Does Clarkson's injury reinforce need for enforcer?

[topched]

Orr has no scoring skills. I think players need to have enough skill to score, as well as fight, to be effective in today's NHL. Players with fight skills only are becoming a thing of the past IMHO.

I thought Leo went to the KHL, to play on the big ice, so he would make his Olympic team?

It has nothing to do with scoring even. I'd be fine with Orr if he could even keep up with the play. He's a terrible skater and that's what it comes down to. Can't forecheck, can't block shots, can't get to the boards to receive a breakout pass etc

 

[one77]

How long is Clarkson out for?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Leafs' injured Clarkson 'won't change' his game

TORONTO - An upbeat David Clarkson was able to find some good news in the second derailment of his time in a Maple Leafs training camp.

About the broken orbital bone obtained from the left fist of Sabres enforcer Cordy McCormick last Friday, the Toronto winger took a positive spin based on the response of those close to him.

“My buddies are saying I didn’t go down and my daughter said I look OK,” Clarkson said in his first interview since the injury. “So I guess that’s the two plusses I’ll take out of it.”

“I’m not going to change my game because of something like that,” said Clarkson, who will need to wear a protective shield when he returns. “It’s the first time it happened to me. I was hitting that re-set button and getting ready and I’m still getting ready.”

“Something like this obviously sucks, but it’s how you come out of it,” Clarkson said. “I’m preparing to play Game 1.”

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/09/30/leafs-injured-clarkson-wont-change-his-game

 

[bunjay]

What makes a difference is when your top nine, especially your middle 6 actually compete, finish checks, forecheck, and win some puck battles. That way, you don't have to over utilize less skilled players.

But thats not your argument. Yours is that they aren't good enough to play 8-10 minutes a night. The anti-fighter contingent can't seem to agree. Are they over utilized, or under utilized?

Orr may be slowing down but that doesn't mean the role itself is obsolete.

The role isn't obsolete but an enforcer with no real hockey skill is. You need guys like Shawn Thornton, Bickell, Bollig, Clifford, Moen, Weise. Not going to put up many points but they can play 10 minutes a night without hurting your team. We somehow keep coming up with 4th lines that can't spend any time with the puck even playing themselves mostly against other 4th lines. Orr was okay in the shortened season but since then has been completely useless. McLaren had his moments where he forechecks with gusto and he's not a bad skater for his size and role but I don't think he's ever had the puck on his stick for more than a second or two in an NHL game.

Surely we have prospects more deserving.

 

[HellasLEAF]

He got into a fight (which I sort of commend him for) and got punched out.

It's NOT a fluke injury! A fluke is the puck hitting you in the leg or arm and suffering a break. Or catching an edge and going into the boards.

The guy clocked him flush with one of the first punches.

 

[crump]

I'd be more worried if he was going to take a spot of someone who absolutely "wowed" during the preseason. Kozun and Leivo are the closest things to that. Pretty dissapointed, I thought someone would put the Orrs out of business by making it impossible to have him on the team, but it didn't happen. Frattin, Booth, Kontiola, even Santorelli to some extent didn't come as advertised.

 

[Mystifo]

Lets just do one better.... Lets ice an ENTIRE team of enforcers. I mean an ENTIRE TEAM. I mean EVERYONE will be SOOO scared of us that we should in theory win every damn game.

 

[Porn*]

I like what i've read from Clarkson with regards to the injury... that he's not going to change his style and working to come back asap. I think we'll bei n for a treat this year. Not 30 goals but a solid effort.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

Nope. McCormick isn't an enforcer (therefore he wouldn't fight Orr/McLaren unless the fight was instigated) and the fight didn't really call for an enforcer; Clarkson bumped the goalie and Buffalo's been extremely sensitive to that ever since the Miller/Lucic incident.

 

[Bullseye]

According to Colton Orr being sent down - MLSE's answer to this thread's question is - No.