Joffrey Lupul & James van Riemsdyk, proving others wrong

[Kadri43*]

Jvr is slowly becoming our best overall player IMO. He's playing the body, he's making the front of the net his office, he's got more of a passing game then lupul and less injury prone.

JVR does not have the playmaking ability of Lupul.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Oh geez, you stick Mats on this team and we're serious Cup contenders.

One of the wingers would have to go then because Mats in his prime wouldn't have played on the league min.

 

[Ari91]

Did JVR really have any doubters? I think he comes across as a golden boy on here but I think his play has earned him that kind of praise. He has his off games but overall, he has really bought into his role, has embraced being a 'go to' player on the team and he has the abilities to turn on the jets to another level. He's got size, soft hands, speed and can play in all situations - what's not to like about him?

As for Lupul, his talent has shown people that he should no longer be considered a stop gap. I think the only doubters Lupul has are those that are concerned with his inability to stay healthy in a season. No other reason to doubt the guy as he's been a very effective player as a Leaf. It's still early into the season though - staying healthy for 6 games isn't exactly a ringing endorsement that the doubters were wrong about his injury woes. If he can play 70+ games this season, that'll be a good sign.

 

[Sergei Berezin]

The thing with Lupul is that he's put up points while playing **** hockey.

It may just be me, but Lupul has been pretty bad overall this season, with lazy plays, being timid going in corners and being lost in the d-zone, but he's somehow put up all these points and I can't really argue with that. Once he really gets his game going with another NHL winger on his line, things will get interesting.

Same kind of thing with JvR. He's been floating a lot this season but has still come up big when we've needed him to, aside from the Colorado game haha

 

[wulfio*]

The thing with Lupul is that he's put up points while playing **** hockey.

It may just be me, but Lupul has been pretty bad overall this season, with lazy plays, being timid going in corners and being lost in the d-zone, but he's somehow put up all these points and I can't really argue with that. Once he really gets his game going with another NHL winger on his line, things will get interesting.

Same kind of thing with JvR. He's been floating a lot this season but has still come up big when we've needed him to, aside from the Colorado game haha

i think your problem is you identify playing hard with someone like colton orr mucking it up in the corners banging bodies. some guys, especially skill players play well off the puck, and that's how they focus their efforts. As the great one said, good players play where the puck is, great players play where the puck is going to be.

 

[xyzz]

Lupul and JVR are premier power forwards in the NHL, and the best part is, we absolutely stole both of them from Anaheim and Philadelphia.

its an exciting time to be a leaf fan.. all we need is a "good" consistent goalie. The kind of guy you could put in the top 10 in the league without getting much argument.

hoping we have him in bernier

 

[34]

Leafs have a very potent offence.

JVR, Lupul, Kessel, Kadri, Clarkson, Bozak, Bolland... These guy have no issues finding the back of the net.

I do believe that JVR is about to hit BEAST mode! He is going to show why he was drafted 2nd overall. Easily gets 30 -40 goals this season.

 

[HellasLEAF]

what did I say about JVR this year. he's gonna be a beast.

in an unrelated note, JVR, Kessel, and Lupul are all ranked in the top 10 for all fantasy players. all categories.

impressive for any team I would think...

 

[Raging Bull]

Phaneuf said last night he thinks JVR is one of the best players in the league in front of the net. He definitely has some of the quickest hands when in tight (see: goal VS Boston in game 2).

 

[ECanuck]

Leafs have a very potent offence.

JVR, Lupul, Kessel, Kadri, Clarkson, Bozak, Bolland... These guy have no issues finding the back of the net.

I do believe that JVR is about to hit BEAST mode! He is going to show why he was drafted 2nd overall. Easily gets 30 -40 goals this season.

Yep, ever since we added Lupul, JVR, Kadri we don't run into hot goaltenders every night.

 

[34]

Yep, ever since we added Lupul, JVR, Kadri we don't run into hot goaltenders every night.

Highly skilled goal scorers. Kadri's top shelf goal last night was a goal scorers goal. Takes a special player to make that shot.

 

[Antropovsky]

JVR does not have the playmaking ability of Lupul.

Oh well that settles it. .... I'm honored that the all mighty know it all, bothered himself enough to correct my statement.

Lupul and JVR are both goal scorers, one look at their career stats and you'll notice that they normally score as much as they are credited with an assist. Quickly doing the math, they both are pretty much neck in neck in terms of career statistics, with both of them hovering around 50% in goals\assists.

Although when watching games, I've yet to see Lupul consistently make the seeing eye passes that JVR is making currently. His pinpoint accurate saucer passes, and even the behind the back one he recently made Kessel.... are things of beauty.








Lupul:

Here is the one pass I was able to find for Lups, which is similar to the JVR ones, but again, I just see more consistency from JVR in his passing plays than Lupul.


Again, statistically they are probably neck and neck, but I see JVR improving each season in this regard, while again I think Lupul's game has peaked.

 

[Antropovsky]

Also, I found this incredible video made of JVR, tributing last years season. I know lots have probably seen it, but it deserves to be put in this thread, very well made.

 

[bunjay]

Highly skilled goal scorers. Kadri's top shelf goal last night was a goal scorers goal. Takes a special player to make that shot.

It really doesn't, unless you think Cory Sarich is a goalscorer and a special player Sometimes goalies cheat on the pass option when the puck carrier is that deep, and sometimes they get burned by a well-placed shot.

 

[bunjay]

i think your problem is you identify playing hard with someone like colton orr mucking it up in the corners banging bodies. some guys, especially skill players play well off the puck, and that's how they focus their efforts. As the great one said, good players play where the puck is, great players play where the puck is going to be.

Lupul barely bother with defense on most shifts, that's what he was getting it. What you said really has no relevance. Yes, some skill players play well off the puck. Lupul is generally not one of them.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Going to be an interesting goal scoring race between Kessel, JVR, and Lupul

 

[MsMeow]

I wouldn't say the Pronger trade was horrific. Pronger carried them to the cup finals. Yes he had a career ending injury, but the trade itself was a good move. Pronger was an absolute beast, he would be my 2nd pick as a D man behind only Lidstrom for probably the last 15 years.

Pronger didn't carry them, it was a lot of guys that played great, Richards, Giroux, Timonen and the depth guys were great. The problem with that trade more than anything was Holmgren not understanding the CBA. He didn't think it would count as an over 35 contract and he was wrong. When you look at the numbers it's obvious Pronger's intent was to retire before the end of it but now that he's injured they are stuck with the cap hit when he isn't on LTIR.

 

[34]

It really doesn't, unless you think Cory Sarich is a goalscorer and a special player Sometimes goalies cheat on the pass option when the puck carrier is that deep, and sometimes they get burned by a well-placed shot.

Cory got lucky, and Naz was deeper to the goal line. More skilled of a shot for sure.

But yeah... goalies cheat and get caught.

 

[Confucius]

Going to be an interesting goal scoring race between Kessel, JVR, and Lupul

Are you saying Kadri will run away with it? While the other three fight it out for 2nd YOu can't leave him out of the race even though he gets less icetime he'll still collect the points.

 

[Christ]

Both Lupul an JVR are PPG players. We have Kes, Lup, JVR, Kadri with .8 - PPG potential and a whack of others at .5 - .75ppg guys. Pretty stacked really.

Offensively this team can be scary this season...hopefully our defense wakes up. It has been many years since the last time the Leafs boasted anywhere near so much high-end firepower as they do now...very exciting times to be a Leaf's fan

 

[bunjay]

Cory got lucky, and Naz was deeper to the goal line. More skilled of a shot for sure.

But yeah... goalies cheat and get caught.

One got no "luckier" than the other. They're virtually identical goals.

 

[The Podium]

LOL. My wife thought so too until we acquired Bernier.

My girl has a thing for him too But she also thinks MacArthur and Bozak are gorgeous so I dont know....

Leafs have a very potent offence.

JVR, Lupul, Kessel, Kadri, Clarkson, BozaK, Bolland... These guy have no issues finding the back of the net.

I do believe that JVR is about to hit BEAST mode! He is going to show why he was drafted 2nd overall. Easily gets 30 -40 goals this season.

I like Bozak, but is the bolded serious?

 

[Puckstuff]

JVR IMO is going to get 30+ easily this year. You can just tell he's in beast mode. His skating is so much better, not that it sucked before but his acceleration is at a completely different level right now. With the chemisty of and Lupul and Kessel, I think there is no doubt JVR can hit 80+ points this season.

I think JVR will top out at 70 in his career. He's a great skater and a great scorer but a below average playmaker... Could be a 40-30 guy though, probably closer to 35-30. It's not impossible for him to develop into a better playmaker though (like Phil)

Lupul is just awesome... If he could put a full season together he would be in that elite company with guys like Patrick Sharp, Thomas Vanek (92 points in 88 games) but you don't get that level of appreciation when your constantly injured, staying healthy is a skill. I'm hoping he can stay healthy... His career best is 67 points in 66 games.

 

[BigWilly]

I think JVR will top out at 70 in his career. He's a great skater and a great scorer but a below average playmaker... Could be a 40-30 guy though, probably closer to 35-30. It's not impossible for him to develop into a better playmaker though (like Phil)

Lupul is just awesome... If he could put a full season together he would be in that elite company with guys like Patrick Sharp, Thomas Vanek (92 points in 88 games) but you don't get that level of appreciation when your constantly injured, staying healthy is a skill. I'm hoping he can stay healthy... His career best is 67 points in 66 games.

I think this is a fair assessment. JVR pretty much becomes our Rick Nash in my opinion.

 

[Beleafer4]

I think JVR will top out at 70 in his career. He's a great skater and a great scorer but a below average playmaker... Could be a 40-30 guy though, probably closer to 35-30. It's not impossible for him to develop into a better playmaker though (like Phil)

Lupul is just awesome... If he could put a full season together he would be in that elite company with guys like Patrick Sharp, Thomas Vanek (92 points in 88 games) but you don't get that level of appreciation when your constantly injured, staying healthy is a skill. I'm hoping he can stay healthy... His career best is 67 points in 66 games.

If bozak could just tap in the puck into an empty net, JVR would have had another 2 assists. If bozak could shoot, 4.

30 assists isnt below average lol