Comments on: Don’t Give up on Blake Yet

By: danvertising

danvertising — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:30:37 +0000

Since when does being the oldest player on the team automatically put you in a leadership role?
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Age has nothing to do with leadership. Schenn, the youngest Leaf, oozes leadership. Blake, the oldest Leaf, has zero leadership qualities.
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He has an off-ice reputation for being a bad teammate. This has followed him from LA to New York and now in Toronto. Don’t get me wrong, on the ice, I like Blake as a player. And I expect 25g 50p from him this year. Even in his first year with Toronto, sure he only got 15g but he still contributed offensively, posting 52 points. He is a good player.
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But by no means should he ever be considered a leader on any team. He has a selfish attitude, and sure he may be working on it, but for a 36 year old… don’t expect much of a change. If anything, he has the kind of attitude we should be trying to protect our young players against. He should not get any letter.
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Age and experience does not equal leadership.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:30:13 +0000

Grabovski will be better, Hagman wont be hurt, Tlusty will be better, Bozak could play good. Also if Burke pick up another top 6 forward

By: glgbill

glgbill — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:59:46 +0000

Not a Blake fan and I don’t see much more than 25 goals for the coming year. Yes, he scored a bit in stretches last year (with Moore, specifically), but in general I don’t think he know how to use line mates. He’s got great wheels and can be a pest, but he’s a third-liner on a decent team.

By: 7th Woman

7th Woman — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:15:34 +0000

Good article about my favorite player.
He will have a good season this year. I believe

By: Micheal Aldred

Micheal Aldred — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:30:53 +0000

@ Tucker Thomas:
Great idea! I’ll get that going immediately lol might not be video, but I’ll do my best. I seen a few of those on cracked.com maybe I’ll apply it to the Leafs.

By: B Gordon

B Gordon — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:34:00 +0000

@RSW
I completely agree. This is Blake’s moment to shine or not, the stars are aligned and he needs only to seize the day, otherwise to fade into obscurity. A career defining year for him, I think.

By: Richard-Steven Williams

Richard-Steven Williams — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:02:37 +0000

Without doubt this is my favourite collection of comments I have ever received. Let me clarify on a few points though… first when I am tired I do tend to shorten sentences using archaisims or “long words”… I can’t help it when I learn a new word I like to use it.
@Jordan Nice spot, like to keep you on your toes, while he was 33, by seasons start he was 34… I guess I was emphasising the stupidity of a 5 year $20 million contract for a guy that will be in his very late 30′s by contracts end.
As for Blake I am in no way advocating him as either a captain or an assistant captian. A team leader is not neccesarily a player wearing a letter, but someone who leads by example. At the end of last year Blake was playing a more rounded, less selfish game and a lot of his perceived selfishness was borne out of frustration. When he started to score he started to loosen up, as one of few veterans on the team Blake is going to be looked as much from the coaching staff as the players to inspire, all I’m stating is my personal belief that Blake will take the mantle of veteran responsibility with renewed vigour, that is IF he can keep scoring.

By: B Gordon

B Gordon — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:10:49 +0000

The fact that Blake admitted he was “a selfish teammate, someone who put himself first above the team” is a sign of maturity and growth, something you would expect from a team leader. Not saying he is, but he could be if he so desires.
As for Blake-Grabo battles, let’s not forget the Grabo-Kositsyn battle. I suspect both parties could share an equal part of the blame, they both share a reputation for not getting along with teammates and perhaps Blake as the veteran felt their was a lesson to be taught. Who knows?

By: lescott

lescott — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:01:14 +0000

no sense arguing against that…

By: LeafsRyan

LeafsRyan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:53:27 +0000

But thats allowed from Grabovski cause i like him