Great Work Gus!!!
Wanted to take a minute and congratulate our very own Gus Katsaros on his segment on the Fan590 this afternoon. Outstanding analysis of both the Phil Kessel/Savard relationship and analysis of the Boston Bruins schedule last year vs this year. The little snip at Mr MacLean at the end was priceless as well.. Congrats Gus, and again, wonderful work..
As for the Leafs, they seem to FINALLY be getting it with respect to their lineup. 4th liners are being kept on the 4th line, 3rd liners are being pushed to the 3rd line. Their lineup still needs some work and some tweaking in my opinion, and once that happens, along with the insertion of Kessel and the continued impressive progression of Gustavsson (who’s statistics have now broken into the magical 0.900 or higher SP and 3.00 or lower GAA) – this team has a chance to make a legitimate push up the standings and actually compete for a playoff spot (and yes, even with the big hole they have dug for themselves, the playoffs are not an impossibility, at least not yet)..
As per the blog from Michael Aldred, the Leafs lineup at practice today looks like this (thanks to Michael for the intel):
Jason Blake – John Mitchell – Phil Kessel
Alexei Ponikarovsky – Mikhail Grabovski – Nikolai Kulemin
Niklas Hagman – Matt Stajan – Lee Stempniak
Colton Orr – Wayne Primeau – Rickard Wallin
The Leafs still have some more tinkering to do with this lineup before things really turn around in Leaf Land and those overtime losses start translating into W’s in the win column. However, it is excessively satisfying to see the eventual and slow progression towards what is simply the most logical lineup for this team at this stage in their development. For this team to succeed, they slowly need to move youth with skill, speed and finish into their top6 and continue to move 3rd line and 4th line players into their appropriate positions and ultimately need to move out some of these expiring contracts in order to make room for their ultimate and inevitable youth movement in their top6. John Mitchell I think is certainly the best fit for now to play with Kessel. Ultimately however, I believe players like Mitchell, Blake, Hagman will form a very very effective 3rd line for this organization – and although this unit can only be considered as an overpaid unit for 3rd line duties, it will bring the type of balance and speed to a lineup that enabled the Leafs to be so successful in recent years offensively, even with a lineup that looked less then threatening on paper.
I truly believe that by the time the trade deadline passes, the Leafs lineup will look something like this:
Stalberg – Bozak – Phil Kessel
Hanson or Tlusty – Mikhail Grabovski – Nikolai Kulemin
Niklas Hagman – John Mitchel – Blake
Colton Orr – Wallin – Rosehill
The lineup above differs from todays proposed lineup with the obvious exclusions of Stajan, Ponikarovsky, Stempniak and Primeau – all of which are veterans on expiring contracts and certainly the most likely targets to be moved in order to acquire back some depth picks for the organization (though, I do hope Alex Ponikarovsky can be re-signed – but, I have a nagging suspicion he is headed to Atlanta at the deadline or as a UFA to play with Nik Antropov and Ilya Kovalchuk).
The inevitable movement of expiring contracts at or before the deadline will ultimately and finally result in the youth movement we have all been waiting for, well, forever…
The only question now is if the handful of 2nd to 7th round picks is worth sacrificing another season over. I imagine Mr Burke felt the Leafs were going to be good enough to stay in the thick of things and at least within sight of a playoff position while increasing the value of these players before inevitably making a big push in the last 3rd of the season with a young, fast, lineup…
Please Mr Burke, I am literally begging you.. lets speed this along, sacrifice a couple of depth picks you may get down the road, and follow through on your threat to waive some of these contracts – and put some of these kids in the lineup sooner then you were planning.. we loyal Leaf fans deserve it..
Having said this, Mr Wilson is once again showing his ability to motivate a team and have them outwork their opponents keeping the Leafs in games, even if they are not closing them off right now. If the Leafs, as they are today, can start to turn some of these close games into “W’s”, then I (and I imagine most Leaf fans) am/are willing to be patient and watch the plan of recouping picks unfold. Having said this, the clock is ticking…
Question to Leaf fans.. at what point would you replace the veterans on expiring contracts with the youth? would you wait til the trade deadline no matter what in order to recoup as many picks as you could? or would you move some of these players right away, by any means necessary and push the kids into the lineup? OR do you believe Mr Burke intends on keeping these players and contracts through to the end of the year run with a more veteran team right til the end?
November 5th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
I think the only was we rid ourselves of Toskala is on recallable waivers IE Brysgalov.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
…..and yet again it must be stated….thank you JFJ….fuck!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Holy fuck me. How did I know we would end up on “The Stralman Quandary” again when I started reading this post.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Well in retrospect we can say JFJ sucks. He tried to correct the Raycroft deal and at the time I can’t think of many upset with the prospect of having Toskala as the Starter and Raycroft as backup. I’m not a JFJ defender but it is a lot easier to comment long after the fact.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I, personally, expected Toskala to be a lot better than what he’s been.
His career is more or less over now if you think about it.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
true, but there’s a lot more I can bitch about besides Toskala…but I wont.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
@ Bob– no shit. Like this kid is the second coming of Jesus.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I want to…..but I wont
November 5th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
What’s goin on?
November 5th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
how is toskalas career over?? if raycroft and ty conklin, patrick laleme are still in the league toskala will have a job next year…
November 5th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Sorry,that was a test.I submitted a comment earlier in the “Mitchell” blog,and it did not go thru.DAMN!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
is poni solid defencively because him an ian white are the only guys on the team with a plus in +/-
November 5th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I think Poni has played solidly in the last several games and his big body in front of the net was a large part of why our ower play was so successful. Makes me wonder why he got reduced minutes on it against Tampa
November 5th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
@Gilbert
I believe Ponikarovsky to be a perfect 3rd line winger.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
@Bob is your uncle – because people brought it up – and I imagine they will continue to do so.. seems to have struck a nerve with people…
November 5th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Re Toskala – I would expect him to be moved by the deadline and I would also expect him to get significant chances to play some games, win some games in order to create value… Re Kaberle – I would be absolutely shocked if he was moved at the deadline.. never say never I guess, but, short of him asking for a trade, I cannot see him moving.. and I cant honestly see Kaberle asking for a trade..
November 5th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Toskala has no value. If Ilya Brysgalov can be got for nothing, what is Toskala worth? We have to face it, we have to eat the pile of shit that is left and move on. The only way Toskala moves on is on recallable waivers and then we’re still on the hook for whatever half his salary would be by then.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
@Bob is your uncle..
“”
@Andrew R: I can’t believe you’re stirring the pot on this “bring up the kids” sentiment. BB knows better than you or I what needs to be done. He did win a Cup in recent memory. Do you think we would get a player or picks or both if Poni goes to Atlanta.
“”
ummm Bob – I think it is sort of obvious that the kids are going to be brought up at some point.. would you not agree? All of these players on expiring contracts seem ripe for being moved for picks between now and the deadline – or do you see things differently? I would just rather have them do it sooner vs later – what is your opinion?
November 5th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
@Amoroq – you may be right.. I personally think he can be salvaged, but, watching the monster play, it is so exciting – I want to see him each and every night.. I firmly believe though that the Leafs will give Toskala plenty of opportunities to get his mojo back.. (actually hoping I am wrong – and I am a Toskala fan – but, the monster is just so much fun to watch)
November 5th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
If Burke actually made the Kaberle for Voracek/2nd trade and kept Stralman… Wilson would have just cut Voracek anyways and he’d be with the Marlies, so he could play Blake.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Great work Gus.
On the lines at practice, I dont want to brag but I called:
Blake-Bozak-Kessel
Poni-Grabo-Kulemin
Stemp-Mitchell-Hagman
Orr-Primeau-Wallin
Swap Mitchell and Stajan and add Bozak and ME=Wilson…..I sware to fuck he is reading this site lol
November 5th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
@danvertising – great stuff dude, got a good chuckle from that
November 5th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
didnt blake lead the team in scoring last year?
November 5th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
@canucksnaphook: Cheers. I was wondering yesterday how could Poni be a solid +/- player and his line-mates not. Any ideas or observations? I haven’t been able to see too many games.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
@Bob
Because the lines switch so frequently. No meshing is going on.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Just watched the show, great job.
All teams and coaches switch the lines up all the time, these guys practice and play enough together, that they have a good idea of how there team mates play.
Blake and Moore really didn’t start to gel together till December of last year, and its because of Wilson juggling the lines that he found that match, and to be honest its a match I would have never thought would work out the way it did.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
@Andrew R: Sorry, I don’t have a lot of time and I’m always out of sync. trying to catch up here. My thoughts, past summer were, Stajan: doesn’t fit the mould or plan. Poni: same thing to a lesser extent. Blake: gone if and when they could structure a trade. Finger: same thing. Frogren or Stralman 6-7, but I was leaning toward Frogren as he’s a better choice to fill in for Komi, Beauch or Luke. My choice? Sooner for the trades,but I’m not sold on the idea that all these kids are quite ready yet to make the jump, and it is a jump. But I’m not in a position to know. Fringe players will get sorted out but even sending Jamal Mayers down sends the wrong, lack of respect message the future UFA’s. They don’t want to spend time rebuilding their careers after coming here. Burke’s statement on entitlement and not being afraid to send players down, I’ll get to another time, but part of it has to do with effort and he seems to be getting that. Again any response I have to a post is delayed cause my box is out waiting for a motherboard and I’m using a modified Pac Man game hooked up to my monitor. Thanks for the effort and work at MLHS.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
@the_cause200
.
It’s not essential to get rid of Toskala’s contract by the deadline since he is gone after this year anyways.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Vets should have been replaced on the first day of the season, Wilson said the best will play did he not? Well the best in training camp are not here, and what is our record? One Win, holy fuck…I listen to the talk about Strahlman, I watch Kronwell in Calgary, Oh no not here in Toronto, we will not rush the youth…Well BB, its not 1980′s, there is hardly any team that stops skating so they can fight with Colin Orr, If anyone noticed in the Tampa Game, Stamkos blew outside or D at will, and he is not even 20, but not in Toronto, Nope, Kadri is too small, Bozak’s Contract doesn’t work, Hanson isn’t ready, neither is Tlusty, on and on and on, Williams wasn’t ready, Strahlman wasn’t ready, Kronwell wasn’t ready, Boyes was too young, Colaiacovo too, Rask wasn’t ready. Yet Stajan, and Poni, and Kulemin continue to bore the shit out of all of us.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
@Andrew R: funny to hear Gus on the radio today! I heard Maclean going on about this the other day – and I sent them the link to Gus’s article right away!!!!!
p.s. this is Casey dood!
Good write up man.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
@Wags
Thats a pretty decent rant lol. Im serious, you got your point across, but yet threw in some random sarcasm to make it fun to read. Well done!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Thanks Jordan, I feel better now too !
November 5th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
We have the fourth least shots against in the league per game.
We have the third most shots for in the league per game.
Question??? Why are we losing every game we play ???
November 5th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Casey!! how the hell are you man?? thanks for the comments and as always, thanks for reading.. missed you at hockey on Monday.. better show up next week, we need to prep for the big tourney.. Watching the Columbus game right now.. damned good team.. cheers dude..
November 5th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
@ Andrew R
Good man! Yourself? I will be there for sure Monday – my wednesday night games are getting way too rusty without the monday night skate…
GO CBJ!
November 6th, 2009 at 1:18 am
@waggs
We have players like Blake, who do nothing but fire the puck at the other goalies crest. Stempy, Michel and our whole 4th line are not going to get too many chances to compete at the shooting accuracy competition. As for the shots we give up. We give up many on the PK and they are just bombs from the slot or point or just plain garbage goals…
*
I cant remember a year when we had so few forwards going down to block shots… They just flamingo out there every chance.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:10 am
@ Andrew
You do know I was making a joke, right? He had a good night the night before that comment with 2 assists, and you defended him quite vigilantly, so I made that comment.
.
But yes, you said until March, so let’s keep that. Cause the argument still goes more in my favour right now.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:56 am
@Charlie – I know it was a joke man – Im still laughing about it.. re the debate – man, whatever you say.. the only ground you have to stand on right now is that its only 12-13 games in for him.. the entire point was that he could play in this league, and specifically for the Leafs in their top4 and QB their PP.. he is more then proving that. If you really want this debate to “go in your favour”, you better hope his PPG slows down and Columbus moves him off of their top PP unit and stops playing him 20+ mins per game.. though, on that note, he had a rough game last night against Atlanta.. not the same player he has been.. back to back nights probably got to him – he hasnt seen this kind of ice time, well, ever – Leafs were too busy burrying him like they do with all of their prospects (just a joke, easy people)..