Speculation: What to do with Jumbo

[123offtheglass]

Obviously the team as a whole was bad tonight, coaching staff included, not trying to take a shot at Jumbo, he's a legend & everyone loves him.

Awesome guy, great voice & character for the team on and off the ice, but right now he is BRUTAL; he cannot keep up, it's too much to try and accommodate and shelter him to keep him in the lineup nightly. He's a liability right now.

What should they do about Jumbo?

He can still be apart of the team, but you either don't dress him nightly or you play him less, and you do not play him in the final minutes of a close game. He can bring his great personality, character, voice to practice; he's hurting them in games.

Are they that worried about losing his voice/character at games? Or maybe they're concerned he'll voice displeasure about being scratched or not playing enough; if he's the great teammate that everyone says he is, he's not going to do that.

Once this team is completely healthy & they get their TDL additions out of quarantine, can't see how he'd be apart of their top 12 forwards. Good character DEPTH is what he should be until he catches up to the pace of the game.

They've taken him from top 6 to bottom 6, now it's time he becomes apart of the "stay ready squad" (including both healthy scratches & taxi squad guys).

Click to read more...

 

[Snip Genos]

Yeah if playoffs started tomorrow with everyone healthy he should be in the press box. Not a big deal if we can make it deep into the playoffs he will get some games in.

 

[PromisedLand]

Found a really nice place for Jumbo. He gets to choose Robidas Island or the Moon

 

[WTFMAN99]

If we're healthy 100%

Galchenyuk-Matthews-Marner
Foligno-JT-88
Soup-Engvall-Hyman
Simmonds-Nash-Spezza

OR

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-JT-88
Soup-Engvall-Foligno
Simmonds-Nash-Spezza

Kerfoot may draw in for Simmonds depending on the opponent and how well Simmonds is performing but that's pretty much your 12 forwards if we're all healthy.

They need to throw some dynamite at the PP. Malhotra doesn't have it anymore.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Ideally, he should be out when everyone is fully healthy. At the very least, he needs to start getting back to back games off

 

[Wafflewhipper]

One point in last 17 games. He’s on the ice for to many goals against is even worse. The guy isn’t pulling his weight. The giveaways from him tonight was ridiculous.

 

[Marshy]

Offer him the powerplay consultant job.

Get two birds stoned at once.

 

[leafsfan5]

I mean this fanbase is huge and can be very divided at times, but this is one thing everyone agrees on. Thornton's time is done and he shouldn't be in our lineup come playoffs

 

[DarkKnight]

He’s a liability and we don’t owe him anything. If he can contribute fine, but he looks awful and doesn’t deserve the ice. Keefe actually playing him more and up the lineup tonight was madness.

 

[A1LeafNation]

In the playoffs:

Foligno Matthews Marner
Galchenyuk Tavares Nylander
Kerfoot Engvall Hyman
Mikheyev Spezza Nash

Thornton and Simmonds need some rest.

 

[Teeder Keon]

I really feel for him ...
I’m telling you he’s playing these decisions over and over in his head day and night ..
What a player and person and teammate
HOFer years ago
Way to go Joe !
Sorry man , it over ;(

 

[ARoggy94]

I believe the players when they say they love him in the dressing room but the on ice just isn't there. Even the same with Simmonds, don't see how you can justify not giving Robertson a chance in the lineup over either of them. And when Riley Nash is healthy, I don't see how he can be worse.

I'd give Simmonds more reps to see if he can get back to his level preinjury but his hands are absolutely brutal.

 

[Marshy]

I saw Gordie play in Hartford at 51.

He would have skated circles around 41 year old Jumbo.... not even joking.

 

[Buds17]

Rest him whenever the forward depth allows for that. Scale back on the quantity or quality of minutes otherwise. Re-evaluate come playoff time. I don't see any way he isn't in the lineup starting with Game 1 of that series though.

 

[cannucky]

• Yeah got to see him and his 2 boys on a line against the Toros , often wonder how much better the NHL would be if the W had survived , would have made a great place for guys like Jumbo .

 

[CelticDruid]

I really feel for him ...
I’m telling you he’s playing these decisions over and over in his head and at night ..
What a player and person and teammate
HOFer years ago
Wait to go Joe !
Sorry man

An honest man would know that father time has come, and he should just let his teammates get on with it.

Thornton is using up ice time that could be allotted to others that need it.

Hopefully, when all is said and done the new additions will bump him to the press box.

Time to move on, or else this will/could come back to haunt Dubas/Keefe.

 

[Teeder Keon]

An honest man would know that father time has come, and he should just let his teammates get on with it.

Thornton is using up ice time that could be allotted to others that need it.

Hopefully, when all is said and done the new additions will bump him to the press box.

Time to move on, or else this will/could come back to haunt Dubas/Keefe.

I want to ague your points , but I can’t , I see it crystal clear ... Big Joe is done ...

 

[Teeder Keon]

It’s to bad that he had those 5 or so games where he had success , it kinda distorted everyone’s vision ....

 

[sxvnert]

Play him every second game. He hasn't looked the same since coming back from his injury.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Everyone speaking on Thornton with absolute certainty.

How about we rest him a few games and see if that works before cancelling him.

 

[Rude Dog]

He is dragging Spezza down with him. I know Joe isn’t a scorer but I can’t even remember the last time he made a creative pass that worked. The problem is that a star player is usually the last to know they are done.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

I saw Gordie play in Hartford at 51.

He would have skated circles around 41 year old Jumbo.... not even joking.

Game was a touch slower then lol

This game and especially Toronto's game plan does not bode well for a guy like Thornton.

We seem to thrive on being on every puck, pinching dmen/covering the point, working as a unit to retrieve pucks, attack through possession and quick decisions.

Thornton plays a methodical game and more often than not he's trying to process faster, play catchup and ultimately make rushed plays.

He can't keep up to the pace and it's very tiring to watch him struggle, hate to see it..but he's a liability, has been for a little while now.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Kerfoot is better than Engvall and simmonds

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Hyman matthews marner
Foligno tavares nylander
Galchenyuk kerfoot spezza
Mikheyev nash simmonds

 

[klmdg]

4th line hemmed the Habs in and almost scored on the 1 shift Gally had with them

Really shows how useless Joe is at this point