One thing this team no longer has is depth, if one our top 6 forwards goes down with an injury, we're screwed, big time.
- ThePresident

not big time.

this is where your prospect development comes in, you need Ashton, Colborne etc to develop enough to be able to step in. the leafs are weak on forward prospects for sure, I hate to keep trading 2nd round picks, that way you can keep replacing players like Grab. MacA etc with cheaper options for a couple seasons..I hate to use OTT as an example ..bit I just did

Bolland/JVR/Kessel/Lupul/Kadri/Clarkson/Kuleman/Bozak

If our team stays the same I'm sure any of these 8 can squeeze into the top 6. IMHO
- Garnie

Yupp, even Jay Mc would be alright for a stretch of games if needed

- Gary_B.

whats bigger - $76M or $104M

ask someone, I will wait

Bolland/JVR/Kessel/Lupul/Kadri/Clarkson/Kuleman/Bozak

If our team stays the same I'm sure any of these 8 can squeeze into the top 6. IMHO
- Garnie

Problem is, Bolland is injury prone himself, Kulemin is no longer capable of contributing as a top 6 forward, Clarkson plays the type of game that will lead to injuries, Lupul is bound to be out at one point during the season. It's not going to be pretty.

Lupul has never played LW anywhere in his career except with Leafs. He is a RW Leafs moved to LW to play with Kessel.
- Big_Lightnin

He's a left winger now. It's where he's playing no matter what line he's on. Carlyle said what he regrets about Anaheim is not moving Lupul up as a left winger because he is dynamic on that side.

If he's not a left winger on Kessel's line, he's a left winger on Kadri's.

Dude wake up. There is no (frank)ing way Kulemin is on the 2nd line and Clarkson is on the 3rd.

Kulemin-Bolland-McClement is the checking line.


- Big_Lightnin

1st, 2nd, 3rd lines...they are just #'s (frank)ing Grabo/Kuleman were called the 2nd line the year they lit it up..but were pretty much played like the 1st line.

I know what your saying...I'm sure the leafs 2nd and 3rd lines will probably get similar minutes..you can bump Kuleman I guess if you want...but he is a forechecking beast who causes many turnovers in the other teams end...no sense having him playing with guys who couldn't score in an ocean!!!

I think we'll see Ashton get a chance to play and prove him self at some point this season as an injury replacement.

Problem is, Bolland is injury prone himself, Kulemin is no longer capable of contributing as a top 6 forward, Clarkson plays the type of game that will lead to injuries, Lupul is bound to be out at one point during the season. It's not going to be pretty.
- ThePresident

I don't agree.

your analysis of hockey appears to be on discount in this blog
- Big_Lightnin

Ian White>Gunnerson

Getting better??

Lupul and Kadri have some chemestry together and Clarkson compliments them perfectly. Also JVR-Bozak-Kessel played well last year. Thats the most logical top two lines imo.

Yupp, even Jay Mc would be alright for a stretch of games if needed
- Brett-GLG

I was going to throw his name in there...

He's a left winger now. It's where he's playing no matter what line he's on. Carlyle said what he regrets about Anaheim is not moving Lupul up as a left winger because he is dynamic on that side.

If he's not a left winger on Kessel's line, he's a left winger on Kadri's.
- t_leafs21

because he would have put up massive points with Getz and Perry. he never played with them cause Carlyle didnt think he could play LW.

And Kulemin only played RW cause Mac couldn't. Hes a LW too

Ian White>Gunnerson

Getting better??
- Byfuglien Ate Me

at saying things that are wrong... yes

Lupul and Kadri have some chemestry together and Clarkson compliments them perfectly. Also JVR-Bozak-Kessel played well last year. Thats the most logical top two lines imo.
- dwoo33

yup

not big time.

this is where your prospect development comes in, you need Ashton, Colborne etc to develop enough to be able to step in. the leafs are weak on forward prospects for sure, I hate to keep trading 2nd round picks, that way you can keep replacing players like Grab. MacA etc with cheaper options for a couple seasons..I hate to use OTT as an example ..bit I just did
- senstroll

yeah but at the same time, Ottawa's guys went down and then they couldn't score for Richard. lights out goaltending carried them into the playoffs. the Leafs "screwedness" if top 6 guys go down is no different than the majority of the league. it's very hard to compensate for injuries to your top 6 in the Cap age. hard to go into the season with the depth and even harder to trade for it in-season. best way to overcome injuries to your offence is to have your goaltending step up.

1st, 2nd, 3rd lines...they are just #'s (frank)ing Grabo/Kuleman were called the 2nd line the year they lit it up..but were pretty much played like the 1st line.

I know what your saying...I'm sure the leafs 2nd and 3rd lines will probably get similar minutes..you can bump Kuleman I guess if you want...but he is a forechecking beast who causes many turnovers in the other teams end...no sense having him playing with guys who couldn't score in an ocean!!!
- Garnie

JVR- Bozak- Kessel

Lupul- Kadri- Clarkson

McClement/Marlie surprise - Bolland- Kulemin

Marlie/McLaren - Colborne/McClement - Orr

McLaren/Colborne/Marlie in the pressbox


Hard to see it any other way right now buddy.

at saying things that are wrong... yes
- Big_Lightnin

Tyler Bozak is not a #1 C

Where the hell did all of our cap space go, jesus, we had like the most or 2nd most available and now we're talking about being up right against it. I feel like we didn't even really make a move outside of the organization, besides Clarkson.....

1st, 2nd, 3rd lines...they are just #'s (frank)ing Grabo/Kuleman were called the 2nd line the year they lit it up..but were pretty much played like the 1st line.

I know what your saying...I'm sure the leafs 2nd and 3rd lines will probably get similar minutes..you can bump Kuleman I guess if you want...but he is a forechecking beast who causes many turnovers in the other teams end...no sense having him playing with guys who couldn't score in an ocean!!!
- Garnie

a but this year they actually have 3 defensive forwards they can put out as a checking line in Kulemin-Bolland-McClement

Clarkson is not a defensive forward. Hes all about the forecheck and net presence

Tyler Bozak is not a #1 C
- Byfuglien Ate Me

there ya go

I want to see Nonis go out and sign a 3rd line checker, with leadership abilities. I don't like the idea of Mcclement playing wing, we should look into Brendan Morrow, bet he'd come cheap. Kulemin/Bolland/Morrow.....after of course we dump Liles.

I think we'll see Ashton get a chance to play and prove him self at some point this season as an injury replacement.
- dwoo33

I think he will be the 13th forward from day 1 honestly.

Tyler Bozak is not a #1 C
- Byfuglien Ate Me

I've wanted to see what a Statsny/Kessel duo could do for years now but I don't thinks its going to ever happen besides maybe at the olympics.

because he would have put up massive points with Getz and Perry. he never played with them cause Carlyle didnt think he could play LW.

And Kulemin only played RW cause Mac couldn't. Hes a LW too
- Big_Lightnin

But it's a useless argument on your part because he is a LW for us. He's most likely going to play the rest of his career here. He's a LW now. Putting him on the right side in your 2013-14 Leaf depth charts doesn't make sense.

He's a left winger on the Leafs. Kulemin plays the right side. I think Carlyle likes that he can get the puck out against the other team's point men on his forehand when he's on the right wing. Kulie is a straight north-south guy, he's doesn't do the pass across as much.

Where the hell did all of our cap space go, jesus, we had like the most or 2nd most available and now we're talking about being up right against it. I feel like we didn't even really make a move outside of the organization, besides Clarkson.....
- ThePresident

They lowered the cap, remember

and Bernier cap hit $2.9 over scrivens 600K or whatever.