2012-2013 Regular Season Discussion

[Brew666]

I really don't think the team needs a veteran goaltender at all. I really don't see the point in it. Let the young guys play (good or not) and get a good draft pick this year. There's a lot of talent in the top of this draft, much better than last years draft.

I don't want to acquire a vet. goaltender in the season but this offseason. Lets tank w/ our current goaltending situation (b/c we're not going to make any noise w/ Reimer & Scrivens) and assess our players with who stays and goes (reassess who the core of the team is).

The purpose of bringing in a starting veteran is to take the pressure off a prospect to properly develop and not have the pressures of the media/everything else on him. There's rare talents and kids who are much more mature beyond their years but those are far and few in between. The last time the Leafs has a good young goalie who panned out was Potvin and he had to unseat Fuhr. Even in Boston they were in no rush to get rid of Thomas to make room for Rask.

I just think it's smart management to bring someone in who has experience with the daily pressure of being a starting goaltender in the league. It allows the prospect to develop at their own pace and it also goes in line w/ the ideal of earning your minutes. This franchise (due to lack of depth) hasn't been great by setting a precedent w/ it's players that ice time is earned. I know it's a 2 way street and vets shouldn't be given minutes without earning them either.

Bringing in Bernier could work or he could leave us in the exact same boat we're sitting in; hoping a goaltending prospect reaches his potential in one of the most media heavy markets in the league. I'm not completely opposed to Bernier but I wouldn't give up anything of value because it's a pretty big risk.

[xAIRNESSx]

Wow, what a goal by Frattin. At the buzzer!

[Homer Jay]

If there is one positive to this season so far, it's the play of the young ones. Kadri, Frattin, Komarov, JVR have not looked out of place at all.

One negative is the fact their two big stars, Phanuef and Kessel, have been awful. Continue the rebuild and ship them out for more talent.

Also does anyone else think that Lupul should be the C and not Phaneuf? I know that was ordered by Burke and with him gone maybe they should change the C too.

[Bankai]

Phil Kessel is the Leaf equivalent of Andrea Bargnani. Touted as a Goal Scorer but is really inefficient at it. Its been that way their whole times here.

[Dr Positivity]

Most enjoyable team in years. Love Kadri, JVR, Frattin

[ATLTimekeeper]

Kessel's been dangerous, he just hasn't scored yet. The media loves stuff like this, because it's a talking point and they're empowered by running players out of town.

If Phaneuf could hit the net we might end up having a passable power play.

[whysoserious]

Kadri has been excellent this year. I think it really is just a reflection of how bad Wilson was in his time here as coach of the Leafs. He never had any interest in helping Kadri develop.

Eakins and now Carlyle are really working with him.

As to Phaneuf, he's so frustrating. You don't have to blow it through the goalie which is what he tries to do and then misses the net. Just get a good, shot on net that has some power, but not trying to kill someone and we'd be getting more rebound/tip chances.

[Ado05]

Kadri has been excellent this year. I think it really is just a reflection of how bad Wilson was in his time here as coach of the Leafs. He never had any interest in helping Kadri develop.

Eakins and now Carlyle are really working with him.

As to Phaneuf, he's so frustrating. You don't have to blow it through the goalie which is what he tries to do and then misses the net. Just get a good, shot on net that has some power, but not trying to kill someone and we'd be getting more rebound/tip chances.

Even more important than before because we now have JVR who is actually at the front.

[G R E Y]

Phil Kessel is the Leaf equivalent of Andrea Bargnani. Touted as a Goal Scorer but is really inefficient at it. Its been that way their whole times here.

He's not quite as bad, but the guy's inability to score this year and words like 'enigma' being attached to his ability to do so are bringing him closer. I hate that Kessel trade more each year.

Kessel to somewhere - he just needs a good 13-game stretch

Was doubtful about it at first, but really like the JVR trade so far...

[whysoserious]

Kessel has had a way better career than Bargnani. It's not even close. Kessel may not have scored so far but this guy still is one of the better snipers in the league since we got him.

The problem with it is always what we gave up and the face we haven't put sufficient talent beside him to be a good team. It's like the same as blaming Bosh all those years for the teams failures. Bosh did his job, the others around him and management didn't.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Kostka-Phaneuf are burning the first minute and a half of the PP. Franson and Liles are better suited to be the first pairing in that situation. Also, Carlyle is playing two lines at the beginning of a 3 game/4 night stretch. We're gonna have a situation like the Islander game where the legs just give out.

Frattin-Kadri-Komorov have basically kept us afloat so far. Crazy to think Frattin didn't even make the team.

[whysoserious]

Kadri made a couple of minor mistakes yesterday but overall, this kid is starting to get it and you can see the confidence that he feels he's getting from his coach cause he's really using his skill at times to create some nice chances. He's also battling in the offensive zone in a way that I don't recall him doing.

Credit to Eakins and Carlyle and more importantly Kadri himself.

[whysoserious]

Interesting discussion about the Leafs not having a true home ice advantage due to the demographics in the arena and fans that can actually afford Leafs tix.

Here's the problem, it's another excuse from an organization that hasn't given it's fans anything to cheer about for 8+ years. We all acknowledge that there's a ton of business people attending Leafs games that have no interest in the game. but don't blame the crowd or fans for not being hyped up or having an advantage. Give them something to cheer about. It's that simple.

And I really hate how all Toronto sports fans get lumped in with the Leafs business crowds at times. The Raptors have amazing base support and some pretty raucous crowds. FC has some of the best fans ever.

[Ado05]

Interesting discussion about the Leafs not having a true home ice advantage due to the demographics in the arena and fans that can actually afford Leafs tix.

Here's the problem, it's another excuse from an organization that hasn't given it's fans anything to cheer about for 8+ years. We all acknowledge that there's a ton of business people attending Leafs games that have no interest in the game. but don't blame the crowd or fans for not being hyped up or having an advantage. Give them something to cheer about. It's that simple.

And I really hate how all Toronto sports fans get lumped in with the Leafs business crowds at times. The Raptors have amazing base support and some pretty raucous crowds. FC has some of the best fans ever.

^Got that off of HFBoards, which I lurk around sometimes.

Agreed. There really hasnt been anything to cheer about this season. Especially at home, where I believe they are 1-4.

[whysoserious]

It's posted on the Raptors board. I don't disagree that there's a large corporate environment at the ACC for Leaf games, but that's been the case basically since they moved out of MLG and in to the ACC. Nothing is different this year. The tix are overpriced by the organization.

If players are quietly upset about the crowds, look to the ownership and their pricing and plans to sell tix.

But in the end, the players should play hard and try to win regardless of fan participation or whatever. Give them something to be proud about and cheer and they will.

[Bankai]

Supposedly the talk is that the "real" Leaf Fans are the ones that goes to Ottawa or Buffalo en masse for Leaf Games. And the ones that go to the ACC are just suits trying to impress their corporate partners.

The Raptors and TFC are different but in the NBA and MLS it is known that they have a massive and loyal fanbase, and most of them are on cyberspace. The thing is the sports media in this town do not bring any attention to them, and make it look like no one cares or goes to their games. Whenever they get a hint that alot of people actually do care, they tend to be in shock, its crazy. For Leafs they talk about it all the time "Oh look at this huge fan base, tickets are always sold out etc". Most of them are the same old suits. The hardcore fans do not want to be grouped together with them, they want to show that the Jersey wearing Leaf Fans that show up in Buffalo, Detroit, or Ottawa are the real Leaf fans.

This is just the outside opinion and perspective of someone who may watch 10 NHL games a season (Leafs mostly).

[ATLTimekeeper]

Jets fans were dumb to razz Reimer like that. Leafs just turned it on and put 'em away after that.

[Crowned]

There's no excuse to be trotting out Mark Fraser and half the bums on the blueline right now when Gardiner is wasting away in the minors. I just went to the Marlies game against the Bulldogs on Wednesday, and he looked bored out of his mind out there. They moved in the right direction bringing Kadri and Frattin up, but I don't know why Gardiner is down there.

[whysoserious]

There's no excuse to be trotting out Mark Fraser and half the bums on the blueline right now when Gardiner is wasting away in the minors. I just went to the Marlies game against the Bulldogs on Wednesday, and he looked bored out of his mind out there. They moved in the right direction bringing Kadri and Frattin up, but I don't know why Gardiner is down there.

Do you think it's simply that they want to take their time with him after the concussion?

I don't get it either. He should be up here playing, same thing with Holzer who is now up. Trade Lyles if you can because Gardiner's better and bigger at this point.

As for Fraser, who knows, coaches sometimes fall in love with certain guys and what not but it still doesn't make any sense.

[Ado05]

There's no excuse to be trotting out Mark Fraser and half the bums on the blueline right now when Gardiner is wasting away in the minors. I just went to the Marlies game against the Bulldogs on Wednesday, and he looked bored out of his mind out there. They moved in the right direction bringing Kadri and Frattin up, but I don't know why Gardiner is down there.

Im assuming when they originally sent him down was because he looked rusty, so they just sent him down to log big minutes in the AHL and then they would call him back up.

But I dont know why they wouldnt have called him up by now.