Leafs scapegoat this season?

[Suntouchable13]

The fans....for making something out of nothing.

There's not one Leaf fan who can honestly say, "we're playing worse than I thought we would be." If anything we're playing better than expected.

Scapegoat? You use a scapegoat as an out when something doesn't go as planned. Everything's been going swimmingly if you ask me.

Anyone planned on Lupul getting hurt so early? Anyone planned on Kessel not having a goal yet?

 

[tony135420]

Anyone planned on Lupul getting hurt so early? Anyone planned on Kessel not having a goal yet?

Injuries happen. Slumps are part of the game. Yet we're still playing better than or on par with what most "critics" forecast.

We're by no means outplaying a majority of the league. But then again, what were our realistic expectations?

 

[mapleleaf979]

Randy Carlyle at the end of this season will become the Scapegoat. Nonis wanted Eakins over Carlyle, obviously Burke made the call as he was GM. Nonis will get his wish after the season. One thing all players do when they leave the Marlies wheather its Aulie, Orr, Kadri, Frattin etc..they all rave about Eakins. He is a players coach.

 

[legendinblue]

There's too many at this point heh.

But Kostka is the popular choice.

 

[ULF_55]

Not being 6'3" and Canadian is the least of Grabovski's problems. He should get a schedule and try showing up to more than half of Leaf games.

Maybe he doesn't want to show up before Kessel and Phaneuf? Doesn't want to highlight their games?

 

[ULF_55]

The "sniper" who isn't accurate enough.

Is that what they call a paradox?

 

[Hyperglide]

Kessel for me - Hasn't done jack squat this season. Didn't improve his conditioning, his defensive game, and is not scoring goals. He's also arguably the wimpiest and softest player in the league. Has he ever thrown a hit?

 

[seanlinden]

Realistically, I don't see how you can blame anyone other than Phil Kessel. He's paid $5.4m to put the puck in the net. He's taken more shots and shooting opportunities than any player in the league, and has zero goals.

Not only is he failing to contribute, he's probably hurting the team with him taking all of those opportunities instead of a player who might have put the puck in the net.

 

[DaveT83*]

Hands down Phil Kessel - The guy we've been rebuilding around for the past 4 years - is now a complete non-factor in any game since RC took over. I'd even lean towards him doing more things to hurt the hockey club right now then help it.

 

[ConnorTO]

ironic how the teams that are below us are teams people here.. via the durp hfboard fans

would prefer to have on the Leafs roster in exchange
very ironic

and we'd never expect those teams to be in the bottom of the pit
****en A

 

[TheProspector]

Kostka has been good.

There. I said it.

A PP master? No. But he has made some reaallly good defensive stick plays, and he+Phaneuf have looked really good outside of a few glaring mistakes in the first 2 games of the season.

They are almost never hemmed into their own zone.

 

[Kb21]

i'd blame the two highest paid guys on our team. this is still a team game but they haven't done their share of the load.

as for the kostka hate, we can't blame him. he is placed in a bad situation. he shouldn't be higher then a 2nd pair Dman, carlyle just believes he is the second coming of Beauchemin

 

[Hyperglide]

Hands down Phil Kessel - The guy we've been rebuilding around for the past 4 years - is now a complete non-factor in any game since RC took over. I'd even lean towards him doing more things to hurt the hockey club right now then help it.

Who is that in your avatar?

 

[Mystifo]

Can we just blame ourselves and call it a day? I mean if need be you can all blame me for it.

 

[Hyperglide]

EDIT: Prob get dubs for this. Deleted post.

 

[thecatch22]

Can we just blame ourselves and call it a day? I mean if need be you can all blame me for it.

****ing Bill Clinton.

 

[cyris]

Hands down Phil Kessel - The guy we've been rebuilding around for the past 4 years - is now a complete non-factor in any game since RC took over. I'd even lean towards him doing more things to hurt the hockey club right now then help it.

Leading the them in assists, 4th in points only 2 behind the leader, even +/-.

Definitely hurting the team.

 

[number72]

When the best player on the leafs (Kessel) is not the best player - then you have your answer. The fact is 20% of the season has passed and Kessel has failed to score one goal. Iggy has and Ovi has . But Kessel's role is to score goals and score many goals and he is not meeting expectations.

 

[MajorityRules*]

Dumb thread and typical of this place

 

[Raym11]

no scapegoat. this team is just playing to their worth. a 8-12th place in conference team.


no reason to expect any better

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I'll offer this thread this, the guy that makes 5.5M per that can't set up Kulemin if his life depended on it, who has a problem marking anything with a Marc or Jordan Staal name on a jersey should be a whipping boy this year, but always seems to fly under the radar of blame here.

 

[Raym11]

Leading the them in assists, 4th in points only 2 behind the leader, even +/-.

Definitely hurting the team.

he gets paid to lead the team in goals

and looking at the roster, he outscored the next closest player by 30 points (not including lupul because hes injured).


So why is he not leading the team in points? It's far and away Kessel, regardless of how "well" hes played without scoring, he is paid and relied on to score goals. He's not.


i expected atleast 5-7 goals by now from him. I'm assuming so did everyone else.

 

[DaveT83*]

Who is that in your avatar?

Omar Little!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Little

 

[UFancyHuh]

Its not Kostka's fault his coach decides to play him 25mins a night,he's a good Dman just not good enough for 1st pairing. I think Carlyl is more at blame than Kostka.