Where is Kadri and what's going on with his development?

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?  Its because he is a soft player who never put up more then 20 goals or more then 45 points a season while with Toronto.  Yes he has played better with St Louis, however with us despite being given every opportunity to succeed he was a 2nd - 3rd liner at best.

Sounds like you are talking about Bozak.

 

[Tigger]

I guess you'd have to ask Cliff Fletcher about that nonsense.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?  Its because he is a soft player who never put up more then 20 goals or more then 45 points a season while with Toronto.  Yes he has played better with St Louis, however with us despite being given every opportunity to succeed he was a 2nd - 3rd liner at best.

So because he wasn't a 1st line player he's not good?

 

[Kin]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?

It's almost as if, and bear with me here, Cliff Fletcher made some decisions in his time as interim GM that weren't all that smart.

 

[moon111]

I don't know if Kadri had felt he had earned a spot on the roster, or Wilson was just being an idiot.  Hopefully the signing of Connolly, if anything gave Kadri more development time instead of being rushed too soon.  You'd have to think Dallas Eakins would make him a better player then spending time under Ron Wilson's tutelage.  The Leafs need players in order to be competitive, and looking on the farm may provide a much better source then UFA signings.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

You can't teach hands like that. Kid has skill and a mean streak to his game.

 

[princedpw]

You can't teach hands like that. Kid has skill and a mean streak to his game.

Yes. To become a good player, he needs to acquire the strength and/or technique to be able to hold off a defender while maintaining his balance and possession of the puck.  If he could learn to do this, he has the vision and the long stick to become a very dangerous play maker.  It seems like a huge "if" though.  Still, I like the idea of drafting more high-risk/high-reward guys like Kadri than the guys like Tyler Biggs who seem like guys where even if they pan out they don't seem likely to have the stick skills necessary to progress beyond being a 3rd/4th liner.  (not that I'm an expert on Biggs necessarily).

 

[Britishbulldog]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?

It's almost as if, and bear with me here, Cliff Fletcher made some decisions in his time as interim GM that weren't all that smart.

;D

Those were bad days as a Leaf fan.  Even Hollweg!!  C'mon.

 

[Rebel_1812]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?  Its because he is a soft player who never put up more then 20 goals or more then 45 points a season while with Toronto.  Yes he has played better with St Louis, however with us despite being given every opportunity to succeed he was a 2nd - 3rd liner at best.

Sounds like you are talking about Bozak.

I agree bozak is in the same boat with stajan and steen.  The difference is that people critize bozak whereas stajan and steen were always called good two way players.  Yet despite having so many defensive players our goals against was high. 

 

[Kin]

The difference is that people critize bozak whereas stajan and steen were always called good two way players.

Yeah. Stajan and Steen never got criticized.

Yet despite having so many defensive players our goals against was high.

It's almost as if the goaltending sucked.

 

[bustaheims]

It's almost as if the goaltending sucked.

And as if one or two forwards who understand their defensive responsibility can't fix a team-wide failing on their own.

 

[Kin]

And as if one or two forwards who understand their defensive responsibility can't fix a team-wide failing on their own.

He's a witch! Burn him!

 

[drummond]

Just have a patience with him.
Some guys need a little bit more time - look at Tlusty in Carolina (17+19 36 +4) or Stalberg in Chicago (18+20 38 +4) these guys are showing solid progress and some promise.

 

[cw]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?  Its because he is a soft player who never put up more then 20 goals or more then 45 points a season while with Toronto.  Yes he has played better with St Louis, however with us despite being given every opportunity to succeed he was a 2nd - 3rd liner at best.

Sounds like you are talking about Bozak.

I agree bozak is in the same boat with stajan and steen.  The difference is that people critize bozak whereas stajan and steen were always called good two way players.  Yet despite having so many defensive players our goals against was high.

When I last checked, it is a team sport. A guy on the ice for 15-16 minutes a game can't be responsible for what went on during the other 45 minutes he wasn't on the ice nor the play of those he was on the ice with like the goaltender for example.

Stajan (28) and Steen (28) are only 2 years older than Bozak (26). I'd say their defensive aptitude and ability was and is way ahead of Bozak. Bozak was a -29 last year with half a season of decent goaltending (unlike what Stajan and Steen got in Toronto) and showed little defensive knowledge, ability or conscience. Stajan had more as an 18 year old rookie. Bozak made a credit and somewhat successful effort to improve that part of his game this year but he had no place to go but up. Given the choice in a defensive situation, I'd still take Stajan right now. Steen should be beyond debate or require zero thought - unlike Bozak, he's a complete player.

The Stempniak deal for Steen & Colaiacovo (currently top 4 on 1st place St. Louis with the lowest GAA in the league handily) would probably handily crack my top 20 list for the dumbest moves by a Leafs GM.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?  Its because he is a soft player who never put up more then 20 goals or more then 45 points a season while with Toronto.  Yes he has played better with St Louis, however with us despite being given every opportunity to succeed he was a 2nd - 3rd liner at best.

Sounds like you are talking about Bozak.

I agree bozak is in the same boat with stajan and steen.  The difference is that people critize bozak whereas stajan and steen were always called good two way players.  Yet despite having so many defensive players our goals against was high.

When I last checked, it is a team sport. A guy on the ice for 15-16 minutes a game can't be responsible for what went on during the other 45 minutes he wasn't on the ice nor the play of those he was on the ice with like the goaltender for example.

Stajan (28) and Steen (28) are only 2 years older than Bozak (26). I'd say their defensive aptitude and ability was and is way ahead of Bozak. Bozak was a -29 last year with half a season of decent goaltending (unlike what Stajan and Steen got in Toronto) and showed little defensive knowledge, ability or conscience. Stajan had more as an 18 year old rookie. Bozak made a credit and somewhat successful effort to improve that part of his game this year but he had no place to go but up. Given the choice in a defensive situation, I'd still take Stajan right now. Steen should be beyond debate or require zero thought - unlike Bozak, he's a complete player.

The Stempniak deal for Steen & Colaiacovo (currently top 4 on 1st place St. Louis with the lowest GAA in the league handily) would probably handily crack my top 20 list for the dumbest moves by a Leafs GM.

Bozak has good chemistry with Kessel and Lupul.  Would Stajan?  Before he was traded, Stajan really didn't have any chemistry with anyone.  Steen would have been a better alternative though, and that's one trade that still bothers me, just like the Courtnall for Kordic trade.

 

[Kin]

Before he was traded, Stajan really didn't have any chemistry with anyone.

I don't think that's true. I think Stajan's last two years here were pretty productive ones. in his final two years he had 96 points in 131 games, a 60 point pace while playing with a fairly motley collection of guys that featured Blake and Ponikarovsky prominently. By comparison, Bozak is on a 53 point pace despite playing the majority of his time on a line with Kessel and Lupul.

 

[hap_leaf]

When you look at all the talent that has flooded out of the Leaf's organization, it really is mindboggling.
Add Boyes and Rask to that list of players we miss.
Hopefully Kadri will not be a player we watch excel on some other team as well.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

Before he was traded, Stajan really didn't have any chemistry with anyone.

I think Stajan's last two years here were pretty productive ones. in his final two years he had 96 points in 131 games, a 60 point pace while playing with a fairly motley collection of guys that featured Blake and Ponikarovsky prominently.

Surprised Burke didn't give him a 5 year 27.5 million dollar contract extension.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Before he was traded, Stajan really didn't have any chemistry with anyone.

I think Stajan's last two years here were pretty productive ones. in his final two years he had 96 points in 131 games, a 60 point pace while playing with a fairly motley collection of guys that featured Blake and Ponikarovsky prominently.

Surprised Burke didn't give him a 5 year 27.5 million dollar contract extension.

Really?  Again?

 

[Erndog]

Can we keep this on Kadri?

I like Kadri and I really believe he will have a Mike Ribeiro like career if he can get a little stronger.  I just checked Ribeiros stats and he was drafted in 1998 and didn't make a real impact until 2003-04.  I don't know why but I imagine a lot of it had to do with strength and conditioning and maturing.  I think (hope) Kadri will have a similar career path.