hes like batman, when leafs need him most he will appear. until then.....jvrs got this.
Joffrey Lupul & James van Riemsdyk, proving others wrong
- Thread starter LeafsNation75
- Start date
hes like batman, when leafs need him most he will appear. until then.....jvrs got this.
I don't think he has a great deal with chemistry with Kadri. Yes, when both are playing very sheltered - as in last year - it's doable. However up against stronger lines including the opposing top line, it's too easy to isolate them individually. Lupul can't really play a heavy duty retrieve-the-puck-for-Naz type of game. His work along the half-boards isn't that great nor is he a very consistent presence around scoring lanes either. Interestingly, Bozak due to strong D game and his ability to keep plays alive can better exploit Lupul's finish.
As for Kadri, he should've been tied with Kulemin permanently. He reminds me of Seguin, defensively weak, but an extremely versatile centre on the offensive end. I could seem being a high goal scorer as he continues to develop. Someone that can get into the dirty area, protect him ( allowing Kadri to play as an instigator), and keep him fed with the puck is what he requires.
HoweHullOrr
Registered User
- Oct 3, 2013
- 11,619
- 2,226
Never really understood why Philly traded JVR for Schenn. I know the Flyers needed d-men at the time, but still a bit puzzling. Nice deal for our beloved Buds and a big thank you to the Flyers.
Joey24
Registered User
I don't think Kadri has a great deal of chemistry with anyone on this Toronto team, he had his moments with Mac last season but even then they were hot and cold. Kadri just hasn't been the same kadri as last season, not as aggressive and looks a step slower in fact his overall game looks worse.
topched
Registered User
JVR was struggling a little, and at the time they had a loaded top 6 (still do).
Schenn has actually gotten worse since going to Philly, which adds to it.
That brother allure had Snyder and Holmer gaga
Raging Bull
Present
He's playing the right side.
His entire career with the Leafs has been on the left side and for some reason he's been forced to play the right side this season.
Add in that Raymond is clearly struggling (I'm being nice to Raymond here) and you get a lost Lupul, and underwhelming Kadri.
Also, I have found that on too many nights Lupul has tried being a hero to just pull the team back into a game with a solo rush or taking a shot when he should pass, and that has really hurt his game and his line mates game.
ACC1224
Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
- Aug 19, 2002
- 73,810
- 39,330
Commander Clueless
Hiya, hiya. Pleased to meetcha.
- Sep 10, 2008
- 15,298
- 3,017
Send Raymond to a defensive role, move Lupul back to where he works best, and put someone with size with them (Clarkson/Holland/Kulemin?). Worth a shot anyway - not like they could get much colder unless Lupul's shootout abilities randomly disappear.
Also, JVR is awesome.
People are hating on Raymond but we were lucky to pick him up off a tryout.
-his caphit is 1 mil
-he has provided about the same amount of offense as Kadri
-he is a plus player when ALL our other forwards are minuses except Bozak and Bolland, who both missed the Leafs worst stretch of hockey (Lupul and Kadri -12)
-he had more goals (4) and the same number of points (8) in his first 7 games as Clarkson has in 36 games
Raymond, despite the many dumb things he does, is not the problem.
-his caphit is 1 mil
-he has provided about the same amount of offense as Kadri
-he is a plus player when ALL our other forwards are minuses except Bozak and Bolland, who both missed the Leafs worst stretch of hockey (Lupul and Kadri -12)
-he had more goals (4) and the same number of points (8) in his first 7 games as Clarkson has in 36 games
Raymond, despite the many dumb things he does, is not the problem.
Jimmy Firecracker
Fire Sheldon.
Carlyle really seems to be killing that second line. Not that all of Kadri and Lupul's struggles are all his fault, but he's certainly not helping by playing them out of their element alongside a weak winger.
I understand we're lucky to have him at $1M, but he's become complacent and he's simply not a second-line winger on a strong NHL team.
I think one of reasons I hate on Raymond is that he reminds of the old days near the end of JFJs tenure where we had a full top-6 of Raymonds: guys with one outstanding skill who play with zero heart, are tweeners on most NHL lineups but are given good minutes with the Leafs... Just thought/hoped we were done with players like Raymond in the top-6 for some time.
Yup, I think most on the board agree on those points.
Its similar to the Mcclement-Holland situation that was just resolved: a tiny switch in the lineup that fans are craving for but RC is reluctant to execute. Hopefully it is something that is addressed soon.
I really want to see Clarkson on the right side with Lupul and Kadri, and then Kulemin on the right side with Holland and Raymond or D'Amigo/Ashton, depending on whoever seems to be going on that particular night.
I think it's obvious to everyone but Carlyle that he should be on the third line at even strength. But Carlyle is obsessed with having his "shutdown" line.
i agree that raymond is not the problem. he isnt the solution either. he is just what he is...a stop gap.
raymond will lose his appeal when he wants a macarthur type contract. at $1 million its wonderful, at $3 million its meh
- Oct 18, 2010
- 2,662
- 284
We have Raymond because we didn't want to pay MacArthur, who is worth every penny to the Sens this year.
The Leafs are going to be signing stopgaps left and right because of the money we have tied up in forwards that are signed for 4+ more years. So you say "Raymond is a stopgap" as if we're going to replace him with a more permanent solution, but we're not. And he's the absolute best we could have done with the room this team has available.
Screw signing these stop-gaps.
Let the kids play.
We're gonna have a slew of tweener prospects who are gonna need a shot at the NHL level to show what they have soon, so I hope we stop filling the roster with stop-gaps. I'd prefer one open spot for guys like D'Amigo, Leivo, Broll, Ashton and hopefully Biggs, Brown, etc. to fight over each season.
THose guys are fine for replacing depth like Orr and McLaren, but really only Leivo has shown that he might eventually be able to move up the lineup where we need good, cheap wingers. It'll become even more difficult to play a solid lineup if we don't re-sign Kulemin. Clarkson not being very good has really thrown a wrench in the works.
i agree 100%. also rc likes putting gardiner on his wrong side. rc is pretty strange sometimes when he actually tinkers with what works.
lupul's heart was in the right place as he felt it was his duty to get the leafs back on track when in the slump imo. the problem is that he's not a one man wrecking crew named ovie, to be able to do that.
I haven't watched a game in a bit, but if lupul is back on the right, then randy is crazy. Lupul even said that in Anaheim he couldn't produce because randy insisted on putting him on the rw.
Jvr bozak kessel
Lupul Kadri Ashton
Kulemin holland clarkson
I'd like to see this lineup for one game or two.
Jvr bozak kessel
Lupul Kadri Ashton
Kulemin holland clarkson
I'd like to see this lineup for one game or two.
therealkoho
Him/Leaf/fan
When the trades to bring in Lupul and JvR were made, I was neither yippy kiay happy nor over the top negative as were some LeafLanders
What I can tell you is that I never expected the kind of production the Leafs have gotten from these two guys, nor did I expec either one of them to turn into a league elite player types.
This years version of JvR is so much better then last years version(and last years version was very good) that I would now put him into the category of not just elite in the east but perhaps elite league/world wide. The beauty of it is he still seems to be still be making improvements on a game to game basis. I think he still has a ways to go before he gets to his ceiling and once there I think he may even reach and break the 40 goal plateau someday and hopefully with consistency
Lupul if he can stay healthy looks like a guy who can consistently be a 25 goal 60 point man and one of the teams best leaders. He plays a strong 200 foot game and has good enough hands and wheels that he can easily slot into 1st line duties if required.
This guy is a definite gem and even if he's had some bad luck in regard to injuries I like seeing him in the B&W
What I can tell you is that I never expected the kind of production the Leafs have gotten from these two guys, nor did I expec either one of them to turn into a league elite player types.
This years version of JvR is so much better then last years version(and last years version was very good) that I would now put him into the category of not just elite in the east but perhaps elite league/world wide. The beauty of it is he still seems to be still be making improvements on a game to game basis. I think he still has a ways to go before he gets to his ceiling and once there I think he may even reach and break the 40 goal plateau someday and hopefully with consistency
Lupul if he can stay healthy looks like a guy who can consistently be a 25 goal 60 point man and one of the teams best leaders. He plays a strong 200 foot game and has good enough hands and wheels that he can easily slot into 1st line duties if required.
This guy is a definite gem and even if he's had some bad luck in regard to injuries I like seeing him in the B&W
Was anybody really "over the top negative" about the Lupul and JVR trades? They were both blue-chip prospects who had then already gone on to show very high potential in the NHL.
