Sportsnet: Cherry: Maple Leafs need Orr, McLaren back

[HellasLEAF]

We need someone 'like' Orr.

But a lot better. Maybe Kassian if he can be had on the cheap. Would look good on our 4th line.

 

[TorNsh*]

Right, because they only put smart people on TV right? I don't hate Cherry, I usually respect his opinions but on certain things he's 20+ years behind, not that it's surprising given his age and the fact that older people typically act this way. Call the goons up, I don't care at this point but who'll even fight these guys? remember before, the last time they were up, they couldn't even find dance partners. There's no goons left to even fight Orr and Mclaren. Teams don't employ these guys anymore.

Gazdic, Malone (CAR), Downey, Dorsett, Wilson (WSH), Roussel, McLeod, Prust, Martin (NYI), Reaves, Thorburn, Boll, Neil, Mcquaid, Prout, Sill, Peluso, Clifford, Tootoo, Hendricks, Glass, Ott, Crombeen, Bortuzzo, Hartnell, Maroon, Stewart (BUF), Bollig, Scott, Bickell, Gaustad, Nystrom, Engelland, Carcillo, Clutterbuck, Brown, Boyle (TB), Shaw, McCormick, Kassian, Jackman x2, Cowen, Sestito, Buoma, Thornton (FLA), Nolan, etc. all have at least 50 PIMs 5/8 of the way through the season with some close to three digits. That is a myth, teams do still employ these players.

Shall I go on?

 

[Jacquestrapless]

We don't need a goon like Orr to return. We could, however, use a player that can take a regular shift that possesses goon-like tendencies. Brandon Prust, for example. We will need to carry some muscle for next year as the youth movement begins to take hold. I'd say Devane will be up here next year.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Gazdic, Malone (CAR), Downey, Dorsett, Wilson (WSH), Roussel, McLeod, Prust, Martin (NYI), Reaves, Thorburn, Boll, Neil, Mcquaid, Prout, Sill, Peluso, Clifford, Tootoo, Hendricks, Glass, Ott, Crombeen, Bortuzzo, Hartnell, Maroon, Stewart (BUF), Bollig, Scott, Bickell, Gaustad, Nystrom, Engelland, Carcillo, Clutterbuck, Brown, Boyle (TB), Shaw, McCormick, Kassian, Jackman x2, Cowen, Sestito, Buoma, Thornton (FLA), Nolan, etc. all have at least 50 PIMs 5/8 of the way through the season with some close to three digits. That is a myth, teams do still employ these players.

Shall I go on?

And almost everyone on that list can actually, ya know, play the game? That's the difference. And how are guys like Cowen and Hartnell goons?

 

[HoweHullOrr]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...fs-need-bring-back-colton-orr-frazer-mclaren/

Yes I agree bring them back. Also bring back Mike Brown.

The Leafs are an extremely wimpy team....no one throws big hits when they have a clear shot at one!! It drives me nuts!!

Wendel Clark could score 20-30 and smack you in the face doing it.

Yes, the Leafs are scoring like one goal a game in this extended losing streak but should bring back Orr & Mclaren. Good grief.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Cherry was right on HNIC…this team is soft…the only year they made the playoffs since 2004 was when they had Mclaren and Orr fighting and intimidating the opponents on a nightly basis…just like Cherry said…teams didn't want to play the Leafs that season…in McLaren the Leafs have the toughest fighter in the NHL…when you don't have the horses to compete on a talent level you have to play to your strengths and the Leafs strength was intimidation…they shoulda stayed with that philosophy…the one that got 'em to the post-season

IDK. If these goon players are so important to team success, then why don't they play in the playoffs then i.e., the most meaningful games? IIRC, Orr had 3 or 5 minutes in the epic meltdown series against Boston, and Mclaren had 0.

 

[Pookie]

IDK. If these goon players are so important to team success, then why don't they play in the playoffs then i.e., the most meaningful games? IIRC, Orr had 3 or 5 minutes in the epic meltdown series against Boston, and Mclaren had 0.

Your logic is interesting.

They got into the playoffs with toughness

They sat their tough guys in the playoffs.

They collapsed in the playoffs.

Conclusion: tough guys aren't needed.

?

 

[ConnorTO]

fighting can help players tho, like a morale boost

gives a break from the game...

 

[agropop]

What we need are players in our top 6 and top 4 who bring an edge, attitude, and personality. 4 minute goons cannot compensate for a team that lacks these things from the top down.

Boston has Lucic and Chara logging huge minutes, we can't match them with two terrible hockey players logging 4 minutes a piece.

 

[Pookie]

What we need are players in our top 6 and top 4 who bring an edge, attitude, and personality. 4 minute goons cannot compensate for a team that lacks these things from the top down.

Boston has Lucic and Chara logging huge minutes, we can't match them with two terrible hockey players logging 4 minutes a piece.

Isn't it just possible that the Leafs need both?

Honestly, arguing about the contribition of a 4th line in this era of TV time outs is a little bit much.

The Leafs fortunes aren't going to hinge on the 4th line anymore than shuffling players outside the core. If the 4th line brings confidence to your core then that is a good thing. A few mins a night isn't a place for developing players. You could argue it is a place to park PK specialists. But you could also argue that it is a place for additional grit that will provide confidence.

Honestly, it's like the media has many conditioned to think toughness is a goon. It's not. It's an attitude all throughout the line up. But you know, when you are a real soft team sometimes it takes a goon to get your confidence up

 

[bunjay]

Don Cherry is so, so close to being put out to pasture.

He says he knows for a fact that teams didn't want to play the Leafs during the shortened season. I guess just saying it makes it a fact, for him.

I'm pretty sure the Bruins were thrilled to draw the Leafs in the first round that year.

 

[Mansfield]

Your logic is interesting.

They got into the playoffs with toughness

They sat their tough guys in the playoffs.

They collapsed in the playoffs.

Conclusion: tough guys aren't needed.

?

Yes except your initial premise that "they got into the playoffs with toughness" is nonsensical.

 

[Doug Gilmour]

The bi-polar Leaf board. get rid of them and bring them back. I will say this. Next year we will have a much younger team and we will need Orr on this team along with one other.

Think about your statement for a sec, not saying you're wrong but look at what you said from this angle. What good does it do having a fast, skilled top 6/9 with a couple of face punchers with no hockey sense, that no one is gonna fight and will just be behind the play taking bad penalties? Brendan Gallagher and Milan Lucic are 2 players who come to mind as having found the mix between skill and tenancity. They make opposing teams skin crawl with everything they do, hard to coach against in every way. Leo Komarov and Kadri are our versions of that, or closest thing to that I should say but not even close.

 

[Pookie]

Yes except your initial premise that "they got into the playoffs with toughness" is nonsensical.

Ah. Would you prefer:

"They had tough players on their team through the regular season"

"They qualified for the playoffs"

"The removed tough players from their roster"

"They collapsed"

Does that work better?