Leafs fans really need to stop focusing on one tiny thing that a player does well, and thinking that justifies an NHL roster spot.
Bozak is great at faceoffs.
Komarov hits everything.
Lombardi is fast.
Komi is good in the dressing room.
Sjostrom is good at killing penalties.
Mike Richards does all that, and pots you 60-80 points every year like clockwork. - Atomic Wedgie
Bozak is great at faceoffs, plays very well defensively, gives it his all every shift, and up until this season, has had chemistry with Kessel. He's no first line center, but he'd look very good on the 3rd line.
Komarov hits everything, plays well defensively, acts as a good pest to draw penalties.
Komi was a physical beast, a shot blocking machine, overall good defensively, could fight, and was good in the room. He was a good signing that didn't pan out, though he's recovered some of that this year.
Not every player is going to be Mike Richards. You need role-players that do specialize in an aspect of the game, to fill out the roster. You shouldn't rely on them in key roles, but their specialty can earn them a spot on the roster.
Phaneuf and Kessel are both young and trading either of them would be a bad idea. Once the Leafs become a better team, both of those guys are going to look great.
I promise that if they did get traded to a team that could surround them with complementary players of their own skill level people would be saying "how come he never did that for the Leafs"
Once Gardner is a star, him and Phaneuf are going to make each other look so good. Once Kadri becomes Kessel's centre, or once they aquire a centre worthy of playing with Kessel, he is going to score 50 goals.
Bottom line: this is one of the leagues youngest and most exciting teams. Relax. Enjoy watching them grow together. And keep in mind that the team that looks so good right now still has Lupel and Gardner to add to it. - Aquaman_2400
Location: The centre of the hockey universe Joined: 07.31.2006
Feb 7 @ 4:08 PM ET
Bozak is great at faceoffs, plays very well defensively, gives it his all every shift, and up until this season, has had chemistry with Kessel. He's no first line center, but he'd look very good on the 3rd line.
- Feeling Glucky?
He's great at faceoffs. That's about it. He doesn't play well defensively, he has no size, I don't give a crap if he gives it his all every shift, and the chemistry thing is crap. He wouldn't look good on the 3rd line - he has no grit.
Komarov hits everything, plays well defensively, acts as a good pest to draw penalties.
- Feeling Glucky?
The Leafs could replace Komarov with 3 other players from the Marlies tomorrow, and you wouldn't notice the difference.
Komi was a physical beast, a shot blocking machine, overall good defensively, could fight, and was good in the room. He was a good signing that didn't pan out, though he's recovered some of that this year.
- Feeling Glucky?
I don't feel like I even need to address this one.
Not every player is going to be Mike Richards. You need role-players that do specialize in an aspect of the game, to fill out the roster. You shouldn't rely on them in key roles, but their specialty can earn them a spot on the roster. - Feeling Glucky?
I get that we can't have a team of Mike Richards.
But you don't need role players that pecialize in an aspect of the game - that's the point that Leafs fans need to realize. I don't want Linus Omark on the team.
If you are going to have role players, you need guys who can do 10 things at an average to above average level.
And you need to stop worshiping guys who are good at backhands on penalty shots in away games during shootouts on Tuesdays.
Phaneuf and Kessel are both young and trading either of them would be a bad idea. Once the Leafs become a better team, both of those guys are going to look great.
- Aquaman_2400
To much of an IF, both players keep the leafs in too much of the middle area, not good enough to get elite prospects, not good enough to contend
I promise that if they did get traded to a team that could surround them with complementary players of their own skill level people would be saying "how come he never did that for the Leafs"
- Aquaman_2400
I am sure they would look great on a team with better players than they are...and its easy to see why they cant with the leafs
Once Gardner is a star, him and Phaneuf are going to make each other look so good. Once Kadri becomes Kessel's centre, or once they aquire a centre worthy of playing with Kessel, he is going to score 50 goals.
- Aquaman_2400
So many Ifs... more likley to Not happen than happen.
10 things have to go right for your dream scenarios to play out...
Bottom line: this is one of the leagues youngest and most exciting teams. Relax. Enjoy watching them grow together. And keep in mind that the team that looks so good right now still has Lupel and Gardner to add to it. - Aquaman_2400
