Sportsnet: "Top" Line Woes

[TLeafsFan]

I'm not a Damien Cox fan to say the least but this story is worth a read. But he can't even get his facts straight concerning Kessel's contract given that it has 7 years remaining after this season, not six. His 8 year contract didn't kick in until the start of this season.

STORY: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/happened-maple-leafs-top-line/

The opening few paragraphs are a perfect example of the current state of affairs with that line.

It was early in the second period on Monday night, and the Maple Leafs organized a power play breakout against the Minnesota Wild. Dion Phaneuf turned to his left and made a tape-to-tape pass to Tyler Bozak standing at the red line. Bozak accepted the pass and then circled back into the Toronto zone.

Start again.

Bozak then made a pass to Phaneuf on his left, and the Leaf captain relayed the puck to Phil Kessel at the Minnesota blueline. Kessel, also standing still when he accepted the pass, also then circled back into the neutral zone.

By this point, Leaf fans in attendance had to be wondering; exactly what direction are we going in here?

Ultimately, the play ended in an offside on the other side of the ice involving the third member of the line, James van Riemsdyk. Soon, the Leafs No. 1 line was replaced with a makeshift crew that included Zach Sill, Richard Panik and Tim Erixon, and that group produced two good scoring chances.

Mystification all around.

Click to read more...

 

[Joey Hoser]

Really hard to give a **** at this point. Pretty sure Leafs already have a solution planned for that group's problems, whatever they are.

 

[TLeafsFan]

Keeping them together aids the tank???

 

[Eyedea]

Runnin through the 6 with my woes

 

[TLeafsFan]

Would you look at that...

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?fetchKey=20152ALLSASAll&viewName=summary&sort=plusMinus&ord=desc&gp=1&pg=29

853 James van Riemsdyk
TOR L 74 24 25 49 -33 41 9 18 1 1 4 1 222 10.8 19:02 22.6 38.5
854
Nail Yakupov
EDM R 72 12 16 28 -33 18 5 9 0 0 1 0 166 7.2 15:22 20.6 0.0
855
Tyler Bozak
TOR C 74 19 22 41 -34 44 11 17 2 2 3 0 143 13.3 19:00 23.6 52.2
856
Phil Kessel
TOR R 74 24 30 54 -35 26 8 24 0 0 4 1 245 9.8 18:43 21.9 40.0
857
Rasmus Ristolainen
BUF D 70 5 8 13 -35 26 3 7 0 0 0 0 108 4.6 20:18 25.8 100.0

 

[Kurisu]

^

 

[TLeafsFan]

^

Fixed. Just found out I can't post HTML wysiwyg code here...

 

[Guy Boucher]

Those of us who just post online have been talking about how this line surrenders way more shots/chances/goals than they create as far back as last season.

Obviously the pros like Carlyle and Horachek know much better than us, keeping that line together and all. Their results speak for themselves.

 

[Stephen]

Sort of consider them to be ex-Leafs in my mind.

 

[Menzinger]

The line deserves all the criticism they are getting. And should be split up.

That said, it's not entirely uncommin to see a complete lack of effort among a team's best players 'give up' once a season is lost. Happens all the time on the NHL - or any sport for that matter. That's meant to excuse them by any means (they've been bad, no denying it) but it's hardly a thing unique to the leafs.

 

[ITM]

Artemi Panarin...I'd rather talk about a young forward who dominated the KHL who could be a part of this club's better future than the same insane conversation that continues to ask questions which have been repeatedly answered.

The Entry Draft is coming. Hopefully Bozak and Kessel are going.

 

[TLeafsFan]

Artemi Panarin...I'd rather talk about a young forward who dominated the KHL who could be a part of this club's better future than the same insane conversation that continues to ask questions which have been repeatedly answered.

The Entry Draft is coming. Hopefully Bozak and Kessel are going.

Gotta wonder if Leafs nation would survive if those two still wear the blue and white come the fall.

Leafs Nation has spoken and I think this time, MLSE can't help but listen.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The line deserves all the criticism they are getting. And should be split up.

That said, it's not entirely uncommin to see a complete lack of effort among a team's best players 'give up' once a season is lost. Happens all the time on the NHL - or any sport for that matter. That's meant to excuse them by any means (they've been bad, no denying it) but it's hardly a thing unique to the leafs.

They 'gave up' in January, way before the team was out of it.

 

[Pi]

Sort of consider them to be ex-Leafs in my mind.

Sort of don't care what the heck they do at this point. If I am watching a game and the 1st line comes on, it's the same as an advertisement to me and I just switch channels.

From the top line only JvR is salvageable, Kessel & Bozak are done.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Sort of consider them to be ex-Leafs in my mind.

I hope that's right too. Seems like it should be a good idea.

 

[TLeafsFan]

I hoe that's right too. Seems like it should be a good idea.

2 thirds of that line anyway.

I think JVR will be better once he's permanently away from them.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

JVR pretty much plays up or down to the intensity of whoever is on his line. Since Kessel and Bozak are never intense, JVR doesn't play intense. We need playoffs' JVR - aka a beast.

 

[TLeafsFan]

JVR pretty much plays up or down to the intensity of whoever is on his line. Since Kessel and Bozak are never intense, JVR doesn't play intense. We need playoffs' JVR - aka a beast.

A good fit for him come Saturday would be to play with Kadri and Booth for the remainder of the season. They actually still play like they give a s---.

 

[KPower]

Phil is a dirtbag and is doing his best to get out of town.

I pity the team that takes on that Semin like contract.

 

[Stephen]

JVR pretty much plays up or down to the intensity of whoever is on his line. Since Kessel and Bozak are never intense, JVR doesn't play intense. We need playoffs' JVR - aka a beast.

I'm no longer 100% sure we need to keep JVR to be honest. Sure you can make the argument that JVR could be better once he's away from Kessel, but he's not a self starter, and he hasn't grown up from the inconsistent Philadelphia Flyer we acquired almost three seasons ago. At 23, there was a lot of time to grow as an impact player, but he's approaching 26 and he still has exactly the same problems he did in his early 20s. We basically needed him to take steps forward the way Max Pacioretty did these past few years, not take 2 steps forward and 2 steps back.

He's the least of our worries in terms of the first line, but increasingly I just don't care about him if we can get a good return.

 

[blueberrie]

The line deserves all the criticism they are getting. And should be split up.

That said, it's not entirely uncommin to see a complete lack of effort among a team's best players 'give up' once a season is lost. Happens all the time on the NHL - or any sport for that matter. That's meant to excuse them by any means (they've been bad, no denying it) but it's hardly a thing unique to the leafs.

The season is lost because of the team's best players giving up.

Having your 64 million dollar player give up on the team while still looking at a wild card position is entirely unique to the leafs.

 

[ULF_55]

The season is lost because of the team's best players giving up.

Having your 64 million dollar player give up on the team while still looking at a wild card position is entirely unique to the leafs.

But who are the best players?

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Three "NHL" coaches agree, these guys have great chemistry and can never be split up or else their production will suffer.

 

[Erdinger]

But who are the best players?

In terms of give-a-crap? They went before or at the trade deadline.

 

[TLeafsFan]

I'm no longer 100% sure we need to keep JVR to be honest. Sure you can make the argument that JVR could be better once he's away from Kessel, but he's not a self starter, and he hasn't grown up from the inconsistent Philadelphia Flyer we acquired almost three seasons ago. At 23, there was a lot of time to grow as an impact player, but he's approaching 26 and he still has exactly the same problems he did in his early 20s. We basically needed him to take steps forward the way Max Pacioretty did these past few years, not take 2 steps forward and 2 steps back.

He's the least of our worries in terms of the first line, but increasingly I just don't care about him if we can get a good return.

Although most people respond to the energy they're being fed in kind. I can see JVR flourishing off that line. I can't see Bozak and Kessel flourishing on the Leafs or the fans putting up with those two roomies another season.