Line-up changes

[Bullfrog]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He was top 10 in PP goals last year.  What we really need is someone else to contribute PP goals, too (Lupul's had a good start with 2 already).

 

[Fanatic]

TSNBobMcKenzieBob McKenzie
Gustavsson starts for TOR vs. NYR, Scrivens backs up. Reimer still on shelf. Sounds as if Connolly and Bozak in, Kadri heading to Marlies.

 

[cw]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He got 12 last year which is a career high. But it hasn't been a strength prior to that in his young career. I suspect it's because of the way he scores - often on the move. I hoped last year that they would add more motion in the PP to take advantage of that skill. They flirted with it in preseason but have receded from that since the season started (too bad as I think it's a good PP option for this team - they have the waterbugs to make it work - particularly against teams that are not aggressive focusing on blocking lanes and are not as mobile).

I also think he could boost his tally on the PP if he parked more often where Mogilny & Tucker did (on the opposite side of the ice because unlike them, he's a right handed shot).
Something like this:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
- we just haven't seen enough of it but I think we would if he spent more time there on the PP. The last couple of years, he was often up by the half boards or elsewhere.

 

[cabber24]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He got 12 last year which is a career high. But it hasn't been a strength prior to that in his young career. I suspect it's because of the way he scores - often on the move. I hoped last year that they would add more motion in the PP to take advantage of that skill. They flirted with it in preseason but have receded from that since the season started (too bad as I think it's a good PP option for this team - they have the waterbugs to make it work - particularly against teams that are not aggressive focusing on blocking lanes and are not as mobile).

I also think he could boost his tally on the PP if he parked more often where Mogilny & Tucker did (on the opposite side of the ice because unlike them, he's a right handed shot).
Something like this:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
- we just haven't seen enough of it but I think we would if he spent more time there on the PP. The last couple of years, he was often up by the half boards or elsewhere.

Like Hull and Stamkos... no Kaberle anymore to feather the passes in there.

 

[cw]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He got 12 last year which is a career high. But it hasn't been a strength prior to that in his young career. I suspect it's because of the way he scores - often on the move. I hoped last year that they would add more motion in the PP to take advantage of that skill. They flirted with it in preseason but have receded from that since the season started (too bad as I think it's a good PP option for this team - they have the waterbugs to make it work - particularly against teams that are not aggressive focusing on blocking lanes and are not as mobile).

I also think he could boost his tally on the PP if he parked more often where Mogilny & Tucker did (on the opposite side of the ice because unlike them, he's a right handed shot).
Something like this:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
- we just haven't seen enough of it but I think we would if he spent more time there on the PP. The last couple of years, he was often up by the half boards or elsewhere.

Like Hull and Stamkos... no Kaberle anymore to feather the passes in there.

When Dion winds up and the shooting lane is blocked, it's a real nice option. Won't work every time but teams will be made to pay enough times to make it worth their while.

You're about to see a guy who can pass the puck pretty well tonight: Connolly.

I bet Gardiner could hit that pass in the sweet spot enough times given the chance.

Hull's a great example (so is Stamkos). He scored a lot of goals from right there.

 

[rdowdall]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He got 12 last year which is a career high. But it hasn't been a strength prior to that in his young career. I suspect it's because of the way he scores - often on the move. I hoped last year that they would add more motion in the PP to take advantage of that skill. They flirted with it in preseason but have receded from that since the season started (too bad as I think it's a good PP option for this team - they have the waterbugs to make it work - particularly against teams that are not aggressive focusing on blocking lanes and are not as mobile).

I also think he could boost his tally on the PP if he parked more often where Mogilny & Tucker did (on the opposite side of the ice because unlike them, he's a right handed shot).
Something like this:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
- we just haven't seen enough of it but I think we would if he spent more time there on the PP. The last couple of years, he was often up by the half boards or elsewhere.

The problem with the parking at the side of the net is that his stick has too much give in it.  Apparently when he was in Boston, Marc Savard gave him crap for it because he couldn't one time a goal mouth pass.  The stick would bend too much and allow the goalie to get across and he would end up shooting it in to the pads.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

You're about to see a guy who can pass the puck pretty well tonight: Connolly.

It'll be interesting to see where Connolly plays on the powerplay. He isn't exactly the greatest faceoff man (45%-ish throughout his career), and Wilson has clearly shown how much he values the ability to win the draw on the PP by putting Steckel out there at certain times. So it might be Bozak (or Steckel at times) lining up at centre with Connolly on the point. I believe he's played that role a fair bit back in Buffalo.

That would bump Liles to the second unit, which has its pros and cons. Liles leads the team in powerplay scoring so it's not really fair to kick him off the top unit unless Connolly can definitely make it work. On the flipside while I've loved the way Gunnarsson has played this season, he seems very tentative on the powerplay. So when Franson isn't in the line-up if we have an option to bump him off the PP I'd take a good look at it.

 

[cw]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He got 12 last year which is a career high. But it hasn't been a strength prior to that in his young career. I suspect it's because of the way he scores - often on the move. I hoped last year that they would add more motion in the PP to take advantage of that skill. They flirted with it in preseason but have receded from that since the season started (too bad as I think it's a good PP option for this team - they have the waterbugs to make it work - particularly against teams that are not aggressive focusing on blocking lanes and are not as mobile).

I also think he could boost his tally on the PP if he parked more often where Mogilny & Tucker did (on the opposite side of the ice because unlike them, he's a right handed shot).
Something like this:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
- we just haven't seen enough of it but I think we would if he spent more time there on the PP. The last couple of years, he was often up by the half boards or elsewhere.

The problem with the parking at the side of the net is that his stick has too much give in it.  Apparently when he was in Boston, Marc Savard gave him crap for it because he couldn't one time a goal mouth pass.  The stick would bend too much and allow the goalie to get across and he would end up shooting it in to the pads.

Brett Hull was reputed to use a very flexible stick (65-75). It certainly didn't seem to trouble him.  I've seen Ovechkin's flex reported at 79-85. Kessel's in Boston I saw reported to be around 75.

Watch this goal again:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
When you've got talent like that, I don't think stick flex presents a gigantic issue.  That goalie had zero chance.

As well, to employ the flex, I don't know about others but on a slapper, I use to hit it a little fat to use the ice to load up the flex in the shaft. On a one timer, the stick is already 'loaded' by the ice as the puck arrives so there's not a great delay in getting it away (waiting for the flex to load up) and it's velocity to get there is greater because the flex is employed. I have my doubts that is a great concern.

And even if it was, if Kessel knew that was the PP strategy they were going to employ, he could always put the iron back in the bag and go with a little stiffer club.

Regardless, I think positioning has a heck of a lot more to do with finishing goals than the flex of a guys stick. Hull, Stamkos, Mogilny, Tucker, etc figured that spot out and cashed in on the PP many, many times over.

 

[rdowdall]

... Where I hope Connolly can contribute better than Bozak is on the PP.

This is key for me. While leading the league in goals with 9, Kessel only has one powerplay goal! Imagine if he actually starts potting powerplay goals?

He got 12 last year which is a career high. But it hasn't been a strength prior to that in his young career. I suspect it's because of the way he scores - often on the move. I hoped last year that they would add more motion in the PP to take advantage of that skill. They flirted with it in preseason but have receded from that since the season started (too bad as I think it's a good PP option for this team - they have the waterbugs to make it work - particularly against teams that are not aggressive focusing on blocking lanes and are not as mobile).

I also think he could boost his tally on the PP if he parked more often where Mogilny & Tucker did (on the opposite side of the ice because unlike them, he's a right handed shot).
Something like this:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
- we just haven't seen enough of it but I think we would if he spent more time there on the PP. The last couple of years, he was often up by the half boards or elsewhere.

The problem with the parking at the side of the net is that his stick has too much give in it.  Apparently when he was in Boston, Marc Savard gave him crap for it because he couldn't one time a goal mouth pass.  The stick would bend too much and allow the goalie to get across and he would end up shooting it in to the pads.

Brett Hull was reputed to use a very flexible stick (65-75). It certainly didn't seem to trouble him.  I've seen Ovechkin's flex reported at 79-85. Kessel's in Boston I saw reported to be around 75.

Watch this goal again:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlp=8473548&event=TOR444
When you've got talent like that, I don't think stick flex presents a gigantic issue.  That goalie had zero chance.

As well, to employ the flex, I don't know about others but on a slapper, I use to hit it a little fat to use the ice to load up the flex in the shaft. On a one timer, the stick is already 'loaded' by the ice as the puck arrives so there's not a great delay in getting it away (waiting for the flex to load up) and it's velocity to get there is greater because the flex is employed. I have my doubts that is a great concern.

And even if it was, if Kessel knew that was the PP strategy they were going to employ, he could always put the iron back in the bag and go with a little stiffer club.

Regardless, I think positioning has a heck of a lot more to do with finishing goals than the flex of a guys stick. Hull, Stamkos, Mogilny, Tucker, etc figured that spot out and cashed in on the PP many, many times over.

I think he has gone to a higher flex rating.  I just recall a story that Jason York was telling on the radio about Kessels flex, and how it was affecting his ability to put in one timers on the power play from cross crease passes from Savard, and that Savard was getting frustrated over it.  I guess Savard kept telling him to decrease the stick flex in practice.  Now he may have been positioned right beside the net in the above scenario, and not out near the bottom of the circle, like he was in the video you showed.

I play net, so I really have no idea.  The first stick flex really came up for me was when York told the story above.

 

[cw]

Leafs Recall Scrivens, Assign Kadri To Marlies

So it's official that Kadri has gone down ..

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I'm posting this here, however we certainly don't want this line to change in any way, shape or form. Compliments of Kessely Snipes.

Back N' The USSR

Nice work. Let's hope that line continues to improve this season, as it will only make the Leafs offense that much more of a threat going forward.

 

[SFBayLeaf]

So anybody know when Armstrong is expected back?  And when he returns he'll replace Frattin?

Kessel line
Grabs line
Lombardi-Bozak-Army
Steckel-Brown line

Looks pretty good to me.

 

[maplesyrup]

So anybody know when Armstrong is expected back?  And when he returns he'll replace Frattin?

Kessel line
Grabs line
Lombardi-Bozak-Army
Steckel-Brown line

Looks pretty good to me.

Not sure but I agree... Pretty solid (on paper anyway.) The Grabo line still needs to be better and Connolly needs to show for a stretch that he belongs between Loops and Kessel.

 

[The Red Polar Bear]

So anybody know when Armstrong is expected back?  And when he returns he'll replace Frattin?

Kessel line
Grabs line
Lombardi-Bozak-Army
Steckel-Brown line

Looks pretty good to me.

Not sure but I agree... Pretty solid (on paper anyway.) The Grabo line still needs to be better and Connolly needs to show for a stretch that he belongs between Loops and Kessel.

Assuming that Wilson still plans on rolling 4 lines, I'd put him on the 4th line, in for Dupuis, and leave the 3rd line alone.

Brown-Steckel-Army would give opposition scoring lines nightmares.

 

[maplesyrup]

So anybody know when Armstrong is expected back?  And when he returns he'll replace Frattin?

Kessel line
Grabs line
Lombardi-Bozak-Army
Steckel-Brown line

Looks pretty good to me.

Not sure but I agree... Pretty solid (on paper anyway.) The Grabo line still needs to be better and Connolly needs to show for a stretch that he belongs between Loops and Kessel.

Assuming that Wilson still plans on rolling 4 lines, I'd put him on the 4th line, in for Dupuis, and leave the 3rd line alone.

Brown-Steckel-Army would give opposition scoring lines nightmares.

Leaving Frattin with Lombardi and Bozak and pushing Dupuis to the PB? I like that.

 

[moon111]

I think some games will help Connolly-line get use to one another.  Kulemin needs to get a mean edge on to be more effective.  Hopefully everyone gets and stays healthy.

 

[Deebo]

Crabb up, Frattin down.

 

[Fanatic]

jonasTSN1050Jonas Siegel
Crabb is tied for third in AHL scoring. Frattin had one assist in eleven games.

 

[Fanatic]

Wilson on Frattin today:  "You don?t want a young player who?s used to scoring at the levels that he?s been at to come here and not be able to score. We?ll have to make a decision to help him build his confidence does he have to go down to play a little bit or anything like that. I?m certainly not going to compromise what we?re doing just to try and find a way for him to score a goal when other guys have earned that right over years and are contributing a lot.?