News Article: Leafs Analysis at Centre - Kadri,Bolland,Bozak

[Mess]

No panic, although if they moved a D for a forward it wouldn't bother me.

How about moving a D to forward ?.

Leafs depth is on defense in extra bodies available.

Jake Gardiner was a center his entire career before being switched to defense in College.

Move Jake up into a forward role to fill in for injuries and insert Mark Fraser on the D to replace him. Tell Gardiner to rush the puck up the ice when he gets it and he personally wouldn't do anything different that he is already asked to do now.

Jake Gardiner might be our Paul Reinhart.

 

[Mess]

They just don't seem to agree the top line center is what they need most, and keep adding at other positions .They now have so much salary invested in large contracts,they couldn't free up the money for that big FA if he did become available.
Which contracts could they trade next year for that top line center?

Trade Phil Kessel for Eric Staal or Anze Kopitar or Nicklas Backstrom etc etc and problem solved.

 

[Garbs]

How about moving a D to forward ?.

Leafs depth is on defense in extra bodies available.

Jake Gardiner was a center his entire career before being switched to defense in College.

Move Jake up into a forward role to fill in for injuries and insert Mark Fraser on the D to replace him. Tell Gardiner to rush the puck up the ice when he gets it and he personally wouldn't do anything different that he is already asked to do now.

Jake Gardiner might be our Paul Reinhart.

And after that we can shift Sundin to RW, so Wellwood can be promoted to #1C where he belongs.


Good times, good times.

 

[ULF_55]

How about moving a D to forward ?.

Leafs depth is on defense in extra bodies available.

Jake Gardiner was a center his entire career before being switched to defense in College.

Move Jake up into a forward role to fill in for injuries and insert Mark Fraser on the D to replace him. Tell Gardiner to rush the puck up the ice when he gets it and he personally wouldn't do anything different that he is already asked to do now.

Jake Gardiner might be our Paul Reinhart.

Did you mean Red Kelly?

 

[Mess]

And after that we can shift Sundin to RW, so Wellwood can be promoted to #1C where he belongs.

Good times, good times.

If I'm choosing between Jake Gardiner or Trevor Smith as my 3rd line center, I'm going with Jake.

If I'm inserting Fraser on D to replace Gardiner, I fell that is also an improvement then recalling Greg McKegg to man that 3rd line spot just to keep Gardiner on D and Fraser in the pressbox.

Desperate times require desperate measures !!.

 

[Mess]

Did you mean Red Kelly?

Red Kelly without the Norris trophy.

Pretty gutsy trading for a Norris Trophy winning Dman and moving him to Center ice upon arrival by Imlach.

If people don't like the idea of Gardiner at forward I would love to have seen the reaction of moving an award winning Dman out of position. How many Cups did the Leafs win after making the move, 4 if I recall correctly?

Maybe Gardiner is our new Gary Leeman?

 

[The Legend]

We made the playoffs, he did his job, the coach was aware enough how to achieve this. He is not paid to ACCOMODATE one player so his stats line look good.

Maybe if we accommodated that player better then he would still be here and producing like he did for the majority of his career (including this year).

 

[The Legend]

All these people saying we can easily replace Bozak, but not a single person has dropped a name with a player who we have that could replace him.

And don't say Grabovski because Grabovski wasn't getting along with our coach which isn't good for the locker room.

So....maybe that's an issue with the coach for not using him properly? Just a crazy thought.

 

[The Legend]

The truth that is literally right in front of us is that with Bozak as their #1 center the Leafs are currently 4th in the league in goals scored, were 6th in the league in goals scored last season, and were 10th in the league in goals scored the season before.

It is amazing how people like you keep ignoring those facts. But I guess evidence only matters when it supports your agenda eh?

Correlation not causation.

 

[The Legend]

This is not a thread about Grabo. First.

Second, this is worth repeating, Grabo being miscast is a bogus excuse made by his fans. The coach made the playoffs without Grabo in the top 6, a point I said prior to the season. If Kadri is in the top 6 and Grabo is not, this team would win more games. So no, he was not misused.

1. Bolland can handle the job he couldn't
2. Kadri beat him out at #2C
3. Grabo started the year as #2C, but stunk
4. Grabo is great at circling the zone, directing shots off his arse toward the opposing nets
5. Grabo is the #3C in Washington (the 18th best team in the NHL at the moment)

Enough of this Grabo stuff, he was -20 last year with 18 points. He is me guy, losing player. There is a reason why no one wanted him until a week prior to training camp. The guy is weak physically, lacks IQ, and is incapable of playing in a winning system.

Leave him where he is, where He is happy playing run and gun, stats pumping hockey on a mediocre team so he can try to sign his next contract. He is gone and Bolland was much better at his job than he ever was.

How convenient that you mysteriously ignore the option of Kadri at 1C, Grabo at 2C and Bolland at 3C.

 

[Mess]

The truth that is literally right in front of us is that with Bozak as their #1 center the Leafs are currently 4th in the league in goals scored, were 6th in the league in goals scored last season, and were 10th in the league in goals scored the season before.

It is amazing how people like you keep ignoring those facts. But I guess evidence only matters when it supports your agenda eh?

Is that the same as saying Leafs are 4th in the league in goals scored so we don't need Sidney Crosby to improve the center ice position either, as Bozak will do?.

 

[thewave]

How convenient that you mysteriously ignore the option of Kadri at 1C, Grabo at 2C and Bolland at 3C.

I don't hate Bozak, I think he is a terrible hockey player. That man pretty much hates Grabo down to his existence. All the way to the point of taking it to the main board trying to sway people against taking him on. Has on his face now though I guess, Grabo performing better than expected.

 

[Patience]

When Red Kelly became a center, it would be the equivalent of Scott Niedermeyer or Paul Coffey getting converted to center at age 30 long after years of success on defense.

 

[trickster]

How about moving a D to forward ?.

Leafs depth is on defense in extra bodies available.

Jake Gardiner was a center his entire career before being switched to defense in College.

Move Jake up into a forward role to fill in for injuries and insert Mark Fraser on the D to replace him. Tell Gardiner to rush the puck up the ice when he gets it and he personally wouldn't do anything different that he is already asked to do now.

Jake Gardiner might be our Paul Reinhart.

I like this idea Mess. I also though Liles could be an effective center.

 

[mikebel111*]

I don't hate Bozak, I think he is a terrible hockey player. That man pretty much hates Grabo down to his existence. All the way to the point of taking it to the main board trying to sway people against taking him on. Has on his face now though I guess, Grabo performing better than expected.

Only a matter of time before grabo goes invisible for 6 games.

 

[mikebel111*]

So....maybe that's an issue with the coach for not using him properly? Just a crazy thought.

Grabo was given chances first 10 games and didnt perform So no thats not it.

 

[Igy]

How about moving a D to forward ?.

Leafs depth is on defense in extra bodies available.

Jake Gardiner was a center his entire career before being switched to defense in College.

Move Jake up into a forward role to fill in for injuries and insert Mark Fraser on the D to replace him. Tell Gardiner to rush the puck up the ice when he gets it and he personally wouldn't do anything different that he is already asked to do now.

Jake Gardiner might be our Paul Reinhart.

I thought he was a winger? If he was a centre, I completely support your suggestion.

 

[The Legend]

Grabo was given chances first 10 games and didnt perform So no thats not it.

If you really think a ten game sample is enough to determine a players value.....

 

[thewave]

If you really think a ten game sample is enough to determine a players value.....

You should be able to do it in one game.

 

[MajorityRules*]

Well Kadri sure looked fantastic on Saturday against Vancouver.

With Bolland out long term and Bozak still gone for a few weeks, Kadri better learn how to play both ends of the ice in a damn hurry because he looked lost on Saturday, definitely not #1 centre worthy. Worst game I've seen him play since being a mainstay on the team.

 

[ULF_55]

Well Kadri sure looked fantastic on Saturday against Vancouver.

With Bolland out long term and Bozak still gone for a few weeks, Kadri better learn how to play both ends of the ice in a damn hurry because he looked lost on Saturday, definitely not #1 centre worthy. Worst game I've seen him play since being a mainstay on the team.

Have to give him time.

Anyone looking without bias knows he isn't ready to be on the 1st. line.

And it wasn't just against the Canucks, he was the same against the Flames.

Players take their own route to their personal pinnacle let's give Kadri another couple seasons to get the experience he needs.

 

[Igy]

Well Kadri sure looked fantastic on Saturday against Vancouver.

With Bolland out long term and Bozak still gone for a few weeks, Kadri better learn how to play both ends of the ice in a damn hurry because he looked lost on Saturday, definitely not #1 centre worthy. Worst game I've seen him play since being a mainstay on the team.

You can say the same about almost everyone else on the team as well.

 

[MajorityRules*]

Have to give him time.

Anyone looking without bias knows he isn't ready to be on the 1st. line.

And it wasn't just against the Canucks, he was the same against the Flames.

Players take their own route to their personal pinnacle let's give Kadri another couple seasons to get the experience he needs.

I realize that and I did notice his game against the Flames as well. It just stood out more against the Canucks. He's not playing very well in his own end and the team is really going to need him to pick it up quickly based on injuries so far.

I have faith he'll become a great player at both ends of the ice. I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

 

[MajorityRules*]

You can say the same about almost everyone else on the team as well.

I'm sure I could however this thread is about the Leafs centres and 2 of the 3 names mentioned in the subject are injured which leaves me to talk about Kadri. If someone wants to read about the entire team sucking I'd direct them to the PGT on Saturday.

 

[ULF_55]

You can say the same about almost everyone else on the team as well.

Ranger and Gunnarsson weren't on the ice for goals against, and Gunnarsson played 8 minutes on the PK.