Why aren't you the Oilers ref yet?
- AdamFrench

I don't wanna be a ref, and I don't want the Oilers to have some power-tripping ban-happy guy in the threads. Also, I feel like the unspoken rule that fans are allowed to be jerks in their own team's threads but not in other people's is bizzare. I'd have trouble enforcing that. Jerks are jerks.

Grabo gets the shutdown duties, and his line is doing a so-so to terrible job.
- mykokes

I just can't wait to get the proper lines out when Lupul and Frattin get back... My guess is

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Komorov - McClement - Orr

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Franson - Fraser
Gardiner (eventually) - Kostka/Holzer/Liles/Komisarek

Reimer
Scrivens

Isn't instant downfall what happens when a nuck receives phantom contact in front of a ref?
- Zezel

Ha! Glass houses....

yes
- Barx

Interesting. Some of the other leafs fans were saying otherwise. Again, shutdown was not the right word.

I think Kessel has the same feeling towards Carlyle as Ryan.. Maybe it has something to do with American players not liking Carlyles approach? JVR seems to be doing fine, but he has Canadian root
- Arctic_AARDVARK

I think Carlyle is heavy on his offensive stars. He loads them with work and is critical because they should be able to shoulder that. I don't think it has anything to do with what country they come from. He has given Kessel more minutes but it hasn't worked with his added pressure. He's just going thru the motions, taking lots of shots with that quick release but they are predictable and from too far out to be as effective as previous seasons.

It's only really been the past couple games. For the first part of the year, I thought he looked every bit as good as he did last year (with a little rust). He just wasn't getting the pay-off.

I'm not sure what happened, but it's like a switch was flipped. After finishing 6th in league scoring last year, I'm willing to cut him the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to some injury or the flu.

We'll see how he responds to 3 days rest.
- Leeman4Gilmour

You're always looking to make excuses for him. He's underachieving. He's probably out of shape or doesn't like Carlyle's system. He's not injured and he definitely doesn't have the flu

Interesting. Some of the other leafs fans were saying otherwise. Again, shutdown was not the right word.

- Morris

Bozak certainly shuts down our top line well.

He looks sad out there. Wow talk about lack of interest. He cuts in the middle very rarely now, and when he does it is usually at the top of the circles. Then flakes off into the corners away from the play. He floats on his defensive assignment on the boards. He just doesn't seem to be the same guy as last year.

I would love to know why.
- stevecarpetman

cause he isn't scoring... and that's what he does.

Although - that gotta say he nearly had a beaut last night- Nabokov made a hell of a toe save on the one where Kessel cut to the high slot and went low blocker.... then floated into the corner cause he didn't score...

I think Carlyle is heavy on his offensive stars. He loads them with work and is critical because they should be able to shoulder that. I don't think it has anything to do with what country they come from. He has given Kessel more minutes but it hasn't worked with his added pressure. He's just going thru the motions, taking lots of shots with that quick release but they are predictable and from too far out to be as effective as previous seasons.
- stevecarpetman

fair enough.

Meaning what?
He has one good season and everyone exagerrates his value?
- Fakepartofme

Meaning him and his agent might exaggerate his value.

You're always looking to make excuses for him. He's underachieving. He's probably out of shape or doesn't like Carlyle's system. He's not injured and he definitely doesn't have the flu
- Arctic_AARDVARK

So, your baseless conjecture is better than mine?

At least my conjecture is backed by his history. A player doesn't go from 6th in the league in scoring to a total bum in one game without some cause.

he was playing very well under Carlyle for the first 19 games this year.

It's only really been the past couple games. For the first part of the year, I thought he looked every bit as good as he did last year (with a little rust). He just wasn't getting the pay-off.

I'm not sure what happened, but it's like a switch was flipped. After finishing 6th in league scoring last year, I'm willing to cut him the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to some minor injury or the flu.

We'll see how he responds to 3 days rest.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Hope you're right. I would agree he was better at the start of the season but, they just weren't going in. Even at the start of the year he had a Jekyll and Hyde thing going tho.

Kadri is going to make money like what kulemin got most likely. Roughy 2.5-2.75 so probably for 2 year extension for about 5M. Bozak roughly 3-3.5
- Mapleleafs_91

Not if he keeps putting up close to a point a game.. Were you not following the Ryan O'Reilly saga this year?

You're always looking to make excuses for him. He's underachieving. He's probably out of shape or doesn't like Carlyle's system. He's not injured and he definitely doesn't have the flu
- Arctic_AARDVARK

He's not out of shape, he's down cause he isn't scoring. First 10 games he was dealing with it. Kept working, doing the good things. Finally got a couple, then he went cold again.

Now everytime he gets a chance and doesn't score he gets more frustrated. Instead of working though it, he's pouting.

I'd put him on Kadri's line to get some easy looks and get out of the slump. Guarantee if he has one 2 goal game, he's back to playing like he was at start of the year.

I don't wanna be a ref, and I don't want the Oilers to have some power-tripping ban-happy guy in the threads. Also, I feel like the unspoken rule that fans are allowed to be jerks in their own team's threads but not in other people's is bizzare. I'd have trouble enforcing that. Jerks are jerks.
- Morris

You're weak Morris!

Kessel should go to Gary Roberts training program this summer.
- Jadass12

Unfortunately that still won't get him to go into the corners.

Hope you're right. I would agree he was better at the start of the season but, they just weren't going in. Even at the start of the year he had a Jekyll and Hyde thing going tho.
- stevecarpetman

I think he has something like 10 posts/crossbars this year.

If just half of those had gone in (which would bring his shooting percentage in line with his career average), he'd be leading the team in points, second in goals, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

So it goes in Leaf Land, I guess.

Unfortunately that still won't get him to go into the corners.
- SameOld

That's what Lupul is for...

I just can't wait to get the proper lines out when Lupul and Frattin get back... My guess is

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Komorov - McClement - Orr

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Franson - Fraser
Gardiner (eventually) - Kostka/Holzer/Liles/Komisarek

Reimer
Scrivens
- steve362

Kostka has a spot locked down. Holzer is going to get sent down eventually, its inevitable.

So, your baseless conjecture is better than mine?

At least my conjecture is backed by his history. A player doesn't go from 6th in the league in scoring to a total bum in one game without some cause.

he was playing very well under Carlyle for the first 19 games this year.
- Leeman4Gilmour

He's looked different the last few. Like he's even more afraid than usual.

Not if he keeps putting up close to a point a game.. Were you not following the Ryan O'Reilly saga this year?
- SameOld

O' Riellys a douchebag no one cares about him, same goes with subban when he held out on his contract. When he signed the contract no one talked to him when he came back barely on the team cause he held out

I just can't wait to get the proper lines out when Lupul and Frattin get back... My guess is

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Komorov - McClement - Orr

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Franson - Fraser
Gardiner (eventually) - Kostka/Holzer/Liles/Komisarek

Reimer
Scrivens
- steve362

no chance Carlyle only has 1 fighter in the lineup. Mac or Kuli will be traded, Komorov moves to checking line.

cause he isn't scoring... and that's what he does.

Although - that gotta say he nearly had a beaut last night- Nabokov made a hell of a toe save on the one where Kessel cut to the high slot and went low blocker.... then floated into the corner cause he didn't score...
- Big_Lightnin

He has a lot of those but until he starts rushing with someone and not always on a lone ranger mission the goalie will be setting up to take the angles and hope for the best.

Lupul and him were a threat because they could both pot them and they rushed together into the offensive zone.

Kostka has a spot locked down. Holzer is going to get sent down eventually, its inevitable.
- SameOld

Well two positives in that scenerio are that Kostka and Gardiner played well together in the AHL, very well in fact. Also, Holzer is still waiver exempt. Hopefull;y we can trade Liles for 2nd/3rd round picks and buy out Komi

He's looked different the last few. Like he's even more afraid than usual.
- SameOld

Yeah, it's noticeable, for sure.

But it sticks out like a sore thumb because it's so different from his usual play this year. That leads me to believe he's got some sort of nagging injury.

Even his speed has been down. And there's no doubting that in the past, even at his worst, he's always been the fastest player on the ice.