Robbie Earl potential?

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actually... about his mvp for the tourny, he didn't seem all that impressed/excited... he commented about it being an individual prize as opposed to a team prize which hockey is...a team game.

check out his interview on hf... seems pretty level headed to me... a little cocky but nothing too serious, he's young.
 

Leaf Army

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Someone said Mike Ribeiro but that's not a good comparison.

A good comparison would be Sergei Berezin with a little more feistiness. Great speed, awesome moves, very explosive natural goal scorer. Has a tendency to cherry pick sometimes and isn't a sound defensive player.

As for his NHL potential, well his skills are top notch, first line material. However it will be the other aspects of his game that determine how much of an impact he'll make. His transition to the pro game will be key.

Someone else implied that Leaf fans are overrating him but I don't see that at all. I haven't seen anybody pencil him into the lineup and I think opinions of him have been fairly reserved until we see how he does as a pro.

As for his attitude, he has a real chip on his shoulder. Probably as much, or more, than any player currently in the NHL. On draft day he was pissed that he didn't get picked on the first day and made that very clear. In his first media scrum he repeatedly said that the Leafs got a steal by picking him and he couldn't wait to prove everyone wrong.

A pessimist would say he has a bad attitude, but one thing for sure is that he is an extremely driven and determined individual. As long as his attitude doesn't rub his teammates the wrong way I'm fine with it.
 

Hunter Gathers

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Leaf Army said:
As for his NHL potential, well his skills are top notch, first line material. However it will be the other aspects of his game that determine how much of an impact he'll make. His transition to the pro game will be key.

...

Someone else implied that Leaf fans are overrating him but I don't see that at all.

You just did.

He doesn't have top line skills. He has above average 2nd liner skills. I've seen him play a ton and would never think he'd ever be a top liner in the NHL.

If he does, it would be a miracle as far as I'm concerned.
 

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Jon Prescription said:
You just did.

He doesn't have top line skills. He has above average 2nd liner skills. I've seen him play a ton and would never think he'd ever be a top liner in the NHL.

If he does, it would be a miracle as far as I'm concerned.

I never said I thought he'd be a top liner either. I don't think he will because his all-round play isn't good enough.

All I said is that he has top line skills. Which he does.
 

Hunter Gathers

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Leaf Army said:
I never said I thought he'd be a top liner either. I don't think he will because his all-round play isn't good enough.

All I said is that he has top line skills. Which he does.

Top line college skills or top line NHL skills...?

I don't see his skills translating to the NHL game as well as they have to the college game, is what I'm saying.
 

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Jon Prescription said:
Top line college skills or top line NHL skills...?

He has top line NHL skills. From a strictly natural ability standpoint.

Jon Prescription said:
I don't see his skills translating to the NHL game as well as they have to the college game, is what I'm saying.

As I already said- neither do I.

I compared him to a 34 year old player who hasn't played in the NHL in almost three years for goodness sakes. And you're still saying I'm overrating him.

I have no idea what you're trying to prove. :dunno:
 

Hunter Gathers

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I just don't know why you say he has elite NHL ability. He doesn't. That's what I'm trying to proove. I've watched him NUMEROUS times and I don't think he does. That's why I think he'd struggle SEVERELY if ever on a top line.
 

Leaf Army

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Jon Prescription said:
I just don't know why you say he has elite NHL ability. He doesn't. That's what I'm trying to proove.

This conversation's going nowhere. Especially when you put words into my mouth. I never once said Earl had "elite" NHL ability.

Jon Prescription said:
I've watched him NUMEROUS times and I don't think he does.

I've also had the opportunity to watch Earl on a number of occasions.

Jon Prescription said:
That's why I think he'd struggle SEVERELY if ever on a top line.

Pure exageration. There are plenty of NHLers playing on top lines across the league that don't have Earl's natural ability.

However, for the upteenth time, I also do not think Earl would be successful on an NHL top line. So I don't understand why you're still arguing with me.




For the last time my comparison for Earl is Sergei Berezin. Top notch natural talents, but doesn't have the overall game to play a top line role.

Could, if put in the right circumstances, put up some pretty good numbers in the NHL (as did Berezin with 37 goals one year). But if he doesn't improve his all-round game will wear out his welcome quickly (as did Berezin- out of the NHL by age 31).

So that's my comparison for Earl. I don't think it's unreasonable at all. However, I'll re-evaluate it after seeing him play for the Marlies. Like I said (and you said) the transition for him to the pro game will be very important and at that point we'll have a better idea.
 

Hunter Gathers

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Leaf Army said:
This conversation's going nowhere. Especially when you put words into my mouth. I never once said Earl had "elite" NHL ability.

Okay. So top line, etc. don't mean "elite". Sorry for misunderstanding you, but I think you might need to check what you type since it certainly comes off as you saying he is some elite prospect.



Leaf Army said:
Pure exageration. There are plenty of NHLers playing on top lines across the league that don't have Earl's natural ability.

And most of them make up for it with being MUCH MUCH MUCH stronger and tougher than Robbie will EVER be.

Leaf Army said:
However, for the upteenth time, I also do not think Earl would be successful on an NHL top line. So I don't understand why you're still arguing with me.

It's semantics, I guess. I just disagree with you saying he has the skills necessary to be a top flight NHL player which is what you are comming across as saying.

Leaf Army said:
For the last time my comparison for Earl is Sergei Berezin. Top notch natural talents, but doesn't have the overall game to play a top line role.

Well, he has more heart but less skill than Berezin does and that should get him into the NHL at some standpoint (hence why I consider him a probable 2nd liner).
 

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Jon Prescription said:
Okay. So top line, etc. don't mean "elite". Sorry for misunderstanding you, but I think you might need to check what you type

25% of all NHL wingers play on a top line.

That doesn't mean 25% of all NHL wingers are elite.

Jon Prescription said:
since it certainly comes off as you saying he is some elite prospect.

It does!?!?! No where did I imply he was an elite prospect.

Having top line natural ability (as Earl does) is absolutely no guarantee of NHL success. Many, many players with top line NHL ability have amounted to squat.

I understand that. Maybe I made the mistake in assuming that you did as well.

Jon Prescription said:
And most of them make up for it with being MUCH MUCH MUCH stronger and tougher than Robbie will EVER be.

:help:

Hence my repeated references to Earl's all-round game.

Jon Prescription said:
It's semantics, I guess. I just disagree with you saying he has the skills necessary to be a top flight NHL player which is what you are comming across as saying.

I've said in plain English about 4 times that I don't think Earl will be a top flight NHL player.

I don't know how much more clear I can be than that.

Jon Prescription said:
Well, he has more heart but less skill than Berezin does and that should get him into the NHL at some standpoint (hence why I consider him a probable 2nd liner).

So you're calling him a "probable 2nd liner".

I'm not even convinced he's a "probable" 2nd liner. Yet you're saying I'm overrating him.

This is honestly the strangest debate I've ever had.
 

Hunter Gathers

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Leaf Army said:
Except the weird thing is I'm not disagreeing with you.

You just keep arguing for some reason.

Because I'm disagreeing with small parts of your wording.

I just tried to end the argument and now you try to start another one.

This is my last post to you on this topic.
 

francklem

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Would Nils Ekman be a good comparaison for Earl ? i havent see him play much but i thought they play the same type of game Earl being a little less defensive .
 

Kafka

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mooseOAK said:
Let me see:

Earl's MVP at the Frozen Four, Pogge's MVP at the the WJC and various other recognitions, and Rask's top goalie honour at the WJC.

Har-de-har

Too bad the Leafs can't move one of their potential goaltending talent elsewere... because you only need one goaltender in front of a net.
 

Morbo

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Kafka said:
Too bad the Leafs can't move one of their potential goaltending talent elsewere... because you only need one goaltender in front of a net.

Why "can't" they?
 

Habs4ever

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would you really want leafs to take that chance?

PepNCheese said:
Why "can't" they?


what if the guy traded becomes franchise player and one they keep busts, thats the sole reason Buffalo, Boston kept two goalies in their system, you can never be sure who gets better with experience!!
 

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