Most of those minuses were in third periods. Clearly he isn't a defensive centre, yet Carlyle even used him as one in the playoffs.
- mykokes

It's why he has no spot on this team. I'm sure that Nonis is cooking up a deal to be rid of him, once he has a better center to sign. Grabo might fit, in a place like Columbus, or with the Rangers. Euro style teams that play the flow game.

Short season and too many players were not in game shape, when the season started. You can throw these numbers out the window. How was he in the playoffs?
- PrinceLH

The weird thing is dude, I think he had a higher faceoff % in the second half

these stats are killer and easily the most logical thing i've seen here in awhile..

but people talking about grabovski like he has the plague is driving me insane.

08/09 - 78GP, 20G 28A
09/10 - 59GP, 10G 25A
10/11 - 81GP, 29G 29A
11/12 - 74GP, 23G 28A
12/13 - 48GP, 9G 7A

grabovski has literally had a poor 48 games in the last 5 years. that's it. 48 games.. and people are saying they'd rather take bozak over him? factor in the idea that during the lockout he was good for 12 goals and 12 assists in 29 KHL games, and it's clear that he was misused. shouldn't be tough to understand considering he was used as a third line center for 2/3 of the season.

to write him off as dead is of the same half witted logic that has the never ending list of players floating around the nhl who have had successful careers for other teams and were let go of by the leafs for nothing. grabovski may be the closest thing the leafs have to a legitimate top 6 center, and just might have the most heart on the team, and people want him dusted over 48 games with a new coach, in a partial season he was misused? man..

grabovski is not a useless player because of 48 games. he's a player with a not so good contract. if the contract is deemed to be that big of an issue, the leafs have the option of saving a compliance buyout for next summer to safeguard themselves. there's absolutely no logic in talking about him like he's rick dipietro right now.
- joel878

Bang on.

The weird thing is dude, I think he had a higher faceoff % in the second half
- mykokes

But his whole season was a writeoff.

Guys, I have a hard on for Vinny too, but he's signing in the U.S.

But his whole season was a writeoff.
- PrinceLH

It was indeed. But I do not want to use a buyout on him.....I hate the fact we're still paying tucker's for example. I'm fine with Bolland/Kadri/Grabo/Colborne as the 4 centres battling it out. If Vinny lands in our lap great but I doubt it.

all i'm saying is this is how i want the line up to look next year

JVR- ??? - Kessel
Lupul- Kadri- ???
Kulemin- Bolland- McClement

4th line don't care, just don't waste colborne centering 2 goons, waste of his time

i like grabo, i just think he isnt needed anymore, same with bozak, but we need a two way center to replace bozak, not just a purely offensive minded one. i think if detroit can't land weiss, they might be interested in grabo. grabo does train with datsyuk in the offseason, so we wouldn't have to buy out grabo per say
- matt1337

Grabo is a good two way guy. Was used as a shutdown this year. Basically he faces the other teams top players the last 2 years

Grabo is a good two way guy. Was used as a shutdown this year. Basically he faces the other teams top players the last 2 years
- burn

And failed miserably!

And failed miserably!
- PrinceLH

he was -2 worse than JVR and was forced into a checking line role.

if no ones talking about JVR, we probably shouldn't be to worried about grabovski.

Grabo is a good two way guy. Was used as a shutdown this year. Basically he faces the other teams top players the last 2 years
- burn

if lecav doesn't come i guess thats what carlyle will have to try

Grabo is a good two way guy. Was used as a shutdown this year. Basically he faces the other teams top players the last 2 years
- burn

Grabo is a good #2 offensive centre. He should never be used as a shutdown guy, he collapses too low when he shouldn't and goes to the points when he shouldn't messing up his d in the first instance and his wingers in the second instance. He's guilty of trying too hard to pull a datsyuk......even still, since we got Bolland, i think I rather keep Grabo over Bozak as the #2 centre.....as for Kadri....give him the first line minutes. Might be some growing pains, but long run, I'm sure he'll rise to the challenge......like I said, would love Vinny, but he ain't coming.

"Forty NHL centres had more points than Bozak last season, while only 14 played more minutes."

Stolen from a Cox article.

Impressive numbers lol.

Honestly? Like what? Faceoffs, bodychecking, penalty killing. Bolland bring's those things?

Going to bring up the defense again? Have you checked Bolland's corsi yet?
- Leafland

Bozak isn't good enough defensively to be a 3rd liner. He isn't tough enough to play against. He wins faceoffs. That's it.

Corsi.

And Prince, by no means am I saying Grabo has to be here forever, but the only way we can move him is if he plays up to his potential....noone is going to trade for him right now.

he was -2 worse than JVR and was forced into a checking line role.

if no ones talking about JVR, we probably shouldn't be to worried about grabovski.
- joel878

JVR played powerplay time, that doesn't count in the +/-. It got so bad, they had to employ Colborne, later on in the series.

Ference for sure, because he has a ring and if he's cheap enough, bring in Whitney. We need players with grit, that can play big minutes. Right now, I only see Phaneuf, Gardiner, Gunnerson and Franson, as defensemen that we should keep. Out of those, we only have one right shooting defenseman. Liles can go ASAP!
- PrinceLH

Fraser showed some upside this past season.
I would keep him as a bottom pairing.
He's big and tough, made a difference vs Boston till his injury.

Bozak isn't good enough defensively to be a 3rd liner. He isn't tough enough to play against. He wins faceoffs. That's it.

Corsi.
- burn

I've always felt Bozak is a better 'all round' player when hes not with Kessel. Not a better offensive player, just a player you can rely on. I don't hate him at all.

Bozak isn't good enough defensively to be a 3rd liner. He isn't tough enough to play against. He wins faceoffs. That's it.

Corsi.
- burn

What's wrong with Corsi? Are you saying that a bad angle shot or a blocked shot isn't as valuable as a high scoring chance shot or goal?

And Prince, by no means am I saying Grabo has to be here forever, but the only way we can move him is if he plays up to his potential....noone is going to trade for him right now.
- mykokes

If we take one of the leading centers out of the UFA equation, then he may become more valuable to a team that missed out in free agency. We need to find a team with a decent defenseman, with a bad cap hit and trade bad contracts.

And failed miserably!
- PrinceLH

Ummm did he? I'm pretty sure he did a decent job with that.

JVR played powerplay time, that doesn't count in the +/-. It got so bad, they had to employ Colborne, later on in the series.
- PrinceLH

what?!?.. powerplay time doesn't count in +/- ...??



if that's legitimate... i definitely just learned something.

Fraser showed some upside this past season.
I would keep him as a bottom pairing.
He's big and tough, made a difference vs Boston till his injury.
- sloppyseconds2

Yes he did, but played bottom pair minutes against the other teams bottom lines. If he was put out against the top lines, he would struggle, but he's OK as a 6/7 defenseman.

hopefully they're able to sign Lecavalier and Clarkson

Ummm did he? I'm pretty sure he did a decent job with that.
- burn

I would bet if you put that to a poll of the fans and maybe even the press, you'd get a different opinion.

If we take one of the leading centers out of the UFA equation, then he may become more valuable to a team that missed out in free agency. We need to find a team with a decent defenseman, with a bad cap hit and trade bad contracts.
- PrinceLH

But if Grabo can pot a 50 point pace on our 2nd line, which he has done 3 times in the past, then we don't have to make the trade you suggest right? I just don't see any of the fa centres coming in to toronto at a cheaper price and doing much better. The ones who could do better, aren't signing here. Like its a no-brainer to me, the ideal fa centre to sign is vinny, he's got the faceoff percentage, can score, has size.......but the (frank)er is too much of a chicken poop to play here or Montreal.