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Game 27: Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Rangers W4-2

Tigger said:
That really doesn't explain why you want to see him as a healthy scratch.

To light a fire under him and see if he can pick his game up.  He hasn't been much of anything offensively, and I think even his defensive and physical game has gotten worse this year.  As I said in the Kulemin thread, he's responded well to scratchings in the past.  For long-term team success, we need this kid playing better.
 
AvroArrow said:
Tigger said:
That really doesn't explain why you want to see him as a healthy scratch.

To light a fire under him and see if he can pick his game up.  He hasn't been much of anything offensively, and I think even his defensive and physical game has gotten worse this year.  As I said in the Kulemin thread, he's responded well to scratchings in the past.  For long-term team success, we need this kid playing better.

He's 6pts behind last years pace, in the next nine games last year he only had a goal and 4 assists so he's got some room to shore that up. He needs to improve a bit but with less ice time and his regular centre out for a while I don't think it's nearly as drastic as that. His physicality and defensive play seem relatively fine to me, in fact he's up in plus minus compared to last year, only by 2 and it's an inexact way of expressing his play but it says something to me in a very general way.

None of that suggest a benching is warranted and the Leafs seem ok with him working his way through it, as am I.
 
Leafs better get some points out of this one (ideally 2 but I will be happy with one, too) as the standings is dangerously tight.
 
I think Wilson should put Reimer back in goal tonight. I would let Gus play the weaker of the two teams in these back to backs. Despite the loss, Reimer played a solid game on Saturday. I think the final score would have been 6 or 7 to 1 with Gus in the net. I think we see another loss tonight. I just hope it's not a blow out.
 
Tigger said:
He's 6pts behind last years pace, in the next nine games last year he only had a goal and 4 assists so he's got some room to shore that up. He needs to improve a bit but with less ice time and his regular centre out for a while I don't think it's nearly as drastic as that. His physicality and defensive play seem relatively fine to me, in fact he's up in plus minus compared to last year, only by 2 and it's an inexact way of expressing his play but it says something to me in a very general way.

None of that suggest a benching is warranted and the Leafs seem ok with him working his way through it, as am I.

If I remember correctly, it wasn't until Kulemin was scratched that he really turned it on alongside Grabs.

Regardless, being only 4 points off last year's totals at this point doesn't say much when he's currently on pace for a total of 6 G and 34 PTS for the season.  Yes, he could still turn it around on his own, but, offensively, he needs to be better and a 1 game scratch might be the quick way to light a fire.  That's all I'm really getting at.

Like I said, for a successful season, we need this kid playing well, especially if Lupul and/or Kessel slow down at all (which is bound to happen).
 
I don't recall a significant 'bench' driven surge in his play, fwiw and for me it's tough to look at his play and say he deserves it the way say Schenn did, he's still fulfilling a big part of what's expected of him with less minutes and, occasionally, different linemates.

A full minute less PPtoi and EStoi compared to last year as of now...

Edit to add: I think this is an example of sorts of the 'meritocracy' we've heard mentioned. There's no doubt to me that a 12% loss of potential offensive minded toi explains a few points and the loss of toi is justified by Nik's play and the play of others like Kessel, Lupul etc..

Colborne has definitely played well enough to keep him up while it's cap friendly too ( IR wise ) but sitting Kulemin for him seems wrong to me right now, pecking order-wise-ish-y.

 
Saint Nik said:
Mikhail Bloodnovsky said:
Why is Kulemin still not a healthy scratch

1. Because scratching a player is not a magic cure-all for their struggles
2. Because the best chance the Leafs have to win the game is with Kulemin in the lineup
3. Pursuant to #2, the Leafs want to win this game

I'd challenge you on this.  Wilson and Burke SAY they want to win, but as Damien Cox has so efficiently and ruthlessly exposed, they are serial liars.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Saint Nik said:
Mikhail Bloodnovsky said:
Why is Kulemin still not a healthy scratch

1. Because scratching a player is not a magic cure-all for their struggles
2. Because the best chance the Leafs have to win the game is with Kulemin in the lineup
3. Pursuant to #2, the Leafs want to win this game

I'd challenge you on this.  Wilson and Burke SAY they want to win, but as Damien Cox has so efficiently and ruthlessly exposed, they are serial liars.

Yep. 'The Invention of Lying' couldn't be anyone's favorite movie. That's an outright lie!
 
Busta Reims said:
longleysunsport: Grabovski a late scratch for #Leafs. His wife is in labour and he's on his way home.

Well, that's fine. Not like he's being insanely well paid to be at his job 82 nights a year.
 
Saint Nik said:
Busta Reims said:
longleysunsport: Grabovski a late scratch for #Leafs. His wife is in labour and he's on his way home.

Well, that's fine. Not like he's being insanely well paid to be at his job 82 nights a year.

If that's the case, I'm more concerned that he is not practising or working out in between!
 

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