Should the Leafs play one of their D on offence?

[mcleex]

With the excess defenseman the Leafs have do you think someone should play forward, just to try it for maybe 2-3 games?

Why not put Gardiner on forward?

Brent Burns just played forward for San Jose and he has played defense all of his career
why not just try it to see what happens

there are too many defenseman sitting out right now, maybe do it for a game or two to and bench a guy like Kulemin to see if that will spark him up a little bit

I'm not suggesting it as a long-term fix, but just something to try out

thoughts?

 

[Cor]

Nah.

Just send Holzer to the AHL

 

[BayStBullies]

What is the obsession every year to suggest switching a defense to offense. Why must this thread come up every single year?

NO! That is completely idiotic; this isn't juniors.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

We already have David Steckel sitting at forward, and Joffrey Lupul returning within the next ~10 days. Our group of forwards is pretty full too.

There needs to be a trade made soon to convert some of our excess depth (at both forward & defense) into something more useful.

 

[KPower]

Sure,

3rd line

Center phaneuf
RW Liles
LW. Gardiner

 

[Grant]

Sounds good to me. I think Holzer should take Steckel's spot.

 

[alcanalz]

Burns was drafted as a forward, Lemaire made him play D.

And no.

 

[Midna]

Kaberle should center Kessel

 

[HockeyThoughts]

Burns was drafted as a forward, Lemaire made him play D.

And no.

Not that I agree with OP, Jake Gardiner was a forward for much of his development having played that position up until his senior year in high school. Obviously not as extreme as Brent Burns but still pretty substantial, he clearly knows both positions very well.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

Kaberle should center Kessel

We've had:

Kaberle the playmaking center

Phaneuf the PWF winger

Gardiner the speedy forward


--

I missed it the first few times, but out of all the forwards why would Randy Carlyle bench Nikolai Kulemin

 

[Al14]

Sure,

3rd line

Center phaneuf
RW Liles
LW. Gardiner

Wow, that just might work. However, they might be a tad weak defensively.

 

[Al14]

What is the obsession every year to suggest switching a defense to offense. Why must this thread come up every single year?

NO! That is completely idiotic; this isn't juniors.

Sorry, but it's not idiotic!

Do some research. There have been many NHL players that have been converted from defense to forwards. As well, there have been many NHL players that have played both positions.

Our own Wendel Clark was a star junior hockey defenseman! He was converted to left wing with the Leafs.

Red Kelly was another Leaf player that switched from defense to forward. Red was an offensive defenseman that played the first half of his career on defense with the Detroit Red Wings. He was traded to the Leafs where he was converted to forward and became a a very strong two-way centreman.

Here are a list of others that have played on both defense and at forward positions:
Marc-Andre Bergeron; Chris Campoli; Kurtis Foster; Phil Housley; Mark Streit; Christoph Schubert; Ian White.

Mathieu Dandenault, Sergei Fedorov, Sami Kapanen and Brooks Laich are other notable players that have played forward and defense at certain points in their respective careers.

One more name: Dustin Byfuglien!!!

So, it's not unrealistic that a player can be converted from defense to forward or become a utility player by playing at both positions!

 

[Drew311]

What is the obsession every year to suggest switching a defense to offense. Why must this thread come up every single year?

NO! That is completely idiotic; this isn't juniors.

In defense of the OP, I created the same thread last season and suggested Gardiner play forward. 95% of people were ripping me, although the next day Gardiner was playing 3rd line wing.

I'm not suggesting this happen again though, because I don't see a good fit. Burns is a great candidate to play forward because he's huge, can skate and has good hands. We don't have this kind of defenseman on the Leafs.

 

[Drew311]

Burns was drafted as a forward, Lemaire made him play D.

And no.

Burns has been a defenseman at least since his days in the OPJHL, prior to being drafted.

 

[Patty Lee]

my coach tried this with me in midget. and it didn't work. can't remember if we did in any games or just practices

don't think this is a good idea for this group. if Jake comes back he needs to replace one of the weak D the Leafs have, not a forward.

 

[Kelly]

We should put Kessel on defense and see how that works out.

 

[egd27]

There was a guy the Leafs drafted as a Dman and then moved him to the wing back in the 80's. Not sure if it worked out or not.

 

[Al14]

We should put Kessel on defense and see how that works out.

Now, that's a plan.

Get'er done Carlyle.

 

[Patty Lee]

There was a guy the Leafs drafted as a Dman and then moved him to the wing back in the 80's. Not sure if it worked out or not.

so the last successful attempt 30 years ago is a good indication they should do it again now.... gotcha

 

[Al14]

so the last successful attempt 30 years ago is a good indication they should do it again now.... gotcha

Ya just never know unless you try.

Too many defensemen. Why not try one or two at forward?

We do have many fans on here wanting to trade many of our forwards.

Just sayin.

 

[egd27]

so the last successful attempt 30 years ago is a good indication they should do it again now.... gotcha

Just sayin there's precedent. But I know how any out of the box thinking goes around here.

Kessel - Bozak
Kadri - Frattin
Grabbo - Kulemin

etc etc.

 

[SteveV*]

There was one shift last night wherein Holzer was caught up at center ice twice, so he looks ready for the wing for sure.

 

[gabeliscious]

i dont really see what the benefit would be. we are pretty deep with wingers. what meh defenseman would be an upgrade over ANY of our wingers?

if anything i would rather put one of our wingers on the point on the pp although im liking the franson-phaneuf shotting thing they got going at the moment

 

[Barilko14]

Sorry, but it's not idiotic!

Do some research. There have been many NHL players that have been converted from defense to forwards. As well, there have been many NHL players that have played both positions.

Our own Wendel Clark was a star junior hockey defenseman! He was converted to left wing with the Leafs.

Red Kelly was another Leaf player that switched from defense to forward. Red was an offensive defenseman that played the first half of his career on defense with the Detroit Red Wings. He was traded to the Leafs where he was converted to forward and became a a very strong two-way centreman.

Here are a list of others that have played on both defense and at forward positions:
Marc-Andre Bergeron; Chris Campoli; Kurtis Foster; Phil Housley; Mark Streit; Christoph Schubert; Ian White.

Mathieu Dandenault, Sergei Fedorov, Sami Kapanen and Brooks Laich are other notable players that have played forward and defense at certain points in their respective careers.

One more name: Dustin Byfuglien!!!

So, it's not unrealistic that a player can be converted from defense to forward or become a utility player by playing at both positions!

Sweet lets turn Gardiner into Christoph Schubert.

So its been successful (if you can call these examples successful) a couple of dozen times out of the 1000s of players that have played in the NHL and you think that makes it a good idea to just grab someone and try it now?

Yeah, it's an idiotic idea. It's been an idiotic idea every time someone suggested it the last several years.

It's especially idiotic to suggest it mid-season when it hasn't been tried or practiced at all prior to the switch.

p.s. naming players that made the switch who never really had any success doing it doesn't help your point.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Phaneuf, Liles, Franson, Holzer, Gunnerson, Fraser, Komisarek, Gardiner

Godammit you if don't think there is a #1C in there