Toronto Maple Leafs Diary
BFin
Toronto vs. Boston (Boston, MA)
Thursday October 20th, 2011
Bets: TOR + NYI (Upset Special - Whoops), PHI, LA, NYR, COL, WPG, NYI, BUF
Drink: Red Wine, I felt bad taking two game days off.
State of Dress: Laundry Day! Sporting some athletic pants and a t-shirt.
Location: Toronto, Ontario.
Mood: Optimistic.
Introduction:
The surging Maple Leafs are into Beantown to visit the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins. Boston has started out the season very slow at 1-3-0 but have been absolutely ravaged by injuries...not to mention the old Stanley Cup hangover. Toronto has once again continued their hot start recording 9 points in their first 10 games, led completely by the line of Kessel - Insert Center Here - Lupul. The Monster gets his first start in goal tonight and should be in against Tukka Rask. If you're a betting man, the Leafs have 2.45 odds (as of noon today) so they are providing a very good payout tonight.
1st Period
- Re-watching Kessels jump into Phaneufs awaiting arms still gives me goosebumps 21 hours later. I have NEVER seen that level of Phil Kessel throughout his entire career. Based on the way he is described in the book "Future Greats and Heartbreaks" by Gare Joyce, Kessel wasn't even that excited when he was going through the draft process. Perhaps we have won him over?
- This is not demeaning in any way to David Steckels play (because he has been very good) but how sad is it that in our third year with Phil Kessel we still say "Imagine what he could do with a real first line center?"...
- Frattin just held up instead of driving Seidenberg into the boards, Shanahans early suspensions appear to have worked.
- I think people have figured Colton Orr out. His arms aren't long enough to connect if you keep him extended an arm-length away. What was the purpose of that fight anyways? I took the time to go get another glass of wine. Also, I don't think Ray Ferraro gets what the code is if he thinks that fight was the code. The code is about honour, respect and sticking up for teammates...not staging some bullshit waste of my time in warm-ups.
- Is Komisarek out of the line-up? I see Franson, Gardiner, Phaneuf, Liles, Schenn and Gunnar. Smartest decision we have made all season.
- That experiment with Steckel at center lasted two shifts...talk about a short leash and a small sample size.
- DAMN! Changed my laundry over and missed Ron Wilson putting Steckel back on Kessels line for his first goal as a Maple Leaf. Am I the only one who does not get what cohesion you can form with line mates if they are different each shift?
- Will the undeserved love-fest for Matt Frattin (HFBoard's rookie of the year - LOL) end tonight? Bad penalty that gives Boston momentum right after the Leafs took it.
- And there it is. Nathan Horton with a gimme on the doorstep after Gardiner pinches too high on the PK and Monster fails to control his rebound. Boston is going to start controlling this game if we give them free chances.
- Phil Kessel needs to take the momentum back here (Didn't think I'd ever say that in my life).
- If I am an NHL GM or Coach I have a serious issue with TSN asking my players to speak to them during commercial breaks instead of them focusing on the game, especially when it's John Michael Liles.
- Another power play goal. When will we ever learn?
- I like Cody Franson, but he lost the puck there and missed his man. This is a brutal end to this period.
- Wow I love Dave Hodge. Articulate, insightful, sarcastic...perfect guy to be the old man on the NHL on TSN panel.
2nd Period
- Great back-check by Kulemin. I see a Selke Trophy in his career at some point.
- Isn't Kadri playing wing? Why is he protecting the slot with Lombardi right beside him?
- I guess we were due for this at some point, but one has to ask whether or not the team we have seen tonight or the team we saw in the third last night are the real Maple Leafs. My fears are that it is somewhere in between but leaning towards tonight.
- Seriously impressed with Gunnars performance in his own end tonight. I was skeptical as to why he was paired with Dion but his blocked shots tonight have been absolutely crucial. Love admitting that I was wrong, when it benefits the Leafs.
- Ron Wilson's dog-house is bigger than Mike Vicks. Bozak has been the Leafs best center at both ends of the ice and we continue to experiment with him on other lines. Also, that god-house line could have been one of my best since the one about Mike Komisarek physically assaulting a woman a foot smaller in a Los Angeles nightclub. (Didn't think I was going to forget that one tonight, did you?)
- I would love to see a one-on-one competition between Komisarek and Liles a la Coach Bombay vs. Coach Iceland. Liles just sitting at the blue line letting Komisarek skate down to the other end, Komisarek blowing a tire while attempting to take a slap shot at the cross-bar. Not exactly 3 post quality stuff.
- "Phaneuf has got a face full of Zdeno Chara" may not be commentary as much as a Gord Miller fantasy. Just saying.
- Tim Thomas is on his unorthodox game tonight.
- Gord Miller follows it up with his best comment of the early season "To the bench" when describing Boychuk's go-to move on a breakaway.
- Tim Thomas needs to get an Iron Man themed mask after the number of posts the Leafs have hit in this period.
- Am I the only one that gets a man-rection every time I see the massive machinery in the Rio Tinto Diamond Mine commercials?
- I honestly feel bad for the Monster and Franson...Liles can not cover anyone. I know we are paying for his offence but what is the point if he is playing on the third unit?
- Frattin works his tail off, just doesn't have the creativity in his pro game to be an offensive force yet. I appreciate his game.
- Thanks for reminding me that we gave up a 2nd rounder for Liles...damn you TSN
- Kadri mopes more than Ior
- Kessel has zero shots. Boston must play a much bigger psychological game than it should.
- Tim Thomas won that period.
3rd Period
- The old NHL12 pass across the crease puts one home for the Bruins
- Leafs D has been bad tonight. All around. More Komisarek? lol
- Ric Flair references in Boston? What do Ric Flair and the Bruins have in common...absolutely nothing other than their ages. You're an original six Boston. As my buddy PK says 'act like you've been there before'.
- I have been blaming the D a lot tonight, but at the same time Gustavsson does not look like an NHL goaltender. Rynnas has proven he's a solid AHL starter, Scrivens needs time to show it as well...why not the end of this Monster experience?
- Why is Mike Brown playing with Kessel? FFS Wilson these guys need consistency! How are five line combinations in one night going to help you figure out what works?
- "Tyler Seguin breaks up a 2 on 1 between Kessel and Mike Brown"...ugh
- I have never seen a monster with that weak of a right hook. Kids not an NHL'er.
- Why is Mike Brown playing so much? We all know I love his PK abilities and speed, but regular shifts in a game we are trailing makes no sense to me.
- Oh wow. Someone call Ben Scrivens, the Bruins just killed a monster.
- I almost gave up on this diary and then realized that the Monster is still in the game and we have 8 minutes of goals left.
- HAH sweet fuck all for condolences tonight, but scoring during the "Thank you Kessel" chant was poignant.
- Nice assist by Gardiner. Needs to jump in the rush more.
- Now I am not looking this up and somewhat pulling it out of my ass (thanks wine) but I do believe that the 'Monster' has allowed 6 goals in his first game and that Reimer gave up 7 in his first THREE games. I yearn for the days of Don Beaupre.
- One has to ask what value Rosehill or Orr added to the lineup tonight? Wastes of space.
- Adele done by the organist in Boston is much more epic than the ACC's playing of a CD. Kudos to Boston for maintaining the organ! (Billy should love that one)
- Having the camera focus on Zdeno Chara with the song 'Shout!' playing in the background was odd.
- Bozak has been the best center on the Leafs tonight.
- Question: After tonight, who will be louder abour KOMISAREK BEATING A WOMAN IN AN LA NIGHTCLUB, myself or Gustavsson trying to distract?
- 17 goals against in Monsters last three starts. Come on.
Conclusion:
The Good - Tough one. The stats were mis-leading to me because Gardiner and Kadri both got pluses in garbage time. Gardiner played better in the third than he did in the first part of the game. Kadri didn't impress me at all. Luke Schenn is still not Luke Schenn. BUT I honestly believe that despite the -2 that Tyler Bozak had a pretty good game. He was in the shooting lane and adapted to whatever position or line combo Wilson put him on. It was tough to look good tonight with Jonas playing behind you.
The Bad - OBVIOUS. Red Light Gustavsson. His performance this evening cemented the fact that he is nothing more than an average AHL goalie. Absolutely do not want to see him in the Leafs net again.
Overall - Misleading game because how do you judge it if Reimer is in? As I said before, expectations will be tempered until the 10 game point of the season because the sample size we have seen thus far is too small. If the Monster has officially been killed off in Toronto, I would not be upset. I don't like being an angry Leaf fan.
Showing posts with label Kessel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kessel. Show all posts
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Monday, August 9, 2010
Toronto Maple Leafs: A Look Forward
Being a die hard Leafs fan for the entirety of my 26 year life, I have always needed a forum to express both my love and frustrations with respect to this team. Thankfully Twitter, and BlogSpot have provided me that opportunity...so I look forward to writing a few more Leafs posts as Training Camps get started and we get back into the swing of the greatest sport in North America.
In my first installment, I'd like to speak to the Maple Leafs presently, and look forward to the future...whatever that may hold.
Toronto Maple Leafs: A Look Forward
As we all know the Leafs are going into another season rife with uncertainty. Who is our first line Center? Is the Kessel deal going to be worth it? Will Kaberle be traded? Will our highly paid defense finally show up this year? All questions that I honestly don't think have been addressed at all this off-season. That being said, lets take a look forward at where the Leafs are, and what needs to be done in order to get back to the promise land?
Off Season Acquisitions:
Kris Versteeg - When all is said and done I truly believe that Versteeg will be a solid 2nd line winger for us. I think he will be forced into a first line role this year, due to the lack of depth at forward...however I see him as being a stalwart on the 2nd line for many years to come. Solid acquisition, I just wonder if it was a lateral move shipping Stalberg and 2 prospects for Versteeg.
Billy Sweatt - Who? Is probably the first thing that came to your mind. He was the prospect added in to the Versteeg deal, because Chicago was unable to reach terms with him and his agent. Don't take this as merely a throw in, I honestly believe Sweatt has top six potential....however the sticking point is that if he goes un-signed again this season he becomes a UFA and can choose which team he wants to play with. I look for it to be tough signing him in the future, however I would be very happy if they did.
Mike Brown - Nice Duster. He should fit in well with Colton Orr to form one of the nastiest fourth lines in the NHL. I like the fact that Burke protects guys like Kessel, however the Mike Browns of the world are not the type of draft day acquisitions this team needs.
Colby Armstrong – Solid third line guy, with strong leadership skills on a young team. I’d love to see him paired with Raffi Torres on a third line. From what I hear, this is a very likely possibility as Torres’ camp and the Leafs have been talking since free agency opened. Armstrong has a decent set of hands, a nasty demeanour, and a big body. All things I will welcome anyday on the Leafs.
Brett Lebda – Was caught off guard by this signing. In a good way. I think Lebda is an underrated puck moving defenceman. He has a great outlet pass, and a bit of a nasty streak to him. Carl Gunnarsson would look good paired with him. Too much cash? We will have to wait and see on that one.
Jussi Rynnas – I know so little about Mr. Rynnas that I can’t even write a proper opinion. I know he is big, raw, and will play with James Remier n the minors. I am willing to wait on that one, as the Monster is such a young player still. Stocking the cupboard with goaltending prospects was not a formula that hurt Burke in Anaheim, so I like that move in Toronto as well.
Brad Ross – Leafs first pick, albeit in the second round, of the 2010 entry draft. Listed at 6 feet tall, he appears to be a little smaller than that. Built in the mold of Darcy Tucker, but with worse hands, this kid projects to be a Steve Ott type agitator, with some decent skill. Whether his size and skill will translate to success at the NHL level is another story, but if he doesn’t make it…it will not be from a lack of effort.
Now that we have run down the recent player acquisitions, let’s breakdown some of the potential line combinations that we could see in the 2010-2011 season:
Versteeg – Bozak – Kessel
Kulemin – Grabovski – Caputi
Armstrong – Mitchell – Sjostrom
Brown – Hanson – Orr
Phaneuf – Kaberle
Schenn – Komisarek
Gunnarsson/Lebda – Beauchemin
Monster
I don’t mind the roster from the defenceman back, but I don’t know a Leafs fan that could look me in the eye and tell me that those forwards could compete in a playoff series with the Penguins, Blackhawks and Canucks of the world. The Leafs need a legitimate first line Center, and a big power forward to play with Kessel to even begin resembling a quality squad at the front.
Versteeg brings intrigue to the first line, however ultimately he will have to be relegated to the second line once higher end talent is accumulated (hopefully). As it stands right now, that first line is entirely too small and would get pushed around by the Prongers of the league. Lets take a look at the top prospects in the Leafs system, and how they project as future players.
Top Prospects:
Nazem Kadri – Talented scorer that put up 93 points in 58 games last year in the OHL. Had it not been for an early slump after being sent back to Junior by the Leafs, Kadri would have amassed over 100 points for the Knights and could have challenged Hall and Seguin for the CHL scoring title. A few knocks I have on Kadri are; size( though from what I hear he has bulked up quite a bit this year…or so this creepy blogger says: http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=51444&post_id=9811) On ice vision (he appears to make some stupid plays with the puck, and try and force it through the neutral zone) and finally his mental game. I think he projects to be a second line player (70 point seasons) with Versteeg as his running mate. They would form quite the formidable secondary scoring, and be exactly what his team needs to succeed. Kadri should start the season in the AHL for some professional seasoning, however I look to him to be on the Leafs full time by the end of the season.
After Kadri there is a significant drop-off in the quality of the prospects we have at our disposal, however here is a quick run-down of some of the other Leafs prospects:
Brad Ross – See above, previously mentioned.
Mikhail Stefanovich – Heard some good things out of summer camp last year from him. Offensive winger who can light the lamp with ease. Needs to work on his 2 way game.
Jerry D’Amigo – Getting lots of love after an excellent performance at the World Juniors in 2010. Needs to be smarter and more consistent, but is another decent Wing prospect.
Keith Aulie – A forgotten man in the Dion Phaneuf trade. Aulie is a large mobile defenceman who had a rather inauspicious year with the Marlies. You didn’t really notice him on the ice, which is tough to say wherther that is good or bad from a big D-man.
Jesse Blacker – A Windsor Spitfires defender that some say has an excelent all around game. He is positionally strong, with a decent sized body for the NHL. Could be playing with the Leafs in the next 2 years.
As you can see, the cupboard is not completely barren…however there is a significant lack of high end talent in that cupboard…especially for a team that has missed the playoffs the last 4 years. Accumulating more of this talent is a must for any team in the salary cap world because RFA and rookie contracts help win Stanley Cups…ask the Blackhawks.
What else does Burke need to do to make this team a contender? Here are some of my thoughts as to what the next steps should be:
- Acquire top 6 forward talent. We have second line players in first line roles right now, and you can not compete over the course of an 82 game schedule with players playing out of position. We saw this with Matt Stajan for so many years, and it did not help then.
- Power forward with skill. Tough to find I know, however acquiring a guy like Milan Lucic, Ryan Malone, or Dustin Penner (bad example I know) who can put in 25 goals but still create open space is a must. This type of player would not only contribute offensively and be an upgrade on the front line, but he would open up space for Kessel to roam by clogging up lanes and screening shotsd. I think this type of player is a MUST.
- Playmaking center. How is Kessel expected to score 40 goals with Tyler Bozak feeding him on a nightly basis? Not a knock on Bozak, I love the way he came in and played last year, I just don’t know a sane Leafs fan that would say he is a legitimate first line player. Kessel needs a Savard type player again that can find him in open space, hit him for a one timer, and provide those passes that make your jaw drop. This along with a power forward would make our first line legitimate, and allow Versteeg and Bozak to slide down the depth chart and balance the attack.
- Is the Monster the goalie of the future? I have yet to see concrete evidence that Gustavsson is the answer in net….however…if Antti Niemi, Brian Boucher, Michael Leighton, Chris Osgood etc are any inidication, big money does not need to be spent between the pipes in order to win the cup. The Leafs would need Gustavsson to be solid (2.70 GAA, .900-.910 sv%) but not spectacular in order to compete with an upgraded lineup, and I think he can provide that. With more confidence, less heart surgeries, and continued tutolage of JS Giguere, I think the best is yet to come with the Monster.
Season Prediction: 8th/9th in the East – Burke can not afford another lottery pick going to Boston.
What do you think? Am I talking out of my ass? Do you agree with my assessment of this team, and what needs to be done to improve? Will Kadri be a superstar? IS Kaberle going to be here next year? Let me know! Sign up and comment! Thanks for the read, I am going to do a lot more posts about the Leafs in the future…so please share your thoughts and ideas as well.
- BF
In my first installment, I'd like to speak to the Maple Leafs presently, and look forward to the future...whatever that may hold.
Toronto Maple Leafs: A Look Forward
As we all know the Leafs are going into another season rife with uncertainty. Who is our first line Center? Is the Kessel deal going to be worth it? Will Kaberle be traded? Will our highly paid defense finally show up this year? All questions that I honestly don't think have been addressed at all this off-season. That being said, lets take a look forward at where the Leafs are, and what needs to be done in order to get back to the promise land?
Off Season Acquisitions:
Kris Versteeg - When all is said and done I truly believe that Versteeg will be a solid 2nd line winger for us. I think he will be forced into a first line role this year, due to the lack of depth at forward...however I see him as being a stalwart on the 2nd line for many years to come. Solid acquisition, I just wonder if it was a lateral move shipping Stalberg and 2 prospects for Versteeg.
Billy Sweatt - Who? Is probably the first thing that came to your mind. He was the prospect added in to the Versteeg deal, because Chicago was unable to reach terms with him and his agent. Don't take this as merely a throw in, I honestly believe Sweatt has top six potential....however the sticking point is that if he goes un-signed again this season he becomes a UFA and can choose which team he wants to play with. I look for it to be tough signing him in the future, however I would be very happy if they did.
Mike Brown - Nice Duster. He should fit in well with Colton Orr to form one of the nastiest fourth lines in the NHL. I like the fact that Burke protects guys like Kessel, however the Mike Browns of the world are not the type of draft day acquisitions this team needs.
Colby Armstrong – Solid third line guy, with strong leadership skills on a young team. I’d love to see him paired with Raffi Torres on a third line. From what I hear, this is a very likely possibility as Torres’ camp and the Leafs have been talking since free agency opened. Armstrong has a decent set of hands, a nasty demeanour, and a big body. All things I will welcome anyday on the Leafs.
Brett Lebda – Was caught off guard by this signing. In a good way. I think Lebda is an underrated puck moving defenceman. He has a great outlet pass, and a bit of a nasty streak to him. Carl Gunnarsson would look good paired with him. Too much cash? We will have to wait and see on that one.
Jussi Rynnas – I know so little about Mr. Rynnas that I can’t even write a proper opinion. I know he is big, raw, and will play with James Remier n the minors. I am willing to wait on that one, as the Monster is such a young player still. Stocking the cupboard with goaltending prospects was not a formula that hurt Burke in Anaheim, so I like that move in Toronto as well.
Brad Ross – Leafs first pick, albeit in the second round, of the 2010 entry draft. Listed at 6 feet tall, he appears to be a little smaller than that. Built in the mold of Darcy Tucker, but with worse hands, this kid projects to be a Steve Ott type agitator, with some decent skill. Whether his size and skill will translate to success at the NHL level is another story, but if he doesn’t make it…it will not be from a lack of effort.
Now that we have run down the recent player acquisitions, let’s breakdown some of the potential line combinations that we could see in the 2010-2011 season:
Versteeg – Bozak – Kessel
Kulemin – Grabovski – Caputi
Armstrong – Mitchell – Sjostrom
Brown – Hanson – Orr
Phaneuf – Kaberle
Schenn – Komisarek
Gunnarsson/Lebda – Beauchemin
Monster
I don’t mind the roster from the defenceman back, but I don’t know a Leafs fan that could look me in the eye and tell me that those forwards could compete in a playoff series with the Penguins, Blackhawks and Canucks of the world. The Leafs need a legitimate first line Center, and a big power forward to play with Kessel to even begin resembling a quality squad at the front.
Versteeg brings intrigue to the first line, however ultimately he will have to be relegated to the second line once higher end talent is accumulated (hopefully). As it stands right now, that first line is entirely too small and would get pushed around by the Prongers of the league. Lets take a look at the top prospects in the Leafs system, and how they project as future players.
Top Prospects:
Nazem Kadri – Talented scorer that put up 93 points in 58 games last year in the OHL. Had it not been for an early slump after being sent back to Junior by the Leafs, Kadri would have amassed over 100 points for the Knights and could have challenged Hall and Seguin for the CHL scoring title. A few knocks I have on Kadri are; size( though from what I hear he has bulked up quite a bit this year…or so this creepy blogger says: http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=51444&post_id=9811) On ice vision (he appears to make some stupid plays with the puck, and try and force it through the neutral zone) and finally his mental game. I think he projects to be a second line player (70 point seasons) with Versteeg as his running mate. They would form quite the formidable secondary scoring, and be exactly what his team needs to succeed. Kadri should start the season in the AHL for some professional seasoning, however I look to him to be on the Leafs full time by the end of the season.
After Kadri there is a significant drop-off in the quality of the prospects we have at our disposal, however here is a quick run-down of some of the other Leafs prospects:
Brad Ross – See above, previously mentioned.
Mikhail Stefanovich – Heard some good things out of summer camp last year from him. Offensive winger who can light the lamp with ease. Needs to work on his 2 way game.
Jerry D’Amigo – Getting lots of love after an excellent performance at the World Juniors in 2010. Needs to be smarter and more consistent, but is another decent Wing prospect.
Keith Aulie – A forgotten man in the Dion Phaneuf trade. Aulie is a large mobile defenceman who had a rather inauspicious year with the Marlies. You didn’t really notice him on the ice, which is tough to say wherther that is good or bad from a big D-man.
Jesse Blacker – A Windsor Spitfires defender that some say has an excelent all around game. He is positionally strong, with a decent sized body for the NHL. Could be playing with the Leafs in the next 2 years.
As you can see, the cupboard is not completely barren…however there is a significant lack of high end talent in that cupboard…especially for a team that has missed the playoffs the last 4 years. Accumulating more of this talent is a must for any team in the salary cap world because RFA and rookie contracts help win Stanley Cups…ask the Blackhawks.
What else does Burke need to do to make this team a contender? Here are some of my thoughts as to what the next steps should be:
- Acquire top 6 forward talent. We have second line players in first line roles right now, and you can not compete over the course of an 82 game schedule with players playing out of position. We saw this with Matt Stajan for so many years, and it did not help then.
- Power forward with skill. Tough to find I know, however acquiring a guy like Milan Lucic, Ryan Malone, or Dustin Penner (bad example I know) who can put in 25 goals but still create open space is a must. This type of player would not only contribute offensively and be an upgrade on the front line, but he would open up space for Kessel to roam by clogging up lanes and screening shotsd. I think this type of player is a MUST.
- Playmaking center. How is Kessel expected to score 40 goals with Tyler Bozak feeding him on a nightly basis? Not a knock on Bozak, I love the way he came in and played last year, I just don’t know a sane Leafs fan that would say he is a legitimate first line player. Kessel needs a Savard type player again that can find him in open space, hit him for a one timer, and provide those passes that make your jaw drop. This along with a power forward would make our first line legitimate, and allow Versteeg and Bozak to slide down the depth chart and balance the attack.
- Is the Monster the goalie of the future? I have yet to see concrete evidence that Gustavsson is the answer in net….however…if Antti Niemi, Brian Boucher, Michael Leighton, Chris Osgood etc are any inidication, big money does not need to be spent between the pipes in order to win the cup. The Leafs would need Gustavsson to be solid (2.70 GAA, .900-.910 sv%) but not spectacular in order to compete with an upgraded lineup, and I think he can provide that. With more confidence, less heart surgeries, and continued tutolage of JS Giguere, I think the best is yet to come with the Monster.
Season Prediction: 8th/9th in the East – Burke can not afford another lottery pick going to Boston.
What do you think? Am I talking out of my ass? Do you agree with my assessment of this team, and what needs to be done to improve? Will Kadri be a superstar? IS Kaberle going to be here next year? Let me know! Sign up and comment! Thanks for the read, I am going to do a lot more posts about the Leafs in the future…so please share your thoughts and ideas as well.
- BF
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