The ****ing Season Thread

hockeylover said:

Oh god, that's sad.

Click to expand...

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/naylor-maple-leafs-are-who-we-thought-they-were-1.118619

Pretty decent article that explain this.

Part of the article, I do agree with, but I think a lot of what happens above Shanny is really sheltered from the club on ice. They also can't use the change of hands in the exec. office as an excuse for poor plays on the ice.

The roster may not be optimally constructed but this team is not performing anything close to its top potential, and that is all between the coach and the players, maybe the GM has part of it too but it's really down to those 23 guys and their coach once the season's started. And say all you want about Shanny and his upcoming boss and he didn't hire Nonis ... but that doesn't matter. What matters is Carlyle getting a system for those 23 players to play as a coherent unit. And even when i watched the rout of the Sabres last night, there were a lot of times when the Leaf did NOT look like a well oiled machine. We had all the chances and won because we're a much, much more skilled team than the Sabres, but when I watch the Wings or the Hawks or the Kings or the Bruins ... play, geez I REALLY WANT the Leafs to have a system.

So I hope we get a new coach sooner than later (or, Carlyle manages to instill a system ... but I've given up on that after 2 years) regardless of what happens in the exec office upstairs.

Rielly left practice limping this morning.

Would be a bad time for an injury. He just seemed to be rounding into form. Not only does he lead the leafs D in scoring without being on the top PP unit, but his corsi was quickly moving to the top of the heap as well.

Mark Masters @markhmasters
Rielly says he's fine; felt some discomfort and left ice only as a precaution

never mind.

Anyone else finding the site painfully slow the past 24 hours or so?

Yes.

Thanks ... good to know. Thus, will not throw my computer out the window.

weird....seems fine to me

Funny, after I posted that it sped up a fair bit. It was just over the previous 24 hours or so, but page loads were painfully slow.

and now mine has slowed down

Mark Masters ‏
David Booth taking twirl around ice in a track suit this morning; first time we've seen him on skates since fracturing foot in pre-season


Its been about 4 weeks. He should be back in the next week or two.

That will help the 4th line out.

Booth could be on the 2nd line, have a feeling he will be a pleasant surprise when he returns

Clarkson is shockingly producing well at even strength so far (18gl/27pt pace), and that's even before being bumped up a line. If that 2nd PP unit can get going at all then Clarkson might actually be able to be the 20/40 guy we thought we were getting...and who would replace Raymond's production nicely.

Killer93 said:

Booth could be on the 2nd line, have a feeling he will be a pleasant surprise when he returns

Click to expand...

It's looking like he'll still have a shot at it when he's back.

He's fortunate in that thus far, nobody has really stepped up and taken ownership of that 2nd line RW spot.

David Alter @dalter
#Leafs D at practice: Phaneuf-Franson, Rielly-Polak, Gardiner-Robidas #TMLtalk


hard to tell exactly what the pairs were last game, but I think these pairings here mean a (much deserved) promotion for Rielly.

Rielly will be our best defenceman before too long. I don't think Gardiner, who oozes talent, has the hockey IQ.

Rielly struggled in the first few games but has looked better and better ... won't be surprised if he's our best dman by mid-season.

Gardiner, otoh, has REALLY struggled ...

Gardiner should be a nice 2nd pair puckmoving dman, but Rielly has true stud potential.

Percy called up. Didn't even play a game for the marlies. Mostly because we're on the road for most of the next 10 days.