Mike Kostka

[mjmgrand]

Shockingly, latest rumblings today out of camp have him not on the bubble to make the team as many of us believed, but instead starting tomorrow night on the top pairing with Phaneuf and being told that he has made the top 6.

Still not sure where this guy came from. Wow.

 

[Redleaf]

I would really like him to surprise in the NHL as much as he has in the AHL this season...

http://www.tsn.ca/toronto/blogs/jonas_siegel/?id=412297

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1314795--maple-leafs-training-camp-mike-kostka-is-a-prospect-despite-his-age

 

[Champ Kind]

Just wondering, who signed him?
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Oh, um, never mind.

 

[slapshot]

I wish him all the best. He has paid his dues. Seems like a really good guy and has been a rock on the Marlies this year.

 

[Kin]

Guys like him and Fraser making this team don't fill me with a ton of confidence.

 

[princedpw]

In terms of defense, for the sake of defense, we may have a lot to worry about.

If I had to choose, losing games 5-4 is a lot more fun than losing 1-0.

 

[TML fan]

Guys like him and Fraser making this team don't fill me with a ton of confidence.

Yeah but it's not like both of them are going to play all the time. When Gardiner comes back I doubt either of them will see much playing time, unless someone else really craps the bed.

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah but it's not like both of them are going to play all the time. When Gardiner comes back I doubt either of them will see much playing time, unless someone else really craps the bed.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I see it. When everyone is healthy, they're 7 & 8 on the depth chart. One of them will be sent down as soon as Gardiner is healthy.

 

[Kin]

Yeah but it's not like both of them are going to play all the time. When Gardiner comes back I doubt either of them will see much playing time, unless someone else really craps the bed.

Well, if we're going to go deep into it, I could say that the defense as it's composed regardless of Kostka/Fraser doesn't fill me with a ton of confidence.

Regardless, that the guys who are 7/8 on the depth chart are 26 and 27 year old AHL'ers doesn't thrill me.

 

[TML fan]

Yeah but it's not like both of them are going to play all the time. When Gardiner comes back I doubt either of them will see much playing time, unless someone else really craps the bed.

Well, if we're going to go deep into it, I could say that the defense as it's composed regardless of Kostka/Fraser doesn't fill me with a ton of confidence.

Regardless, that the guys who are 7/8 on the depth chart are 26 and 27 year old AHL'ers doesn't thrill me.

That's fair. I was only suggesting that of all the things that don't thrill you about the Leafs, a couple of guys who will likely not play that much would hardly even be worth the effort to mention.

 

[Kin]

That's fair. I was only suggesting that of all the things that don't thrill you about the Leafs, a couple of guys who will likely not play that much would hardly even be worth the effort to mention.

Sure, although I don't think you can separate that from the issues of organizational depth and prospect base which seem to be pretty legitimate issues to have with a club.

 

[TML fan]

That's fair. I was only suggesting that of all the things that don't thrill you about the Leafs, a couple of guys who will likely not play that much would hardly even be worth the effort to mention.

Sure, although I don't think you can separate that from the issues of organizational depth and prospect base which seem to be pretty legitimate issues to have with a club.

I'm not saying they aren't thin on D prospects, but most of them are still in junior, and realistically by this time next year these guys we are talking about may not even be in the organization anymore. They were signed to play in the AHL and i dont think they were ever really expected to play in the NHL, except that now the lockout has forced the Leafs to call them up.

Again, i acknowledge the Leafs lack of NHL ready D prospects, but considering where they were 4 years ago, and the fact that Burke spent most of his draft picks on forwards, particularly in the early rounds (except for the last two years) i think it's even less relevant that these guys are here in a lockout shortened season where there really hasn't been an opportunity to address organizational depth.

But yeah, I get it. The Leafs suck. Duly noted.

 

[Kin]

I'm not saying they aren't thin on D prospects, but most of them are still in junior, and realistically by this time next year these guys we are talking about may not even be in the organization anymore. They were signed to play in the AHL and i dont think they were ever really expected to play in the NHL, except that now the lockout has forced the Leafs to call them up.

Again, i acknowledge the Leafs lack of NHL ready D prospects, but considering where they were 4 years ago, and the fact that Burke spent most of his draft picks on forwards, particularly in the early rounds (except for the last two years) i think it's even less relevant that these guys are here in a lockout shortened season where there really hasn't been an opportunity to address organizational depth.

But yeah, I get it. The Leafs suck. Duly noted.

You know, you can dial it down a notch. I said these guys making the club doesn't fill me with a ton of confidence. You agree that their prospect base/organizational depth isn't great at the position. Why get so worked up over the fairly sedate way I acknowledge that then?

 

[Deebo]

I'm not saying they aren't thin on D prospects, but most of them are still in junior, and realistically by this time next year these guys we are talking about may not even be in the organization anymore. They were signed to play in the AHL and i dont think they were ever really expected to play in the NHL, except that now the lockout has forced the Leafs to call them up.

Again, i acknowledge the Leafs lack of NHL ready D prospects, but considering where they were 4 years ago, and the fact that Burke spent most of his draft picks on forwards, particularly in the early rounds (except for the last two years) i think it's even less relevant that these guys are here in a lockout shortened season where there really hasn't been an opportunity to address organizational depth.

But yeah, I get it. The Leafs suck. Duly noted.

You know, you can dial it down a notch. I said these guys making the club doesn't fill me with a ton of confidence. You agree that their prospect base/organizational depth isn't great at the position. Why get so worked up over the fairly sedate way I acknowledge that then?

His post doesn't strike me as "getting worked up".

 

[cw]

I guess one could argue the glass is half empty or half full.

I suspect Kostka is a placeholder for Gardiner. He's one of the top AHL offensive dmen so he's not a bad guy to have for depth. And he might turn out to be more than that. The trick may be trying to hang on to him when Gardiner returns.

I guess we'll see soon enough how it will all turn out in terms of how well he can play at this level. But for a team who needed some options at D, at this juncture, he looks like a decent acquisition and I think management may well deserve some credit if he can stick.

 

[Redleaf]

I guess one could argue the glass is half empty or half full.

I suspect Kostka is a placeholder for Gardiner. He's one of the top AHL offensive dmen so he's not a bad guy to have for depth. And he might turn out to be more than that. The trick may be trying to hang on to him when Gardiner returns.

I guess we'll see soon enough how it will all turn out in terms of how well he can play at this level. But for a team who needed some options at D, at this juncture, he looks like a decent acquisition and I think management may well deserve some credit if he can stick.

If/when he gets sent back down, the fear is he gets picked off of waivers like Aucoin. I think Nonis and Carlyle will give him every opportunity to prove his worth in the big league before this happens. Hopefully he makes it a tough decision.

 

[cw]

I guess one could argue the glass is half empty or half full.

I suspect Kostka is a placeholder for Gardiner. He's one of the top AHL offensive dmen so he's not a bad guy to have for depth. And he might turn out to be more than that. The trick may be trying to hang on to him when Gardiner returns.

I guess we'll see soon enough how it will all turn out in terms of how well he can play at this level. But for a team who needed some options at D, at this juncture, he looks like a decent acquisition and I think management may well deserve some credit if he can stick.

If/when he gets sent back down, the fear is he gets picked off of waivers like Aucoin. I think Nonis and Carlyle will give him every opportunity to prove his worth in the big league before this happens. Hopefully he makes it a tough decision.

Lots of teams are looking for D. So there's a fair chance one of the D gets flipped for some talent or a pick before they'll loose him on waivers.

I think both Kostka & Fraser are risks to get snatched off the waiver wire.

 

[nutman]

You can be sure we wont expose our exess defencemen, as they will make for good parts to deal to the teams needing just that.

 

[mjmgrand]

Has anyone seen this guy play enough to comment?

Hope he does well tonight.

 

[nutman]

Has anyone seen this guy play enough to comment?

Hope he does well tonight.

Ya... he was solid in the AHL, lets hope he can bring it playing with the big boys.