Sportsnet: Joffrey Lupul: What the Maple Leafs must do to contend (Mod Warning!)

[The Winter Soldier]

I see Lupul getting a lot of grief here, and yes, partially he deserves some heat to come his way. But he never had any good line mates last year either, playing with Kadri, Clarkson, Raymond would have made Kessel or JVR slump too.

Let's be objective here.

 

[Durrr]

Lupul does not get it if he still thinks they played well enough to win. If Lupul doesn't get it then it scares the hell out of me because its possible none of them (players, coaches management) get it so I am hoping Lupul is just saying what he thinks he needs to say because its the media training thing.

uhhh lol....

I think he's clearly saying they didn't play well enough.

 

[J1S]

Totally agree with most of the posts regarding his god awful season last year, but at the same time respect Lupul for telling it like it is, cliche or not. He's one of the few Leafs who makes noise in the media outside of pre/post game pressor's, but he needs to translate these statements into some on ice production, otherwise they are meaningless.

 

[Stephen]

I don't know what people expect the guy to say?

He is not going to speak negatively about any single player on the team.

I would appreciate it if he called himself out and laid out a good plan for what to expect from Joffrey Lupul.

 

[TootooTrain]

I would appreciate it if he called himself out and laid out a good plan for what to expect from Joffrey Lupul.

That doesn't sell a story unfortunately.

 

[Bullseye]

Wasn't long ago most of you dumping on Lupul wanted him to be the Captain here instead of Dion because he speaks up and provides leadership.

I agree, his turnovers last year were concerning but the team was not playing as a team and he was trying to provide the leadership on the ice that was lacking. Look for more leadership this season from Lupul - this article is one example. Quit dumping on him for saying what's right.

 

[leafs in five]

get better bounces, have better leaders and the Leafs can contend. i don't think it really matters what a player on the team thinks about this but it sucks that the front office seems to think the same thing as the "contracts aren't awarded by this CORSI i'm hearing about" guy.

"and I think a lot of those games I look back and think we played well enough to win but we didn’t."

sometimes i think the Leafs are just a performance art piece that aims to drive the hockey internet insane.

 

[leafs in five]

uhhh lol....

I think he's clearly saying they didn't play well enough.

where? certainly not when he said "I think a lot of those games I look back and think we played well enough to win but we didn’t."

 

[FreeBird]

I would like to see a lot more hunger out of Lupul to be honest. He's one of the 'older' guys that are supposed to be mentoring Kadri etc.

I'd love to see Joffrey be the most dominant player in the opposing teams end, and not in ours, he's easily the most dangerous forward in our end.

 

[Diatomic]

I see Lupul getting a lot of grief here, and yes, partially he deserves some heat to come his way. But he never had any good line mates last year either, playing with Kadri, Clarkson, Raymond would have made Kessel or JVR slump too.

Let's be objective here.

Lupul played with the leafs highest scoring center and regularly on a line with 2 20 goal scorers.

 

[leafs in five]

Interactif: Joffrey Lupul: What the Maple Leafs must do to contend: clone Tyler Bozak

 

[leafs in five]

did Lupul have a career year playing with Bozak? can't remember

 

[Diatomic]

I would appreciate it if he called himself out and laid out a good plan for what to expect from Joffrey Lupul.

Spa, tanning, photoshoot, hockey game, restaurant, nightclub, after party

- rinse and repeat

 

[Sypher04]

I see Lupul getting a lot of grief here, and yes, partially he deserves some heat to come his way. But he never had any good line mates last year either, playing with Kadri, Clarkson, Raymond would have made Kessel or JVR slump too.

Let's be objective here.

Lupul's subpar play this past season held Naz back. Not the other way around.

 

[leafs in five]

Spa, tanning, photoshoot, hockey game, restaurant, nightclub, after party

- rinse and repeat

career year (if i get to play with Bozak)

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'd love to see Joffrey be the most dominant player in the opposing teams end, and not in ours, he's easily the most dangerous forward in our end.

That be true

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Lupul's subpar play this past season held Naz back. Not the other way around.

Do you not think his line mates had something to do with it? They were a combined minus -40 as a line last year when Clarkson was on the line with Lupul, and Kadri.

Blame on one player is far more convenient.

 

[Sypher04]

Do you not think his line mates had something to do with it? They were a combined minus -40 as a line last year when Clarkson was on the line with Lupul, and Kadri.

Blame on one player is far more convenient.

I didn't exactly say that the line didn't share some blame, but the problem imo is that Lupul as the veteran on the line needs to do more than he did. He needs to set the example.

With this said. I feel like Carlyle's refusal to pick a linemate that makes sense for them and stick with it for any kind of extended time frame really hurt both Lupul and Kadri in terms of consistency.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I didn't exactly say that the line didn't share some blame, but the problem imo is that Lupul as the veteran on the line needs to do more than he did. He needs to set the example.

With this said. I feel like Carlyle's refusal to pick a linemate that makes sense for them and stick with it for any kind of extended time frame really hurt both Lupul and Kadri in terms of consistency.

Lupul as a leader and for this he shares a lot of the blame, but if one is objective, the blame should be spread around. Kadri did not have a good year, really I don't want to hear the excuses why he didn't because that is the usual refrain for this player. Clarkson was bad, and no one I have seen has been willing to cut him any slack here.

It was a line that under performed defensively, in particular Kadri and Lupul who were giveaway machines. Clarkson was simply skating in a fog. No one is spared.

 

[Sypher04]

Lupul as a leader and for this he shares a lot of the blame, but if one is objective, the blame should be spread around. Kadri did not have a good year, really I don't want to hear the excuses why he didn't because that is the usual refrain for this player. Clarkson was bad, and no one I have seen has been willing to cut him any slack here.

It was a line that under performed defensively, in particular Kadri and Lupul who were giveaway machines. Clarkson was simply skating in a fog. No one is spared.

The blame absolutely should be spread around, I have never stated otherwise, but it's entirely reasonable to say that your veteran players will and should shoulder more of it.

People are so jaded regarding Kadri, it's laughable. Did Kadri have a good season? Not exactly, he had his problems. Did he have a bad season? Absolutely not. People's expectations for him are so out of whack that because he's not yet a point per game player in his less than 200 NHL games he's somehow failing.

Kadri's giveaways are also grossly exaggerated, and they have been from day one here. I suspect if you go on NHL.com and pull up the statistics they will be back me up in saying, he probably was probably barely in the top 10 on the team in giveaways this year. And we were a bad giveaway team. Offensive players come with that trade off. Kessel gives the puck away, as much or more than anyone else on this team. It's going to happen. Would we all ideally like them to be less? well obviously, but it's also fair to say there is a learning curve.

Kadri needs to improve. Strength and faceoffs are both going to be a key area for him to work on if he's going to get better, but to say that a sophomore player (technically first full season) who puts up 20 goals, and 50+ points had a bad season at the age of 23 is absolutely ludicrous.

 

[sommervr]

Lupul as a leader and for this he shares a lot of the blame, but if one is objective, the blame should be spread around. Kadri did not have a good year, really I don't want to hear the excuses why he didn't because that is the usual refrain for this player. Clarkson was bad, and no one I have seen has been willing to cut him any slack here.

It was a line that under performed defensively, in particular Kadri and Lupul who were giveaway machines. Clarkson was simply skating in a fog. No one is spared.

Kadri and Bozak both had bad years defensively. Can you guess who was worse? (Hint it was Bozak)

http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_stat...+36+37+38+39+40+47+48+49+50+51+52+53+54+55+56

 

[Durkin67]

I think Lupes is bang on here. A more experienced, battle hardened, focused group would be more likely to control the damage when they begin to slump, before the all too familiar death spiral ensues. Everyone appeared lost in space when the losing skid turned into an all out tailspin, and it is this lack of composure and experience that reveals their collective weakness, and ultimate undoing, time and again.

That doesn't mean trading a Kadri or a Gardiner for a Patrick Sharp or a Kevin Bieksa; however, a better mix of proven winners would certainly be advantageous. That's the mindset behind hires like Bolland, Raymond, and Beauchemin and Versteeg back in the day of Burke. Proven post season experience and effectiveness. It's a delicate balance that needs to be struck here, and I am not convinced they can achieve it before the likes of Kessel and JVR have had enough of the blue and white circus.

 

[leafs in five]

they played maybe a dozen good games the entire season.

 

[leafs in five]

That doesn't mean trading a Kadri or a Gardiner for a Patrick Sharp or a Kevin Bieksa; however, a better mix of proven winners would certainly be advantageous. That's the mindset behind hires like Bolland, Raymond, and Beauchemin and Versteeg back in the day of Burke. Proven post season experience and effectiveness.

right, the Leafs have been adding "grit" leadership experience whatever for years and the team hasn't improved

 

[Durkin67]

right, the Leafs have been adding "grit" leadership experience whatever for years and the team hasn't improved

Go ahead and re read the part about delicate balance... I'll wait...