Pre-Game Talk: Leafs vs Flames Wed Dec 6 @ 7:30 pm EST

[ShaneFalco]

 

[hamzarocks]

no not at all, he is preventing better players from playing. Leivo, sosh and kapanen are better than him at everything with the exception of faceoffs, which are important and that is what will keep him in the league by the skin of his teeth

I'm not a bozak fan at all. But none of the three are better players than Tyler bozak. Sosh is 4th liner,Leivo spot is being taken by jvr(a better but more expensive player) or hyman( a worse offensive but overall more reliable player). Kapanen may end up better then bozak who is usually good for 50+ points due to his talent and overall play but he needs to prove that. He'll get the chance next season. Sosh and Leivo will never be better than bozak.

 

[Walshy7]

Everyone is in such a huge hurry to get Bozak gone and Nylander to center and they want it done now.

I see blue people.

oh ok I thought you were saying nylander was impatient. For me bozak gone hasn't got anything to do with Nylander at C, I think we will be a better team with him off it. Marleau has been doing a better job than bozak at C and people think he hasn't been that good that should tell you something about bozak

 

[Walshy7]

Neither Soshnikov nor Leivo are as good as Bozak offensively

I have a hard time seeing Leivo or Soshnikov ever matching Bozak's offensive output from last season

I have a hard time seeing bozak ever match his offensive output from last season.

 

[Walshy7]

I'm not a bozak fan at all. But none of the three are better players than Tyler bozak. Sosh is 4th liner,Leivo spot is being taken by jvr(a better but more expensive player) or hyman( a worse offensive but overall more reliable player). Kapanen may end up better then bozak who is usually good for 50+ points due to his talent and overall play but he needs to prove that. He'll get the chance next season. Sosh and Leivo will never be better than bozak.

bozak has 1 50 point season so he is not "usually" good for 50+ points. I guess if you said usually good for 45+ points then yes. may be pedantic but I don't call bozak a 50 point player

 

[Mugzy97]

bozak has 1 50 point season so he is not "usually" good for 50+ points. I guess if you said usually good for 45+ points then yes. may be pedantic but I don't call bozak a 50 point player

11/12 73 GP 47 pts = 53 pt pace
12/13 46 GP 28 pts = 50 pt pace
13/14 58 GP 49 pts = 69 pt pace
14/15 82 GP 49 pts = 49 pt pace
15/16 57 GP 35 pts = 50 pt pace
16/17 78 GP 55 pts = 58 pt pace

You can call Bozak whatever you want because I'm not a huge fan of him, but he is most definitely a 50 point player. He's been pacing 50+ points for literally 6 years straight, unless you want to be picky and call a 49 point player "not a 50 point player".

 

[Kiwi]

I have a hard time seeing bozak ever match his offensive output from last season.

Bozak and Komarov are a shadow of there former selves

 

[Walshy7]

11/12 73 GP 47 pts = 53 pt pace
12/13 46 GP 28 pts = 50 pt pace
13/14 58 GP 49 pts = 69 pt pace
14/15 82 GP 49 pts = 49 pt pace
15/16 57 GP 35 pts = 50 pt pace
16/17 78 GP 55 pts = 58 pt pace

You can call Bozak whatever you want because I'm not a huge fan of him, but he is most definitely a 50 point player. He's been pacing 50+ points for literally 6 years straight, unless you want to be picky and call a 49 point player "not a 50 point player".

eh not a fan of pacing, injuries and constant injuries are a negative for a player. Being able to play the games is a skill, outside of the shortened season of course not his fault he didn't play 82 that season either. Pacing is good for times like now when its during that current season, Bozak on pace for 33 points this year by the way

 

[PromisedLand]

11/12 73 GP 47 pts = 53 pt pace
12/13 46 GP 28 pts = 50 pt pace
13/14 58 GP 49 pts = 69 pt pace
14/15 82 GP 49 pts = 49 pt pace
15/16 57 GP 35 pts = 50 pt pace
16/17 78 GP 55 pts = 58 pt pace

You can call Bozak whatever you want because I'm not a huge fan of him, but he is most definitely a 50 point player. He's been pacing 50+ points for literally 6 years straight, unless you want to be picky and call a 49 point player "not a 50 point player".

Personally I don't like to use point pace unless the olayer has played at least 75 games or 75/82 approx 91% of the season.

Scoring in NHL is hard, and maintaining the scoring is even harder!

Furthermore, in a run and gun system of Ron Wilson, and then free reign system of Carlyle scoring would not have been that hard when defense takes the back stage. And then playing with an elite talent like Kessel, how many primary points?

Then Babs comes in, puts Bozak in a sheltered role while Bozak being a vet should have been playing a more responsible role. Matthews and Kadri did the heavy lifting.

I may agree that Bozak was forced into a role he was not fit to play; but Bozak being a point producer without elite talent and also playing well in the d-zone is something that is still lost on me including this season.

 

[Walshy7]

Personally I don't like to use point pace unless the olayer has played at least 75 games or 75/82 approx 91% of the season.

Scoring in NHL is hard, and maintaining the scoring is even harder!

Furthermore, in a run and gun system of Ron Wilson, and then free reign system of Carlyle scoring would not have been that hard when defense takes the back stage. And then playing with an elite talent like Kessel, how many primary points?

Then Babs comes in, puts Bozak in a sheltered role while Bozak being a vet should have been playing a more responsible role. Matthews and Kadri did the heavy lifting.

I may agree that Bozak was forced into a role he was not fit to play; but Bozak being a point producer without elite talent and also playing well in the d-zone is something that is still lost on me including this season.

his most common linemate is on pace for 60 points, they spend almost every min per game together (JVR) 5 on5 and PP yet JVR is on pace for double Bozak's points, its not like you can say "but bozak is doing the heavy lifting" he is definitely not doing that.

 

[PromisedLand]

his most common linemate is on pace for 60 points, they spend almost every min per game together (JVR) 5 on5 and PP yet JVR is on pace for double Bozak's points, its not like you can say "but bozak is doing the heavy lifting" he is definitely not doing that.

I remember the day when Bozak would always be the third guy entering o-zone with Lupul-Kessel and then later JVR-Kessel made offensive plays.

But Bozak entering the o-zone as the third guy had nothing to do with Bozak playing defense IMO.

Bozak could be a useful player but he would need offensive driver on his line. I don't see him driving the offense on his line

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Personally I don't like to use point pace unless the olayer has played at least 75 games or 75/82 approx 91% of the season.

Scoring in NHL is hard, and maintaining the scoring is even harder!

Furthermore, in a run and gun system of Ron Wilson, and then free reign system of Carlyle scoring would not have been that hard when defense takes the back stage. And then playing with an elite talent like Kessel, how many primary points?

Then Babs comes in, puts Bozak in a sheltered role while Bozak being a vet should have been playing a more responsible role. Matthews and Kadri did the heavy lifting.

I may agree that Bozak was forced into a role he was not fit to play; but Bozak being a point producer without elite talent and also playing well in the d-zone is something that is still lost on me including this season.

He's been fine defensively last month. He, JVR and Marner all picked up their defensive game once they were reunited.

He and Marner are absolutely snake bitten offensively right now. I'm not saying he's an offensive dynamo but he's definitely not getting the amount of points he should be.

 

[PromisedLand]

He's been fine defensively last month. He, JVR and Marner all picked up their defensive game once they were reunited.

He and Marner are absolutely snake bitten offensively right now. I'm not saying he's an offensive dynamo but he's definitely not getting the amount of points he should be.

Dude am still waiting for a few shifts where Bozak has o-zone entries or d-zone exits with the puck.

Until he does that to me he is an easily replaceable asset

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Dude am still waiting for a few shifts where Bozak has o-zone entries or d-zone exits with the puck.

Until he does that to me he is an easily replaceable asset

He's a top 9 center who can move up and down the lineup and provide secondary scoring and seems to improve his line mates. Of course he's replaceable.

I just don't think he's replaceable by anything on the farm just yet. Aaltonen has promise, I'm not sure Babcock see's Nylander as an option. I could see us picking up a cheap free agent next year.

 

[Walshy7]

He's been fine defensively last month. He, JVR and Marner all picked up their defensive game once they were reunited.

He and Marner are absolutely snake bitten offensively right now. I'm not saying he's an offensive dynamo but he's definitely not getting the amount of points he should be.

the sheltering they get, they should be better than fine defensively. Unless babcock has increased their QOC recently

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

the sheltering they get, they should be better than fine defensively. Unless babcock has increased their QOC recently

So wouldn't the other team be trying to exploit them, as much as Babcock tries to shelter them? I'm just saying they haven't been bad defensively recently, not sure why that's a bad thing.

The offense seem to have gone missing unfortunately.

 

[PromisedLand]

He's a top 9 center who can move up and down the lineup and provide secondary scoring and seems to improve his line mates. Of course he's replaceable.

I just don't think he's replaceable by anything on the farm just yet. Aaltonen has promise, I'm not sure Babcock see's Nylander as an option. I could see us picking up a cheap free agent next year.

Dude in a sheltered role where you have Bozak and JVR as seasoned vets and Marner as an offensively dynamic young player that line should be creating headaches for opposition, especially on home ice.

I have noticed that in the road Bozak/JVR line is targeted by opposition to play their top line against.

I noticed that away games it is usually Reilly and Hainsey out with Bozak/JVR

And in home games it's Gards/Zaitsev or 3rd pairing

If Bozak line produces the same or less than last season I would label that line as a failure as it did not improve on last season where Marner was just a rookie

And Bozak is an easily replaceable asset

 

[MJ65]

 

[rent free]

I don’t see Nylander actually at C happening, but if it were I’d personally just like to see:

Marleau - Matthews - Hyman
JVR - Nylander - Marner
Komarov - Kadri - Brown

i'd move hyman down to the third line and everybody else one up.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Dude in a sheltered role where you have Bozak and JVR as seasoned vets and Marner as an offensively dynamic young player that line should be creating headaches for opposition, especially on home ice.

I have noticed that in the road Bozak/JVR line is targeted by opposition to play their top line against.

I noticed that away games it is usually Reilly and Hainsey out with Bozak/JVR

And in home games it's Gards/Zaitsev or 3rd pairing

If Bozak line produces the same or less than last season I would label that line as a failure as it did not improve on last season where Marner was just a rookie

And Bozak is an easily replaceable asset

You read the part where I said he was right? Just not by anything currently in the system. I'm agreeing with you, I doubt he's here next year but I could see them sign someone to replace him.

 

[PromisedLand]

You read the part where I said he was right? Just not by anything currently in the system. I'm agreeing with you, I doubt he's here next year but I could see them sign someone to replace him.

Question then becomes should we let him walk, re-sign him cheap (if possible) or trade him to get asset back.

I am not sure this team is a cup team but season is still too young. Already Dec. 2 months to make up our minds (fans and management alike) what to do on TDL?

 

[PromisedLand]

#Intangibles

This why 6 mil on Marleau was well worth the risk

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Question then becomes should we let him walk, re-sign him cheap (if possible) or trade him to get asset back.

I am not sure this team is a cup team but season is still too young. Already Dec. 2 months to make up our minds (fans and management alike) what to do on TDL?

My guess is team stays pat on everyone, no signings or selling on TDL unless it's a roster for roster move. This changes if we somehow fall out of the playoff picture but that would be a lot of work..

Honestly who knows though.

 

[Polaris1010]

Question then becomes should we let him walk, re-sign him cheap (if possible) or trade him to get asset back.

I am not sure this team is a cup team but season is still too young. Already Dec. 2 months to make up our minds (fans and management alike) what to do on TDL?

This is not a contender this team, because they do not have 4 lines.

They do have the personnel for 4 lines, but for political reasons and not hockey reasons, the Leafs just stick with the same, even when it becomes glaringly obvious changes have to be made.

We're almost at game 30. No one is going to turn it around a on dime now. What we see is what we get.

 

[BertCorbeau]

#Intangibles

This why 6 mil on Marleau was well worth the risk

Babcock probably gave Marleau babysitting instructions for the kids when he first arrived.

"Have them in bed by 10"
"No scary movies so that they sleep well"
"No girls allowed"

Basically they gave him an extra couple mill per season to be a babysitter. Not a bad gig.