Who is the Leafs Smartest Player?

[The Winter Soldier]

My 2nd poll in my series of polls to discuss the summer. This one is very interesting and should spark some good debate. Let's keep it civil and talk about a player's positive traits please.

The only criteria I took to make this poll, was take the 10 Leafs to have played the most games last year that are still Leafs. Goalies exempted.

1. Kessel
2. JVR
3. Phaneuf
4. Gardiner
5. Franson
6. Kadri
7. Rielly
8. Lupul
9. Clarkson
10. Bozak

Can a Mod create the poll, forgot that part.

Click to read more...

 

[officialmark*]

Kessel now 100%, anyone that says Reilly is just jumping on the bandwagon. Reilly has the ability to overtake Kessel, but he's still learning the game.

 

[cyris]

Fixed your poll
for future reference I believe that is something you can do yourself under thread tools.

 

[Grant]

Can I say Bolland? He was smart enough to jump ship

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Kessel now 100%, anyone that says Reilly is just jumping on the bandwagon. Reilly has the ability to overtake Kessel, but he's still learning the game.

I took Rielly, because he showed the ability to improve on a game by game basis that I do not see in any other Leaf on the list capable of. To me that is the essence of a smart player that can absorb knowledge and be better for it.

Kessel is a smart player, but it took him a good amount of time to learn to play a 200 ft game. Think Rielly will learn quicker.

I have it as Rielly, Bozak, and Kessel as the top 3 smartest players on the team.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Fixed your poll
for future reference I believe that is something you can do yourself under thread tools.

Thanks, appreciate it.

 

[Community]

Kessel now 100%, anyone that says Reilly is just jumping on the bandwagon. Reilly has the ability to overtake Kessel, but he's still learning the game.

I think this guy nailed it on the first response...

My 2nd poll in my series of polls to discuss the summer. This one is very interesting and should spark some good debate. Let's keep it civil and talk about a player's positive traits please.

The only criteria I took to make this poll, was take the 10 Leafs to have played the most games last year that are still Leafs. Goalies exempted.

1. Kessel
2. JVR
3. Phaneuf
4. Gardiner
5. Franson
6. Kadri
7. Rielly
8. Lupul
9. Clarkson
10. Bozak

Can a Mod create the poll, forgot that part.

If I rank them, I'd go with:

1. Kessel - fantastic offensive acumen and even knows when he needs to defend... always knows where to be and where to pass.
2. JVR - Smart offensive player that knows his place and plays to his strengths (net presence/size)
3. Bozak - Smart 2-way player that tries to keep his game simple and allows better players like his linemates to make the plays.
4. Rielly - Very smart defender, still needs to learn when to pinch (probably should more), will be #2 possibly #1 in this in ~3 years.
5. Kadri - Smart/creative offensive wizard that needs to learn defensive smarts
6. Gardiner - Smart defender that also needs to improve his defensive smarts
7. Lupul - Seems like an average hockey IQ, but seems intelligent at times and can make the safe/smart plays when he's on his game.
8. Phaneuf - Has his defensive gaffs, IQ not his strong suit
9. Clarkson - Seems to have very little hockey IQ, skate to the faceoff dot and shoot... doesn't use teammates or make many good plays.
10. Franson - Horrible hockey IQ, makes the worst pinches and shoots into players legs a lot (especially last year).

This is how I would rank the players currently... Rielly/Kadri/Gardiner can move up the list, JVR/Bozak likely to fall when Rielly/Kadri/Gardiner are in their primes in my opinion.

 

[Super Mega]

that awkward moment when you realize the leafs really don't have much in the way of high IQ players.

Kessels hockey IQ is definitely up there but Rielly is a very cerebral player, so excited to watch him develop.

 

[Community]

I took Rielly, because he showed the ability to improve on a game by game basis that I do not see in any other Leaf on the list capable of. To me that is the essence of a smart player that can absorb knowledge and be better for it.

Kessel is a smart player, but it took him a good amount of time to learn to play a 200 ft game. Think Rielly will learn quicker.

I have it as Rielly, Bozak, and Kessel as the top 3 smartest players on the team.

If we're talking currently, Kessel is very good at knowing when to pressure/attack and when to dump the puck... Rielly will get there, but last year he struggled a lot due to not knowing when to lug the puck up the ice and when to make the safe play. He played a very risk-free game for the first ~50 games and it'll take time to learn to read the play like Kessel can now. I think he can learn this as soon as next season though...

 

[Leafidelity]

Bernier. Top flight goalies can read plays developing better than anyone else on the ice. It's why his positioning is always excellent.

 

[Community]

Bernier. Top flight goalies can read plays developing better than anyone else on the ice. It's why his positioning is always excellent.

Did you read the OP? Goalies were excluded on purpose.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I think this guy nailed it on the first response...



If I rank them, I'd go with:

1. Kessel - fantastic offensive acumen and even knows when he needs to defend... always knows where to be and where to pass.
2. JVR - Smart offensive player that knows his place and plays to his strengths (net presence/size)
3. Bozak - Smart 2-way player that tries to keep his game simple and allows better players like his linemates to make the plays.
4. Rielly - Very smart defender, still needs to learn when to pinch (probably should more), will be #2 possibly #1 in this in ~3 years.
5. Kadri - Smart/creative offensive wizard that needs to learn defensive smarts
6. Gardiner - Smart defender that also needs to improve his defensive smarts
7. Lupul - Seems like an average hockey IQ, but seems intelligent at times and can make the safe/smart plays when he's on his game.
8. Phaneuf - Has his defensive gaffs, IQ not his strong suit
9. Clarkson - Seems to have very little hockey IQ, skate to the faceoff dot and shoot... doesn't use teammates or make many good plays.
10. Franson - Horrible hockey IQ, makes the worst pinches and shoots into players legs a lot (especially last year).

This is how I would rank the players currently... Rielly/Kadri/Gardiner can move up the list, JVR/Bozak likely to fall when Rielly/Kadri/Gardiner are in their primes in my opinion.

This is a good breakdown, nice job.

 

[agropop]

that awkward moment when you realize the leafs really don't have much in the way of high IQ players.

Kessels hockey IQ is definitely up there but Rielly is a very cerebral player, so excited to watch him develop.

This.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Bernier. Top flight goalies can read plays developing better than anyone else on the ice. It's why his positioning is always excellent.

He's a good goaiie, I just don't know how much smarts goes into playing goal. It is basically reflex, instincts and technique. This is why I thought it would be best to leave them off the poll.

 

[Atomos2]

Kessel now 100%, anyone that says Reilly is just jumping on the bandwagon. Reilly has the ability to overtake Kessel, but he's still learning the game.

This first reply is correct. Nothing else needs to be said.

 

[BertCorbeau]

He's a good goaiie, I just don't know how much smarts goes into playing goal. It is basically reflex, instincts and technique. This is why I thought it would be best to leave them off the poll.

I think there is more to it than that, but for argument's sake I agree they're in a different group altogether .. Can't really compare them to skaters

Although that being said I think it may be more accurate to compare forwards to forwards and defensemen to defensemen ... IQ is such a broad term

I don't think Rielly will ever have the offensive IQ that Kessel has ... And vice versa for Kessel having Rielly's potential defensive IQ ... Tough to compare the two straight up

Just my two cents

 

[Semantics]

Kessel, JVR, Gardiner, Bozak. The others didn't go to college.

 

[Atomos2]

Bernier. Top flight goalies can read plays developing better than anyone else on the ice. It's why his positioning is always excellent.

 

[Leafidelity]

Not sure what fluky goals have to do with IQ? Looks more like puck control problems to me.

He's a good goaiie, I just don't know how much smarts goes into playing goal. It is basically reflex, instincts and technique. This is why I thought it would be best to leave them off the poll.

The best positional goalies making effortless saves are the ones reading the play at a higher level. The guys that make scrambling saves are the guys relying on reflexes.

Maybe a discussion for another day though. Didn't mean to derail your poll.

 

[Super Mega]

This first reply is correct. Nothing else needs to be said.

why in such a completely open ended poll would their be such a hard and fast rule? Perhaps if the question was who would get the highest SAT score we might punish younger players but to me this was a question on hockey IQ.

For me Rielly is already using his IQ in every facet of his game, constantly adapting and growing. Rielly's intellect is the engine where as Kessel has so much natural talent his intellect is more of an augmentation.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I think there is more to it than that, but for argument's sake I agree they're in a different group altogether .. Can't really compare them to skaters

Although that being said I think it may be more accurate to compare forwards to forwards and defensemen to defensemen ... IQ is such a broad term

I don't think Rielly will ever have the offensive IQ that Kessel has ... And vice versa for Kessel having Rielly's potential defensive IQ ... Tough to compare the two straight up

Just my two cents

I think I could have rephrased the question/poll to make it closer, didn't think Kessel would run away with it. Thought JVR, Lupul, Kadri, Bozak, Gardiner would get more votes. Knew Rielly would get some.

You can have offensive smarts, you can have defensive smarts, players with less talent but results smarts.

Looks like most are going with our best player. Kessel has the offensive smarts, defensively he is not at the top of the list, so I am a little surprised.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

JVR should get a vote from someone soon. This is criminal.

 

[J1S]

He's a good goaiie, I just don't know how much smarts goes into playing goal. It is basically reflex, instincts and technique. This is why I thought it would be best to leave them off the poll.

Playing goal doesn't require smarts? I couldn't disagree more, and with that being said would pick Bernier as having arguably the most hockey IQ on this team. Goalies directly influence a lot of what goes on within your own end whether it comes to freezing pucks when your team is hemmed in, playing the puck to a defenseman who can quickly make an outlet feed when you see the opposition making the long change, deflecting pucks into the corners/mesh to draw whistles on the PK, etc. I understand that you excluded goalies in this poll for arguments sake, but am boggled at how you can say goaltenders don't possess hockey IQ.

When it comes to the player with the strongest hockey IQ on the Leafs, I'd go with either Kessel or Reilly. They are both naturally gifted players who read the game well, anticipate and make plays based off of those readings. If Kessel possessed more of a killer instinct, he would be one of the best all around players in the league IMO.

 

[Bomber0104]

I was gonna go with Phaneuf but after further thought I choose Kessel.

Only a genius-savant could make a career based purely on supreme offensive ability while completely shirking all defensive responsibilities as a player. The way he cleverly avoids contact, blocking shots, forechecking and cycling is something of a marvel to watch.

 

[Community]

This is a good breakdown, nice job.

Thanks... I value JVR and Bozak a bit higher on this list than some might due to the fact that they know their roles and I contribute that to being a smart player... In order for Gardiner/Rielly to move up, they need to continue to learn their roles and play within them.