David Clarkson

[hockeyfan1]

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.

Clarkson is getting 'warmed up' with each progressive game.  Since returning Oct. 27, it's taken him awhile to limber up and shake off the rust, so to speak.

In spite of all this, I'm still disappointed in Clarkson.  I, too, am expecting much more. 

 

[ZBBM]

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.

Clarkson is getting 'warmed up' with each progressive game.  Since returning Oct. 27, it's taken him awhile to limber up and shake off the rust, so to speak.

In spite of all this, I'm still disappointed in Clarkson.  I, too, am expecting much more.

He brought more tonight than in any game IMO.  He does need to get a dirty goal tho.

 

[Stickytape]

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.

Clarkson is getting 'warmed up' with each progressive game.  Since returning Oct. 27, it's taken him awhile to limber up and shake off the rust, so to speak.

In spite of all this, I'm still disappointed in Clarkson.  I, too, am expecting much more.

He brought more tonight than in any game IMO.  He does need to get a dirty goal tho.

I think he did well last night, too, and came damn close to scoring at least a couple times.  6 hits and an assist ain't terrible.

 

[leafplasma]

The goals will come and as long as he doesn't stop doing all the other things he was brought in to do, we just need to give this a rest.  It isn't like he isn't getting the opportunities, he just isn't catching the breaks.  Even Kessel couldn't find the back of the net to start last season.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Good article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/mirtle-clarkson-not-to-blame-for-leafs-scoring-woes/article15499335/?cmpid=rss1&click=dlvr.it&utm_content=bufferefb09&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Also, as Mirtle mentions today on Twitter, Clarkson will likely wind up with around 13 goals this season based upon how many shots he takes and his average SH%.

 

[maplesyrup]

I may have been wrong about this guy...  :-[ That said, I just know he isn't this bad.

 

[ZBBM]

I think everyone on here realizes that Clarkson can play better than he has.  Setting aside his contract, if he can fill the role of Komarov, or earlier Tucker, and be on that edge most nights w/o hurting the team, he'll be valuable. 

But he does need to score a decent amount of goals -- I want to say 20, but at least 15 -- to justify (to some extent) his contract.  If he keeps parking himself in front, I think they'll start coming.

 

[Joe S.]

15 would be fine if they can all be game winners.

 

[Corn Flake]

The goals will come and as long as he doesn't stop doing all the other things he was brought in to do, we just need to give this a rest.  It isn't like he isn't getting the opportunities, he just isn't catching the breaks.  Even Kessel couldn't find the back of the net to start last season.

This.

 

[Zee]

Clarkson better score tonight.  That's my first warning to David, please someone pass it along.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The goals will come and as long as he doesn't stop doing all the other things he was brought in to do, we just need to give this a rest.  It isn't like he isn't getting the opportunities, he just isn't catching the breaks.  Even Kessel couldn't find the back of the net to start last season.

This.

Well Kessel took a lot of grief and media attention for that "slump" to start last season.

And it's arguable whether Clarkson is "getting the opportunities."  He's averaging over a shot less per game as last season and close to 2 shot attempts less per game.  He's getting close to 2:00 less PP time per game too, and starting way less of his shifts in the offensive zone.

Not all of those are his fault, but if the question is is he getting the opportunities?  Well not really, at least not to his standard of last season and not to his standard of his 30 goal season.

It's a cap world, you can no longer ignore the salary contributions.  He's been a very strong possession player, as Mirtle says the best on the team this season.  That's suggestive that if Carlyle was to give him more offensive minutes he could do something positive with them.

But we've basically gone (thus far, I'm sure it changes but let's live in the moment) from Grabovski being deemed too expensive in a 3rd line shutdown role to Clarkson being in that same role.

 

[Corn Flake]

But we've basically gone (thus far, I'm sure it changes but let's live in the moment) from Grabovski being deemed too expensive in a 3rd line shutdown role to Clarkson being in that same role.

I don't really agree with the notion that Clarkson replaces Grabbo either in the cap structure or in the lineup.  Bolland was the replacement for Grabbo in the lineup and most of the cap hit.. Clarkson was the MacArthur upgrade to me. 

As for not scoring, 10 games is not the end of the world for a scorer to go into a slump. Add to that a new team and missing 10 games to start the year... why are we already upset?

re the Kessel reference: He took heat a number of times for scoring slumps and the old "oooh he's not elite" thing always came up when it happened.  Clarkson isn't going to be anywhere near Kessel's scoring output yet the hammer is already coming down.  Silly.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

But we've basically gone (thus far, I'm sure it changes but let's live in the moment) from Grabovski being deemed too expensive in a 3rd line shutdown role to Clarkson being in that same role.

I don't really agree with the notion that Clarkson replaces Grabbo either in the cap structure or in the lineup.  Bolland was the replacement for Grabbo in the lineup and most of the cap hit.. Clarkson was the MacArthur upgrade to me. 

As for not scoring, 10 games is not the end of the world for a scorer to go into a slump. Add to that a new team and missing 10 games to start the year... why are we already upset?

I don't mean he took Grabovski's position, which is why I referred to the role and their perceived value.  Clarkson is playing in the role of a 3rd line checker right now for a similar price that Grabovski was put in that role last season, of a 3rd line checker.  They both got crap zone starts, both got the toughest competition.

He's not a scorer going into a slump.  He scored 30 goals once with a SH% 3% higher than at any other time in his career.  Phil Kessel not scoring for 10 games you can look and say - he's still getting a lot of shots, he's scored 30+ goals each of the last 4 seasons, you have history to back you up and say scorers have goal droughts and he's likely to come back.

Clarkson may have reached 25 goals last season if he started to get the bounces, but it's going to be very hard for him to put up numbers this season in the role he's in.  I refer to my above post and to Mirtle's article, but basically all of the offensive positions he was put in with New Jersey have been drastically reduced on the Leafs.

Now that's NOT saying he's a bad player, or even a criticism of HIM - but the reality is, unless things change he's looking like he could wind up being a very expensive checking winger.

Who knows, maybe Carlyle will throw him on the top PP unit tonight.  I don't know.  But he was shooting the puck at an 82-game pace of 300 shots and this season it's at a pace of 164 shots. 

 

[hockeyfan1]

Clarkson may have reached 25 goals last season if he started to get the bounces, but it's going to be very hard for him to put up numbers this season in the role he's in.  I refer to my above post and to Mirtle's article, but basically all of the offensive positions he was put in with New Jersey have been drastically reduced on the Leafs.

...maybe Carlyle will throw him on the top PP unit... I don't know.  But he was shooting the puck at an 82-game pace of 300 shots and this season it's at a pace of 164 shots.

That's just it with Clarkson.  I believe he is a 'go-to guy' and that is precisely his style of play -- to get in the mix & score goals. Hampering the ability of a player is not something that will benefit any team, least of all the Leafs.

He should be placed on the PP and given the chance to better contribute on net.

Get the impression that the real David Clarkson has yet to be unleashed.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

He should be placed on the PP and given the chance to better contribute on net.

So are you taking JVR or Kessel off of the top unit for him?

 

[hockeyfan1]

He should be placed on the PP and given the chance to better contribute on net.

So are you taking JVR or Kessel off of the top unit for him?

No, never advocated that.  Not suggesting Clarkson be replacing anyone  top line either.  Just that, in the role he is in now, how would you get the most out of him (if his strong point is scoring)?

 

[vm8444]

Gotta agree with hockey fan Carlton,
I think he means steady time on the second unit full time.
With lupes and Kari hopefully some chemistry eventually
As long as Kessel and dion don't stay on too long.



Come playoff time he should excel bruins will notice.

C'mon his start to his season (suspension too much time to think)
and pressure in this market with that contract would
Effect all of us.
Peace

 

[bakeapples]

Apparently he has a crack habit:

@markhmasters: Clarkson on Bozak return: "Any time you get one of the top players in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

 

[Strangelove]

Clarkson is a top-six player who doesn't know how to make a pass. Yeesh.