Ryan O'Reilly

[bustaheims]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

I wonder how much Carlyle messed up his head.  He was making mistakes under Wilson but he seemed to be oozing with confidence, and really showing his potential.  Under Carlyle, he stopped looking like 'Silver Stick' a while ago, and just looks scared to make a mistake.

 

[bustaheims]

I wonder how much Carlyle messed up his head.  He was making mistakes under Wilson but he seemed to be oozing with confidence, and really showing his potential.  Under Carlyle, he stopped looking like 'Silver Stick' a while ago, and just looks scared to make a mistake.

Yeah. I mean, I don't want to be the guy that blames Carlyle for everything, but, he did have some influence here. He definitely discouraged defencemen skating with the puck, and that hurt both Rielly and Gardiner. It was a strength in both of their games - and a big part of what earned Jake the "Silver Stick" nickname - and without it, they've both made more mistakes. Rielly seemed to brush them off a little more easily, but, they seem to have gotten to Gardiner a little. Horachek has removed that restriction, and you can see both of them starting to get their play back in order.

 

[ZBBM]

I wonder how much Carlyle messed up his head.  He was making mistakes under Wilson but he seemed to be oozing with confidence, and really showing his potential.  Under Carlyle, he stopped looking like 'Silver Stick' a while ago, and just looks scared to make a mistake.

Yeah. I mean, I don't want to be the guy that blames Carlyle for everything, but, he did have some influence here. He definitely discouraged defencemen skating with the puck, and that hurt both Rielly and Gardiner. It was a strength in both of their games - and a big part of what earned Jake the "Silver Stick" nickname - and without it, they've both made more mistakes. Rielly seemed to brush them off a little more easily, but, they seem to have gotten to Gardiner a little. Horachek has removed that restriction, and you can see both of them starting to get their play back in order.

They both need to keep working at their defensive game.  Both are more offensive d-men types and you just hope that they eventually develop into more of Brian Leetch type player.

But I'm all in favor now of keeping both.  I would have been happy to see Gardiner traded earlier, but I think you have a point about RC.  And it bugs the bejesus out of me when they give up on d-men too early (as in Stralman).

 

[bustaheims]

Another thing - Carlyle seemed to single out Gardiner for his mistakes in ways he really didn't do to anyone else in the lineup (except maybe Kadri), and I think that played into things, too.

 

[Tigger]

Gardiner is still learning to read the game. There's nothing wrong with skating the puck when you have the chance but passing is a very desirable and effective way to move the puck up the ice quickly, if we're picking one thing to point out, but he's also shown to be a bit of a bonehead with his positioning in general. He has a ton of skill so you can live with that learning curve, well I can at least, Randy was also the guy saying you don't really know what you have in a defenseman until he's played at least 300 games...

Scott Gordon on Gardiner and Carlyle.

?There?s this perception that Randy doesn?t like Jake Gardiner, and it?s comical,? Gordon told The Globe and Mail in an interview. ?I can?t tell you how many times that Randy has said that the thought of trading Jake can?t even be discussed until he?s played 300 games.?

?He personally thinks it takes 300 games to get to the point where you can make a decision on them,? Gordon said. ?Here?s somebody who knows there?s going to be growing pains. Is he hard on them? Does he take away ice time? Yes. All he?s trying to do is make them accountable and try to get them on the right path.

?It never gets played out in the media that that?s his approach; I never heard anybody talk about that.?

?When you think about it, where Jake has come from, in his first year to now ? to me, in the last 20 or so games, a lot of nights he was our best player. You can say what you want, but it?s Randy putting him over the boards for 20-plus minutes a game,? Gordon said. ?He?s a talented kid. And it?s a lot because of Randy?s patience with him.?

 

[Highlander]

I will agree that Cody has been perhaps our best D man but unless we can move the Pylon or Clarkson, Lupul and Bozak where will we get the money to sign him? Hopefully they can move the Pylon to Dallas as has been reported of interest.
There is also no doubt in my mind that Gardiner has perhaps the best raw talent on the team.  He was fab in the Tampa game I attended a few years back, lights out the best player on the ice back then. Under Horachuck lets hope he finds his way to his true greatness, which is within him at this point.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

You could be 100% correct. Most players don't make the NHL without hockey sense but it does happen(ahem Clarkson).

The question then becomes, does he ever regain his confidence under the microscope here in Toronto or does he need to be moved to return to form?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

You could be 100% correct. Most players don't make the NHL without hockey sense but it does happen(ahem Clarkson).

The question then becomes, does he ever regain his confidence under the microscope here in Toronto or does he need to be moved to return to form?

Small sample, but he's looked markedly better under Horachek so far.  Rielly too.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

You could be 100% correct. Most players don't make the NHL without hockey sense but it does happen(ahem Clarkson).

The question then becomes, does he ever regain his confidence under the microscope here in Toronto or does he need to be moved to return to form?

Small sample, but he's looked markedly better under Horachek so far.  Rielly too.

Markedly better as in a difference of not too bad instead of horrific?

He's yet to play a solid game IMO.

 

[Redleaf]

O' Rielly is someone the Leafs need to be targeting. He's just the type of player they need moving forward. Maybe some sort of package including Phaneuf for him?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

You could be 100% correct. Most players don't make the NHL without hockey sense but it does happen(ahem Clarkson).

The question then becomes, does he ever regain his confidence under the microscope here in Toronto or does he need to be moved to return to form?

Small sample, but he's looked markedly better under Horachek so far.  Rielly too.

Markedly better as in a difference of not too bad instead of horrific?

He's yet to play a solid game IMO.

That's not remotely true.  He's had a number of solid games, a number of very good games, a number of awful games.  He's been pretty good since the coaching change.

The stats bear that out too.

Since coaching change:
CF%: 57.7%
SCF (scoring chance for)%: 59.6%
FF%: 54.8%

Before coaching change:

CF%: 44.8%
SCF%: 44.7%
FF%: 44.8%

I haven't looked any deeper into it, but from what I've seen he's looked good and the numbers say he's been much, much better since Horachek took over.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Gardiner is a head scratcher. You can see the talent. And it's not the high risk plays that really bug me. At times he seems to not be moving his feet and watching the play develop instead of anticipating. Perhaps it's a lack of hockey sense?

I think, right now, it's more a lack of confidence than anything else.

You could be 100% correct. Most players don't make the NHL without hockey sense but it does happen(ahem Clarkson).

The question then becomes, does he ever regain his confidence under the microscope here in Toronto or does he need to be moved to return to form?

Small sample, but he's looked markedly better under Horachek so far.  Rielly too.

Markedly better as in a difference of not too bad instead of horrific?

He's yet to play a solid game IMO.

That's not remotely true.  He's had a number of solid games, a number of very good games, a number of awful games.  He's been pretty good since the coaching change.

The stats bear that out too.

Since coaching change:
CF%: 57.7%
SCF (scoring chance for)%: 59.6%
FF%: 54.8%

Before coaching change:

CF%: 44.8%
SCF%: 44.7%
FF%: 44.8%

I haven't looked any deeper into it, but from what I've seen he's looked good and the numbers say he's been much, much better since Horachek took over.

looking at those stats it seems like he is better.  What about winning percentage?  Did that get better or worse since the coaching change.  Stats are meaningless if they don't translate into wins.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Is it just me or is O'Reilly having a pretty Bozakian season (worse actually) playing with better players and earning more money.

I for one, am not sold on him.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Is it just me or is O'Reilly having a pretty Bozakian season (worse actually) playing with better players and earning more money.

I for one, am not sold on him.

He's deployed like a shutdown C, always as been.  Gets the tough, defensive minutes.  I can't comment on how his D has been.