Faceoffs matter. The coach you're sarcastically whizzing on got this bunch into the playoffs for the first time in ages. I like Grabovski too, I think he has a lot of fire in his belly but this is Carlyle's way of getting him to play with that fire every night. If he did, he probably would be on the first line despite being poor on the draw. Bozak has done a great job of winning faceoffs, and he's contributing enough on offense while playing against other team's top lines that he's worth having there.
The "no.1" line/Carlyle's usage of centers
- Thread starter Mike1
- Start date
Faceoffs matter. The coach you're sarcastically whizzing on got this bunch into the playoffs for the first time in ages. I like Grabovski too, I think he has a lot of fire in his belly but this is Carlyle's way of getting him to play with that fire every night. If he did, he probably would be on the first line despite being poor on the draw. Bozak has done a great job of winning faceoffs, and he's contributing enough on offense while playing against other team's top lines that he's worth having there.
and if lupul was in the line up all year ,we would be 1st in goals for
Woah, hold up before u make all of us look bad
MGK was a really excellent line.
All I'm saying is that it's a myth that Kessel and Grabo don't work well together. They clearly score a lot of goals and shoot the puck a lot. I wouldn't use those numbers to say that they will definitely be good together in the future. Just that they have been good together in the past. I doubt if they were paired together that they would maintain that level of domination. But I think Grabo-Kessel would outshoot opponents and play in the offensive zone where Bozak-Kessel get outshot and play in the defensive zone.
In the past it may have been better to keep them separate, but now that Kadri is a top 6 center, we actually have 2 top six centers, and we should play them in top 6 positions. Either Kadri-Kessel or Grabo-Kessel would be fine by me. Need to get Bozak off the top PP unit and stop giving him 20 minutes a night.
diceman934
Help is on the way.
MGK started the year together and did not play that well.....
I'm with the group that believe that Grabo and Kessel would not be an effective pairing.
Grabo is most effective playing a cycle game and Kessel is least effective in playing that type of game.....there is no fit here in my eyes.
Moving Kadri to play with Kessel, makes us easy to defend against....
Grabovski is good on the rush as well as cycling:
http://theleafsnation.com/2012/7/9/how-about-mikhail-grabovski-with-phil-kessel
He scored a higher percentage of his goals last year in transition that Kessel did.
Again, if Grabo and Kessel are not an effective pairing, then why have they been so effective?
http://theleafsnation.com/2012/7/9/how-about-mikhail-grabovski-with-phil-kessel
He scored a higher percentage of his goals last year in transition that Kessel did.
Again, if Grabo and Kessel are not an effective pairing, then why have they been so effective?
Lupul tends to play a cycle game and is still quite compatible with Kessel. As long as you create space for Kessel, he'll thrive. Grabovski would actually be rather effective due to his cycle game and intense playing style. In fact, JVR's performance would significantly improve as well.
To the people who think Grabovski is a offensive/chemistry black-hole: who is the most talented winger Grabovski has played with for any length of time? MacArthur? Kulemin?
Offensively, all those players can do is shoot hard. They see success with Kadri because he does all over the work for them. Grabovski's poor offensive chemistry with Kulemin and MacArthur (long-term) might be because those players can't cycle and maintain puck possession in the offensive zone with Grabovski to create anything sustainable.
I find the myth that Grabovski and Kessel don't work together annoying, because they have never been tried together for any significant length of time (particularly with a solid left winger). Grabovski would give Kessel a centreman who can keep puck possession and make plays in the offensive zone while still being competent defensively. Bozak is a poor puck possession player, which means Kessel spends more time setting up Bozak for scoring chances than vice versa.
Unfortunately, even if Bozak went elsewhere as a UFA, Carlyle still wouldn't consider putting Grabovski on Kessel's line until Grabovski can consistently win faceoffs.
Offensively, all those players can do is shoot hard. They see success with Kadri because he does all over the work for them. Grabovski's poor offensive chemistry with Kulemin and MacArthur (long-term) might be because those players can't cycle and maintain puck possession in the offensive zone with Grabovski to create anything sustainable.
I find the myth that Grabovski and Kessel don't work together annoying, because they have never been tried together for any significant length of time (particularly with a solid left winger). Grabovski would give Kessel a centreman who can keep puck possession and make plays in the offensive zone while still being competent defensively. Bozak is a poor puck possession player, which means Kessel spends more time setting up Bozak for scoring chances than vice versa.
Unfortunately, even if Bozak went elsewhere as a UFA, Carlyle still wouldn't consider putting Grabovski on Kessel's line until Grabovski can consistently win faceoffs.
thewave
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- Jun 17, 2011
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Carlyle likes to have a top 9 line setup. Place Grabovski on a line with Kessel and Bozak on a separate line would be less effective.
1. Kessel/Grabo ... Kessel/Kadri ... Kadri/Grabo ... the most obvious reason is that these pairings are simply too small. Bozak is our Biggest Centre size wise. this is an organizational fault.
Stephen
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Yea Bozak finished on at least 50% of sweet dishes of Kessel. Good Hockey eye you have
Yea...Last 2 years that is what he was doing especially when the KGM Line was lighting it up
That line hasn't clicked in a year and a half at least.
The Podium
Registered User
What exactly are you implying?
Just that the knot between the two players has been tied.
The Winter Soldier
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- Apr 4, 2011
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Grabovski doesn't have the brains to play with elite players, he has skill, but he has absolutely no idea how to use those skills. He's back into one of his 10+ games of ice cold play after his predictable 1 or 2 good games where his fans will rejoice, Grabo is a monster. Truth is he has always been a streaky bullet in a tunnel.
Grabo and Kessel don't work together. The facts prove this. See SmoulderingGoodTime's post.
If you're not convinced, look at Kessel's stats with other players:
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/showplayer.php?pid=580&withagainst=true&season=2010-12&sit=5v5
When he plays with Bozak, they score 0.831 GF/20 and give up 1.013 GA/20.
When he played with Grabo for like 230 minutes, the Leafs were scoring 1.656 GF/20 and giving up 1.220 GA/20.
Oh, whoops, I just accidentally showed that Grabo is the player that Kessel has the most chemistry with out of any Leaf forward in the last two years! How silly of me. Let's pretend that never happened.
He actually worked pretty well with Kulemin too in limited time. Kessel is not a special flower who needs Bozak/Lupul to score. In fact, even this season, when playing with Bozak the Leafs score 0.934 GF/20 and get 0.975 GA/20. So the myth that Bozak is covering for Kessel's defensive deficiencies is exactly that - a myth. Over the last 3 seasons, Bozak and Kessel have been consistently outscored at even strength by the opposition .So what's the worst that could happen by changing his center?
If you're not convinced, look at Kessel's stats with other players:
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/showplayer.php?pid=580&withagainst=true&season=2010-12&sit=5v5
When he plays with Bozak, they score 0.831 GF/20 and give up 1.013 GA/20.
When he played with Grabo for like 230 minutes, the Leafs were scoring 1.656 GF/20 and giving up 1.220 GA/20.
Oh, whoops, I just accidentally showed that Grabo is the player that Kessel has the most chemistry with out of any Leaf forward in the last two years! How silly of me. Let's pretend that never happened.
He actually worked pretty well with Kulemin too in limited time. Kessel is not a special flower who needs Bozak/Lupul to score. In fact, even this season, when playing with Bozak the Leafs score 0.934 GF/20 and get 0.975 GA/20. So the myth that Bozak is covering for Kessel's defensive deficiencies is exactly that - a myth. Over the last 3 seasons, Bozak and Kessel have been consistently outscored at even strength by the opposition .So what's the worst that could happen by changing his center?
Oh sorry, I forgot we're not supposed to use facts around here.
*cough* well I am an expert who actually watches games *adjusts glasses*, and let me tell you, that Kessel boy needs a good Canadian kid with moxy, grit, hustle and intangibles to get him going. You young kids out there, you need to understand how the game is played. No Belarusian has ever won the cup. They don't have our Canadian culture of winning in their blood! It's genetics! I watch the games and I know.
*cough* well I am an expert who actually watches games *adjusts glasses*, and let me tell you, that Kessel boy needs a good Canadian kid with moxy, grit, hustle and intangibles to get him going. You young kids out there, you need to understand how the game is played. No Belarusian has ever won the cup. They don't have our Canadian culture of winning in their blood! It's genetics! I watch the games and I know.
The Podium
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The Blue Devil
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The Blue Devil
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