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A blessing in disguise??

Orfieus

Registered User
Nov 2, 2012
3,517
2,036
Atlantic Canada
I am going to start by saying I wanted TO to resign Bozak. I loved what he brings (hopefully he will get back to his usual self after his injury) to TO but with his current injury it will force Carlyle to give Kadri more meaningful minutes.

What if Kadri plays himself into a #1 role in which Carlyle is forced to keep Kadri as #1 (this is a long shot IMHO). Basically what I am asking is if Kadri is TO answer to a #1C will TO be a cup contender this year?

JVR - Kadri - Kessel
Lupal - Bolland - Clarkson (I am crazy excited to see how Clarkson and Lupal play together)
Raymond - Bozak - Kule
Orr - McClement - Ashton


As the cap goes up I have no problems paying Bozak his money for a player that has proven himself he can play on any line. But lets just see how Kadri plays on the top line against the best defenders in the NHL.
Click to read more...
 

SteveV*

Guest
If Kadri can do well on the draw, then ther is no reason he shouldn't get first line consideration. Bozie on the third line could be the long term shakedown. Bolland easily possesses the offence that Bozak has, they could be interchangeable as well.
 
The Podium

The Podium

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
22,948
10,198
Toronto
I like it but I think having Raymond with Bozak and Kulemin would inhibit his production....

I personally think you should not put your eggs in one basket

JVR - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri
Raymond - Bolland

Fill in the rest
 
JAMmer124

JAMmer124

Independent Living
Aug 13, 2010
5,415
1
Welland, Ontario
I can see the appeal, but I'd rather keep Kadri on the second line. No need to load up the top line when JVR and Kessel carry it anyway. The third line isn't a great offensive line because none of Raymond/Bozak/Kulemin can generate offense on their own.

JvR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson/Kulemin
Raymond-Bolland-Kulemin/Clarkson
Ashton/McLaren-McClement-Orr

Kulemin and Clarkson will likely be flip flopped all year. This gives us three balanced scoring lines, with a fourth line that will forecheck the hell out of the defence of our opponents, and if needed beat their faces in.
 
JAMmer124

JAMmer124

Independent Living
Aug 13, 2010
5,415
1
Welland, Ontario
The Podium said:
I like it but I think having Raymond with Bozak and Kulemin would inhibit his production....

I personally think you should not put your eggs in one basket

JVR - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri
Raymond - Bolland

Fill in the rest
Click to expand...

This is what Carlyle seems to do, not full lines but "pairs", and then interchanging the third player depending on whose playing well and such.
 

Orfieus

Registered User
Nov 2, 2012
3,517
2,036
Atlantic Canada
Funk Volume said:
I can see the appeal, but I'd rather keep Kadri on the second line. No need to load up the top line when JVR and Kessel carry it anyway. The third line isn't a great offensive line because none of Raymond/Bozak/Kulemin can generate offense on their own.

JvR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson/Kulemin
Raymond-Bolland-Kulemin/Clarkson
Ashton/McLaren-McClement-Orr

Kulemin and Clarkson will likely be flip flopped all year. This gives us three balanced scoring lines, with a fourth line that will forecheck the hell out of the defence of our opponents, and if needed beat their faces in.
Click to expand...

I love having Bolland on the 2nd with Clarkson. That line is going to be so deadly eating up minutes and with Lupal getting healthy that line is going to produce offensively. I just think with Kadri moving to #1 and Bozak moving to #3 everything fits so perfectly for TO.
 
ECanuck

ECanuck

Registered User
Jan 7, 2010
5,805
1,020
Hamilton
The Podium said:
I like it but I think having Raymond with Bozak and Kulemin would inhibit his production....

I personally think you should not put your eggs in one basket

JVR - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri
Raymond - Bolland

Fill in the rest
Click to expand...

I like the balanced approach. Also, there aren't too many centers that wouldn't like playing with Lupul neither.
 
Stephen

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
78,706
53,233
Fifth in the league within a few points of first overall, first in the division and conference, these results are basically the best anyone could ever ask for at any point throughout the season. However the Leafs do it, if they can maintain this position in the league, it really doesn't matter where any of these guys play as far as I'm concerned.
 

Egoclapper

Registered User
Dec 21, 2010
445
0
hero said:
If Kadri takes the step, which I think will make Kessel and JvR better, it starts at ends with if he can take faceoffs.

36% won't cut it.
Click to expand...

I prefer to use NHL.com for stats instead of pulling them out of my ass.

McClement 49.4%
Bozak 46.2%
Kadri 46%
Bolland 42.7%

That bucket Stamkos is 43.2% on the dot.
 

New Liskeard

Registered User
Jul 7, 2007
10,486
334
Certainlly hope Kadri puts up alot of points, because he is not good defensively, especially on that line. Kadri still has alot to learn, let him develop with Lupul and possibly Clarkson. and the first line has been very good for a long time, yet not good enough for some here.
 
ECanuck

ECanuck

Registered User
Jan 7, 2010
5,805
1,020
Hamilton
New Liskeard said:
Certainlly hope Kadri puts up alot of points, because he is not good defensively, especially on that line. Kadri still has alot to learn, let him develop with Lupul and possibly Clarkson. and the first line has been very good for a long time, yet not good enough for some here.
Click to expand...

Actually, I'm starting to get impressed with the defensive zone coverage for Kadri. I think Carlyle is getting through the thick skin.

Kadri's compete and decisions on defensive zone have improved a lot.
 

satyr9

Registered User
Sep 20, 2009
258
0
I'm going to say if we can ever get close to 100% healthy it's not going to matter which is #1 and #2. If Clarkson can be the same kind of complement to Lupul that JVR is to Kessel, then there isn't going to be that much of a difference between the first and second lines. I wouldn't drop either Kadri or Bozak to third, as I'm looking forward to finally getting the Raymond/Bolland/Kulemin shut down line going (the only argument here would be to put Bozak in the middle because of faceoffs), and Kadri/Bozak should be free to fill into the top two lines where chemistry fits.

I do think it makes sense to get Kadri far more minutes with the first line PP though. No matter what they go back to, I think Kadri should have more minutes on PP than any other Leaf C and I can't see why it should even be a debate (only thing would again be faceoffs. ******* if only our 4 C's were all good at the dot).
 

Hibachi

Registered User
Oct 22, 2013
748
0
Honestly as much as we all want Kadri to be our #1C, and I think he will be in due time, putting him on the first line really limits what we do with the rest of our centers going down.

Kessel/JVR don't need Kadri to put up points, sure they might get an extra couple over the full season with someone as skilled as Kadri, but that really limits our second/third pairing. We all know Bozak can't score that goal after getting a pass from Kessel like that, so theres always that. Putting Kadri on that line means we have 3 guys able to score on a regular basis. While with Bozak, teams are just concerned about JVR/Kessel.

I really want to see Lupul/Kadri/Clarkson for a couple games, I think that gives us a REALLY good second line. With that said though, I wouldn't mind seeing Bozak center another line that doesn't involve Kessel, just to see how he does.
 
DD03

DD03

3D
Mar 15, 2010
21,734
9
I love how it takes him getting injured before people realize we are spreading around the offense.
 

Mapleleafs Fan*

Guest
ECanuck said:
Actually, I'm starting to get impressed with the defensive zone coverage for Kadri. I think Carlyle is getting through the thick skin.

Kadri's compete and decisions on defensive zone have improved a lot.
Click to expand...

Agreed. He even stopped empty netter the other night against Columbus but if you don't give him the experience he won't be able to learn. The harder the situation the more you learn and even fast.
 

cyris

On a Soma Holiday
Dec 6, 2008
16,919
4,684
3rd Planet From Sun.
People are too worried about titles around here.
Kadri is definitely better offensively than Bozak but putting Kadri on the second line with Lupul gives us more balanced scoring and making us a much harder team to shutdown.

Who cares who gets called the number 1 center.
 
The Winter Soldier

The Winter Soldier

Registered User
Apr 4, 2011
70,803
21,006
This thread has re-vist on it, if one of Bolland or Kadri go down while Bozak is out.

Then blessing in disguise may well turn out to be the worst thread this year for us. Tempting fate?
 
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