Joe Colborne

[Bender]

I'd guess that it's in part defensive system and partly he isn't on the main scoring lines for the Marlies from the games I have seen. 

It is a little worrying for sure, I'd expect the directive from player development is to give him prime scoring ice time and linemate opportunities.

I respect they want the Marlies to have a winning season and that it would be good for their development to experience that, but if it's won on the backs of career AHL'ers like Mike Zigomanis/Deschamps then colour me unimpressed.

Deschamps is pretty young man. I wouldn't write him off yet. He's, what, 8-10 years younger than Ziggy?

 

[Tigger]

I'd guess that it's in part defensive system and partly he isn't on the main scoring lines for the Marlies from the games I have seen. 

It is a little worrying for sure, I'd expect the directive from player development is to give him prime scoring ice time and linemate opportunities.

I respect they want the Marlies to have a winning season and that it would be good for their development to experience that, but if it's won on the backs of career AHL'ers like Mike Zigomanis/Deschamps then colour me unimpressed.

Deschamps is pretty young man. I wouldn't write him off yet. He's, what, 8-10 years younger than Ziggy?

Not sure if Wigwal was maybe thinking of Dupuis?

Deschamps has turned it around, 4g 16a +8 in 27 games since the trade ( pitiful numbers in Syracuse before that ).

 

[bustaheims]

Deschamps is pretty young man. I wouldn't write him off yet. He's, what, 8-10 years younger than Ziggy?

2nd rounder from the same draft as Schenn, Gardiner and Colborne. He might not amount to all that much, but it's definitely too early write him off as a career AHLer.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Just a couple comments from Eakins and Colborne from Ulmer's latest post:

?Naz and Joe are getting better,? Eakins said. ?They just need to fill out and get stronger and that will take time.?

?The last while hasn?t been fun I?ll tell you that,? Colborne said, ?but when I look back at where I was before I got traded here, there?s a lot of positives to go on. I had a great start to the year. The points haven?t come the way I wanted them to but I?ve been focusing on different parts of my game. Now I?m looking to getting back to producing the way I was.?

http://blog.mapleleafs.com/goo-goo-kachoo-mrs-robinson-and-other-hockey-truths-2/

 

[Crucialness Key]

Just a couple comments from Eakins and Colborne from Ulmer's latest post:

?Naz and Joe are getting better,? Eakins said. ?They just need to feel out and get stronger and that will take time.?

http://blog.mapleleafs.com/goo-goo-kachoo-mrs-robinson-and-other-hockey-truths-2/

They need to feel out?  What the heck's going on down there anyway? 

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I'd guess that it's in part defensive system and partly he isn't on the main scoring lines for the Marlies from the games I have seen. 

It is a little worrying for sure, I'd expect the directive from player development is to give him prime scoring ice time and linemate opportunities.

I respect they want the Marlies to have a winning season and that it would be good for their development to experience that, but if it's won on the backs of career AHL'ers like Mike Zigomanis/Deschamps then colour me unimpressed.

Deschamps is pretty young man. I wouldn't write him off yet. He's, what, 8-10 years younger than Ziggy?

Not sure if Wigwal was maybe thinking of Dupuis?

Deschamps has turned it around, 4g 16a +8 in 27 games since the trade ( pitiful numbers in Syracuse before that ).

Thanks Tigger, got my D's mixed up, it was indeed Dupuis I meant.

 

[maplesyrup]

Nice bit on Colborne;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/colborne-adds-beef-to-try-and-become-a-leaf/article4238261/

Could be a monster by camp...

 

[Zee]

Nice bit on Colborne;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/colborne-adds-beef-to-try-and-become-a-leaf/article4238261/

Could be a monster by camp...

Colborne needs to share a bit of his good metabolism to Kessel.

 

[Corn Flake]

Nice bit on Colborne;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/colborne-adds-beef-to-try-and-become-a-leaf/article4238261/

Could be a monster by camp...

There was a piece in the Star not long ago about the similar challenge Roy Halladay goes through, having to consume in excess of 5,000 calories a day.  At that size it's pretty tough to get and keep your weight up when your metabolism is in that early 20's overdrive mode.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Nice bit on Colborne;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/colborne-adds-beef-to-try-and-become-a-leaf/article4238261/

Could be a monster by camp...

A 6'5'' 225lbs centre who can skate? He'd have to suck real hard to not make the team out of training camp if he has a successful offseason.

 

[maplesyrup]

I'm going to go ahead and pencil him in for a spot on the Leafs next year.

 

[cw]

Nice bit on Colborne;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/colborne-adds-beef-to-try-and-become-a-leaf/article4238261/

Could be a monster by camp...

A 6'5'' 225lbs centre who can skate? He'd have to suck real hard to not make the team out of training camp if he has a successful offseason.

I think he's pretty close with his skating. He's worked on it over previous summers as well as building up strength and conditioning. Another summer of that and physically, I think he'd be NHL ready by camp.

The key for me with Colborne is what is going on between the ears. He had a fair amount of room for improvement in that area coming into this season. He has the will & conscience to play defense and makes the effort but he's been lacking in experience to know where to position himself and the most efficient lines he should skate for example - his reads and anticipation seemed to need work. I suspect he'll still need some improvement in that area when camp rolls around. The good news is that it is something a player can learn and improve on.

He continues to have a good attitude about it so I think he'll eventually get there.

I'm not quite ready to write him into the line up until I see that next September. I continue to feel he's a good prospect and even if he doesn't make top 6, he could still become a decent checking/3rd line center who can chip in some points. Like many big guys, he requires some patience.

 

[rdowdall]

Nice bit on Colborne;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/colborne-adds-beef-to-try-and-become-a-leaf/article4238261/

Could be a monster by camp...

A 6'5'' 225lbs centre who can skate? He'd have to suck real hard to not make the team out of training camp if he has a successful offseason.

I think he's pretty close with his skating. He's worked on it over previous summers as well as building up strength and conditioning. Another summer of that and physically, I think he'd be NHL ready by camp.

The key for me with Colborne is what is going on between the ears. He had a fair amount of room for improvement in that area coming into this season. He has the will & conscience to play defense and makes the effort but he's been lacking in experience to know where to position himself and the most efficient lines he should skate for example - his reads and anticipation seemed to need work. I suspect he'll still need some improvement in that area when camp rolls around. The good news is that it is something a player can learn and improve on.

He continues to have a good attitude about it so I think he'll eventually get there.

I'm not quite ready to write him into the line up until I see that next September. I continue to feel he's a good prospect and even if he doesn't make top 6, he could still become a decent checking/3rd line center who can chip in some points. Like many big guys, he requires some patience.

I didn't want to say this before, but the name Eric Fehr comes to mind.

 

[showmethemoneyman]

I was reading that Colborne was playing with a badly damaged wrist for much of the year and is having surgery next week , we know about the sliced thumb.
Eakins was quoted as saying the injury was bad enough that he wouldn?t have been surprised if colborne had shut it down for the year , but that joe wanted to battle through it.  When recovered he may well make the  team out of training camp next year.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=398163

 

[Etiam Vultus]

Rick Dudley was interviewed on TSN radio a couple of weeks ago.  I was surprised at how adamant he was that Colborne will be a second line centre in the NHL.  Dudley noted that Colborne still needs some development, but had no doubts that he will play in the top six forwards.

 

[LeafsInSeven]

I was pleased to hear that Colborne had a chronic injury during the season because if he didn't no spin could explain why he was pretty much a non-factor offensively after getting demoted. Hopefully there are no long term effects from him playing 50+ games with a bad wrist.

I still say as a prospect that he's top 6 or bust. He's just not energetic or ornery enough to become a defensive forward. I don't believe the skating is a major issue, it's not great but it's good enough. If he doesn't make it, it'll be because he won't pay the price to win pucks along the boards.

 

[cw]

I still say as a prospect that he's top 6 or bust. He's just not energetic or ornery enough to become a defensive forward. I don't believe the skating is a major issue, it's not great but it's good enough. If he doesn't make it, it'll be because he won't pay the price to win pucks along the boards.

You might be right. I'm not as sure. I still think he has possibilities as a checking center who can score some.

 

[maplesyrup]

I agree. If he can't make it as a #2 center, there's nothing to say that he can't switch-up his game if need be or at least give it a try.

 

[maplesyrup]

Seems Colborne's wrist was quite the mess;

Corey Pronman ‏@coreypronman
Yeesh RT @KyleTheReporter: Joe Colborne played from Jan-June with 2 torn ligaments & broken bone in wrist.

 

[Corn Flake]

Seems Colborne's wrist was quite the mess;

Corey Pronman ‏@coreypronman
Yeesh RT @KyleTheReporter: Joe Colborne played from Jan-June with 2 torn ligaments & broken bone in wrist.

Well that explains a few things.  Wonder why he was allowed to play with that kind of injury, or if he/doctors even knew how bad it was.