Unofficial start of the offseason

[Woodman19]

Now that the draft and the first day of free agency are behind, what do you all feel about the types of moves Nonis has made or been in on (Gorges) and how do you think the team has done thus far with all the moves?

I personally think its refreshing to see us going for some grit, work ethic and leadership and I hope this means a few others get the boot before training camp.

Click to read more...

 

[SprDaVE]

We won't be considered a good team until the team shows it. I can't even be optimistic either.

Respect is earned. Leafs have a long way to go.

Overall we lost offence but definitely gained veterans and players that can defend.

The off-season is long and there's a couple moves to be done. We'll see.

 

[7even]

Us going after "grit, work ethic, and leadership" is refreshing? Seems like that's the only thing we ever do.

 

[Community]

I like that we are going for a mix of skill + physicality this year, but value the physicality as it should be. We didn't overpay for somebody like Clarkson that we thought had skill + physicality. Instead we payed for 2 players with mostly physicality (Komarov/Robidas) and traded for + signed a player cheap that had a bit of both (Frattin).

I like how our defense looks depending on who the last guy brought in to play for our team is:

Gardiner - Phaneuf (smooth PMD + 2-way physical Dman)
Rielly - Polak/Robidas (Quick PMD + Physical DFD)
XXXX - Polak/Robidas (XXXX - Physical Dman)

It also looks like we'll actually have a top 4 or close to top 4 player on our bottom pairing this year instead of hoping players can become that.

 

[Community]

Us going after "grit, work ethic, and leadership" is refreshing? Seems like that's the only thing we ever do.

I think you missed this:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2014/06/27/maple_leafs_draft_william_nylander_nhl_speed_nhl_hands_and_an_nhl_shot_right_now.html

 

[Community]

We won't be considered a good team until the team shows it. I can't even be optimistic either.

Respect is earned. Leafs have a long way to go.

Overall we lost offence but definitely gained veterans and players that can defend.

The off-season is long and there's a couple moves to be done. We'll see.

I don't think we lost that much offense to be honest. Holland will replace Bolland and should play more games and put up more points than Bolland because of that. Kulemin was an offensive black hole (although I still love how he played!). McLaren/Orr were useless plugs that most likely don't make it next year for the team (McLaren for sure). McClement was a black hole offensively last year and now he's gone.

Yes, we did lose Raymond, but he was so bad defensively and had so many giveaways that we'll be better off there and I honestly think he was so weak on the puck and gave away the puck so much in the offensive zone that our other players will be better offensively with him gone.

We lose 2 pretty much pure defensive players (Kulemin + McClement), 1 Offensive player (Raymond), and a goon (hopefully two). We pick up a defensive player with speed + tenacity with some offensive upside (30ish points?), a player with offensive upside in Frattin, and Holland will be given a very good chance to make the team and is an upgrade offensively.

If we replace Franson with another DFD, that'll be a pretty big hit offensively... but I think it's safe to assume that 90% of people on this board would be perfectly okay with that.

 

[Tak7]

Now that the draft and the first day of free agency are behind, what do you all feel about the types of moves Nonis has made or been in on (Gorges) and how do you think the team has done thus far with all the moves?

I personally think its refreshing to see us going for some grit, work ethic and leadership and I hope this means a few others get the boot before training camp.

Colby Armstrong - grit and work ethic
Komisarek - grit and work ethic
Tim Connolly - leadership
Mark Fraser - grit and work ethic
Paul Ranger - work ethic
David Clarkson - leadership and work ethic
Tim Gleason - grit and leadership

Roman Polak - grit and leadership
Stephane Robidas - leadership



So refreshing, huh?

How many of the above have worked out for us?

 

[officialmark*]

It's nice that we are going to be harder to play against again. We went from a fast skilled team, to a fast skilled team that made you fight for every inch of the ice and thats why we made the playoffs. Nonis came in, and started doing whatever the hell he wanted. Obviously that didn't work, and we went back to being a fast skilled team that teams didn't fear. We are now going back to the rough and tough Bruins mentality. Although we may be losing a bit of offence I think that our team play will compensate for it. I'm really looking forward to possibly seeing a Leaf team that plays with their heart on their sleeve every night.

 

[Renegade]

Offense is far from being a main issue for this team. Sure we lost some forwards but most of them we're contributing much to the offence anyways. Kulemin, McClement, Bolland (well, he was good before he got hurt anyways), Troy Bodie, none of these guys were really big impact scorers. Raymond was pretty good but he's easily replaceable.

We tackled our biggest need: defense. Adding Polak and Robidas helps tighten our back end and definitely helps Bernier in front of the net. An upgrade, for sure. Maybe we're not contenders yet, but the team shaped up nicely in only a couple days.

 

[Cor]

Komarov, Frattin, Robidas and Polak are big additions to this team. Our defense is improved, although that isn't saying much considering how our D was.

Komarov will give this team a boost more than people realize, and I think Matt Frattin will be able to find his game back with us.

I'm real excited for these additions, and Nonis and co. don't seem to be done yet at all, which is good news because they shouldn't be.

 

[Community]

Offense is far from being a main issue for this team. Sure we lost some forwards but most of them we're contributing much to the offence anyways. Kulemin, McClement, Bolland (well, he was good before he got hurt anyways), Troy Bodie, none of these guys were really big impact scorers. Raymond was pretty good but he's easily replaceable.

We tackled our biggest need: defense. Adding Polak and Robidas helps tighten our back end and definitely helps Bernier in front of the net. An upgrade, for sure. Maybe we're not contenders yet, but the team shaped up nicely in only a couple days.

Although I agree with most of your points, we definitely suffered from lack of scoring depth last year (in addition to poor defensive play). But I believe Lupul will get 50+ points next year and Kadri will see a moderate improvement over this past season with either a better Clarkson or a better offensive player in his spot.

Colby Armstrong - grit and work ethic
Komisarek - grit and work ethic
Tim Connolly - leadership
Mark Fraser - grit and work ethic
Paul Ranger - work ethic
David Clarkson - leadership and work ethic
Tim Gleason - grit and leadership

Roman Polak - grit and leadership
Stephane Robidas - leadership



So refreshing, huh?

How many of the above have worked out for us?

The bolded players are definitely not the reasons they were brought here. Connolly was a guy we were hoping would step up and be a good #2C that centered our 1st line and could provide some skill for Kessel to work with.

Paul Ranger was a guy that was brought in because we were hoping he could get back/close to the type of player he was in Tampa... Not because we lacked work ethic and we though the had it.

Polak was brought in to be a physical DFD with mobility... a rare package that we hope will compliment one of our young PMD's. I don't know if he is a good leader or not, but that's not the main reason he was brought in.

 

[FlareKnight]

I'm not even sure how much all the changes will matter long as Carlyle is the one behind the bench. Maybe if the new assistants (whoever the heck they are going to be) and Robidas do all the coaching.

It's really hard to say. The goaltending will need to be as good as ever. The Kessel line looks to still need to carry the vast majority of the offense. I honestly don't care that Frattin is back, was never in love with this guy. Kadri carried him and his production after leaving supports that belief. Komarov is a nice return, adds physicality and a major pest. But can he produce more than he did? For that money he better.

Hopefully the moves on the blueline will improve the defense. But how many times has the defense changed and we've looked at it to say "that doesn't look bad"? The changes should make the defense better, but who knows until we actually see it. And again Carlyle's might mindboggle them into still being weak defensively.

I think it goes either way. Either it all comes together or it just stays as bad as it was before. They'll have to prove they aren't eternally mediocre.

 

[7even]

I think you missed this:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2014/06/27/maple_leafs_draft_william_nylander_nhl_speed_nhl_hands_and_an_nhl_shot_right_now.html

Drafting Nylander hardly sets a trend.

Anyways I'm talking about from a managerial perspective. Nonis et al seem to be convinced all this team is missing is some combination of heart, grit, drive, leadership, character, Mimico, and compete. It's bizarre.

 

[Renegade]

Although I agree with most of your points, we definitely suffered from lack of scoring depth last year (in addition to poor defensive play). But I believe Lupul will get 50+ points next year and Kadri will see a moderate improvement over this past season with either a better Clarkson or a better offensive player in his spot.

True. I think everyone not named Kessel, JVR, and Bozak had a tough year. Had a lot to do with the change in team structure from the 2013 season to last year. The players that left last summer made the roster a little unorthodox. Losing Frattin, Komarov, Grabovski, MacArthur, etc left holes for other players to fill which took time getting used to. Kadri making the step up to 2C was a big change for him, and you can tell he's learning from it.

I think the team can be better offensively than last, including Clarkson, but I think we have a lot of young bucks that are ready to make a significant impact. Holland, Ashton, Leivo, Carrick, Abbott, etc. can all help this team stride forwards. I'd rather take a chance on our youth than throw 5M for a stiff. We're done with the Connollys, Clarksons, Armstrongs, etc.

 

[Tak7]

Polak was brought in to be a physical DFD with mobility... a rare package that we hope will compliment one of our young PMD's. I don't know if he is a good leader or not, but that's not the main reason he was brought in.

Just to clarify - I implied that bringing someone into be "physical", is the same as bringing someone in for their grit.

And I can assure you that they didn't bring Roman Polak in for his mobility - the last thing that Roman Polak is, is a mobile Dman.

 

[Tak7]

Drafting Nylander hardly sets a trend.

Anyways I'm talking about from a managerial perspective. Nonis et al seem to be convinced all this team is missing is some combination of heart, grit, drive, leadership, character, Mimico, and compete. It's bizarre.

Yep. Not only is it bizarre, but it's ridiculous - they've beaten the same drum since Burke arrived; they share such similar philosophies about what it takes to make a successful team, that at this point it's mind-numbing.

Shanahan is the one that wears the goat horns for me today.

All the talk about changing the process and the culture, and the end result is Polak, Robidas, Frattin, and Komarov? Not good enough.

Thankfully Ottawa got rid of Spezza and seem clueless on how to replace him - at least there will be a minimum of two awful Canadian teams this year.

 

[Community]

Just to clarify - I implied that bringing someone into be "physical", is the same as bringing someone in for their grit.

And I can assure you that they didn't bring Roman Polak in for his mobility - the last thing that Roman Polak is, is a mobile Dman.

I was referencing the part where you were talking about leadership... I understand Grit is similar as physical.

And I can assure you, that you are entirely wrong about Polak not being a mobile defenseman. Look up Shannahan's remarks on the trade and every scouting report on him... Just because a defenseman is physical and gritty, doesn't mean he can't skate...

 

[Hero]

"James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 2m
An interesting possibility for the Leafs could be Mike Santorelli. Young centre that had a good year in Vancouver."

lol Santorelli is 28, how is that young?