yes agreed. i like the fact that he is working out there still.. a slump is no excuse to half ass it.

for a guy who isnt producing he still has managed 6 points in 10 games.. it maybe not be kessel-esque, but its not as horrible as everyone makes it out to be either.
- Dozzer

Completely agree.

He hasn't done well but when the season is over and the dust settles he will lead the team in scoring.

You can book it now.
- Rang

Booked it
How many goals in 38 games?

At last season pace, thats 17 over 38 games.

First thing I would do is get Phaneuf off of the penalty kill, he over plays and the Leafs get burned on his side of the ice, insert Komi back into the lineup and play him on the PK instead of Dion.

Step two, the Leaf forwards still have too much of a gap between them and the blueline, they take angles to the point instead of a direct line to the shooter. Pressure the points more. I still think this is a left over habit for some from Wilson.
- LeafMan

i would just like to see the leafs put their best d-man back on his strongest side

when you got a bunch of fringe guys on the blueline like the leafs do it makes very little sense to play your best guy on his off side.

put your strongest where they are strongest and then fill in the blanks

also, i doubt we see much of komi this year. he's going to get bought out.. i bet carlyle has been instructed to only use him if absolutely necessary. that fluke eye injury prolly made management nervous.

Thoughts on Ovechkin?
- Pecafan Fan

Didn't ownership have a say in his playing style?

I would give Reimer the edge over Scrivens for sure this season, in the past I wasn't feeling that way.
Reimer may turn out to be an average NHL starter, no doubt about it. But we cant win with an average NHL starter...the leafs need a top 10 goalie who can win them games on his own.
Right now Reimer doesn't bring that...he has kept them in games, for sure.....but he hasn't been able to win them games. And thats what the leafs need.
Not to say that he wont....but right hes not at that level.
Time may tell a different story.
- Fakepartofme

well if this a prelude to bringing luongo on board you just wont get me to agree... now the flames are struggling.. prying someone like kipper out of there might be a more cap manageable plan. keep him for a couple years to mentor reimer and go from there.

Didn't ownership have a say in his playing style?
- Tee-Dot

i hadnt heard this. but that would be stupid.. ownership should stay out of what happens on the ice.

i would just like to see the leafs put their best d-man back on his strongest side

when you got a bunch of fringe guys on the blueline like the leafs do it makes very little sense to play your best guy on his off side.

put your strongest where they are strongest and then fill in the blanks

also, i doubt we see much of komi this year. he's going to get bought out.. i bet carlyle has been instructed to only use him if absolutely necessary. that fluke eye injury prolly made management nervous.
- Dozzer

I called Holzer out on the Carolina game, was reading last night people saying he wasn't good against the Caps, he was the best dman on the ice for the Leafs last night, saved 2 goals, made a shot block that was heading into the net, scores the winner, give him his props for that game.

Ok.

Ovechkin: forgotten his game
Kessel: just a slump


Good. Good.
- Pecafan Fan

2011-12:

Kessel: 6th in the league in scoring
Ovechkin: 37th in the league in scoring (tied with notables Teddy Purcell and Max Patch'emupalready).

I called Holzer out on the Carolina game, was reading last night people saying he wasn't good against the Caps, he was the best dman on the ice for the Leafs last night, saved 2 goals, made a shot block that was heading into the net, scores the winner, give him his props for that game.
- LeafMan

holzer played very well. those lil tricklers that usually find their way into the back of the leafs net were cleared out on the edge of the goal line twice by holzer. thats just good calm and collective defense right there... no panic.. just get the puck out of danger. good to see.

i love the people coming down on a guy in his FIRST nhl game

maybe he was a bit nervous? maybe?

2011-12:

Kessel: 6th in the league in scoring
Ovechkin: 37th in the league in scoring (tied with notables Teddy Purcell and Max Patch'emupalready).
- Atomic Wedgie

Wolverine!

i would just like to see the leafs put their best d-man back on his strongest side

when you got a bunch of fringe guys on the blueline like the leafs do it makes very little sense to play your best guy on his off side.

put your strongest where they are strongest and then fill in the blanks

also, i doubt we see much of komi this year. he's going to get bought out.. i bet carlyle has been instructed to only use him if absolutely necessary. that fluke eye injury prolly made management nervous.
- Dozzer

Didn't you know that he's not the best Dman, but rather a "brain dead" imbecile who needs a super offensive guy to play with because all he's good for is standing and blocking?

Didn't you know that he's not the best Dman, but rather a "brain dead" imbecile who needs a super offensive guy to play with because all he's good for is standing and blocking?
- lumlums

when gunnar comes back i would like to see those two paired back up honestly

Wolverine!
- Tee-Dot

Do you mean "Wolverines!" from Red Dawn?

holzer played very well. those lil tricklers that usually find their way into the back of the leafs net were cleared out on the edge of the goal line twice by holzer. thats just good calm and collective defense right there... no panic.. just get the puck out of danger. good to see.

i love the people coming down on a guy in his FIRST nhl game

maybe he was a bit nervous? maybe?
- Dozzer

He has played a few games. I know, I mean I have seen him play with the Marlies, he is pretty damn good defensively, be it with the Marlies & AHL, give him a chance for a bit and see what you got, he can play on the PK too, was given the opportunity and praised by Eakins for his work ethic.

He has played a few games. I know, I mean I have seen him play with the Marlies, he is pretty damn good defensively, be it with the Marlies & AHL, give him a chance for a bit and see what you got, he can play on the PK too, was given the opportunity and praised by Eakins for his work ethic.
- LeafMan

you're right, he played 2 games in 10-11

my point still stands really.

fact was, he played damn well last night

well if this a prelude to bringing luongo on board you just wont get me to agree... now the flames are struggling.. prying someone like kipper out of there might be a more cap manageable plan. keep him for a couple years to mentor reimer and go from there.
- Dozzer

I dont care about Lou....and kipper has been complete crap this year...plus he is gone with an injury now.

The Leafs should look into acquiring Niklas Backstrom from the Caps, not sure what it would take, but man Backstrom to Kessel would be awesome.
- ThePresident

Not realistic. It would gut the team of prospects. I'd do it, if possible, but man, you're talking about giving up 3 or 4 of the Leafs top prospects.

I dont care about Lou....and kipper has been complete crap this year...plus he gone with an injury now.
- Fakepartofme

i didnt know kipper was hurt...

ouch for the flames.. gonna be hard to drag themselves out of this without him

I dont care about Lou....and kipper has been complete crap this year...plus he gone with an injury now.
- Fakepartofme

"Vancouver has a decision to make with their goaltending, everybody knows that. We don't need to add more to it than that. Everyone wants it resolved and if it can get resolved that will be better for everybody."

Do you mean "Wolverines!" from Red Dawn?
- Atomic Wedgie

What the (frank) is Red Dawn?

What the (frank) is Red Dawn?
- Tee-Dot

It is another in the long line of movies that Hollywood has remade and failed with it.

i would just like to see the leafs put their best d-man back on his strongest side

when you got a bunch of fringe guys on the blueline like the leafs do it makes very little sense to play your best guy on his off side.

put your strongest where they are strongest and then fill in the blanks

also, i doubt we see much of komi this year. he's going to get bought out.. i bet carlyle has been instructed to only use him if absolutely necessary. that fluke eye injury prolly made management nervous.
- Dozzer

Injuries factor in right now. If Gardiner and Gunnar come back I'd hope he'd line up Gunn-Phan, Gard-Kost, Liles-Komi

It is another in the long line of movies that Hollywood has remade and failed with it.
- LeafMan

its pretty damn sad they cant seem to figure out how to write an original script anymore

i dont even bother with the remakes anymore.. they are always just.. well.. sad.

I'm glad that Kadri, Frattin and Komarov are doing well, here is a thought, I would throw this line out there on the PP, they seems to control the puck pretty well, Komarov is always buzzing around the net, he digs pucks out of the corner for the other two.

Lou's coaching moment #31
- LeafMan

Well, we obviously have to do something on the PP - it's pathetic. So's the PK, too.

Take Bozak off the 1st unit, and put in Kadri. It's just so frigging obvious.

As for the PK, I'm afraid I don't have any simple answers.

2011-12:

Kessel: 6th in the league in scoring
Ovechkin: 37th in the league in scoring (tied with notables Teddy Purcell and Max Patch'emupalready).
- Atomic Wedgie

Ovechkin looked disinterested for most of the game last night (except for parts of the third).

Can't say the same about Kessel.