Player Discussion Ryan Reaves and Calle Jarnkrok

[notbias]

You do realize the new coach Berube fought every goon in the NHL during the golden age of enforcers right? Including beating up his boss Shanahan and Max's Dad when he was at his most dangerous. He will be quite pleased to be able to have a body like Reaves sitting in the press box in case he needs to deploy him when the time comes.

People are going to be so upset when they see Berube coach... we are not turning into the Leafs of the early 2010s.

Also, do people think that just because you fought in the NHL or were a pest you will build a team or coach that way?

Shanahan and Keefe are both examples of that not being a rule.

My theory is that no one respected Lilijgren's spot in the lineup at the time to take action. He's not Matthews which Domi was right to take an instigator for and he's bottom pairing taking vets iceitme. This is a valid point but you don't stand up for spare parts early in the season. Reaves took his flack and stepped up his game.

Reaves selectively protects players and deters people?

This one is new.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

The Blues team that Berube took a cup with was one of the few examples of a team that didn't have superstars being the primary reason for cup success. They won on the back of grit , clutch tough play and goaltending. So to say he won't be able to do that here is not a certainty.

 

[Fogelhund]

Agreed


Berube would make sure this wasn't the case. That's the thing , the team dynamic and unity has always been weird. The revolving door support cast seems to be the reason for it.

THat's the one thing that's pissed me off about this team at times... just not standing up for each other. Maybe Berube can change that. McCabe in particular did a good job later in the year though... we need more of that type of attitude.

As much as they are entertaining, the staged fights with another team's tough guy, isn't all that useful. Being a deterrent, and standing up for all of your players is critical. Reaves hasn't done that, and not enough of our players have. We need more of that.

 

[Sypher04]

The Blues team that Berube took a cup with was one of the few examples of a team that didn't have superstars being the primary reason for cup success. They won on the back of grit , clutch tough play and goaltending. So to say he won't be able to do that here is not a certainty.

To that end, if he is able to instill that into our game, our potential is sky high with the game breakers we do have.

 

[Sypher04]

Agreed


Berube would make sure this wasn't the case. That's the thing , the team dynamic and unity has always been weird. The revolving door support cast seems to be the reason for it.

I’ve talked about this around the board a few times but I think it’s the coach’s responsibility to carve out roles for every player and give them a sense that they are an integral part of the team on night in, night out basis.

I’m not sure you can get the best out of players who don’t honestly believe that.

One way to do this imo is divide the special teams assignments amongst the most players possible without reducing effectiveness obviously. Having only 1 powerplay unit that really gets any noteworthy time hurts this. Having your best offensive players take regular PK spots also hurts this.

I propose and suspect we will go back to 2 powerplay units. This gets 7-8 forwards ands and 2-3 defensemen into significant PP roles they can really work at and take ownership of. Similarly the PK roles can go to players who are not PP mainstays.

This also keeps everyone’s special teams ice time in check and focused on specific roles. It also provides more players with the opportunity to generate powerplay production and feel good about their games offensively/contribute with greater consistency.

For example:

Powerplay:
Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Domi, Knies, Robertson, Rielly, OEL, Liljegren

Penalty Kill:
Minten/3C from trade, Kampf, Jarknrok, McMann, Cowan, Tanev, McCabe, Benoit, Hakanpaa

That’s essentially every skater on the team with a special teams role.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

One way to do this imo is divide the special teams assignments amongst the most players possible without reducing effectiveness obviously. Having only 1 powerplay unit that really gets any noteworthy time hurts this. Having your best offensive players take regular PK spots also hurts this.

I propose and suspect we will go back to 2 powerplay units. This gets 7-8 forwards ands and 2-3 defensemen into significant PP roles they can really work at and take ownership of. Similarly the PK roles can go to players who are not PP mainstays.

This also keeps everyone’s special teams ice time in check and focused on specific roles. It also provides more players with the opportunity to generate powerplay production and feel good about their games offensively/contribute with greater consistency.

Very sound logic and approach. Keefe seemingly couldn't manage the room like this and made some truly bizarre decisions with ice time and player selection.

Especially to start overtimes.

Berube's tenure will be interesting to follow.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

List doesn't even include Rempe in NYR.

 

[LeafEgo]

View attachment 901917
List doesn't even include Rempe in NYR.

Rempe ain't top five, but certainly neither are those last two either.

 

[Stephen]

Reaves is going to be a lock for the lineup until he's absolutely unable to keep playing. Tre didn't give him that contract to not dress him

He wasn't dressed for large swathes of last season so if he has a poor stretch he'll be removed from the lineup. And rightfully so.

 

[Racer88]

When we need better depth, count on this board to still want a liability on the ice instead of an NHL player, because they somehow still believe he'll deter something.
Quite frankly, I'd rather not have either in the lineup, but at least Dewar adds something positive.

Unfortunately to get better depth we need to cull one of the expensive 4 that can’t get it done instead of the low paid hired help

 

[Racer88]

You play the better player, play your game, and focus on winning instead of hits and punches. If your opponent plays bad players, you exploit it, like Boston did with Reaves.

Wow, so you're saying he wasn't deterred from running over Willy? Who would have thought!?

If I remember it correctly Boston exploited Reeves, Tavares and Marner

 

[IPS]

If I remember it correctly Boston exploited Reeves, Tavares and Marner

But yeah let's blame the guy who plays 7-8 minutes a game rather then the $22M of combined cap that put up a grand total of 5 points between each other in 14 games combined.

Some folks are just far too naive.

 

[IPS]

People are going to be so upset when they see Berube coach... we are not turning into the Leafs of the early 2010s.

From everything I've seen/read it's gonna be defense first, north south-hockey. I just hope Berbue isn't a fan of the stretch pass for break outs like Babcock was.

Not too sure what everyone else wants to see but I'm perfectly fine with that as long as the core doesn't throw a fit about their numbers inevitably going down.

 

[Racer88]

But yeah let's blame the guy who plays 7-8 minutes a game rather then the $22M of combined cap that put up a grand total of 5 points between each other in 14 games combined.

Some folks are just far too naive.

Ya it’s crazy. I just don’t get the lengths some will go to make excuse for these guys

From everything I've seen/read it's gonna be defense first, north south-hockey. I just hope Berbue isn't a fan of the stretch pass for break outs like Babcock was.

Not too sure what everyone else wants to see but I'm perfectly fine with that as long as the core doesn't throw a fit about their numbers inevitably going down.

I want to see heart, soul, commitment and willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

 

[Rob Brown]

He wasn't dressed for large swathes of last season so if he has a poor stretch he'll be removed from the lineup. And rightfully so.

I could be misremembering but the team sorta sucked (or at least regressed for a bit) while he was out, and then he sparked the team when he came back, no?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Unfortunately to get better depth we need to cull one of the expensive 4

No we don't. We also already have better depth. We just need to stop using garbage options like Reaves over them.

If I remember it correctly Boston exploited Reeves, Tavares and Marner

You remember incorrectly.

 

[Racer88]

No we don't. We also already have better depth. We just need to stop using garbage options like Reaves over them.

You remember incorrectly.

You are correct about Reeves. In my world he isn’t on the team.

As far as depth goes I believe it needs upgrading. I don’t think the rest of the team can pick up the slack when the 4 amigo’s inevitably flame out in the playoffs.

Third and final point……I remember 100% correctly

 

[Fogelhund]

I think it's premature to talk about who is on the roster, and who isn't. For long stretches of last year, Reaves wasn't good enough to play for us.

This year, we have even more competition for spots.

Nylander, Matthews, Marner, Domi, Tavares and Knies are easy locks to be in the lineup.

McMann, Kampf, Jarnkrork, Grebyonkin, Minten, Steeves, Holmberg, Dewar, Reaves, Cowan, Robertson**, Pare, (Alex Nylander) are all guys who could be fighting for the last six spots. (That's without any theoretical PTO's) Of course some of these guys have an inside track over others... but at the end of the day, whomever performs the best, is likely to get a job here. With Reaves in particular, I can see him sitting at the start of the year, as Cowan or Minten get a shot. Odds are Grebyonkin starts with the Marlies, for waiver status... but if he comes in and plays very well, how can he be denied? (Other than to buy some time to fit him through other trades).

It's going to be an interesting camp for sure.

 

[Stephen]

I could be misremembering but the team sorta sucked (or at least regressed for a bit) while he was out, and then he sparked the team when he came back, no?

From what I remember Reaves was abhorrent to start the year. Was banished. And then came back and played a respectable little role sparking the team a little bit.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I think it's premature to talk about who is on the roster, and who isn't. For long stretches of last year, Reaves wasn't good enough to play for us.

This year, we have even more competition for spots.

Nylander, Matthews, Marner, Domi, Tavares and Knies are easy locks to be in the lineup.

McMann, Kampf, Jarnkrork, Grebyonkin, Minten, Steeves, Holmberg, Dewar, Reaves, Cowan, Robertson**, Pare, (Alex Nylander) are all guys who could be fighting for the last six spots. (That's without any theoretical PTO's) Of course some of these guys have an inside track over others... but at the end of the day, whomever performs the best, is likely to get a job here. With Reaves in particular, I can see him sitting at the start of the year, as Cowan or Minten get a shot. Odds are Grebyonkin starts with the Marlies, for waiver status... but if he comes in and plays very well, how can he be denied? (Other than to buy some time to fit him through other trades).

It's going to be an interesting camp for sure.

Baring injury McMann is on the roster

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

Rempe ain't top five, but certainly neither are those last two either.

Oliver is top 3 forget about top 5. I agree O'brien is not top 5. Rempe is definately not top 5 and if he keeps leaving his chin out like he is, he is going to be having a very short career as an enforcer. Someone is going to kill him if he doesn't learn to protect himself.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

I think it's premature to talk about who is on the roster, and who isn't. For long stretches of last year, Reaves wasn't good enough to play for us.

This year, we have even more competition for spots.

Nylander, Matthews, Marner, Domi, Tavares and Knies are easy locks to be in the lineup.

McMann, Kampf, Jarnkrork, Grebyonkin, Minten, Steeves, Holmberg, Dewar, Reaves, Cowan, Robertson**, Pare, (Alex Nylander) are all guys who could be fighting for the last six spots. (That's without any theoretical PTO's) Of course some of these guys have an inside track over others... but at the end of the day, whomever performs the best, is likely to get a job here. With Reaves in particular, I can see him sitting at the start of the year, as Cowan or Minten get a shot. Odds are Grebyonkin starts with the Marlies, for waiver status... but if he comes in and plays very well, how can he be denied? (Other than to buy some time to fit him through other trades).

It's going to be an interesting camp for sure.

Honestly I don't see it that way at all. A new coaching staff coming in will want to establish it's own system and identity. Now I know what many people are going to say is that is exactly why it will be an open competition which is wrong. In fact it will be the exact opposite. Tre would have removed any player he did not want the new coaching staff to work with( Robertson being the exception). After that there would have been discussions about all the returning players like Jarnkok and Reaves and thier roles moving forward. Some players will have short leashes but it will not be pre-season short unless it's a deal that Tre cannot pass up. I say this as a Fix it manger for almost 30 years. This was always how it starts. Now that's not saying some guy like Jarnkok completely rejects what Berube is installing and wants out (highly unlikely) but this is how it works. Especially if you are changing culture which the Leafs are trying to do.

The only player I see having a true shot at making it on the roster out of camp is Cowan if he shows he can be a 2PK foward and a 3rd line winger. This is only because of Robertson's asking for a trade and contract status being up in the air. IF Robertson had been signed by now then Cowan has no shot. The bottom 6 will be as follows if Domi is on the wing.

McMann- Holmberg-Jarnkok
Dewar- Kampf-Reaves

13th forward Robertson or Cowan to fill in on the 3rd line with Reaves sitting.

For everyone sleeping on Dewar he did score 12 goals last year as a 4th liner and he was the 2nd best foward on the PK. Behind Goodrow. So he is not going anywhere.

Now this is the opening day roster not the playoff roster. I can see just like everyone else that the bottom 6 is too light to be effective in the playoffs so I see at least 2 trades happening to make the bottom 6 heavier. Maybe it is trades to bring in bottom 6 players or its trades to push down a player in the top 6. That is hard to predict before the regular season as we have to see who is selling.

 

[Leafs87]

View attachment 901917
List doesn't even include Rempe in NYR.

That’s a sad list. I think #5 was picked due to poor competition and amount of fights vs effectiveness of the fighter. I would easily have Jeannot, Xhejak, Gudbranson over him.

 

[LeafEgo]

Oliver is top 3 forget about top 5. I agree O'brien is not top 5. Rempe is definately not top 5 and if he keeps leaving his chin out like he is, he is going to be having a very short career as an enforcer. Someone is going to kill him if he doesn't learn to protect himself.

Could be, but outside his FOTY against Rempe, for what that's worth, I only recall him getting beat up by the heavyweights.

Wouldn't wager money against Reavo, *Looch, MacD, Ross Boss, DLo, Mcllrath, Wilson, Marcus F, Schenn, Lowry, Big Z, Seeler,. Maybe Jackeye, Middleton, McCabe, Gud, Manson, Jeannot?

But you never know.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

That’s a sad list. I think #5 was picked due to poor competition and amount of fights vs effectiveness of the fighter. I would easily have Jeannot, Xhejak, Gudbranson over him.

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