Pre-Game Talk: Leafs @ Rangers - #Meh

[TiMo15]

Liles only had one bad game, he has to sit out and will replace by Ranger? That's the reason why the D had no consistency in the whole season..

 

[Suntouchable13]

Liles has such a short leash

 

[ShaneFalco]

Liles has such a short leash

As does Gardiner

 

[sync95]

Liles has such a short leash

I'd have to say Gardiners has worse constraints. Remember he got benched for 20 mins like two games ago? It seems there is no room for error with Randy, which is a good thing when you consider his other shortcomings.

 

[Suntouchable13]

As does Gardiner

Except Gards has been scratched only once.

 

[socratic]

It was a great story but to me so far, he looks like he's a pretty decent AHL player. He's had plenty of time to get his game, but keeps making bush-league errors. Franson has been guilty as well and has taken some heat. In fact they all have, and deservedly so. How long do you give him before the criticism is justified?

Also, I think part of the anger/frustration comes from the fact that he'll play in place of Liles. Or that someone like Brennan or Macwilliam hasn't been given a chance.

To be fair, I am not making an argument here about how the ice-time is being split up. I think Liles has played well and is undeservedly in the doghouse (which began partly because of a contract being too large). I think there are some young guys who deserve a shot.

It just bothers me reading the boards to see that a large portion of commentors have effectively given up on people on our team, when I feel that's unwarranted.

It just doesn't seem congruent with reality when I see a guy of Ranger's history coming into the line up, and being greeted with "I hate my life" from leaf fans. It's hyberbole, and that's what you get on a message board, and I suppose I am trying to provide a reasonable balance to that.

You can talk about players fitting roles, finding chemistry, and meshing with strategies, and that's all fine. But we're about halfway through our season, and I don't believe anyone on the roster is beyond salvation.

 

[FlareKnight]

Sadly certain types of players with Carlyle get longer leashes than others. Liles can barely make it into the lineup but the second Orr is back to play 3 minutes a game boom he's back in.

 

[yubbers]

I get the reasoning as last game was ugly but still don't like it. It's exactly why the defense is so inconsistent. It's the same reason goaltending is declining. If you automatically get sit down the minute you **** up and don't get a chance to bounce back, how do you develop poise, resiliance, character? It's been like a deck of cards back there and not healthy IMO. Carlyle has them walking on eggshells. Has them over thinking. Not good

 

[Nithoniniel]

It was a great story but to me so far, he looks like he's a pretty decent AHL player. He's had plenty of time to get his game, but keeps making bush-league errors. Franson has been guilty as well and has taken some heat. In fact they all have, and deservedly so. How long do you give him before the criticism is justified?

Also, I think part of the anger/frustration comes from the fact that he'll play in place of Liles. Or that someone like Brennan or Macwilliam hasn't been given a chance.

Liles made mistakes the last game that if it was Ranger, the hate spewed on here would probably crash the servers.

As I said earlier, last game we let in four goals where our defensemen were completely unable to protect the front of the net. Ranger does that pretty well.

Statistically speaking he is doing pretty good this season. Best point-getter per ice-time even strength, where he is our third most used D. On for less goals than Fraser, Franson, and Liles by a good margin and Rielly by far. He is also our second best puck possession D.

Liles, Franson, Fraser, Gardiner, Ranger and Rielly are all making mistakes regularly. The only other negative Ranger has is that he takes bad penalties.

Above all else Carlyle needs to plug holes in our game as best as he can, and the biggest hole shown last game was defensive zone net presence, and Ranger can alleviate that. And I know popular opinion says this will hurt our puck possession, but stats say it won't.

He should be treated the same way all our 5-7 defensemen and get scratched when he plays bad. And he has been.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Ugh, back to putting the scrubs in eh?

 

[Hibachi]

how about we bench our entire first line?

 

[Pi]

Sadly certain types of players with Carlyle get longer leashes than others. Liles can barely make it into the lineup but the second Orr is back to play 3 minutes a game boom he's back in.

Orr is amazing. He`s the key to the Leafs winning games.

He enforced his way back into the lineup. Carlyle knows Orr can beat him up. It`s an easy decision to make.

Enforcer on and off the ice.