The Sun: Leafs' Matt Frattin will be better second time around

[Stephen]

Not exactly. I think almost everyone was rooting for him. But the truth is in the numbers. He produced for a small stretch with the Leafs in his career and has yet to show anything this preseason. He's also 27 now so it's not like you can expect him to get exponentially better.

What's frustrating is it seems like he's gotten exponentially worse. And with his skillset he could be effective as an energy role guy, but he's not even doing that properly.

 

[FifthLine]

What's frustrating is it seems like he's gotten exponentially worse. And with his skillset he could be effective as an energy role guy, but he's not even doing that properly.

Agreed. Haven't seen him hit the net yet, or even finish a check really. Its sad, like Carlyle said.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

There are a few players that did well in the 48 game season that have not done as well in a real 82 game season.

I think Frattin is one of these players. Said this before, it was an asterisk season. It was a strange season.

Martin St Louis won the scoring championship and then finished 19th the following year. Mark Fraser was. +15. Tlusty was 34th in scoring that year. Who finished 34th in scoring last year, Ryan Johansen, Nathan Mackinnon was 35th.

Maybe the Leafs shouldn't have judged him off of good memories of an asterisk season. He's showing that performance was an aberration rather than the truth of what he is.

 

[Stephen]

There are a few players that did well in the 48 game season that have not done as well in a real 82 game season.

I think Frattin is one of these players. Said this before, it was an asterisk season. It was a strange season.

Martin St Louis won the scoring championship and then finished 19th the following year. Mark Fraser was. +15. Tlusty was 34th in scoring that year. Who finished 34th in scoring last year, Ryan Johansen, Nathan Mackinnon was 35th.

Maybe the Leafs shouldn't have judged him off of good memories of an asterisk season. He's showing that performance was an aberration rather than the truth of what he is.

This is true. The Leafs won big by peddling him off in the Bernier trade, but like I said earlier, Frattin's success came from just playing a simple, honest, high energy game. He had a bit of offensive spike with Kadri for the two weeks or whatever it was, but he still initiated some heavy hitting and worked hard. Those are basic ingredients that should keep him employed in the NHL, but it's like the moment he got to LA he completely forgot how to play the game. In a way it is sad that someone could mess up such a simple formula.

 

[buttman*]

Not exactly. I think almost everyone was rooting for him. But the truth is in the numbers. He produced for a small stretch with the Leafs in his career and has yet to show anything this preseason. He's also 27 now so it's not like you can expect him to get exponentially better.

It's preseason. He produced his last stint with the Leafs and had a major knee injury. Got traded and is now back. It usually takes about a year to recover from a major injury.

He's actually 26 but I understand why you rounded up. He's been in the league 2 years. He has played very well with Kadri. Which begs the question why Randy has not put him back there to rekindle old chemistry. Especially when Leivo had a big night with Bozak last week.

I'm not prepared to write off ANY of the new recruits in the preseason. TO do so would be premature and not very smart since guys are stil getting their timing back.

If we are going to bring the whips out -- what about Holland's 0 point in 5 games? Lupul's lacklustre performance? Reimer?

The way people talk about Kozun you think he's lighting it up, when in reality he has one goal more than Frattin. How quicky that can change.

 

[Joey24]

This is true. The Leafs won big by peddling him off in the Bernier trade, but like I said earlier, Frattin's success came from just playing a simple, honest, high energy game. He had a bit of offensive spike with Kadri for the two weeks or whatever it was, but he still initiated some heavy hitting and worked hard. Those are basic ingredients that should keep him employed in the NHL, but it's like the moment he got to LA he completely forgot how to play the game. In a way it is sad that someone could mess up such a simple formula.

He doesn't look anything like the player he was before he left in the LA trade. He just seems disinterested and detached, seems like a guy who's just going through the motions and that's defiantly not something you want to see in a player who's suppose to be fighting for a job.

I saw a game highlight of him from the other night where he was skating in the offensive zone with the puck and just looked like he gave up, no compete in him what so ever... Not sure what happened to him but he's defiantly not the high energy, guy who finished his checks the first time around.

I do think he deserves another look tho, hope he can get it back because I thought for sure he would be a decent addition to the 3rd line.

 

[HockeyCA]

It's preseason. He produced his last stint with the Leafs and had a major knee injury. Got traded and is now back. It usually takes about a year to recover from a major injury.

He's actually 26 but I understand why you rounded up. He's been in the league 2 years. He has played very well with Kadri. Which begs the question why Randy has not put him back there to rekindle old chemistry. Especially when Leivo had a big night with Bozak last week.

I'm not prepared to write off ANY of the new recruits in the preseason. TO do so would be premature and not very smart since guys are stil getting their timing back.

If we are going to bring the whips out -- what about Holland's 0 point in 5 games? Lupul's lacklustre performance? Reimer?

The way people talk about Kozun you think he's lighting it up, when in reality he has one goal more than Frattin. How quicky that can change.

Guess you haven't been watching the games then... Because he's been outplayed every game by several players, including Kozun.

 

[FifthLine]

It's preseason. He produced his last stint with the Leafs and had a major knee injury. Got traded and is now back. It usually takes about a year to recover from a major injury.

He's actually 26 but I understand why you rounded up. He's been in the league 2 years. He has played very well with Kadri. Which begs the question why Randy has not put him back there to rekindle old chemistry. Especially when Leivo had a big night with Bozak last week.

I'm not prepared to write off ANY of the new recruits in the preseason. TO do so would be premature and not very smart since guys are stil getting their timing back.

If we are going to bring the whips out -- what about Holland's 0 point in 5 games? Lupul's lacklustre performance? Reimer?

The way people talk about Kozun you think he's lighting it up, when in reality he has one goal more than Frattin. How quicky that can change.

Don't get caught up in looking at numbers. Just watch the game. Yeah Kozun has 1 goal, expect you notice him even when he isn't scoring. Frattin doesn't look even close to the same as he was with the leafs for that stint.

 

[Stephen]

He doesn't look anything like the player he was before he left in the LA trade. He just seems disinterested and detached, seems like a guy who's just going through the motions and that's defiantly not something you want to see in a player who's suppose to be fighting for a job.

I saw a game highlight of him from the other night where he was skating in the offensive zone with the puck and just looked like he gave up, no compete in him what so ever... Not sure what happened to him but he's defiantly not the high energy, guy who finished his checks the first time around.

I do think he deserves another look tho, hope he can get it back because I thought for sure he would be a decent addition to the 3rd line.

Maybe he felt he could be complacent coming back to a familiar environment.

 

[blueberrie]

It would seem Leaf fans have found their new whipping boy. Congratulations.

I think you need to be an NHL player before you can be the whipping boy.

 

[Leafspoison*]

the sun was wrong. Frattin sucks. No desire. Send him packing. If a player has no will to compete....kill him....er what I mean is kill his NHL career.

 

[Rogie]

It just hasn't worked out for Frattin. He doesn't look like the player he used to be AT ALL.

I have no idea why, maybe he's still recovering from injury and doesn't have the speed back yet, perhaps he's lost his motivation a little bit. Maybe he was playing above his head (that 10 or 20 game stretch we fondly remember), OR something else.

At times, it looks like he DOES still have speed IF he turns it on.

For whatever reason, he doesn't seem to want to hit anything and that's A BIG PROBLEM for the kind of player he has to be.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

D'Amigo meh...Frattin had more of a nose for the net.

As his 21 games without ONE goal clearly showed

 

[Hurt]

Maybe he felt he could be complacent coming back to a familiar environment.

He would have to live in a bubble if he thinks that. The Leafs have many guys who are fighting for roster spots to get moved up from the AHL and many guys who want to prove themselves so that they can make more money next year. There is no guarantees with this roster.

I hope he can turn it around because he would be a useful player if he's on.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

This is true. The Leafs won big by peddling him off in the Bernier trade, but like I said earlier, Frattin's success came from just playing a simple, honest, high energy game. He had a bit of offensive spike with Kadri for the two weeks or whatever it was, but he still initiated some heavy hitting and worked hard. Those are basic ingredients that should keep him employed in the NHL, but it's like the moment he got to LA he completely forgot how to play the game. In a way it is sad that someone could mess up such a simple formula.

He looks slower and less engaged, not sure what became of him. The only thing I can chalk it up to, is in that 48 game season some performances seemed better than what they truly were. The first deal Frattin and a 2nd for Bernier was a good one, but we gave part of that back with the D'amigo deal.

 

[buttman*]

Guess you haven't been watching the games then... Because he's been outplayed every game by several players, including Kozun.

Guess you haven't been reading the post then, because I said it's 'preseason'. For anyone that doesn't think things will change when the regular season starts hasn't got a good grasp of hockey.

Take a look at the NHL Preseason leader board, it will be very different once the season starts.

Kozun is too small to be effective in todays NHL. Skating around in the preseason and potting one goal does not make him a bonafide NHL'er.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Guess you haven't been reading the post then, because I said it's 'preseason'. For anyone that doesn't think things will change when the regular season starts hasn't got a good grasp of hockey.

Take a look at the NHL Preseason leader board, it will be very different once the season starts.

Kozun is too small to be effective in todays NHL. Skating around in the preseason and potting one goal does not make him a bonafide NHL'er.

You mean too small like Gallagher, Marchand or Marty St. Louis because they should obviously be in Europe

 

[RoadWarrior]

It just hasn't worked out for Frattin. He doesn't look like the player he used to be AT ALL.

I have no idea why, maybe he's still recovering from injury and doesn't have the speed back yet, perhaps he's lost his motivation a little bit. Maybe he was playing above his head (that 10 or 20 game stretch we fondly remember), OR something else.

At times, it looks like he DOES still have speed IF he turns it on.

For whatever reason, he doesn't seem to want to hit anything and that's A BIG PROBLEM for the kind of player he has to be.

I'm fairly certain his knee is shot. So he really doesn't have the same acceleration that he did before. His skating is barely at an nhl level. It's a shame because he was similar to komarov in his last stint.

Frattin will most likely be cut in favour of leivo and kozun.

 

[Stephen]

Kozun is too small to be effective in todays NHL. Skating around in the preseason and potting one goal does not make him a bonafide NHL'er.

It's always funny to see Leafs fans and the organization write people off. Last time I checked, Gerbe, Gionta, Desharnais, Briere, St. Louis, Zuccarello and Marchand, etc. are making solid contributions just fine.

 

[MJ65]

Guess you haven't been reading the post then, because I said it's 'preseason'. For anyone that doesn't think things will change when the regular season starts hasn't got a good grasp of hockey.

Take a look at the NHL Preseason leader board, it will be very different once the season starts.

Kozun is too small to be effective in todays NHL. Skating around in the preseason and potting one goal does not make him a bonafide NHL'er.

Who is saying that he is a bonafide NHLer but he deserve a chance as he has outplayed his competition

 

[varano]

Can't believe they traded d'amigo for that bum

 

[Super Mega]

I always thought Frattin was wildly overrated in Toronto, then he went to LA and it pretty much confirmed that feeling

loved Damigo, great heart and soul kid that we traded for something we easily could have found in free agency

 

[Primary Assist]

It's a shame. Lots of promise but I think his knee is done fir. Would have been a real good energy line guy but that injury may have sealed the deal on his career.

 

[varano]

I always thought Frattin was wildly overrated in Toronto, then he went to LA and it pretty much confirmed that feeling

loved Damigo, great heart and soul kid that we traded for something we easily could have found in free agency

AND to columbus.......Thats when the bernier trade looked like a fleecing.

Guess not. I miss Jerry

 

[McGuiresMonsters]

Frattin looked bad when I watched him this pre-season. He's probably low on confidence now and I don't see him turning it around with the Leafs.