Coburn or Coliacovo

[Little Nilan]

Colaiacovo has the better potential and skillset. I have to admit I like his game, it's well rounded and he could be good. But you can't ignore the injury issues and the way he gets injured. He gets injured on regular physical plays and that's not normal. I think every game he played against the Habs he went to the dressing room on regular checks. He's also prone to getting checked a lot so he could get better on that aspect(although that's normal considernig his lack of experience).

That said, if he could ever get healthy, he'd be a really good one.

 

[wildone26*]

Cola has been in/up in/out of the leafs lineup for 3 yrs now? He was always Compared to pitkanen, phaneuf and all the others that have since arrived. Now he's compared to a guy who just played in the NHL this season and showed as much/more than cola has shown in how many stints?

After all the hype, I haven't seen enough of the skill, offensive talent or steady defending. He has been pro for 4 or 5 yrs. He is not the number 1, nor the number 3 or 4 we thought we had when he was drafted so far.

I think next yr is the last chance to see if he's a 4th defenseman or not worth waiting for anymore. (White played better and I'd rather see him get minutes)

You are pretty much right. Even those parts of years he has made a Leafs lineup he has been no more then a 6th/7th D man as his ice time and roles show. He is considered a long shot to make the Leafs starting 6 next season, and is fighting for the 7th or 8th spare injury spot. Your accessment is very accurate.

 

[Redwingsfan]

is this he's twin brother???

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid[]=50119&pid[]=55200

 

[JEI]

is this he's twin brother???

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid[]=50119&pid[]=55200

Yes.

 

[Redwingsfan]

Yes.

i thought so. the funny thing is that hockeydb has them born in different places. maybe they where born on an airplane

 

[Porn*]

You are pretty much right. Even those parts of years he has made a Leafs lineup he has been no more then a 6th/7th D man as his ice time and roles show. He is considered a long shot to make the Leafs starting 6 next season, and is fighting for the 7th or 8th spare injury spot. Your accessment is very accurate.

don't listen to him... he's wrong 90% of the time and even when proven wrong he fails to come through and accept defeat.

 

[Amadeus]

+ 2.

Let me get one thing straight with Colaiacovo. Injuries were the only thing that kept him away from the big show. He was the best player whenever he played for St. Johns even if it was the time when he was getting back in shape after his injuries. This season, he was finally healthy enough to play and really showed what he brings to the table. Phsyicallity, and very strong two-way play.

He got nominated for the Masterton trophy, too. I'm a big fan of Colaiacovo, I always was. This year, he was all over the ice and saved goals single-handedly. His speed is also first-rate.

Now to Coburn. I've never seen him play but from what I've heard he had a much 'bigger' potential tag to him when he was drafted in 2003. Looking at that, he has dissapointed somewhat. Maybe Atlanta wasnt a good fit for him, and a change of scenery will help him reach his potential. When we speak of potential, then I'll have to agree that Coburn possesses it more than Colaiacovo. But he hasnt done much in either the minor or the big league for me to say ' I'll take Coburn over Colaiacovo '.

For people who are saying that Colaiacovo is not more than a 6 defenseman - please watch players play before you say anything. Colaiacovo was paired with Bryan McCabe on the second pairing and he was more responsible than McCabe. Talking about potential, I think its fair to say that if Colaiacovo stays healthy (hopefully) then his potential is a solid number 3 defenseman.

 

[wildone26*]

For people who are saying that Colaiacovo is not more than a 6 defenseman

.......never a season higher then 6th in ATOI(I can link the stats that prove this). Ended last season 6th in ATOI(I can also l link the stats that prove this). 5 guys on his NHL team with long term contracts, Carlo without one(ditto).

 

[Sportacus]

i thought so. the funny thing is that hockeydb has them born in different places. maybe they where born on an airplane

Etobicoke is just Western Toronto, Carlo has (I guess) just been changed to TOronto since Etobicoke has become technically a part of Toronto since then. It was a separate city not too long ago.

 

[Redwingsfan]

Etobicoke is just Western Toronto, Carlo has (I guess) just been changed to TOronto since Etobicoke has become technically a part of Toronto since then. It was a separate city not too long ago.

yeah ok. im not really up to speed in canadien geography, it just looked funny.

 

[HFNHL Canadiens]

Cola has been in/up in/out of the leafs lineup for 3 yrs now? He was always Compared to pitkanen, phaneuf and all the others that have since arrived. Now he's compared to a guy who just played in the NHL this season and showed as much/more than cola has shown in how many stints?

After all the hype, I haven't seen enough of the skill, offensive talent or steady defending. He has been pro for 4 or 5 yrs. He is not the number 1, nor the number 3 or 4 we thought we had when he was drafted so far.

I think next yr is the last chance to see if he's a 4th defenseman or not worth waiting for anymore. (White played better and I'd rather see him get minutes)

Have you seen Colaiacovo play at all?

 

[wildone26*]

I have seen Colaiacovo play many times and Hammerwise is absolutely right. There is a reason he would not have made the team out of training camp and stayed until he was 23 going on 24 at the youngest(he didnt get the chance at that age due to injury)as he was unable to at 22 going on 23 fully healthy. There is a reason he ends every season 6th or lower in ATOI. There is a reason he was dead last(6th)of the Leafs 6 regulars in TOI for this season, below career 3rd liner/PK specialist Gill and younger 6th round rookie Ian White. There is a reason he has no chance to ever finish a season higher then 6th in TOI, and is a long shot to even make the Leafs starting 6 next season. There is also a reason there are 5 Leafs defenders signed to long term contracts(the same 5 who were over him TOI)and he is not. Those are all facts.

I only know a bit about Cobourn but I do know he is more then a career #6/#7 defencemen, who takes until almost 24 to become a regular(temporarily).

 

[barrel_master]

I don't know, this seems kinda crazy to me. Cola is good but I don't think he, nearly, has the potential to reach as far as Coburn.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Coburn is all raw potential at the moment where Cola isn't going to improve all that much more, its more confidence and consistancy.

 

[Greek_physique]

Coliacovo is a gifted dman that can take the body. He'd be a legit top 3 dman if he could ever stay healthy.

Coburn is a beast, however still needs to adapt to the NHL speed.

I'd take Coliacovo.

 

[Lobstertainment]

I want to say Colaiacovo but his injury problems leave me no choice but to say Coburn.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

I've seen both players play a decent amount and i really don't understand how someone can think that Coliacovo has a better skill set or a higher potential than Coburn. Right now? Coliacovo MIGHT be better, but i have a feeling nobody has really watched Coburn after he changed scenery and settled in. There aren't many defensemen in the league that can touch the combination of his size and speed, and he still hasn't matured other parts of his game.

I understand Coburn isn't very polished in his current form, but Coliacovo is further in his development. I'd go as far to say that i expect Coburn to develop into a better all around defensemen than Ryan Parent for the Flyers.

 

[Slink]

Colaiacovo's injury problems of being hit with pucks while sitting on the bench have me worried... He's definately injury prone.

Seriously, he's taken a really, really bad fall off a hit. How is he injury prone? He's no more injury prone than Mats Sundin who's been injured 3 times in the last 2 years as well.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Coburn by a mile. Even if Cola is healthy, Coburn has more potential. You can't teach 6 feet 5.

 

[Porn*]

Coburn by a mile. Even if Cola is healthy, Coburn has more potential. You can't teach 6 feet 5.

sorry to break it to you, but colaiacovo plays like he's 6'5 coburn doesn't... he might end up physical but at the moment he isn't overly using hs size.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

sorry to break it to you, but colaiacovo plays like he's 6'5 coburn doesn't... he might end up physical but at the moment he isn't overly using hs size.

And at the moment neither are great players. But in the future, I'd rather take my chances with a 6'5 beast.

 

[wildone26*]

Why is this even a debate. Coburn is already newer and an NHL regular. Carlo has never been more then a #6 defenseman, will never be more then a #6 defenseman, and is a long to even make the Leafs starting 6 next year. 5 guys beat him in ice time last season, and 5 guys have long term contracts that he doesnt on his own team. He took until almost 24 to become a semi-regular in the NHL.

 

[Chelios]

Now to Coburn. I've never seen him play ...

Stopped reading right there. It would be nice if people commented only on players they have actually seen.

 

[Michael Farkas]

You can tell who has seen Colaiacovo play and who has not...the ones that don't try to quantify and quantify...with their "blah, blah, 23 or 24 years old...blah, blah, blah 6th ATOI, 6th in ATOI, not 5th in ATOI, 6th, always 6th...blah..." If comparing players talents were as simple as a numbers game we wouldn't have threads like this, we'd just go to nhl.com and look up which one is better...since these are both young defenseman that don't have much NHL experience you can spew all the numbers at us that you want but it won't do a bit of good because for your numbers have no statistical significance at this point in his career...

Anyway, to the matter at hand...

I've been a big fan of both of these guys over the course of their development and I hate the teams they currently play for...I think Colaiacovo is so much better geared for the new-NHL, he's not big, but he is one of the best skaters among Toronto's 17 or 23 or however many defenseman you guys had last year, he is deadly with the hip check (even to himself at times unfortunately) he has a lot of offensive potential, I know stats won't back me up, but every time I see him play it seems like he's either scoring or generating great offensive chances, he's very smart, he always seems to know when to pinch (which is never when paired with McCabe), there's really nothing not to like about him, if he's healthy, he's easily a top 4 defenseman just for his sheer agility alone...

Coburn might be better suited for the old-NHL, but he does skate pretty well for someone his size, I'd love to see him lay people out with that 6'5" frame more, I think he can be useful offensively too with experience...he seems a little unsure of himself at the NHL level, but like someone mentioned above, he's got 3 of the 4 "S's" just missing 'sperience...I say he really puts it altogether he could be top pairing on some teams, but I think that's a longshot at this point, I'd put him top 4 on just about any team in a couple years though...

I guess if I had to pick, I'd take Colaiacovo (on the Penguins, I can't bring myself to get a Leafs jersey, I guess I'll go Erie Otters instead)

 

[Morbo]

Colaiacovo. He has everything you could want in a defenceman.