Line Combos: Mike Kostka

[CanadianLov3]

Well, if that's true, then, why the hell wasn't O'Byrne dressed last night?

McGiveaway Kostka cost us last night!!!

He arrived late afternoon yesterday so I guess no time to settle with the team.

McGiveaway, perfect nickname. This guy makes me close my eyes whenever he has the puck. I'm sure he's a nice guy and all but as a player he is completely useless who shouldnt be in the NHL.

 

[Mystifo]

ROB was traded for in my opinion to play with Liles in the playoffs. Both know each other and paired together before.

Personally I don't get why RC is disliking Gardiner. Maybe it is because he too was a mobile D man and expects him to preform to a different level than the others. That being said if were not playing him why not just left him with the Marlies to go on a playoff run with them?

 

[Man Bear Pig]

ROB was traded for in my opinion to play with Liles in the playoffs. Both know each other and paired together before.

Personally I don't get why RC is disliking Gardiner. Maybe it is because he too was a mobile D man and expects him to preform to a different level than the others. That being said if were not playing him why not just left him with the Marlies to go on a playoff run with them?

I believe Gardiner has 2 games left in the NHL before he cannot be sent back down before going through waivers. I really don't understand this. Either you play him and accept the growing pains or send him back down before you burn those last few games. Eakins said it himself, Gards has nothing left to prove at the AHL level. It's a mistake having him sit in the pressbox over a career AHLer who's clearly in over his head. There's a reason why Kostka never stuck in the NHL prior to this season.

 

[Stephen]

I'm a big Gardiner fan and not so much of Kostka, but I think management thinks they'd rather have a steady hand who is reliable 80% of the time and then makes mistakes 20% the rest of the time than a young defenseman who is basically never predictable or reliable defensively but spectacular offensively.

I'm actually half resigned to the idea that they may have given up on Jake Gardiner altogether and see him as a moveable chip in the offseason.

 

[thewave]

...has seen his game steadily decline.

 

[Mess]

I'm a big Gardiner fan and not so much of Kostka, but I think management thinks they'd rather have a steady hand who is reliable 80% of the time and then makes mistakes 20% the rest of the time than a young defenseman who is basically never predictable or reliable defensively but spectacular offensively.

I'm actually half resigned to the idea that they may have given up on Jake Gardiner altogether and see him as a moveable chip in the offseason.

Gardiner's game was well suited for Ron Wilson pond, no defense hockey, however he must learn to play defense under Carlyle to earn playing time as that is the focus now.

Gardiner plays like he is forward often joining the rush and that leads to poor defensive responsibilities and coverage. That is something that would drive a coach crazy that wants to reduce scoring chances against.

Kostka while a depth player at best, usually plays within his limits and more conservative. Thus as you say Carlyle believes he is less likely and prone to defensive breakdowns so he is playing the odds. Its also why time was invested in Holzer hoping he would do the same.

O'Byrne will replace Kostka in the line-up before Gardiner will. Gardiner is earmarked to replace JM Liles as a PMD.

 

[Stephen]

Gardiner's game was well suited for Ron Wilson pond, no defense hockey, however he must learn to play defense under Carlyle to earn playing time as that is the focus now.

Gardiner plays like he is forward often joining the rush and that leads to poor defensive responsibilities and coverage. That is something that would drive a coach crazy that wants to reduce scoring chances against.

Kostka while a depth player at best, usually plays within his limits and more conservative. Thus as you say Carlyle believes he is less likely and prone to defensive breakdowns so he is playing the odds. Its also why time was invested in Holzer hoping he would do the same.

O'Byrne will replace Kostka in the line-up before Gardiner will. Gardiner is earmarked to replace JM Liles as a PMD.

I don't know what Gardiner's future will be in Toronto. Yes, there's a playoff race going on, but if you have integral young core pieces, this is where they need to be learning to play. I can see them moving him out for a Couturier type forward prospect in the summer with Rielly coming up. Carlyle doesn't seem to have the inclination to get through the growing pains.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

ROB was traded for in my opinion to play with Liles in the playoffs. Both know each other and paired together before.

Personally I don't get why RC is disliking Gardiner. Maybe it is because he too was a mobile D man and expects him to preform to a different level than the others. That being said if were not playing him why not just left him with the Marlies to go on a playoff run with them?

Not possible anymore. He needed to be sent down and recalled on the 3rd in order for him to be able to play with the Marlies after that (like we did with Hamilton). Also, I'm pretty sure the last few games he played means that he would now have to clear waivers if we sent him down.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

Kostka will obviously be the odd man out with the acquisition of O'Byrne. The only reason he's been in the lineup is because of Gardiner's poor play of late (and the fact that pairing two similar players like Liles and Gardiner is a bad idea).

He'll be a fine 7th or 8th defenseman during the playoffs.

 

[Mess]

I don't know what Gardiner's future will be in Toronto. Yes, there's a playoff race going on, but if you have integral young core pieces, this is where they need to be learning to play. I can see them moving him out for a Couturier type forward prospect in the summer with Rielly coming up. Carlyle doesn't seem to have the inclination to get through the growing pains.

Morgan Rielly and Gardiner have very similar games in strengths and weaknesses both great PMD but weak defensively due to their desire to push offense rather than play defense.

If Carlyle is finding it difficult to play Gardiner than he will have similar concerns with Rielly. So it does appear that Leafs have a surplus of this type of defender although as I believe their goal is to supplant Liles (who also sat out a month) because of his poor defense.

Kostka is simply a seat filler for this season, and that is because of all the dead cap space Leafs have to deal with this year due to poor signings of the past. When you have over $10 mil allocated to players not playing on your team you have to find cheap interim substitutes as in Kostka's case.

 

[shakes]

I don't think he's a 7th Dman. You're underselling him. He's a pretty low-end top 4 defender who doesn't shine defensively or offensively. In fact, he'd be pretty good on the bottom pairing.

He's not a top 4 defender in any sense. You yourself even said he is good on the bottom pairing. I mean I don't agree, but which is it?

 

[The Reaper]

Gardiner has a couple of bad games = Scratched

Kostka has some bad games = Keeps playing in every game

 

[Stephen]

Kostka is simply a seat filler for this season, and that is because of all the dead cap space Leafs have to deal with this year due to poor signings of the past. When you have over $10 mil allocated to players not playing on your team you have to find cheap interim substitutes as in Kostka's case.

Not really. I think Kostka is a personal diamond in the rough pet project. Leafs have $7 million in cap space.

 

[Purity*]

Kostka made some bad decisions last night, and had some bad series of coverage...

IF you actually watch Kostka when he's on the ice, it aint pretty... He can't skate, he can't shoot, and he can't make a breakout pass to SAVE HIS ****ING LIFE, the ONLY thing that he actually does decently is cover his man... Most of the time when we get hemmed in our own zone it's kostka down low who's losing every puck battle... HOW does he even get PP time??? HOW??? He has ZERO offensive instincts...

I want this guy out of here, let's use O'Byrne instead, it's worth a try..

 

[SeenSchenn2]

I'm surprised it took this long for people to realize how terrible he is.

 

[Ed Belfour]

Kostka is not an NHL player, simple as that. He processes the game too slow. It's why he stands behind our net and ends up just throwing it up the boards. It's why he gets the puck at the point and fakes slapshots for a few seconds, before shooting it into someone's shin pads. It's why he couldn't crack an NHL roster until 26 or whatever.

On any other team he is playing in the NHL...with Carlyle, he plays 20 minutes a night, including ample PP time.

lol

 

[Mess]

I'm surprised it took this long for people to realize how terrible he is.

I think it actually exposes how bad Mike Komisarek is, as both coach and GM would prefer to bury $4.25 mil in the minors and take the cap hit, and play Mike Kostka instead.

 

[Offspring]

I think it actually exposes how bad Mike Komisarek is, as both coach and GM would prefer to bury $4.25 mil in the minors and take the cap hit, and play Mike Kostka instead.

I'd actually be surprised if Komisarek was that bad, especially considering how Carlyle loves his stay at home defensemen...and still selects Kostka over Komi...

 

[SteveV*]

Kostka is not an NHL player, simple as that. He processes the game too slow

Dude, I've been saying that as well and it's spot on. His decision making is painfully slow, he turns checkers into chess, he has no instincts and complicates everything. In fact, I've never seen a guy that processes as slow as Kostka, you can literally see the wheels turning as his options evaporate.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Kostkas not bad defensivley but had a bad game tonight, id way rather have Gardiner playing, we need the top talent in our organization playing for the top team.. Get Gardiner up, i even want to see Rielly up at this point but Carlyle just wont let these offensive d men learn from their mistakes.

He's terrible defensively.

I don't get why he's playing so often either. I hope its not something as simple as just having all of the guys playing on their strong side.

Dude, I've been saying that as well and it's spot on. His decision making is painfully slow, he turns checkers into chess, he has no instincts and complicates everything. In fact, I've never seen a guy that processes as slow as Kostka, you can literally see the wheels turning as his options evaporate.

Agreed!

 

[Mess]

I'd actually be surprised if Komisarek was that bad, especially considering how Carlyle loves his stay at home defensemen...and still selects Kostka over Komi...

Kostka is in the NHL, and Komisarek is in the AHL and you know what they say "actions speak louder than words".

 

[smitty10]

To be fair, I thought Kostka had a terrific game for the Flyers.

I was about to write a snide comment back to yours, but that was a good one.

He had a very good game for Philly. 2 assists including on the game winner. Wish he could do that for us sometime.

 

[Al14]

Kostka is in the NHL, and Komisarek is in the AHL and you know what they say "actions speak louder than words".

Komisarek is in the AHL because he is less likely to sustain a career ending injury, ala Pronger, playing there!

He can be bought out this summer if he doesn't get injured.

Komisarek is a much better option than Kostka, but, Leafs don't want him getting injured. That has to be the story, doesn't it?

 

[smitty10]

Dude, I've been saying that as well and it's spot on. His decision making is painfully slow, he turns checkers into chess, he has no instincts and complicates everything. In fact, I've never seen a guy that processes as slow as Kostka, you can literally see the wheels turning as his options evaporate.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices this. He has so many options and they just dwindle away as he holds the puck. Then he just passes it off to his partner and puts them in a bad spot.

I think he's great AHL depth and love the fact that he's from Ajax, but the guy is not an NHL defenseman. He doesn't think the game at an NHL level.

 

[Al14]

To be fair, I thought Kostka had a terrific game for the Flyers.

He made some nice passes for them didn't he!