Grabovski's Attitude

[leafstilldeath*]

#freeGrabo

This is just ridiculous. I really hope there was something lost in communication we do not need this in the locker room. It affects team chemistry. Not now when so close to the playoffs.

 

[Censored23]

And why should Carlyle change something that has us in fifth in the east just for Grabos sake?

You're right. Why should the Leafs try to improve the team heading into the playoffs when they can just stay stagnant and waste a chance for a talented player to actually contribute instead of playing him in a role he really is unsuited for.

 

[Asif16*]

Just wait till he faces the habs this saturday.

Actually, just wait until he faces the habs in the playoffs haha

 

[Kurisu]

You can still save me <-------(grabs), by having a top 9, bottom 3 instead of the top 6, bottom 6 garbage. McClement, and Komorov to the 4th line, Frattin and one of Mac, Kuli. Don't worry, 4th line will still get quality ice-time depending on situation.

 

[The Apologist]

And what if we let Mikhail Grabovski leave as a FA and Nazem Kadri didn't step up and take his spot? Where would we be with no 2nd line center?

I'm positive Grabovski still has value. Not because I'm some kind of optimist, but because it's the reality of the situation. There is always a market for top 6 centers who are responsible defensively, great at faceoffs, have a tireless work ethic and can add an element of speed. Mikhail Grabovski is signed through the prime of his career, and he's coming off four consecutive seasons where he has paced at ~50points, including a peak near 30G-30A campaign just one full season ago.

Players don't lose all their value in one down season. Any GM who has followed the Toronto Maple Leafs this year, would know that Grabovski is simply playing in a situation not suited for him to succeed offensively. He really doesn't look any worse this season, Nazem Kadri is just a top 10 scorer and Randy Carlyle (like Ron Wilson) feels the need to permanently attach Tyler Bozak to Phil Kessel and the top line. This leaves Grabovski on the 3rd line, with bottom 6ers and defensive stalwarts with limited PP time and offensive opportunity.

I personally hope we can flip Grabovski for a steady two-way top 4 defenseman this offseason. I would love to see Grabovski revive his career elsewhere (I'm a big fan of his) and I feel adding a defenseman is our biggest need.

My thoughts on Grabovski I wrote a few weeks back and my opinion hasn't changed:

Why would Carlyle punish Bozak and reward Grabo? Our top line has had another solid season, yet we should change it all up because Grabbo is struggling? Does this make sense to you?

 

[The Apologist]

You're right. Why should the Leafs try to improve the team heading into the playoffs when they can just stay stagnant and waste a chance for a talented player to actually contribute instead of playing him in a role he really is unsuited for.

By messing with a line that has worked well all season?

 

[BonMorrison]

People can criticize him all the want, it's well-deserved. Just do not give the "he's lazy because of his contract" BS. His work ethic should never be in question. He's having a bad season, a very bad season, but it's not due to lack of work ethic.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

He handled it quite well. Toronto media has been trying to find a story on Grabo, or even worse, create one.

Media getting notorious.

I myself am getting a tad anxious on his performance, but I will wait until end of 2013-14 season. He puts everything on ice. Who knows? He might be the revelation in playoffs.

 

[The Apologist]

I am absolutely loving this thread.
We are in 5th in the east, have one regulation loss in what, twelve games? We're on the verge of solidifying our first playoff birth since Justin Bieber was born, but lets blow it all up and change everything because things aren't working from Grabo.

I love the guy, but man this is too much.

 

[The Apologist]

People can criticize him all the want, it's well-deserved. Just do not give the "he's lazy because of his contract" BS. His work ethic should never be in question. He's having a bad season, a very bad season, but it's not due to lack of work ethic.

Work ethic is fine. Lack of defined role is the concern.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

I have to say this was one of his best games in a long time...his offensive flair really showed late in the game.

That being said, it's his own fault he's in this situation...he dug the hole himself. He and Kadri are both averaging 16 minutes a night, yet Kadri has 17 goals and 40 points to Grabo's 8 and 15. Yes, Grabovski gets a lot more defensive zone shifts (particularly earlier on in the season), but for a guy making $5.5M a year, it's not a good sign when the youngest guy on the team has almost triple your offensive output in the same amount of minutes.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

People can criticize him all the want, it's well-deserved. Just do not give the "he's lazy because of his contract" BS. His work ethic should never be in question. He's having a bad season, a very bad season, but it's not due to lack of work ethic.

You are a reasonable poster, I respect you probably more than 95% of the posters here because you are a self admitted Grabo fan but you have been very fair in your criticism of him this year.

I think he is clearly struggling without Ron Wilson, he struggles in a structured style of play.

Tonight, he did the worst thing you could do in a post game interview in a losing game, he was smiling all his way through a TSN interview. If I were a teammate of his and saw him smiling in a losing game interview, I would seriously have a few words with him. You don't take losing lightly and wear the Maple Leaf on your chest.

If Pat Burns saw that, he would snap a new one.

 

[SteveV*]

Grabo is an asset, can't wait to see him in the playoffs, think he and Kuli can rekindle in a series.

 

[The Beyonder]

How is a player smiling in an interview in his stall after a hard fought lost? Someone explain this to me, Dion needs to slap some sense into Grabo.

God forbid someone smiles after a game, everyone should have a Dion scowl after every loss. It's not like they lost 6-0, they fought back hard for a point and are still in good position, no point in getting low about it. Just because he's smiling doesn't mean he like to lose; the reason he was smiling was a response to a question he was asked. He's not going to make himself a distraction to the team by being a cancer. When he's on the ice you can clearly see the man is frustrated and lacking confidence, good on him for not sulking and making his play a focal point of a team finding success in spite of him.

 

[The Apologist]

Grabo is an asset, can't wait to see him in the playoffs, think he and Kuli can rekindle in a series.

I hope so, he's got the heart to do it. Really got to me how 'meh' he looked in the shoot out. It's not like Grabo to not care.

 

[SteveV*]

Grabo is smiling because he isn't alone in a basement like his detractors.

 

[Doshy]

You guys are upset because Grabovski was smiling in the post-game interview? Have you ever seen a James Reimer interview?

 

[BonMorrison]

You are a reasonable poster, I respect you probably more than 95% of the posters here because you are a self admitted Grabo fan but you have been very fair in your criticism of him this year.

I think he is clearly struggling without Ron Wilson, he struggles in a structured style of play.

Tonight, he did the worst thing you could do in a post game interview in a losing game, he was smiling all his way through a TSN interview. If I were a teammate of his and saw him smiling in a losing game interview, I would seriously have a few words with him. You don't take losing lightly and wear the Maple Leaf on your chest.

If Pat Burns saw that, he would snap a new one.

Honestly, I watched the TSN interview, and it didn't really seem like a "Haha! We lost! Oh well!" smile it was more of a, "Can you believe this ****** season I'm having? I can hardly believe it either" smile. Almost a disbelief that this is the season he is having and there's no other choice but to try to fake a smile and laugh it off. Kessel had a similar attitude when he had that infamous goal-less drought two seasons ago.

He's well aware of his struggles, he clearly has no more confidence.

Edit: And yeah, good point on the above. Reimer is the happiest guy ever in all of his post-game inteviews including losses, why is Grabo singled out here?

 

[The Beyonder]

I hope so, he's got the heart to do it. Really got to me how 'meh' he looked in the shoot out. It's not like Grabo to not care.

I think it's a lack of confidence than a lack of caring.

 

[SteveV*]

I hope so, he's got the heart to do it. Really got to me how 'meh' he looked in the shoot out. It's not like Grabo to not care.

He's got heart yes, l'll take it all day and remember he's shown so in past.

 

[The Apologist]

Grabo is smiling because he isn't alone in a basement like his detractors.

I bet you're just partying it up there with your buddies eh?

 

[The Apologist]

He's got heart yes, l'll take it all day and remember he's shown so in past.

Absolutely. I've seen him carry this team on his back.

That being said, I just don't see where he fits right now.

 

[Kurisu]

He should slow down the play when he's in the offensive zone instead of going 110 miles an hour in both ends.

 

[SteveV*]

Absolutely. I've seen him carry this team on his back.

That being said, I just don't see where he fits right now.

I've always wanted to see him in the playoffs, third line is fine.

 

[The Beyonder]

You guys are upset because Grabovski was smiling in the post-game interview? Have you ever seen a James Reimer interview?

Optimus Reim is a good ole Canadian prairie boy, everyone knows he hates to lose unlike Grabo.