General Leafs Talk

[L K]

That's funny, I was thinking of that 3rd line and what to do with it this morning.  Like you said, right now it's just the misfists.  It's basically Ron Wilson throwing whatever is left in the garage together, and trying to come up with something that might work.

I really don't know.  The problem is that most of them (all?), aren't in the Leafs plans long term. 

I envision a Kadri-Colborne-Frattin unit for next year.  Young, fast, some size, some strength and certainly some skill.  That's the ideal situation but I'm not comfortable banking on it. 

Right now?  I don't mind what Ron did at practice yesterday (moving Connolly up and Kulemin down) but I just feel like we won't get any production out of that 3rd line either way.  We're not a good enough team on the top 2 lines to make the 3rd line a strict checking line.  We need them to produce offensively as well and they haven't.

Hopefully we can shed a forward or two at the deadline and call up Frattin/Kadri and change the dynamics of that line into a more offensive one.

Somewhat encouraging is that Frattin has 8 goals in 9 games in the AHL although only 11 points in 15 games since going down in January.

And blast from the wait, he's allowed to get points? Phillip Dupuis has 8 points in 6 games.

 

[Corn Flake]

I don't know how you're going to rely on Kadri/Frattin for more offense than any of the 3rd line options we are currently using, and I would guess we'd be sacrificing some defensive responsibility in the process.

I guess I'm looking more towards the future.  Like I said, in a perfect world, Kadri-Colborne-Frattin could become the 3rd line next year but I doubt it's going to shake down like that.

I also much prefer Frattins game than Crabbs (or even Lombardi's) but I do get your point.

I really think 2 of Kadri, Frattin and Colborne should be up and playing right now.  I can't imagine them giving less to the lineup than Connolly or Crabb (or I-always-sit Rosehill)

It does kind of feel like the timing would be right for an injection of some super keen and ready young players to step in and jolt the team awake.  They would help as much as shaking the veterans heads up a little and remind them they aren't guaranteed anything here. 

This team hasn't gotten lazy, but they are making really really sloppy mistakes, have lost the crisp passing and positioning that had them rolling in many parts of January and just aren't able to get any speed going as consistently as before.

 

[L K]

I don't know how you're going to rely on Kadri/Frattin for more offense than any of the 3rd line options we are currently using, and I would guess we'd be sacrificing some defensive responsibility in the process.

I guess I'm looking more towards the future.  Like I said, in a perfect world, Kadri-Colborne-Frattin could become the 3rd line next year but I doubt it's going to shake down like that.

I also much prefer Frattins game than Crabbs (or even Lombardi's) but I do get your point.

I really think 2 of Kadri, Frattin and Colborne should be up and playing right now.  I can't imagine them giving less to the lineup than Connolly or Crabb (or I-always-sit Rosehill)

It does kind of feel like the timing would be right for an injection of some super keen and ready young players to step in and jolt the team awake.  They would help as much as shaking the veterans heads up a little and remind them they aren't guaranteed anything here. 

This team hasn't gotten lazy, but they are making really really sloppy mistakes, have lost the crisp passing and positioning that had them rolling in many parts of January and just aren't able to get any speed going as consistently as before.

I know his offensive game sputtered, but I really wanted to see Kadri get a chance with Grabovski rather than playing with Connolly and Crabb.

 

[Zee]

I don't know how you're going to rely on Kadri/Frattin for more offense than any of the 3rd line options we are currently using, and I would guess we'd be sacrificing some defensive responsibility in the process.

I guess I'm looking more towards the future.  Like I said, in a perfect world, Kadri-Colborne-Frattin could become the 3rd line next year but I doubt it's going to shake down like that.

I also much prefer Frattins game than Crabbs (or even Lombardi's) but I do get your point.

I really think 2 of Kadri, Frattin and Colborne should be up and playing right now.  I can't imagine them giving less to the lineup than Connolly or Crabb (or I-always-sit Rosehill)

It does kind of feel like the timing would be right for an injection of some super keen and ready young players to step in and jolt the team awake.  They would help as much as shaking the veterans heads up a little and remind them they aren't guaranteed anything here. 

This team hasn't gotten lazy, but they are making really really sloppy mistakes, have lost the crisp passing and positioning that had them rolling in many parts of January and just aren't able to get any speed going as consistently as before.

But Wilson said Connolly skated well last night!

 

[Andy007]

I know his offensive game sputtered, but I really wanted to see Kadri get a chance with Grabovski rather than playing with Connolly and Crabb.

I agree with this. I think what hurt Kadri was the lack of finishers for his creative play and intuitive passes. When it was clear nobody on his line could/would anticipate his plays, Kadri became more one-dimensional, started carrying the puck more and his play suffered.

I'd put him with Kulemin and Grabs and see what happens. Heck bring Frattin back too, put him with Connolly and McArthur on the 3rd line. Lombardi and Crabb haven't done anything to warrant > 4th line duties imo.

 

[nutman]

I know his offensive game sputtered, but I really wanted to see Kadri get a chance with Grabovski rather than playing with Connolly and Crabb.

I agree with this. I think what hurt Kadri was the lack of finishers for his creative play and intuitive passes. When it was clear nobody on his line could/would anticipate his plays, Kadri became more one-dimensional, started carrying the puck more and his play suffered.

I'd put him with Kulemin and Grabs and see what happens. Heck bring Frattin back too, put him with Connolly and McArthur on the 3rd line. Lombardi and Crabb haven't done anything to warrant > 4th line duties imo.

So then there are no guys on the baby leafs to pass to, because he's not exactly doing that great down there.

 

[Zee]

First set - excellent
7-2-1

Second set
4-5-1

Third set
5-4-1

Fourth set
4-4-2

Fifth set
5-4-1

Next 10
Pittsburgh W
@Ottawa W
Edmonton W
@Winnipeg L
@Philadelphia L
Montreal L
@Calgary L
@Edmonton  W
@Vancouver
New Jersey

4-4!  Saturday's game will be tough.

Sneak peak of 2nd last set of 10:
San Jose
Washington
Florida
@Chicago
@Montreal
Boston  -- Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
@Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
@Washington
@Florida

 

[nutman]

Oh  my!  that looks tough.

 

[maplesyrup]

Oh  my!  that looks tough.

Er, team nutman, nutman.

 

[Zee]

Oh  my!  that looks tough.

It does but starting with the Jersey game that's a 4 game homestand, I *hope* the Leafs can win 3 of those 4.

 

[nutman]

Oh  my!  that looks tough.

Er, team nutman, nutman.

K, Sarge I'll hang in there, got to admit though , it was a real rough four games.

 

[pnjunction]

Interesting that the first stretch of 10 is the only one to deviate much from .500.

This kind of explains why fans such as myself have been feeling more and more frustrated as the season has gone along.  We started strong but have not found any consistency since then.

If we can't put up over .500 play over the last 24 games to wrap this up we're not going to make it.  The average quality of hockey we have been playing pretty much ever since the 2nd Boston game (on Nov 5 where they shelled us 7-0 and we slumped after) is not going to cut it.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

Interesting that the first stretch of 10 is the only one to deviate much from .500.

This kind of explains why fans such as myself have been feeling more and more frustrated as the season has gone along.  We started strong but have not found any consistency since then.

If we can't put up over .500 play over the last 24 games to wrap this up we're not going to make it.  The average quality of hockey we have been playing pretty much ever since the 2nd Boston game (on Nov 5 where they shelled us 7-0 and we slumped after) is not going to cut it.

These two statements are totally contradictory. This team is pretty consistent in being a .500 club.

 

[Zee]

Interesting that the first stretch of 10 is the only one to deviate much from .500.

This kind of explains why fans such as myself have been feeling more and more frustrated as the season has gone along.  We started strong but have not found any consistency since then.

If we can't put up over .500 play over the last 24 games to wrap this up we're not going to make it.  The average quality of hockey we have been playing pretty much ever since the 2nd Boston game (on Nov 5 where they shelled us 7-0 and we slumped after) is not going to cut it.

13-9-2 might get it done.  That's 28 points over the last 24 games and 92 points overall.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Interesting that the first stretch of 10 is the only one to deviate much from .500.

This kind of explains why fans such as myself have been feeling more and more frustrated as the season has gone along.  We started strong but have not found any consistency since then.

If we can't put up over .500 play over the last 24 games to wrap this up we're not going to make it.  The average quality of hockey we have been playing pretty much ever since the 2nd Boston game (on Nov 5 where they shelled us 7-0 and we slumped after) is not going to cut it.

These two statements are totally contradictory. This team is pretty consistent in being a .500 club.

No they're not.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Clark MacArthur posed as a Sport Chek employee recently, pretty funny video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHc89cTdgZg&feature

 

[dappleganger]

Clark MacArthur posed as a Sport Chek employee recently, pretty funny video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHc89cTdgZg&feature

And he talked a guy into buying a MacArthur jersey. Priceless.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Guess I shouldn't have written Winnipeg off earlier. 2 points out of 8th place now, although we have 2 games in hand. Gotta make those count.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Guess I shouldn't have written Winnipeg off earlier. 2 points out of 8th place now, although we have 2 games in hand. Gotta make those count.

Oh well, not like Winnipeg has a crazy long home stretch again or anything.  :-\

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

That video was fun, thanks for posting.