David Clarkson

[princedpw]

Well, lots people called it a disasterous contract the second it was signed.  The biggest problem I see is that it is going to eliminate the opportunity to improve in the future, unless there is a truly dramatic rise in the cap.  I'd rather spend the money overpaying at a position of greater need -- a top center or top defenseman -- even if it meant being a little worse in the short term.

And if you're going to stifle one's production with defensive minutes despite a big contract, wouldn't it have made more sense to continue to do that with Grabovski who can play C?

I don't even dislike Clarkson that much if I don't think about the contract, but it's impossible not to.

I don't dislike Clarkson at all.  I think he does some good things.  If there was no cap I'd be happy about the signing.  It's actually kind of a drag that I find myself worrying about a players salary instead of just enjoying their play ...

 

[Frank E]

Well, lots people called it a disasterous contract the second it was signed.  The biggest problem I see is that it is going to eliminate the opportunity to improve in the future, unless there is a truly dramatic rise in the cap.  I'd rather spend the money overpaying at a position of greater need -- a top center or top defenseman -- even if it meant being a little worse in the short term.

And if you're going to stifle one's production with defensive minutes despite a big contract, wouldn't it have made more sense to continue to do that with Grabovski who can play C?

I don't even dislike Clarkson that much if I don't think about the contract, but it's impossible not to.

I don't dislike Clarkson at all.  I think he does some good things.  If there was no cap I'd be happy about the signing.  It's actually kind of a drag that I find myself worrying about a players salary instead of just enjoying their play ...

I like Clarkson too, but he's been a guy that falls into that category of doing things that don't show up on the boxscore.

To me, he's like Kulemin, in that he plays such a solid game and makes plays all over the ice, but that doesn't show up in the points columns...wait, aren't we talking about this stuff in another thread?

 

[moon111]

Would I wanted Clarkson in the playoffs last year?  Yes, without a doubt.

 

[mr grieves]

Would I wanted Clarkson in the playoffs last year?  Yes, without a doubt.

But the question that follows is: are the Leafs more or less likely to make the playoffs without the secondary scoring provided by the guy he's replaced (MacArthur) and without the depth the team passed on to sign Clarkson?

 

[Optimus Reimer]

Would I wanted Clarkson in the playoffs last year?  Yes, without a doubt.

But the question that follows is: are the Leafs more or less likely to make the playoffs without the secondary scoring provided by the guy he's replaced (MacArthur) and without the depth the team passed on to sign Clarkson?

I know it was only the pre-season, but would MacArthur have jumped onto the ice to protect Kessel?  Leafs were doing good until the injury bug hit the team.  Even if the Leafs were giving up a lot of shots per game, most of those shots were not difficult ones - saves an average or better than average goalie should make.  Only difference between this season and seasons past is Bernier and Reimer are making those saves and keeping the team in the game.  A good example is the game against the Devils....no way in hell the Leafs from the past 9 seasons wins that game in a shootout. 

Being a former goalie, I preferred having a lot of shots on goal...it kept my head in the game, and knew that if I could frustrate the other team by making key saves, it would give my team a chance to win.  And if I remember correctly, there was a game in the 80s (the Vaive era) when the Leafs had 4 shots on goal in the second period against the Capitals and scored on all 4 shots....not sure about the complete details, just remembering Bob McCown talking about that game...if I am wrong, my apologies.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Would I wanted Clarkson in the playoffs last year?  Yes, without a doubt.

But the question that follows is: are the Leafs more or less likely to make the playoffs without the secondary scoring provided by the guy he's replaced (MacArthur) and without the depth the team passed on to sign Clarkson?

I know it was only the pre-season, but would MacArthur have jumped onto the ice to protect Kessel?

I would hope not.

And isn't Raymond more likely MacArthur's replacement?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And isn't Raymond more likely MacArthur's replacement?

I don't really think the team looks at Raymond as a MacArthur replacement or Clarkson as a Frattin/Komarov replacement. And I don't even really think it's fair to make one-on-one comparisons like that.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

And isn't Raymond more likely MacArthur's replacement?

I don't really think the team looks at Raymond as a MacArthur replacement or Clarkson as a Frattin/Komarov replacement. And I don't even really think it's fair to make one-on-one comparisons like that.

So would you say Josh Leivo is more likely MacArthur's replacement in the long term?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And isn't Raymond more likely MacArthur's replacement?

I don't really think the team looks at Raymond as a MacArthur replacement or Clarkson as a Frattin/Komarov replacement. And I don't even really think it's fair to make one-on-one comparisons like that.

So would you say Josh Leivo is more likely MacArthur's replacement in the long term?

I dunno, just shake the CORSI ball and see what it says.

 

[mr grieves]

Well, lots people called it a disasterous contract the second it was signed.  The biggest problem I see is that it is going to eliminate the opportunity to improve in the future, unless there is a truly dramatic rise in the cap.  I'd rather spend the money overpaying at a position of greater need -- a top center or top defenseman -- even if it meant being a little worse in the short term.

And if you're going to stifle one's production with defensive minutes despite a big contract, wouldn't it have made more sense to continue to do that with Grabovski who can play C?

I don't even dislike Clarkson that much if I don't think about the contract, but it's impossible not to.

Based on his track record in a pretty tight defensive system, I'm not concerned about his potential future offensive contributions...yet....

Though he had generous PP time in that tight defensive system. Without it, he only managed 30 points a year.

Running through the Leafs last several 82 game seasons, that puts him in the same company as such highly sought after $5m men as Nikolai Kulemin, Colby Armstrong, Niklas Hagman, Lee Stempniak (when injured), John Mitchell, Bates Battaglia, Chad Kilger, Nik Antropov (when injured), 3rd-line Robert Reichel, Shayne Corson, and so on.

Again: I do like having him on the team. He looked good, does good things, etc. But I wouldn't bother worrying about his future offensive contributions: without an injury to JvR to make Clarkson the first unit's crease guy, there won't be any offensive contributions.

 

[lamajama]

I think we'll see a more reasonable sign of his value once Bozak is back and a l-o-o-o-o-n-g way away..Dave Bolland's return.

In the meantime I think he'll underwhelm the Nation no matter what he does (well, short of scoring 1 goal a game...)

 

[AvroArrow]

I realize the Clarkson signing and the current Leafs' center issues are completely independent events, but I can't help thinking that that we signed someone else for much cheaper, we would have been MUCH better off reacting to the rash of center problems we have now.  Nonis really handcuffed the team with Clarkson's contract...

 

[L K]

The thing is, he was probably our best/most dangerous forward last night.  Still no goals and that was a big reason that he was signed.

 

[Zee]

I realize the Clarkson signing and the current Leafs' center issues are completely independent events, but I can't help thinking that that we signed someone else for much cheaper, we would have been MUCH better off reacting to the rash of center problems we have now.  Nonis really handcuffed the team with Clarkson's contract...

You can't plan for two center injuries and a third suspended at the same time.

 

[mc]

I realize the Clarkson signing and the current Leafs' center issues are completely independent events, but I can't help thinking that that we signed someone else for much cheaper, we would have been MUCH better off reacting to the rash of center problems we have now.  Nonis really handcuffed the team with Clarkson's contract...

You can't plan for two center injuries and a third suspended at the same time.

A smart GM would have traded the two injured centres and the suspended centre for a top line winger.

 

[mr grieves]

I realize the Clarkson signing and the current Leafs' center issues are completely independent events, but I can't help thinking that that we signed someone else for much cheaper, we would have been MUCH better off reacting to the rash of center problems we have now.  Nonis really handcuffed the team with Clarkson's contract...

You can't plan for two center injuries and a third suspended at the same time.

Yeah, who could've possibly anticipated that going into the season with only 4 NHL centers in the organization carried any risk at all?

Oh. Lots of people:

Drummond said:

What concerns me though is that the Leafs do not have any depth at C. Should any of Bozak/Kadri/Bolland/McCLemment go down with an injury the next in line is I guess McKegg.

Carlton said:

Aside from his cheap contract, he's also the type of player who can fill in on pretty much any line in the NHL. Obviously, he would be less successful on the 1st or 2nd lines at the moment than he would be on the 3rd or 4th, but he had a lot more versatility than most spare forwards would have.

princepw said:

I just re-watched Colborne play a nice game last year against the Bruins in the playoffs.  His play was significantly better than anything one could ever dream of getting out of a guy like Orr.  And Colborne has lots of time to improve.  And Colborne has a smaller cap hit.  And injuries will likely strike during the season and we have a lack of NHL center-depth but plenty of wingers.

I said:

It's also notable that Colborne can play center... Not very impressively, but the team seems thin at that position.

Potvin said:

I don't know why the team never wants to have a 4th line that can do more than fight and occasionally hold onto the puck for 5 seconds - it would be to the team's benefit to have better overall players on the 4th line.  You're going to have games where you might want them to play some more minutes, but as it stands, I wouldn't trust them to.

Lots of people around here could envision a scenario where the team would need more centers than it started the season with.

 

[AvroArrow]

I realize the Clarkson signing and the current Leafs' center issues are completely independent events, but I can't help thinking that that we signed someone else for much cheaper, we would have been MUCH better off reacting to the rash of center problems we have now.  Nonis really handcuffed the team with Clarkson's contract...

You can't plan for two center injuries and a third suspended at the same time.

No, but you can plan for injuries and the necessity to make trades to improve the team, both of which require cap space.

edit: having no cap space to work with going into the season was absolutely stupid...

 

[TML fan]

There's going to be more cap space eventually. Clarkson on the other hand was only going to be a UFA once. They created a short term problem for hopefully a long term solution.

As for the centers thing, most teams lack depth somewhere. If every team was perfectly deep at every position, well, they'd be the best team.

 

[Zee]

I realize the Clarkson signing and the current Leafs' center issues are completely independent events, but I can't help thinking that that we signed someone else for much cheaper, we would have been MUCH better off reacting to the rash of center problems we have now.  Nonis really handcuffed the team with Clarkson's contract...

You can't plan for two center injuries and a third suspended at the same time.

Yeah, who could've possibly anticipated that going into the season with only 4 NHL centers in the organization carried any risk at all?

Oh. Lots of people:

Drummond said:

What concerns me though is that the Leafs do not have any depth at C. Should any of Bozak/Kadri/Bolland/McCLemment go down with an injury the next in line is I guess McKegg.

Carlton said:

Aside from his cheap contract, he's also the type of player who can fill in on pretty much any line in the NHL. Obviously, he would be less successful on the 1st or 2nd lines at the moment than he would be on the 3rd or 4th, but he had a lot more versatility than most spare forwards would have.

princepw said:

I just re-watched Colborne play a nice game last year against the Bruins in the playoffs.  His play was significantly better than anything one could ever dream of getting out of a guy like Orr.  And Colborne has lots of time to improve.  And Colborne has a smaller cap hit.  And injuries will likely strike during the season and we have a lack of NHL center-depth but plenty of wingers.

I said:

It's also notable that Colborne can play center... Not very impressively, but the team seems thin at that position.

Potvin said:

I don't know why the team never wants to have a 4th line that can do more than fight and occasionally hold onto the puck for 5 seconds - it would be to the team's benefit to have better overall players on the 4th line.  You're going to have games where you might want them to play some more minutes, but as it stands, I wouldn't trust them to.

Lots of people around here could envision a scenario where the team would need more centers than it started the season with.

How many teams in the league are carrying more than 4 NHL centers?

 

[dappleganger]

edit: having no cap space to work with going into the season was absolutely stupid...

To be fair, many teams this year went into this season with hardly any cap space.