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David Clarkson

Britishbulldog said:
Well....not wanting to see a huge debate again over Clarkson, stats and Carlyle's coaching style since I have enough drama in my life this week as I had 4 high end mics stolen from my studio apparently while I was in Montreal last week pitching some TV shows to broadcasters.  I get that everyone is passionate about the Leafs and are frustrated/discouraged/etc about their lack of success still after all these years but man....

Anyway, everyone knows my opinion on Clarkson as I have been vocal about it for a few years and wanted him as a 3rd line RW since the Spring of 2010 when CornFlake pointed him out as a pending free agent.  Clarkson re-signed a 3 year $2.66 MIL contract of course.  My point is I knew from watching him as much as possible for the last 3 years that he was a Darcy Tucker NOT a Lucic or Clark. 

That being said I also can say he NEVER looked this lost in New Jersey the last 3 years.  He definitely isn't being used as effective as he was in New Jersey.  I expected he would be in front of the net deflecting Franson and Gardiner shots, chirping like Kadri and throwing hits like Kulemin....oh and losing fights.  So as much as I have harped on him this season I must also say he isn't THIS bad so what is different between New Jersey and here?  His line mates seem comparable.
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I still think that he's of the belief that he has to be everything to everyone in Toronto. His family and friends are at all the games, and he was the big name acquisition this off season. Time will tell, but once he realizes that he doesn't have to do everything here to be successful he will start to play like he did with Jersey. I'm still giving him the benefit of doubt until, at least he reaches the 40-50 game mark as a Leaf.
 
RedLeaf said:
Britishbulldog said:
Well....not wanting to see a huge debate again over Clarkson, stats and Carlyle's coaching style since I have enough drama in my life this week as I had 4 high end mics stolen from my studio apparently while I was in Montreal last week pitching some TV shows to broadcasters.  I get that everyone is passionate about the Leafs and are frustrated/discouraged/etc about their lack of success still after all these years but man....

Anyway, everyone knows my opinion on Clarkson as I have been vocal about it for a few years and wanted him as a 3rd line RW since the Spring of 2010 when CornFlake pointed him out as a pending free agent.  Clarkson re-signed a 3 year $2.66 MIL contract of course.  My point is I knew from watching him as much as possible for the last 3 years that he was a Darcy Tucker NOT a Lucic or Clark. 

That being said I also can say he NEVER looked this lost in New Jersey the last 3 years.  He definitely isn't being used as effective as he was in New Jersey.  I expected he would be in front of the net deflecting Franson and Gardiner shots, chirping like Kadri and throwing hits like Kulemin....oh and losing fights.  So as much as I have harped on him this season I must also say he isn't THIS bad so what is different between New Jersey and here?  His line mates seem comparable.
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I still think that he's of the belief that he has to be everything to everyone in Toronto. His family and friends are at all the games, and he was the big name acquisition this off season. Time will tell, but once he realizes that he doesn't have to do everything here to be successful he will start to play like he did with Jersey. I'm still giving him the benefit of doubt until, at least he reaches the 40-50 game mark as a Leaf.
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Oh yeah, he deserves awhile to make a determination on the contract overall.  Just the early returns are bad.
 
Highlander said:
Lets watch the whole season and if the Loafs do make the playoffs I think you will see a different D.C.
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History doesn't really support that, but, it's nice to have dreams. 5 goals, 14 points and 79 PIM in 44 career playoff games - not really far off from his regular season pace.
 
Those Clark comparisons that were shoved down our throats by the media (especially LeafsTV and other Leafs influenced media - including Wendel himself!) prior to the season just look even more ridiculous now.

That's not Clarkson's fault obviously but in retrospect a Chad Kilger comparison might have been more appropriate for what we've seen thus far.

It's only 23 games to his Leafs' campaign but I just haven't seen much that gives me hope that he can raise his level of play enough to justify his contract. And it's not even "yeah, well we all know the Leafs had to overpay to get him but he's still a very solid player, who cares about the cap hit and term!" Unfortunately even financials aside he has done little to justify even a 3rd line role or show that he is a solid player.

He has moments where he displays a good cycle and physical game but he is not particularly fast, has very limited vision on the ice and is mostly unable to generate any offense on his own. Even when he has more space and time to work with on the 2nd PP unit he has really not shown anything (the whole unit is pretty mediocre but Clarkson shares the blame at least equally). He is average at best defensively but is not a guy who can contribute on the PK (probably because of his mobility).

I found it funny that the other night vs LA where the Leafs actually had a sustained and successful forecheck for the whole game that Clarkson was still pretty invisible on the whole. In fact I remember some negative comments about a few plays he made in the GDT.

Obviously I'm still rooting for him to turn it around because really the only other option is a buyout since he has less trade value than Brian Burke's barber.
 
Beowulf said:
That's not Clarkson's fault obviously but in retrospect a Chad Kilger comparison might have been more appropriate for what we've seen thus far.
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But wasnt Clarkson supposed to bring some Fire to our lineup and NOT put it out? ;)
 
Green Leaf said:
Beowulf said:
That's not Clarkson's fault obviously but in retrospect a Chad Kilger comparison might have been more appropriate for what we've seen thus far.
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But wasnt Clarkson supposed to bring some Fire to our lineup and NOT put it out? ;)
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Ha! Didn't realize what you meant at first, had to look it up. I suppose the Kilger comparison is even more appropriate then.  8)
 
bakeapples said:
David Clarkson = Blake + Komisarek = Blakisarek!
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Just saying here, Blake had 52, and 63 points the years he played in TO, and his contract was 4 mil. If Clarkson can get half of that I think we got a deal.
 
freer said:
bakeapples said:
David Clarkson = Blake + Komisarek = Blakisarek!
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Just saying here, Blake had 52, and 63 points the years he played in TO, and his contract was 4 mil. If Clarkson can get half of that I think we got a deal.
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Clarkson getting 26 or 31 points for $5.25 million would be a steal?
 
I clearly didn't get enough sleep.

Regardless, my comment would be the same.  Unless we're talking the literal meaning of a deal as in it would literally be a contract between two parties.  In that case, I agree.
 
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