General Leafs Talk v2.0

[princedpw]

Hopefully Smithson plays well enough to stick around after Bolland and Bozak get back. That would give the Leafs the option of sticking him on the wing on the 4th line instead of one of McLaren/Orr (even though it's unlikely to happen on a frequent basis) and gives them someone else they can lean on for defensive zone draws and on the PK. He's not going to contribute a ton on offence, but, he's a solid physical presence that can do more than punch and get punched.

So basically David Clarkson. 

A David Clarkson who can win a draw.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Hopefully Smithson plays well enough to stick around after Bolland and Bozak get back. That would give the Leafs the option of sticking him on the wing on the 4th line instead of one of McLaren/Orr (even though it's unlikely to happen on a frequent basis) and gives them someone else they can lean on for defensive zone draws and on the PK. He's not going to contribute a ton on offence, but, he's a solid physical presence that can do more than punch and get punched.

So basically David Clarkson. 

Speaking of which - what's this I heard on the radio that he's already complaining about his "role" on the team?

I wouldn't really say he was complaining (although a couple writers suggested he was frustrated based on his tone).  He said some things like, "Obviously if I?m playing in a shutdown role, I?m obviously not going to [score]. It?s common sense, right?" that caused Mikhail Grabovski to laugh and then weep about, but nothing really complain-y.

EDIT: Also worth noting Clarkson's possession numbers have been solid despite craptacular minutes.

 

[bustaheims]

So basically David Clarkson. 

A David Clarkson that's paid more appropriately and is a natural centre, yes.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Your defence pairings at practice:

Gunnarsson-Phaneuf
Gardiner-Franson
Fraser-Ranger
Rielly-Liles

It's kinda neat how they line up from most characters to least. I'm assuming that's the basis of how Carlyle put them together.

 

[Beowulf]

Your defence pairings at practice:

Gunnarsson-Phaneuf
Gardiner-Franson
Fraser-Ranger
Rielly-Liles


It's kinda neat how they line up from most characters to least. I'm assuming that's the basis of how Carlyle put them together.

It's really nice of him to keep in mind the aesthetics of the d-pairings  posted in the game day thread and elsewhere on the site. He truly cares about us! A man of the people.

Next up: The forward lines

VanRiemsdyk-McClement-Raymond
    Kulemin-Smithson-Clarkson   
        Lupul-McLaren-Kessel
              Bodie-Kadri-Orr   

so purty.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

 

[moon111]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

Rielly is sporting the worst +/-.  He's tied for #1 in even strength goals-against.
Tied for 2nd in Giveaways. Doesn't kill penalties.  He's managed to do this despite
getting the 6th most ice-time among the defensemen.

 

[lamajama]

Hopefully Smithson plays well enough to stick around after Bolland and Bozak get back. That would give the Leafs the option of sticking him on the wing on the 4th line instead of one of McLaren/Orr (even though it's unlikely to happen on a frequent basis) and gives them someone else they can lean on for defensive zone draws and on the PK. He's not going to contribute a ton on offence, but, he's a solid physical presence that can do more than punch and get punched.

So basically David Clarkson. 

Speaking of which - what's this I heard on the radio that he's already complaining about his "role" on the team?

You mean the one who has more job security than Carlyle and Nonis?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

Rielly is sporting the worst +/-.  He's tied for #1 in even strength goals-against.
Tied for 2nd in Giveaways. Doesn't kill penalties.  He's managed to do this despite
getting the 6th most ice-time among the defensemen.

So?  Franson's been just as bad.  I'd still rather either of them play than Fraser.

 

[Deebo]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

Rielly is sporting the worst +/-.  He's tied for #1 in even strength goals-against.
Tied for 2nd in Giveaways. Doesn't kill penalties.  He's managed to do this despite
getting the 6th most ice-time among the defensemen.

So?  Franson's been just as bad.  I'd still rather either of them play than Fraser.

It's pretty clear that the coach of the club and you have different ideas on how to construct an NHL line up so his decisions will likely not be the same as the ones you would make.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

While I agree on the larger scale, Rielly has been exposed defensively a little recently, and a night or two seeing the game from a different perspective might not be a bad thing. If this becomes a regular thing, though, then, yeah, it's a big problem.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

Rielly is sporting the worst +/-.  He's tied for #1 in even strength goals-against.
Tied for 2nd in Giveaways. Doesn't kill penalties.  He's managed to do this despite
getting the 6th most ice-time among the defensemen.

So?  Franson's been just as bad.  I'd still rather either of them play than Fraser.

It's pretty clear that the coach of the club and you have different ideas on how to construct an NHL line up so his decisions will likely not be the same as the ones you would make.

Yes, that is the definition of a discussion board dedicated to a sports team.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

While I agree on the larger scale, Rielly has been exposed defensively a little recently, and a night or two seeing the game from a different perspective might not be a bad thing. If this becomes a regular thing, though, then, yeah, it's a big problem.

For sure, but something's going to have to happen, so I was just speaking in general terms for the remainder of the season - I hope we see Rielly over Fraser.

 

[Deebo]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

Rielly is sporting the worst +/-.  He's tied for #1 in even strength goals-against.
Tied for 2nd in Giveaways. Doesn't kill penalties.  He's managed to do this despite
getting the 6th most ice-time among the defensemen.

So?  Franson's been just as bad.  I'd still rather either of them play than Fraser.

It's pretty clear that the coach of the club and you have different ideas on how to construct an NHL line up so his decisions will likely not be the same as the ones you would make.

Yes, that is the definition of a discussion board dedicated to a sports team.

You said you didn't understand the need to get him in the line-up, I was trying to say that the coach has a different idea of what makes a successful NHL line-up which is why he feels there is a need and you don't.. I didn't mean for you to not post about it.

 

[ZBBM]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

While I agree on the larger scale, Rielly has been exposed defensively a little recently, and a night or two seeing the game from a different perspective might not be a bad thing. If this becomes a regular thing, though, then, yeah, it's a big problem.

Why is it a problem?  Or, maybe more accurately, why is it a problem that we should be overly concerned with?  Everyone know the kid wasn't ready defensively.  He was kept up because it made the most sense given his offensive skills and the stupid situation with juniors/AHL.  Rielly is going to take a long time to get up to speed defensively, and we're going to just have to live with it.

Having said that, Franson hasn't been much better, so he and Rielly should take turns sitting out.  Or else -- crazy idea this! -- maybe they shouldn't be paired together at all.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't understand the need to get Mark Fraser back in the lineup, especially at the expense of Rielly.  I don't see how that's going to help getting outplayed/outshot.

While I agree on the larger scale, Rielly has been exposed defensively a little recently, and a night or two seeing the game from a different perspective might not be a bad thing. If this becomes a regular thing, though, then, yeah, it's a big problem.

Why is it a problem?  Or, maybe more accurately, why is it a problem that we should be overly concerned with?  Everyone know the kid wasn't ready defensively.  He was kept up because it made the most sense given his offensive skills and the stupid situation with juniors/AHL.  Rielly is going to take a long time to get up to speed defensively, and we're going to just have to live with it.

Having said that, Franson hasn't been much better, so he and Rielly should take turns sitting out.  Or else -- crazy idea this! -- maybe they shouldn't be paired together at all.

I would assume Rielly has been bringing Franson down, but who knows.  Maybe Franson isn't as good defensively as I thought - not that I thought he was great, but decent enough. 

 

[Kin]

Sure, losing two of one's top-three centers is always going to leave a team in a rough spot. But one of the advantages of going with Bolland and Bozak instead of Weiss and Grabovski is that you should have a spare center in there somewhere should injuries happen. That the centers weren't dramatically upgraded, though they were got for cheaper, and still there's no depth at center makes the team's position worse now than it otherwise might've been.

I still think you're overstating the depth any team is going to have at their #5 or #6 center spots. Is Colborne a step up from Smithson? Yeah, but marginally so and in the course of a typical season that advantage isn't really going to translate to much.

 

[moon111]

I would of hoped, and liked to see Reilly stay in the line-up.  But it's a line-up that has seen Liles not able to even crack the line-up. 

 

[Bullfrog]

I would like to see Liles get in a game or two rather than Fraser.

I don't Fraser getting a few games though. Gives a slightly different look to the team.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Jonas Siegel just mentioned that Gardiner felt uncomfortable playing the right side and that's why he's going to be back on the left side with Franson.  If so, I like it, and maybe explains any issues Gardiner has been having so far this season.  If it takes Fraser coming back to shake the pairings up and get Gardiner going, so be it.