dont (frank) with whats working.

lupul kadri can play well together.. they just need a better possession game (and thats on RC) which would allow Clarkson to do the one thing he is good at.. stand in front of the net, screen the goalie, and hammer in rebounds
- Dozzer

poop they can just shoot the pucks off of him. As long as he puts SOMETHING in the net this year.

So, anyone still sad about Loiselle getting fired...?
- lumlums

I am going to miss the dumb stuff he and Poulin said

well.. try to logic it out all you want, its never going to happen.

JVR Bozak Kessel will be a line this season
- Dozzer

Oh I have no doubt they'll play together a lot, but JVR will play with Kadri a fair bit too. RC likely won't stop his match-ups and tinkering bullpoop, so we'll see all kinds of combinations.

Booth...in the corners?
- RickJames77

Again, concussions sure mess with players.

I totally agree with this.

Kessel is under-rated - the guy tends to make things happen on his own, and as he draws more and more attention, he can set up others (he is a very good passer).

Call me crazy, but I'd put him with Clarkson short-term (even if it is on the pre-season) to try to give Clarkson back some mojo.

You fellas may not have noticed, but I'm terrified about what Clarkson could become if he doesn't get his poop together in the first 20 games of this year.
- Atomic Wedgie

Crazy, I agree. Anything to get that dummy out of his slump.. Man, I hope it is a slump.

I am going to miss the dumb stuff he and Poulin said
- senstroll

Just a horrendous contract for Clarkson. With the bonus structure, he's completely buyout proof (probably by design by his agent); cap that off with a NMC and at least 2 years too long. Just. Wow.

I, like a lot of fans, was excited last year as I thought he'd bring some toughness to our top 6, but that guy's spending too much time in Lupul's salon or something: he looked like a wet scarecrow out there and was on his ass more than his skates... even Kadri in his first couple of stints looked more stable out there and that's not saying much.

Oh I have no doubt they'll play together a lot, but JVR will play with Kadri a fair bit too. RC likely won't stop his match-ups and tinkering bullpoop, so we'll see all kinds of combinations.
- gravyface

i dont mean to be rude.. but i doubt that

but its summer and we're bored so have at er

I totally agree with this.

Kessel is under-rated - the guy tends to make things happen on his own, and as he draws more and more attention, he can set up others (he is a very good passer).

Call me crazy, but I'd put him with Clarkson short-term (even if it is on the pre-season) to try to give Clarkson back some mojo.

You fellas may not have noticed, but I'm terrified about what Clarkson could become if he doesn't get his poop together in the first 20 games of this year.
- Atomic Wedgie

When healthy, his board play is an upgrade over most of our top 9. Key is health; he missed an entire year, then got hurt in training camp, and could never really catch up. See Franson last year.

If he's healthy and has a full off-season/training camp, I see Booth usurping Clarkson on the top 6 eventually.
- gravyface

Why is that so hard to imagine?

Last year Booth had 19 points in 66 games.

Clarkson had 11 in 60 games.

Not sure what else Clarkson contributed, so I'm pretty much left just looking at the point totals.

Just a horrendous contract for Clarkson. With the bonus structure, he's completely buyout proof (probably by design by his agent); cap that off with a NMC and at least 2 years too long. Just. Wow.

I, like a lot of fans, was excited last year as I thought he'd bring some toughness to our top 6, but that guy's spending too much time in Lupul's salon or something: he looked like a wet scarecrow out there and was on his ass more than his skates... even Kadri in his first couple of stints looked more stable out there and that's not saying much.
- gravyface

Agents (and players) love buyouts.

Absolutely love them.

dont (frank) with whats working.

lupul kadri can play well together.. they just need a better possession game (and thats on RC) which would allow Clarkson to do the one thing he is good at.. stand in front of the net, screen the goalie, and hammer in rebounds
- Dozzer

I hope we see clarkson do that this year. He avoided going to the net like the plague last year. IMO that is the best way for him to turn things around, stop with the fancy poop, stop trying to do too much and just go to the net.

Crazy, I agree. Anything to get that dummy out of his slump.. Man, I hope it is a slump.
- bixll

put clarkson on PP in front of net for that...too slow to play on a line with Kessel full time

Just a horrendous contract for Clarkson. With the bonus structure, he's completely buyout proof (probably by design by his agent); cap that off with a NMC and at least 2 years too long. Just. Wow.

I, like a lot of fans, was excited last year as I thought he'd bring some toughness to our top 6, but that guy's spending too much time in Lupul's salon or something: he looked like a wet scarecrow out there and was on his ass more than his skates... even Kadri in his first couple of stints looked more stable out there and that's not saying much.
- gravyface

Not trying to piss you guys off...but I distinctly remember saying last summer that I hated the contract and I just remember the excitement level was through the roof on here. He just really didn't have much prolonged success before joining the LEafs and I think he flashed in the pan a little to bright and it blinded all the suitors who were chasing after him.

I hope we see clarkson do that this year. He avoided going to the net like the plague last year. IMO that is the best way for him to turn things around, stop with the fancy poop, stop trying to do too much and just go to the net.
- burn

RCs offense didnt really give anyone a chance.. they need to play a cycle game.. not dump in, retrieve, take shot, get back

there was no chance to park his ass in his bread and butter zone

Agents (and players) love buyouts.

Absolutely love them.
- Atomic Wedgie

No poop...imagine getting paid two contracts at once...who wouldn't?

Not trying to piss you guys off...but I distinctly remember saying last summer that I hated the contract and I just remember the excitement level was through the roof on here. He just really didn't have much prolonged success before joining the LEafs and I think he flashed in the pan a little to bright and it blinded all the suitors who were chasing after him.
- RickJames77

And most of us will tell you that you're wrong. The truth is people were excited about having Clarkson in the lineup ....but, like you, most were cringing at the details of the contract.

i dont mean to be rude.. but i doubt that

but its summer and we're bored so have at er
- Dozzer

My thoughts. Any big time center the Leafs may have signed or traded for would probably start on the 2nd line. Would make the Bozak line even more successful.

Agents (and players) love buyouts.

Absolutely love them.
- Atomic Wedgie

If they can find jobs after.

Not trying to piss you guys off...but I distinctly remember saying last summer that I hated the contract and I just remember the excitement level was through the roof on here. He just really didn't have much prolonged success before joining the LEafs and I think he flashed in the pan a little to bright and it blinded all the suitors who were chasing after him.
- RickJames77

Agreed. It was the same as the year after Kulemins big year. The guy has never produced besides one year so I don't know why it's expected he will start potting 20+.

put clarkson on PP in front of net for that...too slow to play on a line with Kessel full time
- drexel

He has to play on the PP this year to help get him out of this, and I believe Carlyle will try to do just that. We'll see.

RCs offense didnt really give anyone a chance.. they need to play a cycle game.. not dump in, retrieve, take shot, get back

there was no chance to park his ass in his bread and butter zone
- Dozzer

I didn't like the rc system either, but IMO clarkson more of a dump and chase than a carry the puck in type. I do not believe that the system stopped him from going to the front of the net, jvr always there. That is not a good excuse. IMO clarkson didn't want to go to the net for whatever reason. We had other who would(jvr, kadri ect) so to say that system impeded clarkson from going isn't accurate.

If they can find jobs after.
- gravyface

If Komi can get a new contract, anyone can.

He has to play on the PP this year to help get him out of this, and I believe Carlyle will try to do just that. We'll see.
- Woderwick

Really guys? REALLY?

Not trying to piss you guys off...but I distinctly remember saying last summer that I hated the contract and I just remember the excitement level was through the roof on here. He just really didn't have much prolonged success before joining the LEafs and I think he flashed in the pan a little to bright and it blinded all the suitors who were chasing after him.
- RickJames77

He produced 2x below his career avg. I'm not expecting 30, but high teens pushing 20 is his career avg.

I didn't like the rc system either, but IMO clarkson more of a dump and chase than a carry the puck in type. I do not believe that the system stopped him from going to the front of the net, jvr always there. That is not a good excuse. IMO clarkson didn't want to go to the net for whatever reason. We had other who would(jvr, kadri ect) so to say that system impeded clarkson from going isn't accurate.
- burn

He can't carry the puck..at least he couldn't last year. All cycles in the offensive zone ended when Clarkson received the puck.