• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

General Leafs Talk v2.0

Status
Not open for further replies.
MetalRaven said:
Nik the Trik said:
MetalRaven said:
I recently watched the movie "goon" (good movie I thought there were some good funny parts) and one of the pieces of advice given to the main character (the goon) is "You're a goon, you're paid to fight, dont go thinking you're a hockey player" and thats whats wrong with rc. He is firm in his belief that Orr is a genuine hockey player that hits. Nonis needs to Trade Orr away and get a 3rd line player who can play hockey and occasionally fights. I like Orr, He punches faces good. However hes not a good hockey player, not better then the options we already have.

Its time to show RC some tough love, and take away his toys.

It's important not to confuse the symptom with the cause though. Carlyle isn't the only coach in the league who has a player like Orr and who gives him ample opportunities to be in the game. Carlyle's use of Orr isn't noteworthy in terms of ice time either, as Carlyle uses his face punchers about as much as other teams use theirs.

The issue with Carlyle, if you're gung ho about the team winning right now, is that he's not using his team and roster as effectively as possible  given their strengths and weaknesses. Orr isn't really a major factor there but, rather, he's an example of how Carlyle isn't changing things up in response to the wall they've hit.

Well thats what im saying, I don't find that Orr's ice time is particularly high, just too high for the situations were in on a night to night basis. Im not just gung ho about winning right now, im gung ho about them winning always. Losing sucks and I don't like it. Which is why rc's decisions to play Orr over the younger rookie players upsets me in two ways. I think I understand why he does it, Orr is more experienced and less likely to make rookie style mistakes, my counter point is this: (Right now) Lets assume losing 2-1, id still rather put a d'amigo on the ice in the hopes that he might score, then put on an Orr and know hes not going to score. If D'Amigo makes a mistake? Well, we tried to win it, but didn't and hopefully he learned something (Future). Young players need to make mistakes, and more importantly they need to know how to handle themselves in tight situations and be confident that they know whats expected of them. I don't think they are getting enough of that experience. I think Carlyle uses Orr as a form of experienced safety net over a higher risk gamble. The coach is responsible for who he puts on the ice, the GM is responsible for who he has to choose from. Nonis needs to take away that safety net cause its terrible (hockey player-wise I love Orr as an enforcer, hitting guy) and either replace it with something better or force the coach out of his comfort zone and get him to start choosing some high-risk high-reward rookie players.

Or we could all do some kinda mass-meditation thing and WILL Orr into becoming an awesome hockey player...I mean we do have a lot of people...

Except, I don't think most people see Orr as the safe choice ... He is generally too slow to get to the puck and when he gets it he throws it away.  That doesn't help the team defensively ... Most people just don't see any on-ice advantage to playing the guy.
 
Arn said:
Just watching some ECHL this evening. Orlando v Greenville. Garrett Sparks in goal for Orlando. Is he still a leafs prospect? He's played well so far. Any other Leaf prospects on the Orlando roster?

Orlando is the Leafs ECHL affiliate these days. Sparks is the #5 goalie on the depth chart currently. Looking at the Solar Bears roster, no other names jump out as LEafs prospects other than Dylan Yeo, but I think he's with the Marlies right now.
 
seahawk said:
Orlando is the Leafs ECHL affiliate these days. Sparks is the #5 goalie on the depth chart currently. Looking at the Solar Bears roster, no other names jump out as LEafs prospects other than Dylan Yeo, but I think he's with the Marlies right now.

Yeo isn't really a prospect, either. He's really just a minor league depth player.
 
Lines at practice today:

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Raymond-Kadri-Lupul
Kulemin-McClement-Clarkson
D'Amigo-Holland-Orr-McLaren-Smithson

smashed-computer.gif
 
Highlander said:
Ouch, Holland on the  fourth line. Way to go Randy. Get McClement back where he belongs and get rid of Orr Smithson?Please.

Smithson is almost definitely being sent back to the AHL later today or tomorrow to make room for Bozak.
 
Potvin29 said:
I'm as comfortable defensively at even-strength with Holland as McClement, he should without a doubt be at least 3rd line C.

Kadri has been nothing short of disappointing this year.  I'm not sure that he deserves the #2 C spot (because Bozak = #1 regardless of what he does).  Right now I think there is a reasonable argument that Holland is a more complete player/that the 2nd line has played well.

Carlyle logic is spectacular though.  23G 18A 41P pace.  Go to the 4th line. 
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Holland is the best centre on the team right now. I'm certain of that.

I'm with you there. Also, I love how 8 points in 10 games means you're the one who gets demoted down to the 4th line. It almost feels like they're thinking about sending Holland down instead of Smithson.
 
bustaheims said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Holland is the best centre on the team right now. I'm certain of that.

I'm with you there. Also, I love how 8 points in 10 games means you're the one who gets demoted down to the 4th line. It almost feels like they're thinking about sending Holland down instead of Smithson.

Let's not get too far down this road....Bozak has to be allowed to earn his job back.

Everyone can see that Holland is playing well, and these are practice lines.  He'll get minutes, likely at Kadri and McClement's expense.
 
bustaheims said:
It almost feels like they're thinking about sending Holland down instead of Smithson.

The reporters made it seem like McLaren and Smithson were the extras on that 4th line, so I don't think we need to worry about that. Then again it honestly wouldn't surprise me.
 
Frank E said:
bustaheims said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Holland is the best centre on the team right now. I'm certain of that.

I'm with you there. Also, I love how 8 points in 10 games means you're the one who gets demoted down to the 4th line. It almost feels like they're thinking about sending Holland down instead of Smithson.

Let's not get too far down this road....Bozak has to be allowed to earn his job back.

Everyone can see that Holland is playing well, and these are practice lines.  He'll get minutes, likely at Kadri and McClement's expense.

I haven't paid very close attention to practice lines this season. How often have Randy's game lines been much better than his practice lines?

I kinda feel this team is going nowhere until they start putting together 3 lines that can possibly score and icing a fourth line that can (a) play long enough to give the top lines a break and (b) keep the puck in the offensive zone (we've had the opposite, I think). How can you win playing nine forwards over an 82 game season?
 
CarltonTheBear said:
bustaheims said:
It almost feels like they're thinking about sending Holland down instead of Smithson.

The reporters made it seem like McLaren and Smithson were the extras on that 4th line, so I don't think we need to worry about that. Then again it honestly wouldn't surprise me.

Let's not talk about that, if Carlyle sends Holland down, I'm going to do to my computer what the guy is doing above. That will piss me right off.

Waive Smithson, McLaren even Orr, before you send down Holland. That's not the message we should be sending our young players.
 
With Bozak back I would love to see the Lupul Kessel line re-united. Lupul imo is under-utilized in a 3rd line/borderline 2nd role.

Lupul    Bozak      Kessel
JVR        Kadri        Kulemin
Raymond Holland    Clarkson
D'Amigo  McLement  Bodie
 
Andy007 said:
With Bozak back I would love to see the Lupul Kessel line re-united. Lupul imo is under-utilized in a 3rd line/borderline 2nd role.

Lupul    Bozak      Kessel
JVR        Kadri        Kulemin
Raymond Holland    Clarkson
D'Amigo  McLement  Bodie

In the last three games, only Kessel and JvR have more ice-time than Lupul among forwards. I didn't bother looking past that.
 
Bullfrog said:
In the last three games, only Kessel and JvR have more ice-time than Lupul among forwards. I didn't bother looking past that.
At even-strength though the McClement unit has generally played more than Lupul's line. And with Lupul's probably not playing on the top powerplay unit anymore because of Bozak his ice-time will see a bit of a drop. I think that "2nd" line needs to start getting 2nd line minutes again, match-ups be damned. Hopefully Randy starts going power-on-power with Bozak back in the line-up like he did earlier in the season.
 
All I will say is Why would RC even think of putting Holland on the 4th line. I would send Kadri a message, and keep Holland on the 2nd line, and bump Kadri to the 3rd. Also now that we have some extra talent, I would sit the punchers, and run with four lines.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

About Us

This website is NOT associated with the Toronto Maple Leafs or the NHL.


It is operated by Rick Couchman and Jeff Lewis.
Back
Top