News Article: Jay McClement targeted by Leafs to be “the stopperâ€

[Hero]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-to-be-the-stopper/article7382400/?cmpid=rss1

Good read.

We're all familiar with the abundance of articles that talk about Carylye's system of

1st Scoring Line
2nd ShutDown Line
3rd Sheltered Scoring Line
4th Energy Line

I don't know how that will look in Toronto but for a shut down line.

Kulemin - McClement - Komarov?

Could be decent.

Click to read more...

 

[Jerkini]

Every time we've tried signing a guy like this to be a defensive specialist, in particular or the penalty kill, it has ended in disaster. This guy has a big hill to climb if he's going to prove capable.

 

[Mess]

Jay McClement is to Toronto as Sammy Pahlsson once was to Anaheim.

At least that was the idea anyways.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Every time we've tried signing a guy like this to be a defensive specialist, in particular or the penalty kill, it has ended in disaster. This guy has a big hill to climb if he's going to prove capable.

Mind you the other two guys were Rickard Wallin and Phil Dupuis.


McClement is miles ahead of them.

 

[p.l.f.]

do you like the idea of the checking line that seldom scores being a #2 or #3 line?

it might be better to go with a two-way line constisting of:
grabovsky kulemin

that way you can work in the kids on a #3 energy line

 

[ACC1224]

Bad Goaltending will make any PK specialist look bad.

 

[paulster2626]

After reading that article I'm ready to buy a McClement jersey.

Imagine we had real, actual UFA signings to get excited about? Oh well, maybe one day we can all cheer for a team with money to spend.

 

[smitty10]

I hope we run lines like this:

1st line- scoring: Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
2nd line- secondary scoring: JvR-Grabovski-MacArthur/Kadri
3rd line- shutdown line: Kulemin-McClement-Frattin/MacArthur
4th line- grinding line: Komarov-Steckel-Brown

I know I've left Connolly and Lombardi out of the lineup, but I just don't see where they fit. I think both Kadri and Frattin deserve their chance this season and should see regular playing time over all those guys on the final year of contracts that are unlikely to be renewed. This is crucial evaluation time to see what Frattin and Kadri can do at the NHL level.

 

[Community]

I hope we run lines like this:

1st line- scoring: Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
2nd line- secondary scoring: JvR-Grabovski-MacArthur/Kadri
3rd line- shutdown line: Kulemin-McClement-Frattin/MacArthur
4th line- grinding line: Komarov-Steckel-Brown

I know I've left Connolly and Lombardi out of the lineup, but I just don't see where they fit. I think both Kadri and Frattin deserve their chance this season and should see regular playing time over all those guys on the final year of contracts that are unlikely to be renewed. This is crucial evaluation time to see what Frattin and Kadri can do at the NHL level.

I agree and am a fan of the line-up you posted (especially with Kadri making it over MacA).... but I think Carlyle likes Connolly as a defensive forward. He used him in a shut-down role last year on the wing so I can see the 3rd line RW going to him... Also a trade needs to occur soon.

Kadri and Frattin should be up for this year and the only way that's possible (without putting them on the 4th line) is to trade 2 of Lombardi, Connoly, and MacArthur unless something else drastic happens first.

 

[frankthetank91]

Excited for Jay. Doesn't get enough praise around these parts, guess cause he doesn't have a 30 goal season or something.

 

[egd27]

I'm hoping for:
One line that scores more than they give up
Two lines that give up less than they score
One line that plays even.

Label them however you want.

 

[Kbs]

I agree and am a fan of the line-up you posted (especially with Kadri making it over MacA).... but I think Carlyle likes Connolly as a defensive forward. He used him in a shut-down role last year on the wing so I can see the 3rd line RW going to him... Also a trade needs to occur soon.

Kadri and Frattin should be up for this year and the only way that's possible (without putting them on the 4th line) is to trade 2 of Lombardi, Connoly, and MacArthur unless something else drastic happens first.

I like the idea of a Kulemin-McClement-Connolly line. I thought Connolly played well in a shutdown role when Carlyle came in last year.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

I hope we run lines like this:

1st line- scoring: Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
2nd line- secondary scoring: JvR-Grabovski-MacArthur/Kadri
3rd line- shutdown line: Kulemin-McClement-Frattin/MacArthur
4th line- grinding line: Komarov-Steckel-Brown

I know I've left Connolly and Lombardi out of the lineup, but I just don't see where they fit. I think both Kadri and Frattin deserve their chance this season and should see regular playing time over all those guys on the final year of contracts that are unlikely to be renewed. This is crucial evaluation time to see what Frattin and Kadri can do at the NHL level.

I say CMac is the 1st guy who needs to go.

Lombardi and Connolly are more versatile then CMac in that they can both play center, penalty kill and are noted for being better defensively.

CMac might be the best overall player point total wise but as we saw last year his role diminished with the addition of Lupul. Now with the addition of JVR and Kadri it will only further diminish as both of these guys will need the PP time that CMac currently gets.

I also think Steckel should be traded away as aside from winning faceoffs he's useless. We should try to get whatever pick we can for him.

 

[Dreakmur]

I think a shut-down line of Kulemin-McClement-Connolly would be just about as good as we can put together.

Connolly is steady defensively, and he gives the line a 2nd face-off man. He can take some that need a righty, or he can just be there to allow McClement to cheat like crazy without worrying about getting th boot.

 

[indigobuffalo]

I'm hoping for:
One line that scores more than they give up
Two lines that give up less than they score
One line that plays even.

Label them however you want.

a+b
b+a
b+a
c

I understand what you were trying to say, but the logician in me couldn't take it.

 

[calcal798]

I still think this team would be best suited if these were the lines:

1st line, primary scoring - Lupol-Bozak-Kessel
2nd line, secondary scoring. shutdown - Kuli-Grabo-Connolly
3rd line. secondary scoring - JVR -Kadri - Mac
4th line, energy, second shutdown - Brown - Mcclemment - Komarov

Definitely like the idea of the second line being able to shutdown the opponents offense as well as produce some for themselves. It would primarily be out against the other teams top lines, with the second shutdown line occasionally getting some shifts (and Komarov throwing the body on the top players).

The third line would have the potential of giving us two secondary scoring lines if they can mesh and Kadri can play center.

 

[smitty10]

I say CMac is the 1st guy who needs to go.

Lombardi and Connolly are more versatile then CMac in that they can both play center, penalty kill and are noted for being better defensively.

CMac might be the best overall player point total wise but as we saw last year his role diminished with the addition of Lupul. Now with the addition of JVR and Kadri it will only further diminish as both of these guys will need the PP time that CMac currently gets.

I also think Steckel should be traded away as aside from winning faceoffs he's useless. We should try to get whatever pick we can for him.

I'm a fan of Steckel's role on this team and believe that he was a major contributing factor to our success early last season (before he broke his hand). He's big and is useful playing in a defensive style of system as long as his minutes are 4th line + PK. I'm not an advocate of using him in roles he has no business playing in, but Steckel is a good role player on this club.

 

[Pinto]

I like the idea of a Kulemin-McClement-Connolly line. I thought Connolly played well in a shutdown role when Carlyle came in last year.

Agreed, I hope that's our third line.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Mcclement will be a beast for us this season and will benefit the most from a defensive system, alongside Kulemin as well. I hope Frattin also gets the call up to the big roster and we play a mean third line.

 

[Mowerman]

Every time we've tried signing a guy like this to be a defensive specialist, in particular or the penalty kill, it has ended in disaster. This guy has a big hill to climb if he's going to prove capable.

He's a proven, effective defensive asset. He has no hill to climb.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

An Avs poster mentioned on the Trade Forum that McClement took less to play in Toronto. Colorado offered more, who knows what else was available to him on the FA market

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

An Avs poster mentioned on the Trade Forum that McClement took less to play in Toronto. Colorado offered more, who knows what else was available to him on the FA market

IIRC in his first interviews after signing here, he mentioned Carlyle's extensive use of Sami Pahlsson on the third line in Anaheim and said that the idea of playing a bigger role on a checking line like that really appealed to him.

 

[BillyD]

mcclement sounds like our new zezel

 

[p.l.f.]

then whos our new bill berg ?

 

[Irish Leaf]

The Pk is this teams achilles heel. If you look at Reimers even strength numbers there pretty decent but his Pk numbers are an absolute disgrace so if the Pk gets better i would assume Reimer will aswell. A theory to mull over maybe.