"Francois Allaire explained in a conversation I had with him on Friday morning that while Toskala’s...

"Francois Allaire explained in a conversation I had with him on Friday morning that while Toskala’s practice habits continue to improve, there are still many areas for improvement in his game, although he wouldn’t narrow it down to just one. "

Well, that's reassuring.

More at Eat. Sleep. Leafs.

about 2 years ago blurr1974 28 comments 0 recs |

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sooo..

In my best french-canadian to english I would say it translates to: “Well he’s better in practice but over all he still sucks all-round, not just one thing.”

I hope Francois is using some sort of smoke screen thing-a-magingy!

"There's been four different Cup winners the last four years, and I got one of them (Anaheim) and it was a fighting team. We're playing it that way regardless." - B. Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs GM

by BlueBuds on Nov 13, 2009 4:02 PM EST reply actions

That’s what I would say too:

He’s been better lately but he sucks so much at so many things that he’s still terrible overall.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Nov 13, 2009 4:05 PM EST reply actions

I can narrow it does to just one: goaltending

by theothervatican on Nov 13, 2009 4:11 PM EST reply actions

don’t forget shot-blocking and getting in the lanes.

"I will take the subway - we were on the subway last night...I'm not above riding the subway or riding on a bus, I don't care. As long as people don't hit me." --Ron Wilson

by Jo4nny on Nov 13, 2009 7:18 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, he definitely leaves a huge hole in our lineup," Exelby added, "blocking shots, playing well defensively, physical presence.

I love quotes like that. All of those things are or should be within the realm of an NHL D-man who’s being paid >$1 million. Feel free to make them a permanent part of YOUR game, Garnet.

I am Mikhail Grabovski's smirking revenge.

by kidkawartha on Nov 13, 2009 4:20 PM EST reply actions

“playing well defensively”

That was my favourite =D Shouldn’t like any defenseman do that? I mean…I kinda thought that was the point of the job you know even before the shot blocking and the physical presence and whatnot.

by Theodles on Nov 13, 2009 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

"Share it around," Wilson said. "… everybody just play their own game, not do what Mike Komisarek does, do what they do, but do it better."

Wouldn’t that sum up the Leafs in general as far as how they have to play is concerned? Do what you do, but do it better!

If only Toskala would play net for the Leafs, but play it better. If only Jason Blake would put pucks in the net, but put them in better. Maybe if Luke Schenn, Garnet Exelby, and Francois Beauchemin played defense, but just played it better.

I bet we’d be a better team if everyone just kept playing hockey, but played hockey better.

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

- Sir Winston Churchill

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.

by Steve Burtch on Nov 13, 2009 5:37 PM EST reply actions

What’s the area Vesa is weakest at in your opinion francois?

Stopping ze puck eez his weakness.

by 6rick6 on Nov 13, 2009 5:40 PM EST reply actions

Francois Allaire

“He’s a great goaltender, he just needs work on a few areas.

Seeing the puck
playing the puck
glove hand
Intensity level
playing at the top of his crease
rebound control
and of course, stopping the puck.

Other than that, he’s amazing…

Oh ya, he needs to get about 6" taller"

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Nov 13, 2009 8:02 PM EST up reply actions

we should bring in julie the cat

she could save shots glove hand

Go Houston Rockets!

by Duster on Nov 14, 2009 11:30 AM EST reply actions

also

vesa better not be starting tonight on the strength of that game losing effort.
i really wanted him to be blown out with a lot of bad goals last night. now that it was closer i’m not so happy. i just really never want him to start another game. i hate him so much.

Go Houston Rockets!

by Duster on Nov 14, 2009 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

Heh, sounds to me like Vesa’s been lazy……

"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky

by Karina on Nov 14, 2009 4:10 PM EST reply actions

hahaha this post is absolutely ‘Allaireious’ … (cough cough.. crickets)

but seriously VesaCroft hasn’t been that bad, he’s just playing without any confidence whatsoever yet another example of the toronto media magnifying glass being aimed to long in one spot and burning ants (players)… his other problems include ‘not being jonas gustavsson’ and lacking in cool niknameage, somehow i don’t think my vesacroft will help him in that regard

Hayley Wickenheiser has more truculence than Matt Stajan

by AkiSchennberg on Nov 14, 2009 5:51 PM EST reply actions

The Toronto Media is quite cruel and unusual in a lot of ways, but professional athletes can’t use that as an excuse.

Your feelings are hurt? Suck it up, play through it. You certainly aren’t whining when you collect your 500k a month. No sympathy here. Don’t expect the critical media(right or wrong) to coddle you in the Toronto market.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Nov 14, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

While i don’t disagree with you, it is undeniable that our ‘unique’ media spotlight does have a direct impact on the play of some players. Athletic performance is highly confidence based and while it surely can’t be used as a crutch or excuse for bad play it is a factor in how well an athlete performs. The media can’t be expected to change, and they won’t, so recognizing that they have a detrimental impact on a player simply signifies that it’s time for that player to move on in order to regain success.. possibly to a smaller market subjected to less pressure (say vancouver, as a backup goalie)

Hayley Wickenheiser has more truculence than Matt Stajan

by AkiSchennberg on Nov 14, 2009 6:14 PM EST up reply actions

Or use better coping mechanisms to deal with that pressure, i.e. stop reading/watching the press on the player’s own time, sports psychology, etc.

I’ll agree in the sense that Toskala has worn out his welcome here, though personally I would chalk that up to the fact that he wasn’t all that good a goalie to begin with rather than have whatever skills he had eroded from lack of confidence due to fan and media induced pressures.

leaf fan stuck in ottawa, still. Now truculently rebranded!

by stucky on Nov 14, 2009 6:20 PM EST up reply actions

he wasn’t all that good a goalie to begin with

give this man a prize!

Let’s face it, some teams make the goaltenders – it is rare that the street goes the other way.

Playing 40 games (or so) a year with the Sharks is miles away from playing 60+ with the Leafs. I think he was pretty well insulated out West, and when he was exposed to a more difficult situation, he couldn’t step up and he crumbled.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Nov 14, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions

btw, I wasn’t being sarcastic with my ‘prize’ thing. You just hit the nail on the head.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Nov 14, 2009 6:26 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks, that’s how I thought you meant it.

leaf fan stuck in ottawa, still. Now truculently rebranded!

by stucky on Nov 15, 2009 1:13 AM EST up reply actions

COP OUT! The Yankees get 100x the press in NY than the leafs do here and they consistantlyu have a good team. Look at Man U and the Real Madrid, they have tremendous amounts of media pressure and the players on those teams dont use that as an excuse, the team is always good!

The leafs biggest problem is the fact that they just dont have good players right now. Its not the media.

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on Nov 16, 2009 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

All three of those teams can now spent bazillions of dollars more than anyone else.

But I think that it does have an effect. It just shouldn’t have an effect on good players.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Nov 16, 2009 8:15 PM EST up reply actions

Welcome

Thanks for joining. However, Vesa has been that bad except for last night.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Nov 14, 2009 6:26 PM EST up reply actions

haha.. well put.. i wasn’t trying to defend his play necessarily so much as put the onus (sp?) on his confidence rather than skill set.. more accurately i would put my stance as “he would play significantly better than he has, were he playing with more confidence” whether or not that would be the case i suppose is pretty moot, i’m just trying to play a bit of devil’s advocate and make a case for his success in a different market

Hayley Wickenheiser has more truculence than Matt Stajan

by AkiSchennberg on Nov 14, 2009 6:42 PM EST up reply actions

We all hope he goes to a different market – don’t bet on the success thingy tho.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Nov 14, 2009 6:43 PM EST up reply actions

yeah about the whole leaving thing.. is this his last year under contract or are we trying to move him as the 4 million dollar back up… success being relative in this case, andrew raycroft has been successful as a decent back up in van city and not in fact working as a fry guy at wackarnolds

Hayley Wickenheiser has more truculence than Matt Stajan

by AkiSchennberg on Nov 14, 2009 6:45 PM EST up reply actions

Toskala is UFA after this season.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Nov 14, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions

Toskala played great against Chicago, it was Schenns fault for the opening goal, and Toskala made some big saves just to keep the leafs in the game until the end

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on Nov 16, 2009 1:25 PM EST reply actions