It was a light day practice wise as the optional skate drew only a handful of players to the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence.
Leafs Practice
Only Luca Caputi, Christian Hanson, Wayne Primeau, Garnet Exelby and Jeff Finger made the optional practice.
The small group of players made it cozy enough to incorporate drills that seemed to be better designed for goaltenders, while one particular was an effective lesson for any hockey player regardless of age.
Stopping in front of the net.
Drills:
Practice started with a 2-on-2 drill beginning from the corner, passing to Rob Zettler standing at the opposite blueline and curling back for a shot on goal through the cut out of a goaltender.
Goalies, Jonas Gustavsson and J.S. Giguere both practiced alone with Francois Allaire, working on squaring to a shooter from the one post, to the top of the crease, to the other post.
The following skater drills focused on stop/starts and quick transition, but was brief.
Goaltenders were mixed into the skater group and players warmed them up with shooting drills, getting a pass from the corner out front, and shooting on goal.
Skating/shooting drills followed. Beginning from the left wing blueline players skated in and shot from the slot, curled, picked up a puck along the boards and took another quick one from the side. The drill was repeated from the right side of the blueline.
The next drill is the important one. Starting from the corner, a forward makes a pass to the defenseman on the point, and curls behind the net, emerging from the other side and stopping right to the side of the goaltender, very suddenly, and plant. The defenseman took a slap pass to the player who tipped it in front. Great drill for keeping a goaltender focused on this type of play, but more importantly, it forces the mindset to plant in front of the net. Too many players make flybys in this area, right at the top of the crease off to the side to their own detriment as this is prime real estate for scoring. With the Leafs still being a young team, this is a particularly good idea to get into their heads early – and often. Let’s see if it evolves into game situations.
For goaltenders, the above drill gets them set on the ice in the butterfly stance they were practicing earlier.
Shooting drills began from the blueline skating in from the wing, to center, to the other wing and shooting from about the faceoff dot distance.
Next drill involved three pucks. One in the slot, and two placed directly inside the faceoff circles. Skater would move in take the center puck, shoot, curl back, take the puck in the first circle and shoot, and then curl to the other circle and repeat. Hanson was very good at this drill, with his long reach and short wind up.
As the practice died down, J.S. Giguere did some stretching while the Monster worked on shooting pucks from behind the goal, backhand and forehand. (he still needs work … )
Notes: Curious to see Caputi stumbling a bit in the drill as he slipped in a tight turn. Skating is still not up to par, with a summer ahead to work on his overall stride and balance. His edgework, stop/starts and directional shifts in small tight spaces is polished. I attributed that to his ball hockey days, playing for Midnight Express, a top tier ball hockey team in the greater Toronto area and he agreed somewhat. The game without ice forces players to keep their feet moving, or else their out of the play. There’s more on this to come.
**********
Someone had asked about access to the Leafs practice. Anyone can attend and watch from the glass encasing the rink. Access today was granted for fans, but normally would not.
katshockey [at] mapleleafshotstove.com
twitter.com/KatsHockey
March 19th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
@ Schenn:
If Kadri can become half the player Gilmour was, we should all be happy!!
I sure hope I am wrong, but I’ve seen Kadri play the last few years in London. And he is not the leader Douggie was. I think he needs to put on 25 lbs and distribute the puck a little more. Did you see some of the sloppy turnovers tonight?? I know I am going to get roasted, but I don’t think Kadri is the answer. He is a 2nd line guy IMHO.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
2di4u wrote:
I think you’re right about him not being the leader Douggie was but I think he does have the aggression and ice vision. The other thing is, Kadri isn’t even 20 yet. In my opinion, a big part of leadership comes from age and experience.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
DionforCaptain wrote:
True, but I’d like to see him become a franchise player, and it worries me a little that he could leave for Frogland as a free agent. Maybe I’m thinking to far ahead.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
Cameron wrote:
You’d be OK with 20% loss of production? I’m sure factories around the world are rejoicing you don’t run them. Ice time didn’t change.
I’ll take Brooks Laich at $2.06 as a second fiddle man. Look at Rene Bourque with most of his line time with Daymond Lankow and Nigel Dawes and he gets $3.3.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
2di4u wrote:
Shouldn’t be any roasting since anything could happen/not happen, but I think and hope he becomes a top 30 NHLer.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
@ Troy:
Wont happen, rarely do star players end up playing on their childhood team…you dont see Rick Nash playing in Toronto do you?
March 19th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
@ Troy:
Yeah man, I don’t think we should be worrying about that. And if he ever becomes a franchise player it’ll be when we are a competitive team, challenging consistently. He won’t leave us then. Plus, come on, Montreal over Toronto, really?
March 19th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Kadri’s passing? I only saw the first period and his passing was about 5 steps above what anyone else on the ice could produce. The one arrent pass to a defensemen would have been a shot on goal by an NHL defensemen. His passing is one of the best parts of his game from what I have seen.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
@ honesthockey:
Usually amazing passing and vision, however not tonight. It was later on in the game that he started getting lazy though. Regardless, he made up for it with that beauty in OT.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
DionforCaptain wrote:
Ahh OK. Good players score big goals right!
March 19th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
@ honesthockey:
Haha, that’s right. Can’t wait to see what he does the rest of these playoffs. Last year he was on a tear in the playoffs. Hopefully he and Hutchinson can carry this team far.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Ah, looks like I’m heading out boys. Have a good night. Can’t wait until Kessel makes the Montreal D look ridiculous tomorrow night. Take care.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
honesthockey wrote:
You are correct when you say he is an amazing passer. The problem in the games I have seen him play(about 20-25 in the last few years) is that at times, he either hangs onto the puck too long, turns it over at the opposing team blueline, or tries dangles that will work in the OHL but not in the Big Show.
Don’t get me wrong. I think he has lots of tools and with the right players, coaching and attitude, he can become a good NHL player.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:20 am
I didn’t get to see Kadri tonight, but I have seen enough of him before to see that this guy is a first rate talent, great drive, great dangles, great shot, deft passing, speed, and truculence. It is easier to tame a wild horse than ressurect a dead one.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:27 am
Not sure if anyone noted this yet or not, but Dido went 1G, 3A, and plus 3 tonight in the Q playoffs.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:36 am
2di4u wrote:
I’m pretty sure you’re thinking of the end of Game 6 vs Ottawa when they tied the series 3-3 in 2002.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:39 am
Next years Marlies will have Dido if he doesn’t make Leafs, Champagne, Stephanovich, and D Mitchell in camp. The next year after it will be Blacker, Paradis, D’Amigo (if not with Leafs), and maybe Hayes. Not a bad bunch of recruits. Already developing are guys like Aulie, Mikus, Reimer and Oreskivic.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:45 am
Islanders lost in OT
good news! Too bad they couldn’t have choked in regulation.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:55 am
2di4u wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrTcHByYWmc&NR=1
Here it is on youtube… hope this helps a little.
March 20th, 2010 at 12:56 am
danvertising wrote:
No, the call is posted above. Found it on youtube somehow. LOL
March 20th, 2010 at 1:44 am
All this talk about Kadri, nobody said squat about Dido. 1g, 3a in his first playoff game tonight.
This kid truely has winner written all over him, honestly more excited about what he can do next year then Kadri.
March 20th, 2010 at 1:48 am
@ honesthockey
I can’t stress enough, about this old Stajan issue, that I agree with you. I’m simply pointing out that relative to other league expenses, Stajan’s contract is not all that bad. I would never personally sign Stajan to that contract, but many in the league would. My point is, his production is high enough that he is getting lumped in with secondary first line centers like derey roy and his ilk, and so his 3.5 cap hit is not that much.
The whole end point of the argument was that Kulemin was worth less, not more than Stajan, as far as contracts go, because of his RFA status, age, position, and so forth. I think we agree, so no need to argue here.
March 20th, 2010 at 9:25 am
From a contract point at this time in their careers I would say that you are correct on the differences in contract dollars. Kulemin is a way more valuable player to not onlt this team but any NHL team however where he is in his career dictates that his contract will be less than if he were a UFA.
So yes we agree to a point. I suggested earlier the Calgary contracts. Notice the plural. One good NHL season out of Bourque doesn’t warrany his contract either. IMO Calgary has now with the group they have signed to those contracts put themselves in long term deep do-do. Add that to an ageing Iginla which they are already talking about having to move to improve that team, than they become the Leafs of pre-trade deadline in more ways than one. Within 2 years they become a bottom 5 team.
March 20th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Here are some opinions:
Andy Strickland:
Interesting contract Calgary handed Matt Stajan, that’s a lot of money for that kid in my opinion.
Why did Calgary feel the need to give Rene Bourque a six year extension? Wouldn’t three have been good enough?
Steve Simmons:
Have you seen the Stajan contract numbers? Darryl Sutter has officially lost his mind.
I hate to say that I totally agree!
March 20th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Back to Kulemin. I believe Kulemin gets between $2.2 and $2.7. To me that is fair value to what has transpired at this level of contacts. I also believe he is now a top 6 forward and will begin to score at over the 20 goal rate continually. I am not as convinced as others that the Kulemin, Bozak and Kessel trio isn’t a quality top line. Over the last several games including NJ they have dominated with speed and skill. That will only improve as all get more NHL time.
March 20th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Oh well Bowen went off in game6 of the 2002 Ottawa series too haha
March 20th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Locking Kulemin up at a 2.3M contract for the next several years while he develops into a top six winger is perfect… The cheaper we get him now, the better. Because in a few years I think he’s going to be a special player
March 20th, 2010 at 10:06 am
I’m thinking Kulemin and Gustavsson both get about $2.5 milllion, although I’d like to see The Monster a bit lower.
Maybe Burke can convince him that since he”ll be splitting time with Giguere next season that he should make less in the first year. I’d love to see a 3 year deal that pays the following:
Year 1: $1.5 million
Year 2: $2.0 million
Year 3: $2.5 million
Or even a 5 year deal, with the first two years at $1.5 million, the third at $2.0 million and the last 2 at $2.5 million. Average =
March 20th, 2010 at 10:07 am
In other news, the Wild placed Earl and Sifers on waivers. Does anybody esle here think they’d be a couple of good pickups for the Marlies and their push to make the playoffs?
March 20th, 2010 at 10:08 am
I know this is a lofty comparison, but Kulemin’s 2010 stats (at age 23) are VERY similar to Datsyuk’s in 2002 (at age 23)… I know he probably won’t be as good as Datsyuk, but you never know. They do both play a 2-way game. here are the stats:
Kulemin: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=95387
Datsyuk: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=49097&encode=TRUE
March 20th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Quinten wrote:
Also, look at their stats from their time playing in Russia. Although Kulemin’s might be inflated due to playing with Malkin.
March 20th, 2010 at 10:22 am
@ Schenn:
Actually, he only played with Malkin in 05-06, and his best years were 06-07 and 07-08, so his stats definately aren’t inflated by Malkin… wow,if he turns out to be as good as Datsyuk, I’ll shit my pants.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:55 am
[...] http://mapleleafshotstove.com/index.php/2010/03/19/maple-leafs-practice-goalies-get-workout/Too many players make flybys in this area, right at the top of the crease off to the side to their own detriment as this is prime real estate for scoring. With the Leafs still being a young team, this is a particularly good idea to get into … Skater would move in take the center puck, shoot, curl back, take the puck in the first circle and shoot, and then curl to the other circle and repeat. Hanson was very good at this drill, with his long reach and short wind up. … [...]
March 23rd, 2010 at 5:40 pm
[...] Maple Leafs Practice – Goalies Get WorkoutMLHS has a recap of yesterday’s small practice for the Leafs, and what drills the players went through. [...]