Speculation: Don Cherry spot on again: Orr or McLaren should have been there right from the start

[Daisy Jane]

Someone should tell Tim Jackman and the Ducks that to find success in the new nhl, you don't need a guy like him. Imagine that, getting playoff minutes too.

Oh and look, Reaves is getting playoff ice time in St Louis.

Sort of funny isn't it? We Leaf fans and media trying to sound all authoritative on what works in "today's" NHL.

(sigh).
Tim Jackman had 5 points
Ryan Reaves had 12.

Orr & McLaren had z.e.r.o. points

so once again it sounds that we're more authoritative on what works in "today's" NHL - as in the person in the line up should at least have a point and contribute more than just fighting. but again. that's just me.

 

[DD03]

(sigh).
Tim Jackman had 5 points
Ryan Reaves had 12.

Orr & McLaren had z.e.r.o. points

so once again it sounds that we're more authoritative on what works in "today's" NHL - as in the person in the line up should at least have a point and contribute more than just fighting. but again. that's just me.

It's not the point that it's Colton Orr and Frazier McLaren. Idk how many times I have to say this. The Leafs don't have anyone else that could have produced that toughness that those two bring. And people around the league know who these two are. The fact they put up barely any points, on barely any minutes doesn't mean anything. The team is awful, Orr and McLaren would help the team play a little bit more respectable not like a bunch of little scared rats all season.

 

[Daisy Jane]

It's not the point that it's Colton Orr and Frazier McLaren. Idk how many times I have to say this. The Leafs don't have anyone else that could have produced that toughness that those two bring. And people around the league know who these two are. The fact they put up barely any points, on barely any minutes doesn't mean anything. The team is awful, Orr and McLaren would help the team play a little bit more respectable not like a bunch of little scared rats all season.

(shrug). maybe. maybe not.

again. I am not adverse for having physicality on the team. Orr and McLaren were on the team last year and all of this stuff how they would have made people accountable etc, wasn't present last year. AND they didn't provide any points. so I'm not really getting how this season it was going to be better.

Sure - maybe they would have done something when Thornton shot the puck at Phaneuf. Maybe they would have done something when Staal shot the puck at Phaneuf. Or it could have been like all the other times, where the other team simply ignored them, like what happened the majority of the season before, when most teams realised (and stated) that they weren't going to engage those two because the Leafs got off on it. Which neutralised them. Which made them moot.

Now I could be wrong, and if I am I stand corrected. but I personally - did not see it last year, so I don't get how those two would have made the team play better this year. We hope that would have been the case, but (shrug) meh.

Now. I would imagine they would address this during the off season and further on during the rebuild - but I don't think they are going to get players whose only job is to hold people accountable. I would assume they would get players who are physical and hold people accountable and can also contribute point wise, etc within the line up.

 

[Beaviz81]

Two talentless thugs, but they would be better than the talentless soft leafs of today.

 

[DD03]

(shrug). maybe. maybe not.

again. I am not adverse for having physicality on the team. Orr and McLaren were on the team last year and all of this stuff how they would have made people accountable etc, wasn't present last year. AND they didn't provide any points. so I'm not really getting how this season it was going to be better.

Sure - maybe they would have done something when Thornton shot the puck at Phaneuf. Maybe they would have done something when Staal shot the puck at Phaneuf. Or it could have been like all the other times, where the other team simply ignored them, like what happened the majority of the season before, when most teams realised (and stated) that they weren't going to engage those two because the Leafs got off on it. Which neutralised them. Which made them moot.

Now I could be wrong, and if I am I stand corrected. but I personally - did not see it last year, so I don't get how those two would have made the team play better this year. We hope that would have been the case, but (shrug) meh.

Now. I would imagine they would address this during the off season and further on during the rebuild - but I don't think they are going to get players whose only job is to hold people accountable. I would assume they would get players who are physical and hold people accountable and can also contribute point wise, etc within the line up.

It's not about the team playing better. There was nothing that could save this core. That's obvious. It's about the other teams being held accountable. They might not have went after Staal, but they definitely would have done something against Thornton.

Just because last year teams didn't engage in them, and I don't think we need both of them up. But Colton Orr adds more in the 5 minutes he'd play then some of the other guys we had playing this year. Especially in terms of the star players not always having to look over their shoulders.

The only person that was willing to drop the mitts at the end of the year was Sill and Phaneuf. And honestly, I don't think we wanted Phaneuf in the box on a nightly basis considering he is one of our better defense men.

There's a completely different dynamic when you have guys like Orr / McLaren on the bench. I don't want to say both, because both aren't necessary.

 

[Pookie]

(sigh).
Tim Jackman had 5 points
Ryan Reaves had 12.

Orr & McLaren had z.e.r.o. points

so once again it sounds that we're more authoritative on what works in "today's" NHL - as in the person in the line up should at least have a point and contribute more than just fighting. but again. that's just me.

Can we agree that neither Jackman or Reaves (or Bollig in Calgary who is also playing in the playoffs) are in the line up for their points?

If that is still up for debate, know that in 2013-14, you are correct. Neither Orr or McLaren had points. In the previous season, they each put up 5. Orr was a +4. McLaren was even.

Even in the year with zero points, Orr was only -3 and McLaren was -2. Not really costing the Leafs anything significant.

Now, I don't care about their points. That's not the role.

But if you are a point person then clearly their level of contribution is on par with these other role players who are playing on top NHL teams and earning playoff minutes. Not every team buys into the idea that this role is done and outdated. They are too busy preparing for playoff games in "today's NHL".