Let's hope he found his gear. We need the Simmonds from last night, not from the other games.
Player Discussion: Wayne Simmonds
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The Iceman
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2007
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Did anyone notice the accidental on purpose elbow Simmands landed when falling on SS last night?
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
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That was a precision retaliation within a retaliation for the Holl fight...
DraftSchmaft
Registered User
- Jul 29, 2021
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Is this guy capable stepping up every time though? I know he wants to and has the will to, but more so can his body? That's my issue.
Gabriel will be there every time someone even looks at Matthews or Marner let alone touches them. Sad to see him on waivers.
I'm old fashioned when it comes to that final roster spot. Your 12th forward isn't going to get a lot of ice time anyways. A skill guy will have minimal impact there. Plus addition by subtraction, Simmonds played a role in our PP hitting 0% or what felt like 0% for a very long time. Take these players away from the coach who sometimes put seniority ahead of the teams best interests.
Gabriel will be there every time someone even looks at Matthews or Marner let alone touches them. Sad to see him on waivers.
I'm old fashioned when it comes to that final roster spot. Your 12th forward isn't going to get a lot of ice time anyways. A skill guy will have minimal impact there. Plus addition by subtraction, Simmonds played a role in our PP hitting 0% or what felt like 0% for a very long time. Take these players away from the coach who sometimes put seniority ahead of the teams best interests.
showtime8
Registered User
I don't think there should be that much discussion about the 12th/13th forward on the team.
You're not going to get a grinder, that can fight and provide leadership for much less than what he's going to be making. He's not taking a ton of power play 1 time or penalty kill time. He's there to provide 7-10 minutes a night max.
At this point in his career, we know what he is. It's when you start elevating him in the line-up that he will get exposed. Give him some limited power play 2 time in front of the net, hope for 8-10 goals this season and give us a glimpse of what he provided out of the gate last season.
You're not going to get a grinder, that can fight and provide leadership for much less than what he's going to be making. He's not taking a ton of power play 1 time or penalty kill time. He's there to provide 7-10 minutes a night max.
At this point in his career, we know what he is. It's when you start elevating him in the line-up that he will get exposed. Give him some limited power play 2 time in front of the net, hope for 8-10 goals this season and give us a glimpse of what he provided out of the gate last season.
He’s a perfectly capable fourth liner. I think it would get real tiring having a guy like Gabriel in the lineup whose minutes you have to limit so significantly. We already had guys like Colton Orr in the lineup years ago and he made very minimal impact. At least Simmons’s is a fairly capable 5 on 5 player.
LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
Simmonds had a good game last night. Hopefully just starting to get going.
kb
Registered User
- Aug 28, 2009
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Ritchie can throw down too - why worry about Simmonds when Ritchie will be riding shotgun with Matthews and Marner?
2 of the top-5 fighters in the league IMO.
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
If Ritchie can even mildly be a physical presence that'll be huge. It's one thing having the prototypical tough guy on the fourth line, it's another to have a guy who can throw down that can play in the top six. Vesey and Galchenyuk aren't that. Bunting seems like a real asshole to play against too.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
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Wayne Simmonds had a good blip before hurting his hand and when he came back they kept going back to the well with him. My guess is they think he needs a long runway to ramp up to 100%, but once he gets there he can be a uniquely menacing force for them. Remains to be seen if this is true over the course of an 82 game season and successful playoff run, but also hoping that having a feistier, bigger group up front will help Simmonds do his job as well.
The Iceman
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2007
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Stat of the day.
Ritchie has NEVER lost a fight in the NHL. 9-0.
Just ask these guys:
| 1 | Zach Bogosian | |
| 2 | Kurtis Gabriel | |
| 3 | Garnet Hathaway | |
| 4 | Luke Witkowski | |
| 5 | Riley Stillman | |
| 6 | Jarred Tinordi | |
| 7 | Matt Irwin | |
| 8 | Kyle Clifford | |
| 9 | Brendan Lemieux |
it's awesome he took out their fighter, it would have been more so if he took out a skill player. Then again he probably couldn't find one.
Ritchie has one of those huge Domi-like melons. Can really take a punch.
kb
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- Aug 28, 2009
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Isaac Nootin
Registered User
- Sep 28, 2017
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Listening to post game comments/interviews from Tavares and crew, they really respect what Simmonds means and brings to the team. He'll be in the lineup nightly.
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
The thing that struck me about the last game is that even though he's well past his prime abilities, he still has some very slick puck skills, likely beyond what the average 4th liner.
DarkKnight
Professional Amateur
- Jan 17, 2017
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The coach knew this as well, which is why it was borderline laughable jumping on the guy in early preseason. Who cares, he’s a vet.
He's an older player, we should be resting and rotating those guys during the season to try keeping the fresh and fit over the full season
Dayjobdave
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- Apr 29, 2010
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DraftSchmaft
Registered User
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Ritchie has untapped potential I'd rather he focus on finding that versus worrying about Matthews and Marner all the time. Gabriels only job will be to sit there and be security.
Last thing we need is Ritchie on a point streak from Marner sauce and then we wake up to "out 6 weeks with broken hand".
Prefer if Ritchie only fights when he absolutely has to in contrast to Gabriel who will throw hands as soon as someone is touched (like Sabourin for Stootz).
Ritchie is a mildly physical player on his best days. He will undoubtedly be the Leafs whipping boy this year; for fans that expect him to be a highly physical and aggressive player. Think John LeClair but without the offence
Inertestingly, John LeClair was 25 (Ritchie's age now) when he found the right fit on a 94 Flyers team. Before that he was a Nick Ritchie level player on the Habs.
Nylander88
Registered User
When you look into his stats he still hits and fights more than what this fan base is used to seeing the last handful of years. And he has a big chance to show that power forward potential that had him go #10 OA as a stud player on the Peterborough Petes. He's never had linemates like Matthews & Marner. Not hard to see him having a career year, and he's already had a fight this pre-season...I think Leafs fans will take to him just fine
Great 4th liner as good as we have had in years. He was scoring dirty goals until a freak injury. He is on this team...period.
