The Apprenticeship of Joe Colborne

1) At the NHL level we have a glut of potential top 6 centres in Conolly and Grabbo and even Lombardi (not forgetting bozie but i see him as a career 3rd liner) therefore a full season in the AHL the way burke likes it should continue Big Joe’s progression until he’s ready to challenge for a top spot at spring training

2) Depending on Grabbo’s contract status and whether he’s resigned i think conolly becomes the most expendable even though a year with Colbornecentring a talented third line wouldn’t hurt.

3) I predict a player similar to Logan Couture. In Colborne’s case better hands may equal more assist than Couture but thirty goals shouldn’t be unreallistic at his max potential. I say somewhere around a consistent 55-65 point player and a career 2nd line centre

challenge for a top spot at spring training

Is he switching to Baseball?

Further evidence that Rogers will buy MLSE

I spent six hours yesterday building a spreadsheet so I could look at developmental curves to be used in comparison with guys like Kadri and Colborne.

I’m hoping to have it up by tonight and I’ll link back to this article.

1) One of Colborne or Kadri is likely playing for the Leafs top next season so he challenges next training camp.

2) Lot of skill but very injury prone plus has eats up 5 mill

3) Who do I want him to be Similar to?…..Malkin would be nice, but realistically if he turn into Nik Antropov i’ll be happy.

1 Send down Kadri and Frattin to play 20+ mins a night with big Joe. Let them develop some chemistry and run wild until New Yr or the deadline depending on how they and the Leafs are doing. If they are clicking bring the entire line up to play on the Leafs 3rd.

2. Ship Orr, Dupuis and Rosehill to the minors if they clear waivers.

3. Would love to see him develop into a Jordan Staal

I really think we don’t see much of Colborne this year. Injury call up may not happen because there are just so many centers right now. But as the year progresses, the team will have to make a decision on the MGK line, with Grabo being UFA and Kulemin RFA, and unlikely (my opinion, because I think it unnecessary) resignings of Dupuis and Rosehill, there could easily be more than enough room go give him (and others) room to prove themselves next season.

I think the trading really depends on what is going on in February. If the Leafs are rolling and in the mix for playoffs, I don’t think they move a center. Grabovski, for all we like him, won’t bring the return the Leafs would want to strengthen a playoff chance. In this case, I think it turns to either a minor deal, moving out Bozak or Lombardi, or a two year wait to see who the Leafs want to hold onto among all their centers who are up (Connolly, Bozak, Lombardi, Steckel). That obviously depends on Grabovski remaining with the Leafs, which is my own preference because I like his game, even if his point totals are going to start to drop.

If the Leafs are once again on the outside, looking in, Grabo will probably be moved for picks/prospect package. Lombardi moves up and I think, depending on Bozie, Colborne gets a first shot to remain with the team until the end of the season.

The who do I want is just asking for Leafs-goggles optimism, so I’ll just say I would like him to develop into first line center, whoever that might be the mold of. Yeah, a Sundin or Getzlaf would be amazing, but I’d be happy to say we have a Colborne one day. But my hopes are not up.

1. If he keeps putting up ridiculous numbers, I think Burke makes a significant deal in the new year, especially if we aren’t a lock for playoffs. Probably involving two players below. So mid-January.

2. I really think Bozak and even Lombardi could be on the move if Grabbo resigns – if Grabbo is traded, then I think that creates a big void.

3. If he turns into a 50-60 point player, I’ll be thrilled. Anything less would depend more so on his overall game which I know little about. Oh God Tlusty is on the list.

 Mario Lemieux?

 JUST KIDDING but another Grabovski would be fine with me!

If anyone is noticing a trend here amongst all these Leaf connections, try not to read too much into it – though I would say they obviously do exist. It obviously helped the team to be able to pick the brains of players that had played with Colborne, trained with him, and scouts that had watched him play numerous times. Management wasn’t just asking for a player they had watched, they were asking for a player they had inside information on, and insight into the mentality of.

1) I’d say he gets a shot when someone is injured and probably doesn’t go back. Otherwise he makes the team after we pull a trade. Failing any trades or injuries probably next year.

2) Whoever Burke pulls out of his magic ass. We can also shift a center or two to wing to accommodate him.

3) Joe Thorton. They’re both big, they’re both good, they’re both named Joe and they both got traded by Boston.

1) Full-time starting next season, pending he shows he can stay dominant all year long at the AHL level. I want to see this kid beat the door down and FORCE his way onto the team.

2) Unless there’s a good offer for Connolly at the deadline, I say ship out Grabovski. He’s turned into a great player for us, yes. But I’d rather trade him for a solid return, save the cap space he’s going to demand, and see Burke go hard for a unicorn. But hey, if he wants to sign on for less than $5mill on a multi-year deal (dreaming), keep him and trade Bozak and/or Connolly.

3) Long term potential… well the kid is very talented, he’s got the raw tools. If he can really master his ability to lean on people in the offensive zone and maintain his good vision and hands, he could be a Joe Thornton lite. But that’s a ceiling projection. I think it’s safe to say he’ll be a 50+ point 2nd line C in the not-too-distant future.

1) I’d say next year we’ll see him, unless most of the C depth acquires Connolly’s contagious injury bug.

2) This is difficult. Grabbo could return some great assets, but I think he could be a valuable player for the team in the long run. I’d let Burke decide on this one.

3) Long term, I’d be fine to see Colborne become a playmaking 2nd line C who can score 50 to 60 points per season. I’d say his ceiling is a 65-75 point playmaking 1st line C (yeah, I’m on the hype train) and projects to be a Joe Thornton lite.

1) He’s with the Leafs by the trade deadline. I think he takes Bozak’s spot as the 3C on a sheltered scoring line, and Bozak is part of a package for another top 6 winger. Connolly-Grabbo-Colborne-Steckel down the middle, with Lombardi & Dupuis also available. Yeah. I can live with that.

2) Kind of answered that above, but I think it’s Bozak. Based on the ages of Connolly, Grabbo and Colborne, I think in two years’ time when Connolly’s contract expires, Grabbo replaces Connolly as the late 20s-early 30s top six centre, and Colborne replaces Grabbo as the early 20s up and coming top 6 centre. Also Colborne brings a size and skill element that the Leafs don’t currently have among their centres.

3) The Antropov comparison is probably the most apt. I get the Thornton comparison because of the Boston connection, but I don’t see him as that sort of playmaker. I’ll say Antropov is the most likely but my shoot-for-the-moon comparison is Anze Kopitar.

Great read, I’d be thrilled if Colborne turned out to be similar to Travis Zajac. I heard Eakins mention his play without the puck has improved a lot, compared to when he arrived last year.

I had low expectations when we acquired Colborne and saw his ppg in Providence. Knowing that he was down on the depth chart explains a lot as I noticed that most of the better scorer’s listed above Krejci, Ryan, Giroux, Couture, Anisimov, Brassard all had their AHL breakout season at 20 yrs old or younger. I know his ppg were almost identical to Zajac in the WCHA at 19/20 yrs old.

I’ll be at the Sens-Panthers game tonight. GO PANTHERS GO!!!

I don’t know why, but I continue to be surprised at the difference in content/quality between some of the blogs I read and ALL of the main media outlets. Really great read, thanks!

1) I think it depends on a few different factors. If Kadri lights up the AHL as well I think he becomes the first call up unless Colborne really outplays him. Also if Colborne keeps up the pace he’s been on, which I don’t expect him to, it’ll be pretty hard to leave him in the AHL for long. I’d imagine Dallas Eakins has some input on this sort of thing as well, if he says the kid is ready and has learned all he can in the A I think Burke makes room for him.

2) Don’t know who I’d want to see go. Definitely not Grabbo. I know he’s probably got the highest value, both in trade and cap-wise on his next contract but he’s consistently played very well for over a year. He’s a keeper. I don’t think we’ve seen Bozak’s best hockey yet, I’d like to see him stick. I like what I’ve seen of Lombardi so far too and judging by his past Connolly is a legitimate top 6 centre so I wouldn’t be in a hurry to jettison either of them.
 Hmm. I guess I’d like to see how the season plays out and how all the C’s perform.

3) I’d like to see him as a 1a or 1b centre. The Leafs could really use his size down the middle in their top six.