Culture Change

[Avec Fromage*]

No large moves have been made, but make no mistake, this is a different team than last year's.

A lot of people were advocating the removal of big names, but without Phaneuf/Kessel, this is a lottery team.

Instead, the Leafs identified a core of regulars they wanted to keep (F: Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri, Lupul / D: Phaneuf, Rielly, Gardiner / G: Bernier) and had to keep (F: Clarkson) and let the rest walk.

The bottom six has gone from:

Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
Bodie - McClement - Orr

To (barring any further moves):

Komarov - Kontiola - Frattin
Leivo - Holland - Ashton

On D, moving Gunnarsson allows a new option for the top pairing. It allows change. This team isn't necessarily better than last year's, but it's different, and I'm excited at that prospect.

Click to read more...

 

[Teeder9]

That's not culture change, it's personnel change, which occurs every year on every team

 

[Anthrax442]

Gotta start from the coach

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

We dont know for certain about 50% of your bottom 6 yet.

 

[Avec Fromage*]

We dont know for certain about 50% of your bottom 6 yet.

Sure, but the point is it'll be different from last year.

 

[Purity*]

It ain't no ****ing culture change.

Shuffling around the bottom 6 and modifying the D a little bit happens all the ****ing time.

We still have our incredibly stupid and inept coach, we still have our very flawed core, we have mostly 1-way players, still have massive holes at #1C and #1D, and this team still has zero direction. Bolland/McClement/Raymond/Kulemin/Gunnar out, Polak/Komorav/Frattin/Holland in, I see a ton of question marks with zero guaranteed improvement.

Don't fool yourself, this is not a playoff team with Carlyle at the helm. I'm not expecting them to be either.

 

[Ace88*]

Leo Komarov being back is enough of a culture change that we'll be able to visibly discern it on the ice next season. I can't believe how people underestimated his impact.

HURR DURR NO OFFENSE WAT A BAD SIGNING TROLOLOL

He's worth every penny he got. You'll see.

 

[BreakingGood]

I think everyone's really fallen in love with "culture change" as a catchphrase the organization threw around. The team got out-shot all year, and eventually it caught up with them. Every Corsi guy predicted it. The Leafs' problems are talent and coaching not any attitude problems.

Remember: Reggie Jackson was the biggest jerk in baseball, and Steve Yzerman was called a lazy, floating choker for years. Combined for eight rings.

 

[achtungbaby]

No large moves have been made, but make no mistake, this is a different team than last year's.

A lot of people were advocating the removal of big names, but without Phaneuf/Kessel, this is a lottery team.

Instead, the Leafs identified a core of regulars they wanted to keep (F: Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri, Lupul / D: Phaneuf, Rielly, Gardiner / G: Bernier) and had to keep (F: Clarkson) and let the rest walk.

The bottom six has gone from:

Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
Bodie - McClement - Orr

To (barring any further moves):

Komarov - Kontiola - Frattin
Leivo - Holland - Ashton

On D, moving Gunnarsson allows a new option for the top pairing. It allows change. This team isn't necessarily better than last year's, but it's different, and I'm excited at that prospect.

With Kessel and Phaneuf we're pretty close to a lottery team anyways. If we trade them, that's sort of the whole point. To quit putting lipstick on this pig and go the rebuilding route through the draft. It'll probably never happen though, but that would be a culture change.

Rearranging the bottom 6 happens every year to every team.

 

[BreakingGood]

Leo Komarov being back is enough of a culture change that we'll be able to visibly discern it on the ice next season. I can't believe how people underestimated his impact.

HURR DURR NO OFFENSE WAT A BAD SIGNING TROLOLOL

He's worth every penny he got. You'll see.

Nah, he's not, and I think his offensive woes are overstated. He's basically a pretty good play driving bottom six guy on a team that doesn't really care about possession at all. But I like him, I'll buy his jersey. I mean, I hate the idea of hating a player over money. A player I like is back. He's fun to watch, and good at his role. I'm happy.

 

[Trapper]

No large moves have been made, but make no mistake, this is a different team than last year's.

A lot of people were advocating the removal of big names, but without Phaneuf/Kessel, this is a lottery team.

Instead, the Leafs identified a core of regulars they wanted to keep (F: Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri, Lupul / D: Phaneuf, Rielly, Gardiner / G: Bernier) and had to keep (F: Clarkson) and let the rest walk.

The bottom six has gone from:

Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
Bodie - McClement - Orr

To (barring any further moves):

Komarov - Kontiola - Frattin
Leivo - Holland - Ashton

On D, moving Gunnarsson allows a new option for the top pairing. It allows change. This team isn't necessarily better than last year's, but it's different, and I'm excited at that prospect.

The only way to change the culture is by winning on the ice. Talking about it wont change the culture.
You are either:
1. A rebuilding team in which case nobody cares or expects you to be good for a few years.
2. A mediocre to lousy team.
3. A good team.

There is your culture. The longer you stay at one the more respect you gain or lose. No parades,pictures in the hallway,ceremonies before the game change the 3 above.

 

[Polk High]

Leo Komarov being back is enough of a culture change that we'll be able to visibly discern it on the ice next season. I can't believe how people underestimated his impact.

HURR DURR NO OFFENSE WAT A BAD SIGNING TROLOLOL

He's worth every penny he got. You'll see.

As I said in another thread.

Komarov makes the Leafs better by making the other team worse.

 

[Purity*]

Leo Komarov being back is enough of a culture change that we'll be able to visibly discern it on the ice next season. I can't believe how people underestimated his impact.

HURR DURR NO OFFENSE WAT A BAD SIGNING TROLOLOL

He's worth every penny he got. You'll see.

Yeah, contenders have those kinds of guys signed for league minimum to 1.5M. Here in Leafland we overpay for "character" or whatever the **** that means

 

[CalgaryLeaf*]

I could see Komarov and Frattin playing with Kadri at times on the 2nd line..I think Leo will get a chance to play a bit of offense this time with the Leafs.

The Leafs are adding a bit more compete and bite to the lineup...That said you need the entire team to buy in defensively in order to reduce the shots on goal...Teams will have to pay the price when going after the puck with Komarov and Frattin on the ice.

I don't know if they have the talent yet to allow them more puck possession time...We'll have to see how the young guys develop this year.

 

[Cor]

Komarov IS the culture change.

 

[BreakingGood]

With Kessel and Phaneuf we're pretty close to a lottery team anyways. If we trade them, that's sort of the whole point. To quit putting lipstick on this pig and go the rebuilding route through the draft. It'll probably never happen though.

They were probably close to a lottery team because of Randy. Kessel and Phaneuf are good players, if the team sucks this year and get McDavid, whatever, McDavid gets to start his career with a roster that really needs a new coach, a bit of depth, and a number one center, which he'd hopefully be. Imagine adding McDavid to Kessel, Phaneuf, Gardiner, Rielly, van Riemsdyk, Kadri, Franson, Bernier, Nylander, maybe Lupul if he still has something left in the tank, and then maybe you still have something developing in Percy, Finn, Leivo, Holland, etc. I think the talent is better than the results. Remember when Montreal was really garbage that year, they got Galchenyuk and then it turned out Price, Subban, Plekanec, Pacioretty, etc were actually still a good core? I kinda see that scenario.

 

[Mess]

Leafs seem to be interested in injecting some Finnish Culture into the Leafs with their UFA signings this year.

Perhaps Reindeer will be on the menu for the pregame Leafs meal.

Can't think of Reindeer without thinking of Santa so all in all this seems like a positive.

 

[Dangles McGavin]

They’ve improved our bottom six a fair bit with Frattin, Komarov, Holland all likely being there. We probably aren’t the softest team in the league anymore. I love our defensive moves.

Add that to Kadri hopefully bouncing back, Clarkson can only improve, improvement from Rielly and Gardiner.

Carlyle is the biggest issue now.

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

Komarov IS the culture change.

As is Frattin. The Leafs went nuts on twitter right away for both of them.

 

[diceman934]

They’ve improved our bottom six a fair bit with Frattin, Komarov, Holland all likely being there. We probably aren’t the softest team in the league anymore. I love our defensive moves.

Add that to Kadri hopefully bouncing back, Clarkson can only improve, improvement from Rielly and Gardiner.

Carlyle is the biggest issue now.

Our biggest issue has still not changed....it is by far Dion and Bozak playing at number one positions when they are not! Add in the fact that this is still Dion's team and we have changed nothing at all!

 

[Commander Clueless]

That's not culture change, it's personnel change, which occurs every year on every team

Culture is defined by the way a team plays, and the results that team gets.

We won't know for sure if the culture change worked until the season is underway.



Unless "culture" now means "core of the team", somehow.

 

[Purity*]

They’ve improved our bottom six a fair bit with Frattin, Komarov, Holland all likely being there. We probably aren’t the softest team in the league anymore. I love our defensive moves.

Add that to Kadri hopefully bouncing back, Clarkson can only improve, improvement from Rielly and Gardiner.

Carlyle is the biggest issue now.

Frattin, Komorav, Holland > Kulemin, Bolland, Raymond???


No way man It's all question marks at best.

 

[CalgaryLeaf*]

They’ve improved our bottom six a fair bit with Frattin, Komarov, Holland all likely being there. We probably aren’t the softest team in the league anymore. I love our defensive moves.

Add that to Kadri hopefully bouncing back, Clarkson can only improve, improvement from Rielly and Gardiner.

Carlyle is the biggest issue now.

Yes that is worrisome..By the end of the year it sounded like Carlyle had lost the team and had no answers...It was odd that he was brought back.

Hopefully the new assistant coaches will bring something new and fresh to the table...I like Randy but is the new NHL passing him by?..IDK

 

[Erndog]

It's tough to say whether the culture's changed, and it's even tougher to say if we've improved.

Is Komarov better than Kulemin?

Is Frattin better than Raymond?

Is Holland better than Bolland?

Is Polak better than Gunnarsson?

Is Robidas better than Gleason?

Is Kontiola better than Mcclement?


Some are yes. Some are no. Most are "we'll see."

Nothing screams to me "culture change!" or improved roster. I will say this though, we are better equipped now to win a 2-1 game than last year (which we seemed to never be able to do).

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

That's not culture change, it's personnel change, which occurs every year on every team

Pretty much.

We might have balanced out our defense somewhat regarding RHD´s and LHD´s. But the team have gotten worse defensively and that was THE weakness we had last season.

Culture change would have been to stick the knife right in the middle of the core and cut out a piece. But all we have done is poked at it.