Leafs @ Wings - Mar. 18th, 7:30pm - SN, SN 590

[Tigger]

What does that matter if he couldn't win many tonight and is terrible offensively?

Trying to win possession, dunno if Bozak was gassed or banged up but it seems plausible to throw out a player who has a decent track record of winning faceoffs.

Tonight? That's cute.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris  2m
James Reimer: "He said I was just OK? I thought I was good."

"#^@! Randy" is what he wanted to say.

Carlyle basically: "He didn't bail the team out so whatever"

He was only good enough to keep the team in the game late into the 3rd. He wasn't good enough to steal it for them. But, that Jay McClement. He had an excellent game, right Randy? Just like Franson and Gleason?

Clarkson led the team in shots if you ignore 8 other players.

 

[bustaheims]

"I mean he didn't even make 40 saves tonight."

"We only allowed 31 shots tonight. That's one of our best defensive efforts of the season. When we only allow 31 shots, we feel we should win, no matter what."

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Reimer's definitely signing an offer sheet this summer if he isn't traded.

edit: And I wrote that before I read this tweet by his agent:

Ray Petkau ‏@RayPetkau  1m
As is customary in Toronto, when your team plays poor defensively game after game you blame your goalie.

 

[ZBBM]

Well, I've never been thrilled with Carlyle so obviously there's that.  But honestly, if somebody made a good offer on Phaneuf would you not do it?  I'd trade any one of them except 44.

It would really depend on how good an offer. I'd really have to feel like it's a clear win for the Leafs in terms of the return to make that trade. He's had a rough couple weeks, but, otherwise, he's been excellent this season. I wouldn't move Gardiner or Gunnarsson either. You'd basically be looking to replace them with other guys who are essentially the same player. Gleason, Franson and Ranger . . . they can all go. They're all seriously lacking in mobility and that gets taken advantage of all too often.

As I'm sure you'd guess, I have lower standards for a Phaneuf trade.  Anything that is even works for me.  He's had one good stretch defensively earlier in the season but he is a complimentary piece on a good D, not the centerpiece.

I like Gunnarsson but in his case if we got a clear win in a trade, I'd make it in a second.

Gardiner .... Gardiner.  I've pretty much changed my mind on him.  Up til now I've wanted them to hang onto him and see if they can't drum some defensive sense into him.  His goal tonite obviously showcases his wildman upside but he was awful defensively most of the evening.  I don't think he'll ever be much good defending.  If we were the Blackhawks you could live with him as a #6, but not us.

Franson, Ranger, and yes Gleason, sure adios to any and all.

For any of this to happen we need to collapse or else get creamed in round 1.  I hate to wish for that but I fear that that kind of 2x4 to Nonis' head is the only way it occurs.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Reimer's definitely signing an offer sheet this summer if he isn't traded.

If he does something like that, that would make it 3 good players gone that you could tie pretty much directly to Carlyle.

 

[Tigger]

Anytime you can ignore Jay's overall ability to win faceoffs, well, you've just got to do it.

Systems!!!!1!

Anytime you need a goal, you can just ignore McClement's complete lack of offensive ability.

And, the issue in this case is not systems. It's decision making and bench management. Why not Kadri? He's been much better on the draw recently, was 53% tonight and has high end offensive skills.

Sure, why not Kadri, that doesn't decry McClement as a useless faceoff guy.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Reimer's definitely signing an offer sheet this summer if he isn't traded.

If he does something like that, that would make it 3 good players gone that you could tie pretty much directly to Carlyle.

See the tweet from his agent that I added?

 

[bustaheims]

Sure, why not Kadri, that doesn't decry McClement as a useless faceoff guy.

It's really more about his general uselessness. Having him out there essentially eliminates the advantage of having the goalie out once the face-off is completed.

 

[bustaheims]

See the tweet from his agent that I added?

Uch. If Carlyle's not gone, it's pretty much guaranteed that Reimer is, too - and probably for less than the Leafs should be able to get in return.

 

[ZBBM]

Sure, why not Kadri, that doesn't decry McClement as a useless faceoff guy.

It's really more about his general uselessness. Having him out there essentially eliminates the advantage of having the goalie out once the face-off is completed.

Unless he parks himself in front of the net.  I wouldn't have put him out there but it's not quite as mindlessly insane as the McClement haters are saying.

 

[Tigger]

Sure, why not Kadri, that doesn't decry McClement as a useless faceoff guy.

It's really more about his general uselessness. Having him out there essentially eliminates the advantage of having the goalie out once the face-off is completed.

Unless he wins the draw, which he has done more often than not for quite some time. He didn't the last time and that sucks but c'mon, he was there for the faceoff and that's fine.

 

[bustaheims]

Unless he parks himself in front of the net.  I wouldn't have put him out there but it's not quite as mindlessly insane as the McClement haters are saying.

When has he ever done that, though? That's not the way he plays. He'll go to the net, but he's not one to stay there.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Sure, why not Kadri, that doesn't decry McClement as a useless faceoff guy.

It's really more about his general uselessness. Having him out there essentially eliminates the advantage of having the goalie out once the face-off is completed.

Unless he parks himself in front of the net.  I wouldn't have put him out there but it's not quite as mindlessly insane as the McClement haters are saying.

It is though.  If you can't rely on a guy for offense at any other point in the season, why would you put him in a situation where you need offense?  Especially when there are other capable options to take the draw?  The difference in their FO numbers over the season is the difference in a couple draws over a longer sample.  It doesn't make any sense.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Unless he wins the draw, which he has done more often than not for quite some time. He didn't the last time and that sucks but c'mon, he was there for the faceoff and that's fine.

Faceoffs are such a coin flip though. Even if we're pretending that Bozak doesn't exist is having McClement take the draw over Kadri really worth the extra 8% chance that we win the faceoff when you consider there's like a 99% chance Kadri creates more offence than McClement would?

 

[Bonsixx]

Reimer's definitely signing an offer sheet this summer if he isn't traded.

edit: And I wrote that before I read this tweet by his agent:

Ray Petkau ‏@RayPetkau  1m
As is customary in Toronto, when your team plays poor defensively game after game you blame your goalie.

He said he was "OK" in a game where he was OK.

What does Reimer want, a hug?

 

[Redleaf]

Pretty sure this team was just scorching for the better part of a month. Can't win 'em all.

It's funny how quickly some people turn on Kessel and other players though, and are now actively rooting for the team to fail. The playoffs were fun last year, man. If they make it again, you should probably just enjoy the ride.

It's a very young team learning how to be a great team, and certainly there are a few missing pieces, particularly on defence, but no, let's fire the coach and blow it up.

Stop selling common sense. Nobody's buying it.. ???.

 

[bustaheims]

Unless he wins the draw, which he has done more often than not for quite some time. He didn't the last time and that sucks but c'mon, he was there for the faceoff and that's fine.

Even if he wins the draw. Once that happens, his usefulness disappears. He's only useful for that fraction of a second, and, after that, he's just taking up a spot on the ice that could be given to someone who could actually help put the puck in the net.

 

[Tigger]

Unless he wins the draw, which he has done more often than not for quite some time. He didn't the last time and that sucks but c'mon, he was there for the faceoff and that's fine.

Faceoffs are such a coin flip though. Even if we're pretending that Bozak doesn't exist is having McClement take the draw over Kadri really worth the extra 8% chance that we win the faceoff when you consider there's like a 99% chance Kadri creates more offence than McClement would?

At that point I think it's about the best chance for possession, I don't know why Bozak wasn't there, he'd be my first choice but McClement isn't a bad option when it comes to faceoffs.

 

[ZBBM]

Unless he parks himself in front of the net.  I wouldn't have put him out there but it's not quite as mindlessly insane as the McClement haters are saying.

When has he ever done that, though? That's not the way he plays. He'll go to the net, but he's not one to stay there.

Sure, why not Kadri, that doesn't decry McClement as a useless faceoff guy.

It's really more about his general uselessness. Having him out there essentially eliminates the advantage of having the goalie out once the face-off is completed.

Unless he parks himself in front of the net.  I wouldn't have put him out there but it's not quite as mindlessly insane as the McClement haters are saying.

It is though.  If you can't rely on a guy for offense at any other point in the season, why would you put him in a situation where you need offense?  Especially when there are other capable options to take the draw?  The difference in their FO numbers over the season is the difference in a couple draws over a longer sample.  It doesn't make any sense.

Or if he just creates havoc down low.  All I'm saying is that there could be a credible move if played right.  Again, I wouldn't have put him out there unless he was having a dominant night.

Instead of criticizing McClement we might ask why hasn't Kadri improved enough to take draw like that, if for whatever reason RC doesn't want Bozak doing it.