Quarter Season Player Report Card...

[2badknees]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/maple-leafs-get-their-quarter-season-report-cards/article21810585/

Here's Mirtle's take.. agree with virtually all, apart from Kadri, but he's been a noted kadri apologist. I was surprised to see Gardiner at a D, as it seems in most GDTs I'm the only one that thinks he's overrated as a player.

Komorov and Winnik are bang on, along with the first line.

 

[Highlander]

The Jays just made a huge trade dangling several good young prospects and Lawrie.  They just gave up a lot to get the best 3rd baseman in the game. 
Maybe its time to shake the tree and move Gardiner and Kadri while they are worth something. Not so hot on moving Kadri but we have some other puck moving D men like Percy ready to come up. And without the defensive liability that is Gardiner

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I was surprised to see Gardiner at a D, as it seems in most GDTs I'm the only one that thinks he's overrated as a player.

A lot of Gardiner supporters, myself included, have admitted he's struggled this season. That just shouldn't be a reason to trade him given what we've seen him do in the past.

 

[L K]

I was surprised to see Gardiner at a D, as it seems in most GDTs I'm the only one that thinks he's overrated as a player.

A lot of Gardiner supporters, myself included, have admitted he's struggled this season. That just shouldn't be a reason to trade him given what we've seen him do in the past.

I would almost be ok with it if they found a package to get another clear 1st pairing defenseman...the problem is that Gardiner's value is not going to be high on the trade market right now.  Teams will pick him up but they won't give up a #1 defenseman for him and that to me would be the only reason to trade him.

 

[Highlander]

Agreed, on his own he would not fetch much, but with another prospect(s) like the Lawrie trade we may able to pick up a player that we need.
Obviously the Lawrie trade has shaken the MBL and I think many GM's are scatching their heads saying how in the hell did Alex pull that off.
We need Nonis to do something with some of the talent we have been farming.

 

[Bender]

Agreed, on his own he would not fetch much, but with another prospect(s) like the Lawrie trade we may able to pick up a player that we need.
Obviously the Lawrie trade has shaken the MBL and I think many GM's are scatching their heads saying how in the hell did Alex pull that off.
We need Nonis to do something with some of the talent we have been farming.

Why is it that AA does it now we have to. What a ridiculous notion. Trades like these always end badly for us.

 

[ZBBM]

Well balanced analysis from Mirtle.

 

[Highlander]

I have been advocating a trade for a long time, but of course has to make sense with someone who fits in. Then again with the way they are playing right now, why mess with the chemistry.

 

[Peter D.]

I get that Clarkson is an easy target around this city, but I haven't found him to be that bad that he warrants a D.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I get that Clarkson is an easy target around this city, but I haven't found him to be that bad that he warrants a D.

These grades always have double subjectivity.  They generally seem to roughly consider the player's maximum imaginable contribution, as well has how closely or not the player achieved that contribution to the team.  I generally think Clarkson's been next to worthless to the team this year.  However, given that I honestly think the best possible Clarkson is only a little bit better than worthless, I could arguably give him a B.  I really don't think he has the ability to contribute much more, but if I did, I suppose a D would be more justifiable.

 

[Bullfrog]

I get that Clarkson is an easy target around this city, but I haven't found him to be that bad that he warrants a D.

He did mention that salary is a consideration. In which case, he's a D- at best.

 

[2badknees]

I get that Clarkson is an easy target around this city, but I haven't found him to be that bad that he warrants a D.

Agreed. My feeling is that he's still being judged on the sins of the '13 season. No doubt he's overpaid, and the leafs would do well to get out from under his contract, but "worthless"? Disagree. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Agreed. My feeling is that he's still being judged on the sins of the '13 season. No doubt he's overpaid, and the leafs would do well to get out from under his contract, but "worthless"? Disagree. 

Where would you rank Clarkson among forwards this season? I have Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri, Lupul, Santorelli, Komarov, Holland, Winnik, and Panik all ahead of him. And Booth has only played 2 games so it's tough to judge him just yet.

 

[Kessel Run]

Quarter season report card? What is this, grade school?

 

[Courtnall]

Clarkson is on pace for 25-30 goals, and 3-4 assists.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Clarkson is on pace for 25-30 goals, and 3-4 assists.

I'm not sure he can keep up the robust assist pace.

 

[Kin]

I get that Clarkson is an easy target around this city, but I haven't found him to be that bad that he warrants a D.

He did mention that salary is a consideration. In which case, he's a D- at best.

Does Clarkson have a bad contract? You'd think someone would have mentioned it before now.

 

[Bullfrog]

I was just clarifying Mirtle's scoring criteria.

 

[x.jr.benchwarmer]

I find that Mirtle is one of the best writers on the Leafs.  He is quite objective and insightful.

I tend to agree with every one of his grades as well.

It is interesting to note his C+ Grade on Phaneuf.  Even though he is leading the team in plus-minus, as Mirtle states, 'This is what he is'.

And while certainly agreeing and emphasizing with Zanzibar's  take  on our beleagured captain, Dion really isn't going to be much better than we have seen him over the past 20+ games or so.  He might not be the 'possession black hole' as Mirtle writes, especially last year, but he really isn't likely to be among the top defencemen, principally because of his skating.

It was interesting in the game against the Devils when DeBour was screaming at one of his players who wasn't moving his feet in the defensive zone.  If he was coaching the Leafs, he would be screaming at Dion every night.  It is maddening at times to watch him glide or coast.  And compounding the comparative lack of foot speed is that he doesn't seem to make the heads-up play that elite players make.  In fact, the mark of a good defenceman, as one old coach once said,  is when he can pass the puck to an accelerating player.  And you don't see that very often in Dion's game, IMHO.

Well, hopefully this will end any other debate about Dion and his ability.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Is the Maple Leafs hot start for real this time?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/is-the-maple-leafs-hot-start-for-real-this-time/article22021070/