Leafs: October game thread discussion

s e n s i · Post #161 » by **s e n s i** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:11 am

Kessel's snipeshow overshadows a few intangibles he brings though. He's not a one-dimensional guy. He can light it up with the best of em but also does a fantastic job defensively. He's rarely late on his forechecks, does a great job using his speed (effort) to get back and take away opposing odd-man rushes, and he's pretty nifty along the boards.

J-Roc · Post #162 » by **J-Roc** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:13 pm

darth_federer wrote:
Doug McKenzie said that the offers were for Bottom 6 guys only. Burke is just generating interest to let other GM's know that hes already starting to consider offers.

Which one was Doug?

leafsfan89 · Post #163 » by **leafsfan89** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:27 pm

Colby Armstrong is reportedly out 4-6 weeks. This sucks, but tbh, Armstrong's loss can be easily replaced. And Caputi will be replacing him and playing on a line with Brent, and Sjostrom. I was very surprised when Wilson didn't keep Caputi up for the home opener but i guess that proved otherwise (Leafs went 4-0). But I always felt Caputi had it in him to return sooner than later.

Post #164 » by **YogiStewart** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:54 am

caputi's borderline nhl talent. does many things ok but nothing great.

SDM · Post #165 » by **SDM** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:23 pm

I like a Caputi/Brent/Shoestorm line.

Post #166 » by **bryant08** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 1:45 am

Same problems as usual. Terrible offensive production and a few lapses defensively. Lebda was terrible and Phaneuf was mediocre. Kessel just can't seem to play well against the Bruins. Schenn and Gustavsson were the positives.

leafsfan89 · Post #167 » by **leafsfan89** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:06 am

Shots on net during the powerplay would be a great start! This team cant seem to buy a goal on the PP lately! Its very sad actually. They just hold, hold, pass, hold, pass, and repeat. Schenn played OUTSTANDING tonight, didnt really see him make one bad play, and he was simply just doing his job and thats playing defense. As a fan, thats all i ask from this highly paid defense core, just play defense! But Schenn showed more skill as he went to the net on a couple of plays aswell. Caputi played well (hit the post bare on one shot), I wouldnt call him borderline nhl talent, hes quite good, good forechecks, speed, and strong shots. Not the best skater, but he does everything he can to make his presence known, bangs bodies into the boards and hes got alot of size. Gustavsson was better than good but not great. But the real surprise here is the play of Thomas, this guys 5-0-0 with a 0.60 GAA, and last year he was riding the bench. Overall a good game, but a dissapointing one for leaf fans, hopefully this loss motivates them for a tilt against the rangers on saturday!

ablatt · Post #168 » by **ablatt** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:13 am

The problem for the Leafs is they have so many players who don't accomplish much all game. When is the last time Kulemin, Bozak or Grabowski did anything? These top-2 line guys can disappear for games on end. They buzz around on the outside and take weak shots at the net.

They have so many middle of the road players that wouldn't crack the 3-rd line on any good team.

Burke said this team would be built on trucculence. But where is it? I see a bunch of either small or weak forwards who won't do the dirty work.

And poor Captain Trucculence getting rocked in that fight so quickly last night couldn't have pleased Burke and Wilson.

Phaneuf simply can't skate. He is soooo slooooow. And gets knocked off his feet so easily. It is very rare for guys who were good once and then crappy for years, to somehow turn it around and become good again. Is he out of shape? I'd take any one of Stajan, Hagman or White back for him.

The Leafs goaltending has improved from lousy to adequate. Neither Giguere at this stage of his career or Gustavsson are bonafied elite goalies. They get out-goaltended almost every night, although some of that is the Leafs inability to score.

One puzzling thing is how they can look so good on the forecheck for a number of games and then horrible. This team is nothing without the forecheck. I am not sure (maybe somebody else can give their opinion) whether it's just too hard physically to forecheck like that all the time, or it has to do with coach Wilson somehow wearing on them.

It's so sad to be in a city where Colangelo and Burke and everybody before them, don't realize that you have to build a team through the draft.

What a joke to think that signing these rejects like Verstink, Armstrong and Brown can make a difference.

It's going to be a long season and the Bruins must be loving it.

J-Roc · Post #169 » by **J-Roc** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:03 pm

I'm not gonna hate on our 2nd line scrubs because they are what they are. Our team was not expected to do well, and that's why.

Postives. Kessel has been good. And our goaltending has been great. Not Tim Thomas great, but we're not losing because of goaltending, which is huge in the NHL.

I called it with Phaneuf. Not captain material. Simply because he's not that good. And our captain skates around making mistakes all the time, and missing the net with shots.

But the good news....Luke Schenn has been FRIGGIN AWESOME. Omg, no joke, I think we have a star in the making here. Anyone see him rub out Lucic last night. Just plastered him to the boards using only his arm strength. And wtf is up with Schenn suddenly handling the puck like Kaberle?? Give it a few more games and Phaneuf and Komisarek will be our 3rd line D. Schenn can be our Chara, the top flight D-man we've been looking for since.....Al Iafrate?? haha Okay, maybe Salming.

ablatt · Post #170 » by **ablatt** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:33 pm

I agree about Schenn. He's our best D by far now. And young.

Shows you how you have to wait these young guys out a few years, something the Leafs never did in the past.

SDM · Post #171 » by **SDM** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:42 pm

"Uhhh, how many goals has Seguin scored? One? Kessel has seven"

When this becomes your justification for a trade, you lost.

Lionel Messi · Post #172 » by **Lionel Messi** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:59 pm

The only guy on the Leafs that can actually shoot the puck is Phil Kessel. The amount of weak ass shots we put at the net is annoying. Even Jason Blake put stronger shots at net than this once in a while.

leafsfan89 · Post #173 » by **leafsfan89** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:39 pm

Steegers back in the line up tonight. Hopefully hes well rested and brings more energy this game than he has been the past few games he's played. Hanson is also in the line up tonight which is good. I think he will be on the 4th line with Orr and Brown. Either way, hes another energy guy who ALWAYS finishes his checks hard! I remember towards the end of last season when he got alot of playing time, he would be bouncing from one end of the boards to the other end like a pinball just checking guys hard!

Post #174 » by **darth_federer** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:01 am

Ok guys time to panac

ablatt · Post #175 » by **ablatt** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:42 am

I really wanted to like Brian Burke. He's articulate, wants to win, and says a lot of the right things.

But man, has he made some huge blunders.

Phaneuf is not a good defenceman. Forget about being a Captain - he never proved he was worth it. But the guy's is mistake-prone, slow and not tought at all. In fact, he's probably #4 or #5 on the Leafs. I just don't see the guy ever being what he once was and will drag this team down for a couple of years.

Kessel is the only legit NHL calibre forward they have. But to trade two first round picks when they're not going anywhere anyway, now appears to be a very big mistake.

Versteeg was another big blunder. He does nothing game after game. And I'm sure Stalberg is better than him and doing better than him.

Very frustrating and I'm sure WIlson will eventually take the fall for this train wreck.

Every game they make the other goalie look incredible because nobody can put the damn puck in the net.

And as for trucculence, I don't see any except for Luke Schenn.

J Dilla · Post #176 » by **J Dilla** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 3:47 am

I never saw why they would make Phaneuf the captain. I guess he is another one of those hockey players who get paid and relax in their Muskoka cottage afterwards.

Post #177 » by **YogiStewart** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 2:25 pm

because phaneuf was a stud in junior and in his rookie year.

that's the only logic i have.

also remember that he was pretty much run out of calgary. so a guy that is not liked by his coach and teammates becomes another team's captain shortly after his arrival and without doing anything on ice to deserve it? unreal.

Post #178 » by **bryant08** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 2:31 pm

YogiStewart wrote:because phaneuf was a stud in junior and in his rookie year.

that's the only logic i have.

also remember that he was pretty much run out of calgary. so a guy that is not liked by his coach and teammates becomes another team's captain shortly after his arrival and without doing anything on ice to deserve it? unreal.

Phaneuf came in and played solid hockey last season. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind and made an impact on the locker room. However, this decision was made way too early. He's played like trash this season and his poor decision-making sets the wrong example. If we would've stuck with As this season and Schenn played this way, I think it would be pretty clear he'd be the long-term captain (not right away) of this team (which was supposed to be the plan).

J-Roc · Post #179 » by **J-Roc** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 4:41 pm

Being good in the locker room is only half the battle. You need to do things on ice. And you don't even have to be a star. You could be a 3rd line checker who kills penalties, but as captain, you have to be good at that job. Problem with Phaneuf is he has no role on the ice. Shooter? Can't hit the net. Shut down defenceman? LOL. Bodychecker? Caught out of position. Fighter? OMG if that's our captain.

Anyways, I don't care to overstate the importance of "being" the captain. Of greater concern is that since he's the captain, he's virtually assured major minutes. Let's start by making him a second line D.

Post #180 » by **darth_federer** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 4:47 pm

The defense has really improved. Goals against is down, penalty killing is pretty good and they re losing games 2-1, 2-0 this year. Goaltending has also improved too.

Lack of offense is killing them. If they had guys like Stajan, Hagman and Poni this year, it would be a pretty good team. Poni and Antropov were hated on so much. Just look at how Antropov did last year. Biggest disappointments are probably Kulemin (who they thought could be a 25 goal scorer), Grabovski (who had a 50 point season a couple of years ago and was on pace for one last year if he played 82 games), and Versteeg.