Speculation: How Long Until Our Best Players Start Playing Like It?

[Bravid Nonahan]

Neither Phaneuf or Kessel are playing close to their best right now. They don't create any chances on the PP and Kessel's line gets hemmed in their own zone all the time.

Click to read more...

 

[Pyromaniac3]

Neither Phaneuf or Kessel are playing close to their best right now. They don't create any chances on the PP and Kessel's line gets hemmed in their own zone all the time.

Even with Kessel at his best, that line will get hemmed in the zone.

Also Phaneuf is playing really well. Just coz he is not scoring doesn't mean ****.

 

[SpeakerForTheDead]

What are you talking about? Kadri is playing amazing..

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

Phaneuf is the top d man in pp goals...
Kessel has 16 points in 22 games...

so, yeah...

 

[Phion Keneuf]

What are you talking about? Kadri is playing amazing..

Came here to post this exact thing.

 

[DaveT83*]

i thought this was one of those WEWANTACUP podcasts LOL

 

[leafsfuture]

Phaneuf is our best defenceman. By far.

 

[BonMorrison]

Interactif:

"Let's all look no further then the 5.5 million dollar man."

 

[New Liskeard]

Even if they were playing as poorly as you suggest, which they are not, the Leafs are still wining hockey games? Not sure if that is a good thing; not to mention Lupul and Frattin are not even in the line up yet.

 

[CG14]

Phaneuf is our best defenceman. By far.

How do people not see this? Frustrating

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Dion has been lights out our best defensemen. Kessel isn't doing great in terms of anything atm then again our team has been utter bs since carolina. I am not too worried since this isn't just an individual thing it seems.

Kadri is possibly the only one who's been doing great but we need more from a team as a whole.

 

[Grant]

Just think when they start playing to their ability and start producing again. We will be a very very tough team to beat.

 

[Hockeylaw]

Phaneuf has been sound overall. The defensive side of his game has improved manifold since his early days in the league. He looked pretty sharp offensively scoring that OT winner in New York the other night. Even great defencemen make mistakes when playing 26 minutes a night. I don't think anything is wrong with him. I do think he looked even sharper at the beginning of last season, though, when he had 11 points and was a +7 in the first 10 games. He'll heat up again.

The top line misses Lupul (and a true first-line centre), but has been producing regardless. I expect them to look better in their own end when Lupul is back to win board battles. JVR, while steady, and while capable of playing something of a physical game, doesn't have Lupul's speed/explosiveness.

 

[Patty Lee]

Neither Phaneuf or Kessel are playing close to their best right now. They don't create any chances on the PP and Kessel's line gets hemmed in their own zone all the time.

look again. Dion wears number 3

 

[LV*]

Phaneuf has been dynamite all season long.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

kessel is such a candy ass, it drives me crazy how far he'll go out of his way to not initiate contact.

 

[Leafidelity]

Phaneuf is our best defenceman. By far.

Absolutely. It's not even a debate.

 

[stakesishigh]

They've both struggled a bit lately (last 3-5ish games or so) but overall I'm content with their play.

Sure I'd love for Kessel to have triple the amount of goals but for the most part he's been getting good chances. He's played a bit crappy the last 3 games but hopefully this goal will spark him a little. 16 points in 22 games isn't bad at all.

Phaneuf had a poor game tonight too but he's played very solid this season as a whole.

 

[Badger Mayhew*]

i thought this was one of those WEWANTACUP podcasts LOL

Lmao

 

[ToneBone03]

I can see where you're coming from when you mention Kessel in a thread like this, but I don't think you could ask for any more out of Phaneuf. He has easily been our best all-around defenseman and plays more than any other player on this team. In the game against New Jersey tonight, he effectively neutralized David Clarkson completely. Clarkson happens to be New Jersey's highest goal-scoring forward. Every time Clarkson touched the puck tonight Phaneuf was just hounding him. Sure, his offensive game might be currently taking a backseat, but his defensive play has improved tenfold since his time as a member of the Calgary Flames. He is our captain and is quietly solidifying himself as a #1 defenseman here in Toronto.

 

[WillNyeTheHockeyGuy]

I can't remember who it was, but someone said this in a PGT a few weeks back. If you keep Dion around 25-26 minutes a night, he'll play absolutely amazing. Anything more than that and he's prone to mistakes as he'll be running tired. To be honest, aside from a plainly "average" showing early on, he's been earning his pay since then. As many are saying here, by far our best defenseman.

Kessel's been struggling, but 16 points in 22 (albeit disappointing) isn't that bad. I'm sure once Lupul comes back, they'll hit their stride. JVR on centre should be tried.

 

[thewave]

Dion has come around and is playing the way he was expected to all along. Looks good

 

[Duffman955]

Phaneuf is our best defenceman. By far.

Problem is that no one has stepped up as the #2 guy. Gunnar hasnt looked like his usual self

 

[Patty Lee]

Problem is that no one has stepped up as the #2 guy. Gunnar hasnt looked like his usual self

his usual self? LOL. his usual self is what you see, not the handful of games he played over his head.

 

[Hockeylaw]

kessel is such a candy ass, it drives me crazy how far he'll go out of his way to not initiate contact.

This frustrates me as well, but the upside is that he is rarely injured.