I think Brown hasn't been himself lately a view from the top for a few games might be just what he needs. Sosh has played on the PK a little bit Komarov-Kadri Sosh-smith or use it as a chance to try out Matthews or Marner there. Leivo can take Sosh or preferably komarov spot on the PP allowing them to be more rested on the PK
Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Josh Leivo to an extension -- 2 Years/1 Way | $612.5K AAV
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I think Brown hasn't been himself lately a view from the top for a few games might be just what he needs. Sosh has played on the PK a little bit Komarov-Kadri Sosh-smith or use it as a chance to try out Matthews or Marner there. Leivo can take Sosh or preferably komarov spot on the PP allowing them to be more rested on the PK
Gary Nylund
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It does seem probable that Babcock just doesn't like him. I'm not happy about it because I do like him - I have a soft spot for him ever since he impressed me the first time I saw him play with the Marlies and boy can he shoot the puck. Oh well.
SeaOfBlue
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- Aug 1, 2013
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Not necessarily. There is a big log jam at forward, especially on the wings. Do you think Laich, Greening, Leipsic, Kapanen, Michalek, Rychel, etc. shouldn't also be in the lineup right now? They are all guys who can play well in the NHL right now. But there are no spots available, and up until the Leafs traded Holland (the one person you can say Babcock didn't like), the Leafs had negative spots available for someone like Leivo.
If Babcock put Leivo in, who would he replace? JVR, Komarov and Martin aren't happening. Nylander, Hyman and Marner not also. So it's either Brown or Soshnikov. Would you rather have Leivo in as the 13th forward, or one of those two as the 13th forward/in the AHL. Most likely, we'd be having the same conversation as the one we are having right now, except sub in Leivo's name for Brown or Soshnikov. That's the decision Babcock is facing right now. Leivo is coming off of injury and it looked like it was still affecting him in the AHL, so that's probably the deciding factor for him right now.
Leivo will get into the lineup soon enough, it's just a matter of injuries, illness or maybe a forward needing a game off for him to sub in there.
Pretty much this. The guys he can sub-in for are important role players. He's not going to sub in for JVR, Marner, Nylander, and Sosh (who also kills). And Martin is the only enforcer. Leivo doesn't play centre and he doesn't kill penalties; until someone in the top 6 gets injured or sick on wing, he's sadly won't play.
I agree with what your saying but I'm not sure waiting on an injury is a great plan
I have a bit of a soft spot for Leivo so I'm a bit biased
What I'd like to see I'd Leivo subbed in for 50% of the games just to give the bulk of our young guys a breather here and there in some sort of a rotational way
It's a long NHL season with a lot of games and a good portion of our young guys have not had to face it as yet so the danger with burnout/hitting a wall is a real possibility
Sitting Brown Sosh Hyman even the big three every now and then would keep them fresh for the entire season especially with this condensed schedule
Martin and Komarov do nothing and lately we are having trouble scoring. Why not sit one of them and add some goal scoring.
Martin played 6:32 last night. Hes useless and even Babcock is realizing it. Can't believe we gave him $2.5million.
just because brown plays on the PK shouldn't make him immune from being sat, he hasnt played well enough lately and his 2 mins a night on the PK should not be enough reason to keep him in the team.
hes barely in the league ,leivo is the least of the leafs worries ,likely free up another contract soon
I would love to see Leivo get some game action. I am finding it more and more difficult to justify why he isn't there. At this point there is nothing to lose. He was an AHL allstar last year and led all Marlies forwards with points during their playoff run.
I do understand the log jam, but it wouldn't hurt to switch him in the line-up with a player like soshnikov or brown for a few games. This is no slight on them, I both think they are solid NHL players too, and have been great as rookies. I just feel it is for the greater good at the moment instead of letting one of our solid prospects sit in limbo.
I do understand the log jam, but it wouldn't hurt to switch him in the line-up with a player like soshnikov or brown for a few games. This is no slight on them, I both think they are solid NHL players too, and have been great as rookies. I just feel it is for the greater good at the moment instead of letting one of our solid prospects sit in limbo.
Nice, he'll be a bottom-6er in the NHL who will score more goals than the averag bottom-6er and win some board battles.
ottomaddox
Registered User
I beg to differ. This guy has been as flat as a pancake.
Why did we sign him?
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
He’s shown he doesn’t look out of place.
Next season they likely slot him into a scoring line with some skilled linemates’s and he’ll produce at a moderate level
Next season they likely slot him into a scoring line with some skilled linemates’s and he’ll produce at a moderate level
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Mess
Global Moderator
I think there’s a good chance this happens. JVR, Bozak, Komarov, Moore and Polak are all UFAs, and I think there’s a good chance we let all/most of them walk. We could fill most of those slots with cheap rookies (Leivo and Brown higher up the lineup, guys like Kapanen, Grundstrom, Dermott, Liljegren, Gauthier, etc. competing for spots), which would give us the cap space for one or two big slashes via free agency/trades.
That seems like the best way to improve the team to me.
Raging Bull
Present
Good God I hope not. Hopefully we have a better plan for that.
ottomaddox
Registered User
I don't disagree with this (mostly), but losing most of our UFAs makes the leafs look like a partial expansion team.
Also we can't assume that your list of players (Leivo, Brown, Kapanen, Grundstrom, Dermott, Liljegren, Gauthier) are all automatics for those spots. I think some thought Leivo and Brown were automatically promoted long ago. Now Leivo can't find a place on the team and Brown finds himself on the 4th line a lot.
ottomaddox
Registered User
Based on what? His zero NHL games?
How does he go from the AHL to replacing JVR's goals, PP minutes, top 6 minutes, etc. ?
Trapper
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That's just it. These players, Kapanen included, have very little NHL experience in various situations. And Babcock is a guy who puts players he trusts into those situations not just fan created rosters.
The problem is, with 3 UFAs, someone should have been developed more this season to assume that greater responsibility with greater experience. I don't care about developing Bozak. I'd rather develop Willy at C or Kapanen in the lineup.
ottomaddox
Registered User
Trapper,
I think that line tinkering and development comes another way. We can all assume that Babs is concentrating on winning. All are expiring UFAs will probably remain with the team beyond the TDL. You can't just sit JVR, Bozak, etc. They are working towards their next contract. You can't just ask them to step aside for for tinkering and prospect development.
I think that line tinkering and development comes another way. We can all assume that Babs is concentrating on winning. All are expiring UFAs will probably remain with the team beyond the TDL. You can't just sit JVR, Bozak, etc. They are working towards their next contract. You can't just ask them to step aside for for tinkering and prospect development.
TimPeel
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- Dec 10, 2017
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As much as I like Leivo and Kapanen, I don't think it would be smart to rely on them next year to pick up the slack if JVR leaves. I'd like to see Leivo, Kapanen, Shoshnikov, and Goat in the line up more consistently. We should be continuing to build on speed, skill, and youth. I think this team needs JVR, but perhaps not for 8 years, rather 4 - 5.
Trapper
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I'm not asking them to step aside.
Like any team faced with signing their core and upcoming UFAs, this team should have decided back in the summer who wasn't part of the long term build.
As I've said, if Bozak was moved in the summer, you could have moved Willy to C and by virtue of that inserted Kapanen in the lineup on a nightly basis. A year of experience at C for Willy, a year of experience in the NHL for Kappy. Then someone is UFA at the end of the season and insert Johnsson/whoever.
This is a team still looking to finish the build IMO. You should not have 2/3rds of a line plus the guy taking all the minutes PK/whatever walking at the end of the year.
Is this current setup better, worse or the same:
Hyman...Matthews...Marner
Marleau...Kadri...Komarov
JVR...Nylander...Brown
You get assets for Bozak but you could have moved any of the 3. At least one to promote the next NHL ready Marlie in line.
