Jay McClement & the PK

[ZBBM]

While I like Clarkson as much as the next intensity-loving guy, if we can have a separate thread for him, we damn well can have a separate one for the main reason why we made the playoffs last year.

Jay "I Should Have Been in the Running for the Selke But You Know Them Hacks Always Want to Give it to Guys Like Datsyuk" McClement has been the best addition to this team in years ? no exaggeration.  To take the PK from the bottom to the top in a single season was an extraordinary accomplishment.  Now I actually look forward to watching the PK, instead of cringing.

Credit due of course to others, like Kuly, Gunnar, and yes even Dion, but McClement is the catalyst.

And it's only going to get better with guys like Bolland around.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I think some credit also has to go to Bozak, but yeah, McClement has been a wonderful addition to our team. Nonis definitely needs to re-sign him pronto.

 

[Stickytape]

I love McClement; what a great signing.  I don't know what else to add that hasn't been said above.

 

[Beowulf]

Agreed he has been an essential piece of the Leafs' success since he has arrived.

Through his first 59 games as a Leaf he has spent a mammoth 223:16 on the PK, helping to improve it from 28th in the league (77.3% in 11-12) to 2nd last season (87.9%) and 5th so far this season (85.1%). Over the same span the closest fwd in the entire league to him is Boyd Gordon with 178:40.

Also, I think this is a good thread to get a proper nickname for him. Clemmy would be good except it was Clemmensen's nickname first and I always think of him.

 

[sampson]

I would also give a lot of credit to Reimer.

 

[Crucialness Key]

Also, I think this is a good thread to get a proper nickname for him. Clemmy would be good except it was Clemmensen's nickname first and I always think of him.

Jay "Clampdown" McClement

 

[Bonsixx]

Definitely "McClementykill".

Rolls off the tongue.

 

[Redleaf]

Also, I think this is a good thread to get a proper nickname for him. Clemmy would be good except it was Clemmensen's nickname first and I always think of him.

Jay "Clampdown" McClement

How about just McClampdown?

 

[Bullfrog]

I would also give a lot of credit to Reimer.

This. I think Reimer should get a large portion of the credit for the PK improvement as well as McClement.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The season before McClement was signed our 4 most frequent penalty killing forwards were Pascal Dupuis, David Steckel, Tim Connolly, and Joey Crabb. That was just two years ago. Three of those players don't have NHL contracts anymore, and Joey Crabb is a healthy scratch with the Florida Panthers.

In McClement's first season the other 3 top penalty killing forwards were Kulemin, Komarov, and Bozak. That's a huge step-up looking at it 4 for 4.

 

[ZBBM]

I think some credit also has to go to Bozak, but yeah, McClement has been a wonderful addition to our team. Nonis definitely needs to re-sign him pronto.

Good point re Bozak, I should have mentioned him too.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Pascal Dupuis

We don't tolerate mistakes 'round here.  Hand in your badge.

Please keep doing the awesome GDT's though!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The season before McClement was signed our 4 most frequent penalty killing forwards were Pascal Dupuis, David Steckel, Tim Connolly, and Joey Crabb. That was just two years ago. Three of those players don't have NHL contracts anymore, and Joey Crabb is a healthy scratch with the Florida Panthers.

In McClement's first season the other 3 top penalty killing forwards were Kulemin, Komarov, and Bozak. That's a huge step-up looking at it 4 for 4.

I don't think enough credit is going to the biggest reason: the goaltending.

Last season Reimer had a .920 SV% on the PK.
In 11-12, Gustavsson was the best at ,875, Scrivens was .865, and Reimer was woeful at .808.
In '10-11, Reimer was .855, Giguere was .835, and Gustavsson was .784.
In 09-10, Gustavsson was .851, Toskala was .778.

The goaltending makes that big of a difference.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Pascal Dupuis

We don't tolerate mistakes 'round here.  Hand in your badge.

Please keep doing the awesome GDT's though!

Man, I'm pretty sure I was Philippe's only fan around here too.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The season before McClement was signed our 4 most frequent penalty killing forwards were Pascal Dupuis, David Steckel, Tim Connolly, and Joey Crabb. That was just two years ago. Three of those players don't have NHL contracts anymore, and Joey Crabb is a healthy scratch with the Florida Panthers.

In McClement's first season the other 3 top penalty killing forwards were Kulemin, Komarov, and Bozak. That's a huge step-up looking at it 4 for 4.

I don't think enough credit is going to the biggest reason: the goaltending.

Last season Reimer had a .920 SV% on the PK.
In 11-12, Gustavsson was the best at ,875, Scrivens was .865, and Reimer was woeful at .808.
In '10-11, Reimer was .855, Giguere was .835, and Gustavsson was .784.
In 09-10, Gustavsson was .851, Toskala was .778.

The goaltending makes that big of a difference.

You spelt "Carlyle" wrong.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The season before McClement was signed our 4 most frequent penalty killing forwards were Pascal Dupuis, David Steckel, Tim Connolly, and Joey Crabb. That was just two years ago. Three of those players don't have NHL contracts anymore, and Joey Crabb is a healthy scratch with the Florida Panthers.

In McClement's first season the other 3 top penalty killing forwards were Kulemin, Komarov, and Bozak. That's a huge step-up looking at it 4 for 4.

I don't think enough credit is going to the biggest reason: the goaltending.

Last season Reimer had a .920 SV% on the PK.
In 11-12, Gustavsson was the best at ,875, Scrivens was .865, and Reimer was woeful at .808.
In '10-11, Reimer was .855, Giguere was .835, and Gustavsson was .784.
In 09-10, Gustavsson was .851, Toskala was .778.

The goaltending makes that big of a difference.

You spelt "Carlyle" wrong.

While I don't doubt Pascal Carlyle deserves some credit, from what I understand he has largely handed the PK duties off to his assistants.  I think the goaltending was so bad during that period that it really made things seem worse than they were - I remember countless long wrist shots that would go in seemingly with regularity.  I think there is an overall improvement in the aggressiveness of the PK now that is contributing to it, but the goalies are actually making the saves they have to make now too.

 

[Champ Kind]

The season before McClement was signed our 4 most frequent penalty killing forwards were Pascal Dupuis, David Steckel, Tim Connolly, and Joey Crabb. That was just two years ago. Three of those players don't have NHL contracts anymore, and Joey Crabb is a healthy scratch with the Florida Panthers.

In McClement's first season the other 3 top penalty killing forwards were Kulemin, Komarov, and Bozak. That's a huge step-up looking at it 4 for 4.

I don't think enough credit is going to the biggest reason: the goaltending.

Last season Reimer had a .920 SV% on the PK.
In 11-12, Gustavsson was the best at ,875, Scrivens was .865, and Reimer was woeful at .808.
In '10-11, Reimer was .855, Giguere was .835, and Gustavsson was .784.
In 09-10, Gustavsson was .851, Toskala was .778.

The goaltending makes that big of a difference.

You spelt "Carlyle" wrong.

Forgive me if I missed intended sarcasm, but Carlyle definitely deserves some credit.  I don't think the PK could be turned around to the extent that it has without the coaching helping it along.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Forgive me if I missed intended sarcasm, but Carlyle definitely deserves some credit.  I don't think the PK could be turned around to the extent that it has without the coaching helping it along.

Oh, it was covered in sarcasm. With that said, I won't deny Carlyle some credit for the improvement. But like Potvin said, assistant coaches technically run the penalty killing and the same coach was in place during Wilson's final season as well. The two biggest reasons for the teams improved penalty kill (and really, the team improvement in general) are 1) better goaltending and 2) improved rosters. Coaching would be a distant third in my opinion.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I believe Carlyle would definitely have an influence over what system the assistant implements. It's not like he hands it off and says "have at 'er, I'm going to bingo"

 

[ZBBM]

The season before McClement was signed our 4 most frequent penalty killing forwards were Pascal Dupuis, David Steckel, Tim Connolly, and Joey Crabb. That was just two years ago. Three of those players don't have NHL contracts anymore, and Joey Crabb is a healthy scratch with the Florida Panthers.

In McClement's first season the other 3 top penalty killing forwards were Kulemin, Komarov, and Bozak. That's a huge step-up looking at it 4 for 4.

I don't think enough credit is going to the biggest reason: the goaltending.

Last season Reimer had a .920 SV% on the PK.
In 11-12, Gustavsson was the best at ,875, Scrivens was .865, and Reimer was woeful at .808.
In '10-11, Reimer was .855, Giguere was .835, and Gustavsson was .784.
In 09-10, Gustavsson was .851, Toskala was .778.

The goaltending makes that big of a difference.

You spelt "Carlyle" wrong.

You spelt "spelt" "spelt."  "Spelt" should be spelled "spelled."

What a grate sentence.