue. He's also reportedly one of the most competitive guys on the roster. Former teammates have spoken out about how much he hates losing and how vocal he is about it. He may not be the fiery type on the ice, but, all these supposed "character issues" are mostly based on poor observations and ignoring a number of facts in order to maintain a storyline.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

On the one hand, these kinds of gutless performances increase the likelihood of a higher draft pick (even #1 potentially).

On the other hand...I think it's obvious that NONE of the core players should be part of the team going forward. Phaneuf, Bozak, Kessel, Lupul, and yes even JVR should all be dealt as soon as feasible. For a while I was on the fence about possibly keeping Kessel around but that is no longer the case. I'd rather take my chances with the young players and/or draft picks trading him would yield. I just hope his pathetic effort the past couple of months hasn't hurt his trade value too much.

Yeah. I agree. I wonder though if management would have a little different perspective on keeping a player like Kessel should they end up with McDavid? Wouldnt they want to see what kind of chemistry Kessel has with the kid first? What if its a Hull-Oates kind of fit between the two? Could be one helluva A top line. Just a thought.

Bozak would still be paired with Phil.

 

[cw]

It's something I've wondered about as well, and it has been discussed in other threads. More and more I'm coming to the belief that I wouldn't want Kessel around any young developing talent, just based on what I have read about his summer "training" habits and work ethic. Others have different opinions.

I think a lot of this has been overblown. All Kessel said was that he didn't skate much in the summer. Nothing about other training exercises. The fact that he showed up at camp as one of the most fit players there should tell you that there was plenty of other types of training in his regimen. It's honestly a non-issue. On-ice training in the summer is not a necessity by any means. Fitness training is, and Kessel was obviously doing that.

As for his "work ethic" . . . I feel like most of the talk about that comes from his style of play. He's not a traditional "hard working" player, in that he doesn't dig pucks out of scrums, go into corners, etc. That doesn't mean he doesn't have a strong work ethic. It just means he's not a grinding type player. As long as he continues to score goals, that's a total non-issue. He's also reportedly one of the most competitive guys on the roster. Former teammates have spoken out about how much he hates losing and how vocal he is about it. He may not be the fiery type on the ice, but, all these supposed "character issues" are mostly based on poor observations and ignoring a number of facts in order to maintain a storyline.

Sporting News Link
Still, even measured against what he?s witnessed during his difficult tenure as head coach, Peter Horachek felt this game was worse.

?I think this was even different,? Horachek began when addressing a question about Toronto?s slow start, ?I think there was no effort. We didn?t play to win any of the 50-50 battles, we weren?t competing hard enough, we didn?t forecheck, we didn?t keep the puck in the offensive zone. It was different, but playing behind and chasing games, again that?s not a good way. I said, ?you got to play with more pride.? There were small little push backs, but not enough.?

Later in the press conference a reporter asked, ?What is your explanation for ?no effort?? You just mentioned it again, ?no effort,? I mean, that?s just about the worst thing you can say about a team, isn?t it??

?Yep,? Horachek said while firmly nodding his head in the affirmative. He added that there?s no real excuse and it?s ?unacceptable.?

This isn?t the first time he?s questioned the team?s effort level. Back on Feb. 10, he called on the team to raise its ?give-a-(expletive) meter.?

It was also reported
The Star link
Back to the invisible Kessel ? left off the power play the third, along with the rest of his line because Horachek could no longer bear to watch.

Imagine Nonis looking on. Nonis went to bat in front of the MLSE board to get them to approve handing Kessel a $64 mil contract and $21 mil for Bozak. This is a form of "repayment" - a disgraceful kick in the teeth.

Saw someone else recently commenting on the Leafs core - how a number of them were core rejects from their original team. That's gaining traction with me. I have no respect for players like that and no desire that they remain with the team. They need to move on.

Don't forget that when they try to move them and teams are unwilling to give the Leafs as much as you think they should for them. Crap like this devalues players and hurts their club. Makes teams very wary of taking them on because they've demonstrated a chronic character problem.

All the Leafs core is proving to the hockey world for the third year running is when the going gets tough, you can't count on them because they're a bunch of heartless pussies.

 

[cw]

The TO Star:  Maple Leafs send Kadri home, shut down Robidas
Horachek said being a professional athlete takes a lot of preparation, and the Leafs clearly aren?t preparing enough for him.

?You expect them to hold themselves accountable,? Horachek said. ?Being a professional hockey player, this is the best league in the world. You?re paid well. You should be excited. This is a great hockey town. We?ve got great facilities. You want them to show up.?

The Leafs? lack of success makes all this difficult, he allowed, ?but it shouldn?t make a difference.?

?You should show up and put it on the line every single day you show up in practice,? he said. ?That mentality has to start coming in. Not when you don?t feel well, or you don?t feel up to it. It doesn?t matter.?

Horachek said the right way to prepare is to spend more time in the gym and do the little things that professional players do ? not stay out late.

That means getting into the hot tub and getting on the trainer?s table for massages and getting to practice a little earlier and spending a little more time afterwards.

?That?s preparation,? Horachek said.
...
?Leadership is important,? Horachek said. ?We talk to them all the time. When we find the younger players especially kind of taking the wrong approach, we try to jump on it as soon as possible.?

The coach cited veterans like Roman Polak and Stephane Robidas, who work hard at practice every day. They work hard in the gym and work hard on the ice, he said.

?Those guys are great examples,? Horachek said.

The Leafs, however, will not have Robidas for the rest of the season. Horachek announced that the Leafs defenceman will have left shoulder surgery this week.

 

[Chris]

So Kadri missed a meeting and was sent home from practice. Is this a one time mistake or the beginning of a problem? Kadri is one of the few of the "core" who has seemed like he gave a damn the last few weeks.

 

[TML fan]

He probably just slept in. Forgot to set an alarm or something. I wouldn't read anything into it. It's not a pattern of behaviour yet. Sending him home is just their attempt to prevent it from becoming one.

 

[KW Sluggo]

He probably just slept in. Forgot to set an alarm or something. I wouldn't read anything into it. It's not a pattern of behaviour yet. Sending him home is just their attempt to prevent it from becoming one.

How can you say such a thing after the last two months?

How can you say such a thing after that total failure to make any kind oof an effort against St Louis?

After figuratively not showing up for two months one of them takes the next step an actually fails to show up on time and you are okay with that?

Please set your expectations a little higher than that.

 

[KW Sluggo]

I know as soon as I post this someone will respond that Brewer has a broken leg or such, but this guy can hardly stand on his skates let alone defend. I had heard that his play had declined but that performance last night was astonishingly bad.

 

[TML fan]

He probably just slept in. Forgot to set an alarm or something. I wouldn't read anything into it. It's not a pattern of behaviour yet. Sending him home is just their attempt to prevent it from becoming one.

How can you say such a thing after the last two months?

How can you say such a thing after that total failure to make any kind oof an effort against St Louis?

After figuratively not showing up for two months one of them takes the next step an actually fails to show up on time and you are okay with that?

Please set your expectations a little higher than that.

Because it was probably an honest mistake.