Sportsnet: Roenick: Leafs leaders must be held accountable

[Zaled]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...s-cody-franson-dion-phaneuf-brendan-shanahan/

Jeremy Roenick knows precisely what he’d do if he were the new president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would make the group accountable for their collapse and insist on team defence.

“With the Toronto Maple Leafs giving up an average of 36 shots defensively and you have a guy like Dion Phaneuf, who just signed a $7 million [per year] contract, that’s just unacceptable,†Roenick told Brady & Walker on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Wednesday morning. “Brendan Shanahan really has to start laying the law down and making these guys who are making a lot of money and have a lot of expectations on them stop making excuses and stop talking about slumps and just get the job done. Or just don’t put them on the ice.â€

The outspoken former player, now an NHL analyst for NBC Sports, Roenick went on to describe Phaneuf as a “very, very good hockey player,†but pointed out that the reason he logged a team-high 23:33 per game is because the Leafs give their captain little support in the defensive zone.

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[Leaf Rocket]

“[Cody] Franson looks like he’s skating in the sandbox every night. He can’t keep up with the league today,” said Roenick, who spread some additional blame to the Leafs forwards. The Leafs, he argued, could take cues from the Kings and Bruins, when it comes to back-checking. “You have forwards that don’t work hard enough to come back and help out; they hang the [defencemen] out to dry.”

By far my favourite quote but agreed, too much on Dion's shoulders.

 

[Zaled]

I actually agreed with that quote as well. Franson was a different player last year, not sure what happened. He thought he was worth 4m+... good thing Nonis didn't give him the contract he originally wanted.

 

[Ace88*]

Thanks jeremy. always groundbreaking insight from you.

 

[ForSpareParts*]

Go Roenick Go!


He speaks the truth.

 

[Trapper]

I agree that Phaneuf needs help on D, I would prefer he was moved (and thought JR overrated him slightly) but shouldn't a 7 million/year D be logging 23 minutes/night anyway regardless of help?

 

[Man Bear Pig]

 

[KuleminFan41]

He's not saying anything wrong but on D the Leafs really only have Dion and Gunnarsson who can play a solid defensive game. Our forwards aren't the best at back checking , maybe a player or two needs to be moved to get someone who can

 

[Leaf Rocket]

He's not saying anything wrong but on D the Leafs really only have Dion and Gunnarsson who can play a solid defensive game. Our forwards aren't the best at back checking , maybe a player or two needs to be moved to get someone who can

carl was doing well for a while but for some reason I think he lost his flame this season, however bu no means was he the biggest reason for our defensive woes....We definitely need another defensively smart guy in our d core.

 

[nidnus13]

Phaneuf is a little chicken**** pansy who never takes accountability for himself or his team, he always talk tuff then goes after 20 yr old 5'8 players to prove it, if nothing else happens this summer I just want that scab off my team!

 

[Stephen]

Phaneuf is a little chicken**** pansy who never takes accountability for himself or his team, he always talk tuff then goes after 20 yr old 5'8 players to prove it, if nothing else happens this summer I just want that scab off my team!

That almost seems like more of an issue than his suspect/inconsistent defense and complete uselessness on the PP.

 

[thewave]

Thanks jeremy. always groundbreaking insight from you.

Sarcasm? This is what a bunch of us have been saying the whole year.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Phaneuf is a little chicken**** pansy who never takes accountability for himself or his team, he always talk tuff then goes after 20 yr old 5'8 players to prove it, if nothing else happens this summer I just want that scab off my team!

You know what, I'm not sure he acts tough often enough for a captain. A guy his size and his position as a leader and he never sticks up for teammates.

Is he actually a pansy though?

I'm not so sure. I think he might think he's soooo important to the team that he doesn't want to put his team down by going to the box.

Basically, he's an idiot who has no idea how to lead by example, doesn't play on the edge ever (unless he's lining up JVR for a Scott Stevens style mid ice hit)

If he's either traded or the C removed, that will tell us a whole lot about where this team is going.

If Phaneuf is still the leader on this team going into next year well we're just in for more of the same old.

 

[mikeyz]

Thanks jeremy. always groundbreaking insight from you.

He is right though dude.

 

[Ace88*]

Oh i never said he was wrong. im just saying, any one of us could go on tv in terrible suit combinations and say the exact same thing. must be nice to get paid for it though.

 

[Trapper]

By far my favourite quote but agreed, too much on Dion's shoulders.

Trouble is no coach can make those players back check more. That's not who they are. They might do it for a few shifts but will always fall back into the old ways. A coach can't make you tougher, make you compete more or win board battles. You either have those players or you don't. We don't.

 

[Diatomic]

I really like JR. He's one of the few analysts that still thinks and talks like a player, not a media guy sitting on his butt talking nonsense.

 

[WillNyeTheHockeyGuy]

Thanks jeremy. always groundbreaking insight from you.

Nothing he's saying is wrong though. And aside from Kypreos, who else really criticizes the Leafs from a constructive standpoint? Obviously all the fans are up in arms, but the media either ****s on the Leafs day in or day out or ignore the bad and only point out the good. Roenick (at least here) is saying it as it is.

 

[7even]

You know what, I'm not sure he acts tough often enough for a captain. A guy his size and his position as a leader and he never sticks up for teammates.

Is he actually a pansy though?

I'm not so sure. I think he might think he's soooo important to the team that he doesn't want to put his team down by going to the box.

Basically, he's an idiot who has no idea how to lead by example, doesn't play on the edge ever (unless he's lining up JVR for a Scott Stevens style mid ice hit)

If he's either traded or the C removed, that will tell us a whole lot about where this team is going.

If Phaneuf is still the leader on this team going into next year well we're just in for more of the same old.

I think "leadership" is pretty low on the laundry list of things wrong with this team.

 

[Joey24]

Trouble is no coach can make those players back check more. That's not who they are. They might do it for a few shifts but will always fall back into the old ways. A coach can't make you tougher, make you compete more or win board battles. You either have those players or you don't. We don't.

This is perilously what I was saying since everyone has been calling for RC's head. He can't do much if the players don't follow the game plan. I think Randy is a good coach I just don't think the players in Toronto have the drive or heart to execute that style he likes to play.

Randy's interview where he said they never asked the players to go out and do anything special. It's the same stuff you would be asked to do at any level of hockey and he's right. Guys constantly dropping the ball on the defensive zone coverage is just unacceptable. These are pro players not some beet league guys though they make similar mistakes from shift to shift.

In the end if the coach is moved and a new one brought in the same problems are going to arise because the guys on the ice either don't have the hockey IQ to execute the plays or they are simply not interested. If the coach is moved out then so should half the dam team.

 

[Blufreezy]

I think "leadership" is pretty low on the laundry list of things wrong with this team.

This.

 

[stakesishigh]

Roenick is a moron, but he ain't exactly wrong this time.

 

[Havoc]

Everything we lack, we had in Grabovski LoL. Need puck possession? Check. A forward that back-checks? Check. Representative for the fans to call Carlyle a stupid idiot? Check.

Him and Gardiner always had the puck on their stick, even if nothing came of it.

 

[darrylsittler27]

I havent seen anything to make me think change is..

Coming.There is just something about the Leafs that wreaks of repackaging and lack of accountability. We have no prospects and are no better after 6 years. Im not even sure changing the coach will make a huge difference. The best tonic would be to trade many of these losers to the least desirable cities in the NHL and send a loud and clear message. Center and Defense are too weak for the NHL but nothing gets done.I just don't see us having the pieces to upgrade for true players through trades.


This team was misbuilt. This team is garbage and we are no better off. Overpaid junk. No one is going to give us star players. We have to go back to the draft because this team is going nowhere.
We could give Phaneuff away and finish 8th last.The whole year they were outplayed and all we need is a little tinkering LOL!

 

[hullsy47]

Roenick is a moron, but he ain't exactly wrong this time.

when u already made your 60 -70 milion u can pretty much call a spade a spade.its guys like berry melrose ,whose only claim to fame was a brain dead non call by kerry fraser ,of having any success.
leadership also come from respect,i think shanny is looking for off ice character too,its too early to tell but its not only dion that being criticized ....the more u hear ,the more u wonder if kessel can ever be captain ......highest paid guys HAVE to be a leader ,we are not any better 5 years into kessel either .the best thing this organization can do is evaluate your product against its peers ,and hope u dont finish second in every case ,or hope the management can no1 ,,,,,,,,recognize the deficiencies,,,,,,,,N0 2 have the the foresight and stones to execute change.
burke /nonis didnt do it or wouldnt do it
shanny might have to trade a big time guy ......if u could move up to get ekblad....u do it .