Injury Report: Gauthier out 6 months

[7even]

you win with a good goalie, good defense, and what you have up the middle...your 4 centers are so important, they need to score and create offense, skate well and play defense, and we have that...but you also need a good face off guy, a good PKer, and is a great defender as your 4C, gauthier does have this potential, and thats a useful player, the fact that hes a massive 6'5 240 man makes him even more intriguing

I agree, which is why I liked Boyle so much, but I have reservations about Gauthier's ability as a great defender. He got slaughtered in chances against last year.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I agree, which is why I liked Boyle so much, but I have reservations about Gauthier's ability as a great defender. He got slaughtered in chances against last year.

His defensive zone work was good, but he was worse than Smith at helping the transition. Doesn't mean much if you're good at defending if that's all you get to do.

As a 22 year old who still needs further seasoning, I don't think he'll become a good 4th line piece at this point. He really needed a good summer, instead he got a 6 month injury.

On the other hand, Moore is far from the player he was even two years ago, so the #4C spot is still wide open for this season IMO. Wouldn't surprise me if we saw Smith back there, or if Komarov slid down to that spot at some point during the season.

Smith is interesting because compared to how absolutely buried he was, he actually did quite decent statistically.

 

[eddieO]

I hated this pick at the time. Called it Steckel 2.0. Look who Washington picked a couple picks later. Our ability at the time to identify talent was lacking. I hope he proves me wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[Mugzy97]

I hated this pick at the time. Called it Steckel 2.0. Look who Washington picked a couple picks later. Our ability at the time to identify talent was lacking. I hope he proves me wrong, but I doubt it.

I'm not defending our drafting ability at the time, but looking at that draft, it's shaping up to be a pretty weak one. Sure there was a few guys after Freddy we would pick now like Burakovsky or Theodore or Pesce, but it's not like there is a boatload of guys to choose from on the draft floor that day.

 

[Amadeus]

It was a questionable pick but he can turn into a serviceable bottom six player. No is made up for it by going for Nylander.

 

[Menzinger]

His defensive zone work was good, but he was worse than Smith at helping the transition. Doesn't mean much if you're good at defending if that's all you get to do.

As a 22 year old who still needs further seasoning, I don't think he'll become a good 4th line piece at this point. He really needed a good summer, instead he got a 6 month injury.

On the other hand, Moore is far from the player he was even two years ago, so the #4C spot is still wide open for this season IMO. Wouldn't surprise me if we saw Smith back there, or if Komarov slid down to that spot at some point during the season.

Smith is interesting because compared to how absolutely buried he was, he actually did quite decent statistically.

22 is definitely an age where we're forwards should be on the edge of locking down a roster spot, and I haven't like what I've seen by Gauthier one bit. Odds are he's a bust, and I cannot understand why so many folks assume he's going to have that 4C spot in a year or two.

I'm optimistic about Moore but he definitely wasn't great last year, hope he can turn things around. I won't be surprised if th Leafs end up buying a 4C at the trade deadline agai, or if Smith surprises here's that option, or even as you say Leo.

There's also Aaltonen too who may impress with the Marlies

 

[WinB4IDIE]

The guys a slug!! he's big enough to take a spot but he has the will and fight in him of a ten year old girl. Someone need to have a man conversation with him. Just dump him and move on, its not just him the Leafs as a team will never move on the the playoffs with the way they play, sure they have talent but NONE of the have the heart or burning desire to win!!

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

The guys a slug!! he's big enough to take a spot but he has the will and fight in him of a ten year old girl. Someone need to have a man conversation with him. Just dump him and move on, its not just him the Leafs as a team will never move on the the playoffs with the way they play, sure they have talent but NONE of the have the heart or burning desire to win!!

Of course they have heart and burning desire to win, even bad teams don't want to lose. The Leafs have plenty of heart and showed all kinds of resiliency last year, they didn't fade down the stretch when Andersen was injured. They played hard against a much more seasoned Caps team.

I don't think Gauthier is the solution but its not because of a lack of effort, he's just too slow.

 

[Fogelhund]

...and he's back on the ice skating already... must be that he has no will and fight that allowed him to get back on the ice much quicker than expected....

 

[Bullseye]

Peeps saying Gauthier was slow weren't watching closely. He wasn't slow. He energized that 4th line when he played there. His problem was his stone hands and the penalties he took. Sosh didn't score much more than The Goat with a ton more ice time.

 

[Gallagbi]

Peeps saying Gauthier was slow weren't watching closely. He wasn't slow. He energized that 4th line when he played there. His problem was his stone hands and the penalties he took. Sosh didn't score much more than The Goat with a ton more ice time.

His acceleration and agility are both pretty weak. He's fine when he can get up to speed, but those opportunities aren't very common.

 

[Gallagbi]

On the other hand, Moore is far from the player he was even two years ago, so the #4C spot is still wide open for this season IMO. Wouldn't surprise me if we saw Smith back there, or if Komarov slid down to that spot at some point during the season.

This wouldn't surprise me, especially with the Marleau signing. You have the ability to bump Komarov down, put a solid defensive unit together with Marleau - Kadri - Brown and strengthen your 4th line.

 

[suprvilce]

Kinda reminds of Tyler Biggs pick the way the fanbase is regarding it. We knew soon he wasn't gonna be anything special but held out hope he could still turn into a solid 4th line center even after he struggled in the AHL (talking about Biggs here). There is no rush on Gauthier and i hope he makes it as an NHLer, but if he were traded today for some future considerations, i'm sure half the fanbase wouldn't blink an eye.

 

[klamla]

Really didn't like the pick when they made it, still don't.. Really hope he proves me wrong but...

 

[Bullseye]

His acceleration and agility are both pretty weak. He's fine when he can get up to speed, but those opportunities aren't very common.

Weaker when compared to a top 6 centre I agree but as a shut down PK specialist on a 4th line - that isn't really an appropriate criticism. I would argue he easily has more than enough acceleration and mobility to play very effectively in that role and he showed it often in his 21 games last season - his 1st stint in the NHL.

 

[WinB4IDIE]

Of course they have heart and burning desire to win, even bad teams don't want to lose. The Leafs have plenty of heart and showed all kinds of resiliency last year, they didn't fade down the stretch when Andersen was injured. They played hard against a much more seasoned Caps team.

I don't think Gauthier is the solution but its not because of a lack of effort, he's just too slow.

You must be watching a different team then I am, the Leafs still can't get out of their own end! they are hemmed in almost constantly. Re-watch a few Leafs games from last year and see how long the puck is in their end as compared to their competition. Its not just the slug players having problems it's the so called top end guys as well.

I think the Leafs are WAY overrated, its all goaltending and scoring that makes them look even close to respectable. I've been disappointed in Babcock so far, I really though he would make more of a difference in the defensive end, so far they look like the same team Randy Carlyle coached in their own end.

 

[thewave]

His acceleration and agility are both pretty weak. He's fine when he can get up to speed, but those opportunities aren't very common.

He was better than Boyle that way.

 

[Gallagbi]

He was better than Boyle that way.

He wasn't.

Weaker when compared to a top 6 centre I agree but as a shut down PK specialist on a 4th line - that isn't really an appropriate criticism. I would argue he easily has more than enough acceleration and mobility to play very effectively in that role and he showed it often in his 21 games last season - his 1st stint in the NHL.

How isn't that an appropriate criticism when he was the weakest skater on the team and arguably with the Marlies. Nobody is comparing his skating to a top 6 player, largely because skating doesn't make you a top/bottom 6 player. Plenty of bottom 6 players skate well.

 

[disgruntleddave]

He had a lumbering stride but he wasn't slow. The biggest knock on his speed is is first 2 strides.

He looked good enough to crack the roster in my opinion, but needs to get better on faceoffs. I still think he can be a solid 4C in the NHL based on what we saw last year.

 

[saltming]

He wasn't.


How isn't that an appropriate criticism when he was the weakest skater on the team and arguably with the Marlies. Nobody is comparing his skating to a top 6 player, largely because skating doesn't make you a top/bottom 6 player. Plenty of bottom 6 players skate well.

Last year Nielsen was a weaker skater by far. Also wrenn iirc.
Goat skated in NHL games and was not out matched there so that should tell you something. Obviously not the fastest but not the slowest either.
Puck skills will be the goats question mark as long as the break does not regress his skating

 

[Gallagbi]

Last year Nielsen was a weaker skater by far. Also wrenn iirc.
Goat skated in NHL games and was not out matched there so that should tell you something. Obviously not the fastest but not the slowest either.
Puck skills will be the goats question mark as long as the break does not regress his skating

Nielsen was who I had in mind with the "arguably". I'd say Goat was noticeably weaker than the vast majority of NHL skaters. If he was in the lineup, there was a good chance was the weakest skater.

He did well in spite of his skating.

 

[saltming]

Nielsen was who I had in mind with the "arguably". I'd say Goat was noticeably weaker than the vast majority of NHL skaters. If he was in the lineup, there was a good chance was the weakest skater.

He did well in spite of his skating.

I managed to see him live with the leafs and the kid covered the ice well. It didn't look good bit he was never out run when setting off with equal footing.
I do agree he is far from the best skater out there but he's not horrible.

 

[Gallagbi]

I managed to see him live with the leafs and the kid covered the ice well. It didn't look good bit he was never out run when setting off with equal footing.
I do agree he is far from the best skater out there but he's not horrible.

His reach helps make up for some skating issues, but it certainly doesn't take away from them. I'd also say there is rarely a situation where players are starting off on equal footing, you're usually adapting to a changing situation.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I managed to see him live with the leafs and the kid covered the ice well. It didn't look good bit he was never out run when setting off with equal footing.
I do agree he is far from the best skater out there but he's not horrible.

If you got better than that out of a 6'5" player, he would probably be in the NHL by now As long as he didn't absolutely suck everywhere else, which Gauthier obviously does not.

Gauthier will never be the best skater. His size alone will probably will prevent that. But I saw enough games (at least in the AHL) where he was keep up, and even lead, rushes down the ice with his skating and could was not easily beat by most skaters defensively. Maybe the Kapanen's of the world will beat him, but they'll beat a lot better skaters than him too...

Also Nielsen was not the worst skater on that team either. He was on par or better than most of our defense. Usually a poor read or decision was the reason he would get beat defensively, not his skating.

 

[saltming]

If you got better than that out of a 6'5" player, he would probably be in the NHL by now As long as he didn't absolutely suck everywhere else, which Gauthier obviously does not.

Gauthier will never be the best skater. His size alone will probably will prevent that. But I saw enough games (at least in the AHL) where he was keep up, and even lead, rushes down the ice with his skating and could was not easily beat by most skaters defensively. Maybe the Kapanen's of the world will beat him, but they'll beat a lot better skaters than him too...

Also Nielsen was not the worst skater on that team either. He was on par or better than most of our defense. Usually a poor read or decision was the reason he would get beat defensively, not his skating.

I found Nielsen speed and acceleration good but his pivots were bad. Backwards skating and his lateral movement was not good either.
All those things for a defenseman are important so that's why I think he's a bad skater.
There were times where I wasn't sure if it was a bad read or just his feet that cost him.