2010-2011 Musings and Predictions: Part I
by birky on Oct 4, 2010 12:00 PM EDT
in Reading the Tea Leafs
Email
Print
Thursday, October 7th will be a new day for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It marks the opening of their 2010-11 campaign, one that will surely be more fulfilling than the last (right? RIGHT?!?). The Leafs begin the new season against the hated Les Canadiens de Montréal; a tilt that will hopefully send the team on the right track towards an elusive playoff berth. New faces will be added to older ones, creating a mix of skill, physicality, and commitment to defense that could carry this team far. But where exactly will this team go? Who will step up? Who will falter? Throwing caution to the wind, the staff here at PPP sat down to hammer out each of our thoughts and bring them to you, our readers, free of charge.
Continue after the jump...
The Leafs will ice an incredibly young team this season. The average age of the opening night roster last season was 27.4 years old. The average age of the team taking the ice Thursday will be 26. That figure means the Leafs have one of the youngest teams in the NHL. And as with any young team, there are plenty of questions moving forward. No one can honestly say that they know exactly what the organization has right now in certain players. Undoubtedly, this article would be easier to write if the Leafs were a veteran laden team like Detroit. Ignoring the increased propensity for injuries as players age, one knows what to expect from veterans with extensive NHL experience. That's simply not the case when you have such a young team as Ron Wilson does. I know we all hope that players such as Tyler Bozak, Nikolai Kulemin, and Luke Schenn take significant steps this year. But projections and wishful thinking don't always equal results.
That said, there is reason to hope. Since the end of the lockout, six different teams have made the playoffs following a season where they finished in the bottom five of the league. Pittsburgh in 2006-07, Philadelphia and Washington in 2007-08, St. Louis in 2008-09, and L.A. and Colorado last year. So there is certainly precedent for the Leafs having a shot at the post-season. To do so, they will have to improve on a league worst special teams unit. The Leafs have had a post-lockout low penalty kill percentage of 74.7 for two straight seasons. In fact, no other team has had a cumulative PK% lower than 76 since the lockout. We should find out quickly how much of the team's struggles in that department were due to Vesa Toskala (I'm guessing A LOT [Editor's Note: You would be guessing correctly]). Turning around the penalty kill should be the coaching staff's top priority heading into the season. The Leafs haven't escaped the bottom third of the league in that statistic since pre-2005. Is it coincidence they haven't made the playoffs in that time period?
Goaltending is another issue for this squad. Vesa Toskala posted save percentages under .895 in consecutive seasons before a trade sent him to Anaheim in January. Jean Sebastian Giguere replaces Toskala as the Leafs #1 goaltender, bringing a much higher pedigree to the position. Giguere's numbers have dipped over the past two campaigns, but he did post a .916 SV% in fifteen games with Toronto. Are his numbers in Anaheim over the past 24 months due to the death of his father and the loss of mentor and goaltending coach Francois Allaire? Or is he simply nearing the end of his time as a starting goaltender in the NHL? Again, more questions. Giguere enters the last year of a monster contract and his play this season could go a long way to determine his future in the league. His backup will be Jonas Gustavsson, a true athletic talent at the position, but one who still needs significant work to round out his game. Barring injury, expect Gustavsson to remain the backup to Giguere for the duration of the season.
What else can we expect from the Leafs this season? Some members of the PPP staff were kind enough to give their thoughts on a few tough questions.
Question 1: What do you think is the biggest storyline heading into the 2010-2011 NHL season?
PPP: The overall storyline should be whether Brian Burke's entirely revamped organization will gain any traction. The Marlies are packed with his prospects and the Maple Leafs are most definitely 'his' team. The performance of both will call into question whether he will see out his 5 year contract.
Skinnyfish: Will Wilson keep his job if this team is out of playoff contention come December?
mf37: On a macro level: are Brian Burke's moves starting to pay off? Burke has all but completely turned over the player personnel on this club since November 2008. Sure, he started out with a craptacular line-up, but this season Burke's club needs to start producing results or at least show that the team is moving in the right direction. On a micro level: The storyline will be special teams. The only way this team is going to improve its goal differential enough to have a shot at the playoffs is to seriously reduce their goals against on the PK and start cashing in chances on the PP.
Karina: The play of our young talent. Can Nik Kulemin continue his torrid pace from last spring? How will Tyler Bozak fare over a full season? The Leafs will be looking for development in goal scoring from all of their young players, included those already mentioned, as well as Clarke MacArthur and Nazem Kadri. I think the Leafs will score a lot more than most prognosticators are expecting.
Chemmy: The defense. Despite the huge cap space taken up and the pedigree of players like Phaneuf, Komisarek, and Kaberle, the three of them don't produce at a level even half their cap hit.
Birky: What isn't a question mark entering the season? I'd have to go with special teams and goal scoring. The Leafs have to improve on both the penalty kill and the powerplay to have any hope of a playoff berth. Does the team have enough talent up front to outscore the opposition? I'm doubtful.
Question 2: Who do you think will be the biggest surprise for the Leafs this year?
mf37: The answer depends on your baseline expectations. Nik Kulemin will continue to develop into a great two-way hockey player and should crest the 20 goal mark. Conversely, I didn't think Christian Hanson had it in him to make this club. He's been the biggest surprise in camp. He has been much more physical, assertive, and one of the few Leafs consistantly willing to drive to the opponent's net. That said, how big of a surprise is qualifying to be the 4th line center on a team that many would argue doesn't have a single NHL caliber pivot?
Chemmy: Kris Versteeg. He's going to erupt this year.
PPP: The entire defense. Even by getting the team to middle of the pack in terms of 5-on-5 goals against and 5-on-4 goals against would save the team around 24 goals based on last year's numbers. That's not even accounting for a truly improved penalty kill and competent goaltending.
Karina: J.S. Giguere. He won't return to Conn Smythe form, but he'll get back to his career average (Editor's note: Since 2001, Giguere's overall save% is .919). He'll give the Leafs confidence that the big save will be there when they need it.
Skinnyfish: Kris Versteeg coming into his own as an offensive player and approaching 30 goals as well as Tyler Bozak cementing himself as a legitimate first line center.
Birky: Francois Beauchemin. He was really good in the second half last season, even though nobody seems to give him any credit. His play will really shine this year while playing in front of Giguere.
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
Karina: Dion Phaneuf and/or Jonas Gustavsson. I admit that I have an irrational crush on Phaneuf, but people shouldn't expect him to perform better than he did in Calgary. I also expect trouble between Ron Wilson and Phaneuf to surface come mid-season. Gustavsson may have a rough year. With Toskala gone, his play will be under far more scrutiny.
Skinnyfish: Clarke MacArthur. I just don't see him turning into a 20 goal scorer like Wilson does. Expect him to be replaced in the line-up by Nazem Kadri come New Years.
mf37: A soiled bed sheet tied from post to post would be an upgrade on Vesa Toskala, yet the Leafs goaltending remains an enormous question mark. Jonas Gustavsson has looked pretty rough in pre-season, but in his rookie year he put up middling numbers. He was 60th in save percentage with a .902. Anyone expecting him to crack the top 30 goalies or challenge as an NHL starter will likely be disappointed. Those who see him as a bargain euro still trying to learn the game likely won’t be disappointed. Same goes for Giguere. He’s been on a steady decline for years. Anyone expecting the Conn Smythe winning goalie should have their foam TV bricks and a lots of alcoholic beverages handy. Speaking of unrealistic expectations, I think Grabbo will have a season that’s perfectly aligned with 2nd line centres the league over, but he will take heat for not putting up bigger numbers.
Birky: Carl Gunnarsson and Jonas Gustavsson. Gunnarsson has had a terrible preseason, and I'm not even sure he'll be on the ice on Thursday. Outside of John Mitchell, he's the only guy who may have played himself out of the lineup. Gustavsson can still be a #1 goaltender, but his game remains raw. I'm not sure he made any improvement over the summer. He needs to keep a clipboard with him on the bench, which is where he should be for a lot of games this season. He wasn't ready for the workload he received last year.
Chemmy: Colby Armstrong. The Leafs are paying $3 million a year for a third line winger who occasionally hits.
PPP: Colton Orr. He'll only kill Matt Carkner two times this year.
Question 4: Which Leaf will have a bounce-back season?
Chemmy: Mikhail Grabovski. His production was fine last season, but the MSM will make a big deal about his improvement.
mf37: Dion Phaneuf will likely score 12 to 15 goals and put up close to 30 assists. I’m not sure that’s enough to warrant his salary, but it’s certainly an improvement on the 2 goals he scored during his first half-season with the Leafs.
PPP: This is going to be a three way tie between Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek, and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The first two will validate Brian Burke's belief that they could anchor a mean-spirited defence and the latter will prove that he has moved past his personal issues and has returned to the form that saw him backstop the Ducks to a Stanley Cup. Okay, not that good but much better than anything the Leafs have gotten from their goaltenders since the lockout.
Skinnyfish: A bounce back year for Giguere as he works behind a much better defense and forward corps. His numbers will return to something around the league average for a number one goaltender.
Karina: Again, it will be Giguere. Not only will he bounce back, but he will be the key to getting the defense to perform to it's ability. He has a history with Beauchemin, which will help. But it's his communication skills that will really make the difference. Giguere is vocal with the guys in front of him, which should really make a difference because they didn't communicate much at all last season.
Birky: Luke Schenn and J.S. Giguere. Schenn played fairly well in the preseason, and you can see that things may be starting to click. He looks improved when handling the puck. I'm inclined to think that Giguere's performance in Anaheim over the past two seasons had more to do with the death of his father and the defection of Francois Allaire than his game simply breaking down. I expect near league average numbers.
Check back later for Part II: Predictions for individual players and final points!
97 comments
|
4 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Note:
This was obviously written before cuts were announced this morning.
Negative. I am a meat popsicle.
I’d like a do-over for my Hanson response,
Bitter Leaf Fan: because sometimes there's no option but to be bitter...
DENIED!
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Oct 4, 2010 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Glad to see Giguere as an almost universal pick for bounce-back season.
Such a great guy. It’d be great if he was a little cheaper, but after last year I’m willing to overpay for reasonably good goaltending.
Daniel Bard: somehow avoiding fatigue related DL stints since 2010.
Feel free to post your own answers to the four questions.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
Question 1: What do you think is the biggest storyline heading into the 2010-2011 NHL season?
I agree with Dean Keaton here. The biggest question mark for me is whether Ron Wilson will remain employed if the Leafs find themselves at the bottom of the conference again. After two years with atrocious special teams and defense from a coach that supposedly specialized in special teams and defense, RW’s job hardly seems secure.
Question 2: Who do you think will be the biggest surprise for the Leafs this year?
I agree with Chemmy here: Kris Versteeg is going to have a breakout year. He spent his time in Chicago playing 2nd and 3rd line minutes behind fantastic players like Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews, and only saw any significant time on the 2nd PP. Here he will get first line opportunities to show what he can do – judging from his pre-season (6gp 2g 7a), it could be a lot.
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
I think it could be Carl Gunnarsson this year. He had a solid rookie campaign in which he went from a nobody on the Marlies to a very reliable defenseman on the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his preseason has been nothing short of terrible. Bad giveaways due to bad decisions with the puck, not covering his man properly, and he doesn’t seem to have the same hustle. I think he can turn it around quickly, but as it stands I think he stands to disappoint more than others.
Question 4: Which Leaf will have a bounce-back season?
Either Mikhail Grabovski or Dion Phaneuf. Grabbo put up some decent numbers in an injury plagued season last year, but I think he has the skill to improve on them a little bit. He can become a 50-60 point center on a consistent basis. I’m expecting something around 22-32 from Grabovski.
Dion Phaneuf’s point totals have been cut roughly in half since his Norris nomination a couple years back, and he’ll need to improve on those numbers to justify his ridiculous salary. He’s the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and he needs to lead on the ice as well as off. Look for him to bounce back to around the 45-50 point range. I’d say he gets 13-35 or so.
Bobby Ryan...can he be acquired?
blurr1974: No.
My answers-
1) The goaltending. What’s the old saying- you don’t need great goaltending but you can’t win with bad goaltending? Bingo. A team .915/.920 save percentage and special teams percentages adding up to 100 would be nice to see. I have to wonder what kind of effect on morale that Toskala had. I can think of at least a half-dozen games last year where they came out playing well and Toskala let in a goal you’d expect a junior B backup to stop, and it just seemed like it demoralised them.
2) I think Versteeg. I didn’t realise how much speed he has. 30 goals with first-line minutes does not seem beyond him.
3) Gunnarsson just looks like a sophomore slump waiting to happen.
4) Going off the board…Komisarek. He’s healthy, he doesn’t have the Olympics hanging over his head, and he’s had a year to bed in.
The Maple Leafs- making me certifiably insane since 1985.
A team .920 save percentage is like saying we only need our top two lines to average 50 goals each.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
Buffalo and Boston both did it last year. No one else did.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/statistics/team/_/stat/scoring/sort/teamSavePct/year/2010/seasontype/2
.910 is middle of the pack for team save percentage and what we should aim for.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
I’d be really fucking happy with a team .905 after these last few years
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Oct 4, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
1. WHAT THE FUCK IS A CHIHUAHUA LEASH??
2. Tomas Kaberle and Brandon Dubinsky reveal that they’re twins and proceed to lead the league in scoring a la the sedins.
3. Tyler Seguin
4. Keith Acton.
Who wants to hear a funny ass joke?
chihuahua leash probably means “short leash”.
by Nigel Cadbury on Oct 4, 2010 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
1) I think the story of the season will be the defence. With so much money tied up in d I think there’s got to be some sort of validation for the amount of $$ back on the blueline.
2) Kulemin is going to be a huge asset this year if he keeps his pre-season play up. I’m thinking 25 is easily attainable.
3) Gunnarson is going to slump and when that happens, Schenn and Lebda are going to look like the the poster for Twins standing on the blueline…sad.
4) Grabovski, he’s going to work well with Kulemin this year. Now that he has speed and scoring assets on both sides of him, I think we will see less of the patented “skate as fast as you can and lose an edge in the corner, turning the puck over” play we saw out of him last year.
Dion Phaneuf: turning the tunes up since '10
Surprise: team-wide goal-scoring, which was a huge concern, will be okay. It was the preseason, but they did average three per game. 230-240 goals, about league average, doesn’t seem unrealistic. Phaneuf, Versteeg, and Kulemin should have a lot to do with that.
Disappointment: Carl Gunnarsson. He had great, but fluky, numbers in a small sample size last year. Luckily, though, I think the defensive depth is better, so the Leafs should be okay if he really falters. They’ll have to do better than allowing over 3 per game, as they did in the preseason.
Bounce-back: Phaneuf and Giguere. I think Phaneuf will anchor an improved power-play; as for Giguere, looking at his career SV% and increasing the weighting for recent seasons (arbitrarily 3-2-1-1-1-etc), his SV% is .911. If the Leafs get .911 goaltending, they cut 36 goals based on last season’s shots allowed.
Storyline: Phaneuf, for good or bad
Surprise: Versteeg, like Chemmy mentioned
Disappointment: The Eastern Conference standings in January
Bounce-back: Komisarek
Blue on both sides: Maple Stir-up
And I'm on Tweetbook
Question 1: What do you think is the biggest storyline heading into the 2010-2011 NHL season?
It’d have to be Ron Wilson’s continued employment as head coach. I think we all remember that god-awful record of 0-7-1 to start the 2009-10 season.
Question 2: Who do you think will be the biggest surprise for the Leafs this year?
Beauchemin. He’ll rediscover himself with Giguere between the pipes and while I don’t believe he’ll be putting up career numbers, he’s going to do more for the Leafs’ special teams units than Phaneuf will. Rarely out of position and calm, cool and decisive with the puck—he’s the guy who should further typify the kind of defensemen Luke Schenn could be in 5-10 years.
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
Colby Armstrong. Aside from his rookie year in Pittsburgh, he’s a part-time player on a full-time contract who is nothing more than a 3-million-dollar sink.
Question 4: Which Leaf will have a bounce-back season?
I don’t buy that Gustavsson is going to have a bad season. I think the starting job is Giguere’s to lose currently but that with year already behind him and with both Jiggy and Allaire working closely, Gustavsson will probably be given starting duties by the time we roll into 2011. We should start to see a bit more refinement to his game finally and the doubt surrounding him should also lift.
Welcome
Thanks for joining. Sadly, you are not member 24601.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
by PPP on Oct 4, 2010 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
One things for certain,
those are fuckin’ sweet new jerseys!!!1
Be an Optimist Prime, not a Negatron. Certified Grabbo Lover!
Адразу Ліфс Перайсці !
Storyline: Was Burke aggressive enough this offseason in adding useful parts to the roster, or will he have to overpay at the trade deadline in order to make a playoff push?
Surprise: Giguere. But really, both statistically and subjectively, the 2010-11 Leafs MVP will be A.O.V.T. (the Absence Of Vesa Toskala).
Disappointment: Grabovski, and I worry about Kulemin’s production playing with Grabs.
Bounce-back: Believe it or not, I say Kaberle. Competent power play teammates will be a breath of fresh air for him.
Overtime loss: The new black.
I worry about Kulemin’s production playing with Grabs.
In Kulemin’s rookie year he scored 22 of his 31 points while playing with Grabovski.
Resident Capologist
Follow me on Twitter @clrkaitken. Or don't. Whatever.
In the pre-season, he scored everyone of his 5 goals on Grabovski’s line.
When I read the nickname Testicula, the first thing that popped into my head was a vampiristic scrotum that can only be killed with a silver cross driven through the vas deferens. - Certified Grabbo Lover
BOOM!
When I read the nickname Testicula, the first thing that popped into my head was a vampiristic scrotum that can only be killed with a silver cross driven through the vas deferens. - Certified Grabbo Lover
Question 1: What do you think is the biggest storyline heading into the 2010-2011 NHL season?
I’d probably go with special teams, myself. The Power Play and Penalty Kill. I think that’s the biggest storyline for the Leafs this upcoming season, given the state of the team in other areas.
That said though, I can easily see how the overall storyline would be goaltending. Since the parting of ways with Belfour, the Leafs have had very poor goaltending and that’s been by far the biggest reason/fault for them having yet to return to the playoffs since. I feel very good about Giguere & Gustavsson, their presence/play will end that costly drought and thus be why the Leafs return to the playoffs.
Question 2: Who do you think will be the biggest surprise for the Leafs this year?
It seems like an easy answer because he’s entirely new to the team/fanbase, coupled with his great play, but I too will answer with Kris Versteeg. I was incredibly excited when the Leafs acquired him but not all Leafs fans were as enthusiastic. Versteeg has looked great in the preseason, but I think the regular season is when he will really make Leafs fans take notice.
If not Versteeg (alone), then the Power Play including Versteeg could be the biggest surprise. Given the difficulties and struggles of last year’s PP at times, a potent and productive PP with Versteeg-Bozak-Kessel-Kaberle-Phaneuf could be what grabs the most positive attention for the Maple Leafs.
Speaking of Kessel, I think he’s going to have a great year, but I don’t know how much of a surprise that is other than making people to stop talking about Tyler Seguin in relation to him.
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
As a fairly optimistic individual, especially before the start of a season, this isn’t the easiest question to answer.
Can I say Nazem Kadri? Only because I think a good deal of expectations, from what I’ve come across, are unrealistic and by virtue of that, disappointment can/will ensue. The kid is going to be a good if not very good player, but hold off on thinking he’ll do that immediately and/or he’ll eventually be some 90-plus point player. Be reasonable and let him develop, Burke and Wilson know what they are doing.
I agree with earlier posts that Carl Gunnarsson hasn’t looked very good this preseason. That’s a bummer, hopefully it won’t be the case for him come the regular season, meanwhile Burke not trading Kaberle looks better in hindsight.
Question 4: Which Leaf will have a bounce-back season?
Dion Phaneuf and JS Giguere are the two that immediately come to mind. They both played very well since coming over to the Leafs on January 31st (not going to forget that date any time soon), but I’ll say Phaneuf because I think he’ll have a better statistical showing offensively than last season. Not to mention where he is as a hockey player and how he is perceived this season versus where he was at last season in Calgary before the trade.
if everyone is picking Versteeg to be the big surprise, can he still be a surprise?
I didn’t name him for question 2 as I think expectations for him are already quite high.
Bitter Leaf Fan: because sometimes there's no option but to be bitter...
indeed, the fact that I expect him to flirt with 30 goals this season. the only way I can see him being a surprise is if he scores 35+ or becomes a 50 assist man
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Oct 4, 2010 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Whoa. That shit was, like, exostential.
Be an Optimist Prime, not a Negatron. Certified Grabbo Lover!
Адразу Ліфс Перайсці !
by Sergei Puckizin on Oct 4, 2010 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s a really good point. My thinking was more geared towards the Leafs fanbase as a whole, I don’t how how much Versteeg registers on that figurative radar as of yet (as he would for those of us answering the questions on this blog).
Welcome
Thanks for joining. Oh man, another Colts fan?
Good answers.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
by PPP on Oct 4, 2010 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for the kind welcome/response. I joined a while ago, but haven’t posted much if at all since. With the cool format of discussion in the initial post, I couldn’t help but join in. Great job and I’m definitely looking forward to Part 2.
And yeah, the Colts. Unfortunately their defense right now is playing like Toskala in Toronto …
Since the parting of ways with Belfour, the Leafs have had very poor goaltending
Though really, the last we got out of Bel4 wasn’t so great either.
post lockout has not been kind to the Leafs
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Oct 4, 2010 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
Mikhail Grabovski. He cut his hair, and for that, I can never forgive him. Next thing you know, he will be seen all over town saving pineapples.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
Oh he totally needs a pined-apple shaped Bat-signal!
Be an Optimist Prime, not a Negatron. Certified Grabbo Lover!
Адразу Ліфс Перайсці !
by Sergei Puckizin on Oct 4, 2010 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
1 – Biggest storyline of the year will continue to be the Kessel deal, because it hasn’t reached a conclusion yet. if we hand over another lotto pick, it will be disastrous and could potentially signal the end of the Burke era (or at least people will be calling for it). The ongoing subplot will be the hawkish review of every single thing Tyler Seguin does this season.
2 – The day we wake up and realize that one of Kulemin or Schenn is the longest serving Maple Leaf.
3 – I hope to hell I’m wrong but I think it’s Komisarek. He had a very uneven pre-season, and the subsequent acquisitions of Beauchemin and Phaneuf have pushed him down the depth chart. If Schenn continues to progress he could potentially be our Finger 2.0 by next year. Again, I hope to hell I’m wrong.
4 – Grabovski. He’s playing for a job everyone has already decided he’s not worthy of, even though ever since he’s got here he’s been everything we could have asked for of a 2nd line centre (including an appropriate cap hit). Playing with Kulemin again I think 25 goals and 55 points aren’t out of the question.
Resident Capologist
Follow me on Twitter @clrkaitken. Or don't. Whatever.
Komisarek’s a good candidate mostly because even if he plays well it’ll be against tough opposition and he’s not a scorer. Beauchemin took tons of flak last season despite playing pretty well in awful minutes.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
Agreed except Beauchemin looked truly awful at the start (giving him something in common with every other Leaf)
Resident Capologist
Follow me on Twitter @clrkaitken. Or don't. Whatever.
Yes, but Beauchemin turned it around. Komisarek did too shortly before getting hurt. They’re different players doing the same thing: Beauchemin is more “gritty”, I don’t like the word but it’s his style, while Komisarek is more of a “bruiser”. Komi’s game is to throw big hits and hurt opposing forwards. Beauchemin grinds people down more slowly and can chip in on offense.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
If Komisarek can return to his level of play before he got hurt last year, and Schenn takes another step forward, would you consider moving Beauchemin if somebody like the Caps came knocking at the deadline?
Resident Capologist
Follow me on Twitter @clrkaitken. Or don't. Whatever.
I would move anyone on our team for the right price so yes.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
what if part of the price of dealing Beauch was falling back into lottery pick position?
The most pessimistic Leafs fan on the board.
by Peter de Chatham on Oct 4, 2010 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Well if you’re trading him it’s because you think you’re improving your team. If what you’re buying is future talent for present talent then that’s normally something you do when you’re out of contention.. It would have to take an exceptional amount of future talent to be worth trading for a present playoff spot.
Question 1: What do you think is the biggest storyline heading into the 2010-2011 NHL season?
Will former Detroit clown Lebda be a good enough whipping boy to take pressure off the other defencemen? (hint: the answer is no)
Question 2: Who do you think will be the biggest surprise for the Leafs this year?
Just how quickly those “Upset Fan” bag-masks come out again.
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
Versteeg, for the reason that he’s got the biggest hype going into the season. We’re doign that thing (again) where we take 2nd line players and projecting 1st line all-star numbers for them based on minutes played.
Question 4: Which Leaf will have a bounce-back season?
After the Leafs have their usual January/February slump, Kadri will be desperately air-lifted into the lineup to give fans “hope for the future”, and will provide just enough scoring to get our hopes up during the Leafs usual “play good in March when it doesn’t matter no more” routine. (Optimistic alternative: Kadri’s play provides just enough scoring to get us out of lottery pick position)
Sorry, have to live up to the tagline boys…
The most pessimistic Leafs fan on the board.
by Peter de Chatham on Oct 4, 2010 4:29 PM EDT reply actions
you should talk to your doctor about Paxil
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Oct 4, 2010 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions
i tried optimism last pre-season and look where it got us
The most pessimistic Leafs fan on the board.
by Peter de Chatham on Oct 4, 2010 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
try something in the middle then, you don’t have to pendulum all the way back
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Oct 4, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
a) You don’t have to live up to your tagline; you just chose to.
b) You know you have the ability to change it right?
Resident Capologist
Follow me on Twitter @clrkaitken. Or don't. Whatever.
i know, but after watching this preseason, all that has happened is that the defence has got me worried. In truth, cutting the numbers of goals-against is the only hope of making the playoffs.
Ok, let’s try this a bit optimisically:
1. Storyline:
Lebda will become such a source of exasperation, such a Vesatoskalaesque running joke among Leaf Nation the way he was in Detroit, he will free up pressure on a sophomore Gunnarson and highly paid Komisarek.
2. Biggest surprise:
Tim Brent. Maybe he can anchor a solid shutdown line after all.
3. Biggest disappointment.
A big improvement over last season, but ending up just 1-2 points out of the 8th playoff spot after New Jersey doesn’t start Brodeur in their final game.
4. Bounce-back.
Kaberle, he looked like he was finally taking shots on goal during the pre-season powerplays, so maybe he’ll actually fake out some opponents with his fake shots, and deliver a solid 60 pt contract year season.
The most pessimistic Leafs fan on the board.
by Peter de Chatham on Oct 4, 2010 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions
oh yeah
and then there was that shootout and everything… oy…
The most pessimistic Leafs fan on the board.
by Peter de Chatham on Oct 4, 2010 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Question 1: What do you think is the biggest storyline heading into the 2010-2011 NHL season?
I think the biggest storyline going into this season has to be the play of the special teams. In San Jose, Wilson coached teams who generally have been amongst the best in the league, and to have a contending team Wilson will definitely try to improve on the debacle from last season.
Another storyline I feel is one to watch is the progression of Kris Versteeg. Can he be the versatile two-way player he’s pegged to be. How will he produce in a full time top-six role? Definitely things to keep an eye out for.
Question 2: Who do you think will be the biggest surprise for the Leafs this year?
I wholeheartedly think that this will be Dion Phaneuf. The responsibility of having the C will hopefully make him more accountable for HIS own game, so instead of bad pinches and foolish hip-checking opportunities we will see a more reserved, overall better Dion. (To clarify, when I say reserved I do not mean he won’t smash the shit out of people, I just mean his game will have more of a balance to it.)
Question 3: What Leafs player will be the biggest disappointment?
I think that by virtue of expectations only, it has to be Nazem Kadri. I am sure many had thought on that June day he was drafted that he would be, at the very least, a serviceable NHL player by now. The fact that he will begin on the Marlies is already disappointing to many fans.
On the NHL roster, I don’t think that it will be a player, but more so the PK unit. How much of an impact will a full year of Freddy Sjostrom, Versteeg, and Giguere have on repairing a unit which has been one of the worst in the league since the lockout?
Question 4: Which Leaf will have a bounce-back season?
Grabovski. I planned to do some research on him, but luckily LeafSpace had done some for me :)
Without Mikhail Grabovski (adding the game he got injured in):
(Before Phaneuf and Giguere Trade): 3-10-2 (On pace for a 44 point season)
(After Phaneuf and Giguere Trade): 3-5-1 (On pace for a 64 point season)
(Total): 6-15-3 (On pace for a 51 point season)
With Grabovski (Taking away the game he got injured in):
(Before Phaneuf and Giguere Trade): 14-18-9 (On pace for a 74 point season)
(After Phaneuf and Giguere Trade): 10-5-2 (On pace for a 106 point season)
(Total): 24-23-11 (On pace for a 83 point season)
The Leafs are obviously better with him in the lineup, and with his success with Kulemin this preseason and his ever improving game, I can see him being a very solid 2nd line center man for this team.
i haate that hanson didnt make the team
tru·cu·lence noun \ˈtrə-kyə-lən(t)s also ˈtrü-\
Definition of TRUCULENCE
: the quality or state of being truculent
by -HARDCOREBUDSFAN- on Oct 4, 2010 5:39 PM EDT reply actions
1 Tomas Kabrle’s father.
2 Tomas Kaberle remaining with the Leafs
3 Not Tomas Kaberle
4 Komisarek
by general borschevsky on Oct 4, 2010 5:57 PM EDT reply actions
I agree with PPP on everything (no, I’m not sucking up)
"Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience... hockey is the chance of life, and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive." - Stephen Leacock.
although I wouldn’t mind some extra brownie points :)
"Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience... hockey is the chance of life, and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive." - Stephen Leacock.
You realize that PPP brownie points are not redeemable for brownies. I personally stopped sucking up about 4 seconds after I learned this.
What are they good for then? Cyber back rub?
Waaaay too much Versteez.
Colton Orr is a Beauty.
by happiergilmore on Oct 4, 2010 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions
They’re like monopoly money.
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Oct 4, 2010 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Canadian Tire dollars! Got me $23.85 off a sweet new pair of binoculars last week.
Be an Optimist Prime, not a Negatron. Certified Grabbo Lover!
Адразу Ліфс Перайсці !
by Sergei Puckizin on Oct 4, 2010 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I have $450 in Canadian Tire money. Gonna get some new road hockey sticks n stufff.
Waaaay too much Versteez.
Colton Orr is a Beauty.
by happiergilmore on Oct 4, 2010 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions
We say that so that we know you’re sucking up for the right reasons.
There are brownies.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
I don't quite get why so many people expect a big bounce back from Komisarek.
He might play more games than he did last year, but if we’re talking about players with declining numbers, we have to talk about Komi. It’s really unlikely that he plays a full season.
Defense! Defense! Common! Do you call that blowing!?
I’d be happy with 70+.
One of the reasons I thought we had Lebda (and Finger I guess) was to give the guys in the top six less pressure and rotate days off for maintenance or rest, making it easier to endure an entire season. We don’t just need Komisarek for an 82 game schedule, we’re gonna need him for the PLAYOFFS!!!1.
by general borschevsky on Oct 4, 2010 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you really think that we are going to give Komisarek, Kaberle, Phaneuf, or Beauchemin time off? I can accept the idea that Lebda can act as an injury replacement, but with all due respect GB, giving kingpin players time off when we are going to be so hard pressed to make the post-season sounds totally crazy.
Defense! Defense! Common! Do you call that blowing!?
No, I think that’s the whole idea. It’s a long season, guys get banged up, and older guys need to recharge their batteries sometimes or just take it easy. You can’t play 82 games like it’s the playoffs.
I’m not talking about lots of time off, just a game here and there. If you can spread the pressure around, give key players a breather now and then, it’ll make it a lot easier for the entire group to endure and survive the season intact. It’s no use making the playoffs if all your best guys are burned out. Hopefully we won’t be in a dogfight all season long for the 8th spot and we’ll have the luxury of making strategic roster decisions instead of desperate roster decisions.
“Now, I’m not saying this team’s going to take a run to the finals. I’m just saying, our plan is to make the playoffs. That’s our goal. You need eight defensemen minimum to do that. Most teams go through nine, and a lot of teams get to double digits. … We do not have extra defensemen right now. We may not be able to dress them all for opening night.”
by general borschevsky on Oct 5, 2010 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Not worried about points. Worried about games played.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
65 or we’re fucked.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
Great writeup!
1. Biggest storyline
One of two things, I think, depending on how things go out of the gate. If we’re pushing for PLAYOFFS!!!1, then that’ll be a great story. Sadly, if not, I’m predicting references to the June 2011 draft will quickly be made.
2. Biggest surprise
I’m going to go with BOZAK. He was really coming on strong late last year and so far he’s looked even better in the preseason, including his chemistry with Kessel. At the very least he’ll shut up all the asshat haters who are laughing right now about him being our #1 centre.
3. Biggest disappointment
Giggy. He won’t be anything near as bad as Tosuckala, of course, and he’ll certainly steal some games for us, but I’m not sold on his consistency for some reason I can’t really explain.
4. Bounce-back
Kaberle. He’s actually SHOOTING THE PUCK!!! Still won’t be great defensively, but barring injury I could see him beating last year’s point totals. He’s also in a contract year, which should help motivate him.
Yet another Leaf fan in Ottawa.
www.twitter.com/zenbeerbass
Er I meant, that is
Great write up by you guys, not me.
Yet another Leaf fan in Ottawa.
www.twitter.com/zenbeerbass
Biggest storyline:
Ron Wilson and his ability to develop these kids. Youngest team in the League, and historically, Wilson hasn’t really been big on kids. This is the youngest team Wilson has been in charge of since the 05-06 Sharks (average of all players w/ over 10 gp, includes goalies), and, excluding the 05-06 Sharks, his youngest team since the 1995-1996 Mighty Ducks. Is he the right guy for the helm?
Biggest surprise:
Grabbo. If he stays happy and healthy, I think he can top that .6 PPG, and I think he’ll shock everyone with just how good he can be, especially now that he’s reunited with Kulemin.
Biggest disappointment:
Komisarek. I know he got a mulligan on his play last year, but we have to consider: what if he can’t stay healthy? We’ve got a giant boat anchor that makes Finger look like a good investment.
Biggest bounceback:
Kaberle. The rumor mill is dead, he has a clear and defined role on this team, and he can focus on his game. He’ll be getting soft minutes, and I think he’ll capitalize on them well. Honorable mention: Giguere, for his contract year.
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
This is the youngest team Wilson has been in charge of since the 05-06 Sharks
[thinks about how that worked out]… I personally am cool with this.
The problem is: they sucked until they traded for Joe Thornton.
8-12-4 before the trade, 36-15-7 after.
They really haven’t looked back since.
Maybe we got our ‘Joe Thornton’ moment with Phaneuf and just don’t know it yet, but….too early to tell.
Visit my blog at: http://50-mission-cap.blogspot.com/
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Oct 5, 2010 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions
it will be great if kaberle can ‘bounce back’ from his horrible year where he scored 49 pts and was 2nd on the team in scoring.
Yesterday is dead, but not my memory.
That’s how highly we think of Tomas. We think that half a season of good offensive hockey and 0% of a season of good defensive hockey isn’t good enough for him.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
by PPP on Oct 5, 2010 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Pension Plan Puppets
Related FanShots on Pension Plan Puppets
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- The John Tortorella origin story, including ground balls to the face
- NHL investigates Coyotes; Shane Doan explains tense Game 5 handshake with Kings’ Brown
- NHL Playoff Beard Watch: Blood, Sweat and Beards of unsung unshaven heroes
- Devils guarantee they’ll downplay 1994 conference finals for Game 6 vs. Rangers
- Dodger Stadium Winter Classic; 10 worst NHL fans; ‘While The Men Watch’ debate (Puck Headlines)
SBNation.com Recent Stories
StatCounter
