Grabovski - Under the Watchful Eye Of An Angel

[ZBBM]

I'd be doing that even if they won tonight.

Maybe, but, a win tonight keeps them right on the edge of being in the playoffs, whereas a loss really puts them behind the 8 ball.

I think the club has fallen off in part because they're worried about being traded. How could a Leafs player not with Burke as their GM? I suspect they'll bounce back when the deadline passes.

Win tonight and lose the next game isn't a lot different than lose tonight and win the next game as even if they win both, it's not going to lead them to a Cup this season.

I'd cash in my chips for this season to improve the club for a cup run. A first round exit isn't going to excite me.

Isn't the obvious move to sign him?  Despite what some guy tweets there's no reason they can't unless he's asking for crazy money.

 

[cw]

I'd be doing that even if they won tonight.

Maybe, but, a win tonight keeps them right on the edge of being in the playoffs, whereas a loss really puts them behind the 8 ball.

I think the club has fallen off in part because they're worried about being traded. How could a Leafs player not with Burke as their GM? I suspect they'll bounce back when the deadline passes.

Win tonight and lose the next game isn't a lot different than lose tonight and win the next game as even if they win both, it's not going to lead them to a Cup this season.

I'd cash in my chips for this season to improve the club for a cup run. A first round exit isn't going to excite me.

Isn't the obvious move to sign him?  Despite what some guy tweets there's no reason they can't unless he's asking for crazy money.

Maybe it's a ploy by Burke to sweat him out but I don't get the feeling Burke messes around for long. If the price is too high or term too long - the gap too large, I think Burke will "put him on a plane". Brian won't pay him silly money.

 

[ZBBM]

I'd be doing that even if they won tonight.

Maybe, but, a win tonight keeps them right on the edge of being in the playoffs, whereas a loss really puts them behind the 8 ball.

I think the club has fallen off in part because they're worried about being traded. How could a Leafs player not with Burke as their GM? I suspect they'll bounce back when the deadline passes.

Win tonight and lose the next game isn't a lot different than lose tonight and win the next game as even if they win both, it's not going to lead them to a Cup this season.

I'd cash in my chips for this season to improve the club for a cup run. A first round exit isn't going to excite me.

Isn't the obvious move to sign him?  Despite what some guy tweets there's no reason they can't unless he's asking for crazy money.

Maybe it's a ploy by Burke to sweat him out but I don't get the feeling Burke messes around for long. If the price is too high or term too long - the gap too large, I think Burke will "put him on a plane". Brian won't pay him silly money.

See, if I were Burke I'd offer whatever he thinks is fair but sweeten by offering to add a year.  Grabovski's been durable and I'd go, e.g., 5 years instead of 4.

 

[Bullfrog]

I would have been quite happy with Carter & Grabbo as their top 6 centers. I was quite down on Grabbo a couple of years ago but to follow last season with this one, I was impressed.

I'd be fine with that too. Grabbo's such a good 2nd line center that a lesser (i.e. not elite) no.1 would be fine.

I've been one of his biggest supporter's since he got here, so I'll admit I was nervous about his slow start to the year. I'm obviously happy now though.

Part of what really makes me appreciate him is his tenacity. I'm not a big fan of floaters.

 

[cw]

I'd be doing that even if they won tonight.

Maybe, but, a win tonight keeps them right on the edge of being in the playoffs, whereas a loss really puts them behind the 8 ball.

I think the club has fallen off in part because they're worried about being traded. How could a Leafs player not with Burke as their GM? I suspect they'll bounce back when the deadline passes.

Win tonight and lose the next game isn't a lot different than lose tonight and win the next game as even if they win both, it's not going to lead them to a Cup this season.

I'd cash in my chips for this season to improve the club for a cup run. A first round exit isn't going to excite me.

Isn't the obvious move to sign him?  Despite what some guy tweets there's no reason they can't unless he's asking for crazy money.

Maybe it's a ploy by Burke to sweat him out but I don't get the feeling Burke messes around for long. If the price is too high or term too long - the gap too large, I think Burke will "put him on a plane". Brian won't pay him silly money.

See, if I were Burke I'd offer whatever he thinks is fair but sweeten by offering to add a year.  Grabovski's been durable and I'd go, e.g., 5 years instead of 4.

I think Burke would do that. I kind of felt he went a little above market value in the current deal at the time it was done (salaries have gone up since). But I think Brian has some limits and if they haven't got a deal done by the deadline, Grabbo's probably too far beyond them.

If would be a really tough call by Burke to deal him as that could sink their playoff hopes - or be the difference. Maybe Grabbo's agent is playing that for all it's worth.

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

 

[cw]

I would have been quite happy with Carter & Grabbo as their top 6 centers. I was quite down on Grabbo a couple of years ago but to follow last season with this one, I was impressed.

I'd be fine with that too. Grabbo's such a good 2nd line center that a lesser (i.e. not elite) no.1 would be fine.

I've been one of his biggest supporter's since he got here, so I'll admit I was nervous about his slow start to the year. I'm obviously happy now though.

Part of what really makes me appreciate him is his tenacity. I'm not a big fan of floaters.

I was maybe one of his biggest critics after his first season. But that tenacity, guts and skill won me over. This season was a test to prove last season wasn't a fluke. Even though he didn't put up the points early on, I thought he passed as his linemates seemed to be the bigger problem.

I still don't completely understand what happened to Kulemin this season.

 

[Tigger]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

That could depend on whether they think Colborne is ready to make the jump or not but it's a good point.

 

[L K]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

That could depend on whether they think Colborne is ready to make the jump or not but it's a good point.

I certainly hope they aren't banking on Colborne, Mr. 16 points in 31 games in the AHL since December to replace Grabovski next year.

 

[Tigger]

I still don't completely understand what happened to Kulemin this season.

He's on pace for almost 60 less shots and his shooting percentage is down almost 10%, not sure why either but there it is.

 

[Tigger]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

That could depend on whether they think Colborne is ready to make the jump or not but it's a good point.

I certainly hope they aren't banking on Colborne, Mr. 16 points in 31 games in the AHL since December to replace Grabovski next year.

Hard to say what they're asking of him in terms of shaping/developing his game down there, they're pretty defense oriented right now but I'd think more along the lines of Connolly moving up and him taking the third line role if he's ready, fwiw.

 

[bustaheims]

I still don't completely understand what happened to Kulemin this season.

He's on pace for almost 60 less shots and his shooting percentage is down almost 10%, not sure why either but there it is.

He was close with a couple guys who died in the Yaroslavl crash, and I think that affected his play and it just spiralled past the point of recovery this season.

 

[L K]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

That could depend on whether they think Colborne is ready to make the jump or not but it's a good point.

I certainly hope they aren't banking on Colborne, Mr. 16 points in 31 games in the AHL since December to replace Grabovski next year.

Hard to say what they're asking of him in terms of shaping/developing his game down there, they're pretty defense oriented right now but I'd think more along the lines of Connolly moving up and him taking the third line role if he's ready, fwiw.

I guess I'm equally concerned about that then.  Connolly has looked like junk for half the year.  He strikes me as a guy who has had one-too many injuries and now he is playing cautiously to avoid further damage.  The problem is that he's not all that fast so he doesn't have the ability to create space for himself like Kessel can, thus Connolly is just a guy who is getting exposed in the offensive zone because he is holding on to the puck too long and giving it up too easily when pressured.

 

[Tigger]

I still don't completely understand what happened to Kulemin this season.

He's on pace for almost 60 less shots and his shooting percentage is down almost 10%, not sure why either but there it is.

He was close with a couple guys who died in the Yaroslavl crash, and I think that affected his play and it just spiralled past the point of recovery this season.

There's that, his wife being pregnant ( if we're speculating on 'between the ear' problems ) and the fact that the top line took some minutes away from the second line for a good chunk of the year.

He kept up the defensive side and seemed to find his linemates too, it's just the goal scoring that stands out.

Still, the drastic reduction in shooting percentage is odd.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

I still don't completely understand what happened to Kulemin this season.

He's on pace for almost 60 less shots and his shooting percentage is down almost 10%, not sure why either but there it is.

He was close with a couple guys who died in the Yaroslavl crash, and I think that affected his play and it just spiralled past the point of recovery this season.

Kulemin and Igor Korolev were VERY close.

 

[bustaheims]

Still, the drastic reduction in shooting percentage is odd.

Well, part of that is mental as well. His shot selection hasn't been as good, partly because he's second guessing himself and taking a split second longer to release the puck. He's also passing up on a lot more shooting opportunities. It's just been a perfect storm of non-injury issues for him, really.

 

[Tigger]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

That could depend on whether they think Colborne is ready to make the jump or not but it's a good point.

I certainly hope they aren't banking on Colborne, Mr. 16 points in 31 games in the AHL since December to replace Grabovski next year.

Hard to say what they're asking of him in terms of shaping/developing his game down there, they're pretty defense oriented right now but I'd think more along the lines of Connolly moving up and him taking the third line role if he's ready, fwiw.

I guess I'm equally concerned about that then.  Connolly has looked like junk for half the year.  He strikes me as a guy who has had one-too many injuries and now he is playing cautiously to avoid further damage.  The problem is that he's not all that fast so he doesn't have the ability to create space for himself like Kessel can, thus Connolly is just a guy who is getting exposed in the offensive zone because he is holding on to the puck too long and giving it up too easily when pressured.

It's fair to wonder about that with Connolly, even just in a general sense with regards to injuries, but he was asked to play more of a defensive role for a good stretch recently, I have a hunch that if he could stay healthy he'd produce more with better goal scoring linemates.

The other thing that could happen is that Burke finds a trade for a centre between now and next year.

Burke's on cbc right now....

 

[cw]

If they don't sign Grabs, who will they replace him with? Centers are hard to come by, look at what they gave Connoly in desparation. Big mistake in my mind.

Is there a better top 6 UFA center available?
http://www.capgeek.com/free_agents.php?year_id=2012&team_id=-1&position_id=F&fa_type_id=2

Maybe I missed someone at a glance but I don't see one.

Here's a listing of just centers:
http://nhlnumbers.com/free_agents?team=&position=Center&status=UFA&order=&year=2013

 

[Tigger]

Burke..

No tough decisions so far

Grabovski likely staying

Edit to add; The Leafs and Grabovski's agent are far apart on a deal right now but they want to keep him.

 

[bustaheims]

Burke..

No tough decisions so far

Grabovski likely staying

Yeah. From the sounds of things, I wouldn't expect the Leafs to do much of anything over the next couple days. He also all but shot down a Nash deal when he said he give up their depth just to make the playoffs.