Why is Kerfoot on this team?

[Tmart335]

He's fast, hard working, fairly skilled, and just a good 2-way player. He's undersized, but a legit 3rd liner regardless.

The way I look at it, our forward core consists of:

• 4 star-to-superstar level players: Matthews, Marner, JT, Nylander
• 3 quality middle 6 types: Hyman, Mikheyev, Kerfoot
• 1 quality 4th liner: Spezza
• 4 bandaids, weak in their role: Thornton, Vesey, Simmonds, Barabanov

Having so many bandaid solutions on the roster is just the unfortunate reality of trying to make the COVID-cap work while Matthews/Marner/Tavares make ~$11 mil each, plus spending enough to get solid D and goaltending. The supporting forwards are going to be weak. Contrast this with, say, the Avs - Mac/Rantanen/Landeskog make $21.1 mil, vs. $33.5 for Matthews/Marner/Tavares, so they've got $12.4 mil more to spend on the rest of their team, and they use it to ensure there are essentially no weaknesses among their forwards, everyone is strong in their role, not a single bandaid: Colorado Avalanche - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

We have plenty of bandaid types on the team this year, but Kerfoot isn't one of them, he's a solid player. If we could afford strong bottom-6 wingers, this would be an unreal team:

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Mikheyev - Tavares - Nylander
xxx - Kerfoot - xxx
xxx - Spezza - xxx

Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Holl
Dermott - Bogo

Andersen
Campbell

you think that Simmonds is weak in his role? Fought chariot after the cross checks to matthews and then to him. Nylander said it changed the momentum of the game .

hit the post and played well against oilers in game 1. Had 2 great scoring chances in tonight’s game against the oilers

signed for 1.5 million and shows grit with some scoring ability on the 4th line. What are you expecting of him or players on the 4th line?

 

[Tmart335]

I want to start by saying that Kerfoot is a solid (not great) hockey player. He does represent the flawed vision of Dubas on how to build a contending team.

He is talented enough to play in a top 6 role (on a contender he would be the worst of your top 6) however he does not fit or bring anything to the Leafs that they don't already have in a better/talented model already. When you already have Marner and Nylander who have similar flaws (much better strengths) to their game as Kerfoot there is no room for him within the top 6.

Kerfoot should be moved to a team that has an obvious need in a top 6 (ie: LA Kings) for picks/depth. To answer the next question of who plays 3rd line C. Rotate between Spezza, Thornton, and Barabanov. Would also allow for cap flexibility to bring up Pierre Engvall for the bottom 6 as well as a Joey Anderson or Adam Brooks.

Based on the construction of this team, you need to overplay the top 6 forwards and try and find some spark plugs to bring energy out of the bottom 6 and shuffle lines each night when you find some players who are rolling.

Overplay the top 6? Kerfoot is not even in the top 6. This is a shortened season. They just played Friday, Saturday, Monday, weds, Friday and Sunday. Still practicing.

not sure why you would want spezza, Thornton and barabanov to play 3C? Thornton now injured, spezza can’t play 15 mins nightly. Barabanov is not even a C?

thought he has done fairly well on the third line. Here is an example of the other Canadian team 3rd line centres

Kotkaniemi
Sutter
Backund
Turris
Lowry
Tierney

guess what? Kerfoot is tied for 1st with 3 points.

 

[Cecithepylon]

Atleast we had kerfoot in the playoffs last year...

 

[The Podium]

Strange how much people dislike Kerfoot. Solid defensively and chips in offensively.

 

[Duckrider]

Kerfoot had a great game last night I thought. That line with Nylander, Kerfoot, and well whoever else was there lol. Kadri is in a different league in comparison. But they are players for different purposes. It was great having Kadri on the 3rd line at the time but really he should have been on JT's wing-like back in junior. And that is the difference between the two. Kerfoot can move up but whomever he replaced you want them back asap. Kadri moves up, he goes from producing at a 15-25 goal pace to a 30-35 goal pace. Yes, Kerfoot is much better defensively and faster but Kadri is better in every other way.

 

[zeke]

Kerfoot had a great game last night I thought. That line with Nylander, Kerfoot, and well whoever else was there lol. Kadri is in a different league in comparison. But they are players for different purposes. It was great having Kadri on the 3rd line at the time but really he should have been on JT's wing-like back in junior. And that is the difference between the two. Kerfoot can move up but whomever he replaced you want them back asap. Kadri moves up, he goes from producing at a 15-25 goal pace to a 30-35 goal pace. Yes, Kerfoot is much better defensively and faster but Kadri is better in every other way.

Yes Kadri is better at scoring on the PP but kerfoot is better in every other way.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Kerfoot had a great game last night I thought. That line with Nylander, Kerfoot, and well whoever else was there lol. Kadri is in a different league in comparison. But they are players for different purposes. It was great having Kadri on the 3rd line at the time but really he should have been on JT's wing-like back in junior. And that is the difference between the two. Kerfoot can move up but whomever he replaced you want them back asap. Kadri moves up, he goes from producing at a 15-25 goal pace to a 30-35 goal pace. Yes, Kerfoot is much better defensively and faster but Kadri is better in every other way.

Had Babcick been even a tad creative and put him on the wing, he may still be here

 

[Ashdown2]

you think that Simmonds is weak in his role? Fought chariot after the cross checks to matthews and then to him. Nylander said it changed the momentum of the game .

hit the post and played well against oilers in game 1. Had 2 great scoring chances in tonight’s game against the oilers

signed for 1.5 million and shows grit with some scoring ability on the 4th line. What are you expecting of him or players on the 4th line?

that fight changed nothing ... get over it.

"scoring" ability ... it doesn't matter how many scoring chances he has, he lost his hands and is not an offensive threat anymore, also his defensive play is pretty bad. Its still early and ill give him a chance but hes been the worst leafs forward by a mile.

 

[Azail]

I don't get a lot of the hate for Kerfoot. He had a rough season last year, but he was injured quite a bit, never got into a groove. In the 'playoffs,' I thought he was very good. This year he has been what you want out of a 3rd line center.

Unfortunately because his name isn't Kadri, many people won't like him.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Got giv er to Kerfoot last night ... best I have seen him play this year ... i watched game twice once live and then next time I only watched Kerfoot as best you can with camera (which sucks) ... and he played a high intensity defensive game and contributed on forecheck too ... da more i see him he seems to do much better in a No Hit League game ... he is so fast his speed catches people by surprise in open ice ... and playing up in lineup u got to see his offensive side too ... my worry is against bigger stronger harder hitting based defensive teams will his game hold up

 

[hoglund]

Atleast we had kerfoot in the playoffs last year...

Technically rhe Leafs didn't qualify for the playoffs last year, but that's because of the covid format.

 

[ponder]

you think that Simmonds is weak in his role? Fought chariot after the cross checks to matthews and then to him. Nylander said it changed the momentum of the game .

hit the post and played well against oilers in game 1. Had 2 great scoring chances in tonight’s game against the oilers

signed for 1.5 million and shows grit with some scoring ability on the 4th line. What are you expecting of him or players on the 4th line?

I like his grit and scoring touch, but he’s slow, not good defensively, and not good at driving possession. So far this season we’re getting lit up with Simmonds on the ice, and I expect that to continue.

Compare him to say Clifford, who isn’t as good a goal scorer, but is better defensively and better at driving possession. I think Clifford is quite a lot better in that role.

 

[zeke]

I like his grit and scoring touch, but he’s slow, not good defensively, and not good at driving possession. So far this season we’re getting lit up with Simmonds on the ice, and I expect that to continue.

Compare him to say Clifford, who isn’t as good a goal scorer, but is better defensively and better at driving possession. I think Clifford is quite a lot better in that role.

Simmonds seems like a downgrade from Matt Martin tbh.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I like him (and especially Mikheyev) on our PK.

 

[Critical13]

Yes Kadri is better at scoring on the PP but kerfoot is better in every other way.

Funny you say that because Avs fans were all over Kadri last game. They want him off the top PP and his line is really struggling 5v5.

As for Kerfoot, I don’t blame him for our woes. He’s getting paid to be a 3rd line player, and I would say his line has been quite good. The inconsistencies of the top 2 lines, Morgan Reilly’s bad start, and the fact that our 4th line seems unplayable are all much more important issues.

 

[zeke]

Funny you say that because Avs fans were all over Kadri last game. They want him off the top PP and his line is really struggling 5v5.

.

Yes as per my post on page 2 of this thread: Why is Kerfoot on this team?

 

[ponder]

Simmonds seems like a downgrade from Matt Martin tbh.

Agreed. Or Reaves, Hathaway, Deslauriers, Austin Watson, etc. Most guys in that grit role are better 2-way forwards than Simmonds (at this point in his career).

I do like having a gritty fighter type on the team, I think it makes everyone a bit tougher and more confident, so I hope Simmonds stays in the lineup. But he’s on the weaker side for this role.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The beauty of the trade is it actually wasn't just going big for one season. Yes Barrie and Kerfoot had a stronger combined impact than Kadri alone, but now Kerfoot will be a more valuable player than Kadri by himself over the next few years

 

[Critical13]

Yes as per my post on page 2 of this thread: Why is Kerfoot on this team?

zeke I trust your opinions are well informed, I had no doubt you were saying that.

Appreciate the effort you put in on the forum.

 

[zeke]

zeke I trust your opinions are well informed, I had no doubt you were saying that.

Appreciate the effort you put in on the forum.

Oh jt wasn't me saying I just quoted all the Kadri posts from the avs' gamethread. Take a look. Its hilarious.

 

[Critical13]

Oh jt wasn't me saying I just quoted all the Kadri posts from the avs' gamethread. Take a look. Its hilarious.

Yep, and that’s how he played here too. I think this forum has a grass is greener outlook with Kadri.

I loved his personality but he had many nights where he really struggled and got caved in.

Starting to think Rielly is getting a halo effect too.

 

[Cecithepylon]

 

[Dekes For Days]

Technically rhe Leafs didn't qualify for the playoffs last year

Technically the Leafs did qualify for the playoffs last year, according the the NHL; the ones who decide.

 

[moon111]

Kerfoot offers nothing that an Adam Brooks at league min cannot.
Kadri is 10x the player he is. Your post is straight out of loonyville, get some rest.

Kadri was one of the most self centered players to have ever played for the Leafs. He would have the puck and try breaking through three defenders before passing to his winger. There's a reason a player like Phil Kessel didn't want him as his center. If Kadri was a pitcher, he's the type who'd see his outfielder not make the catch, shrug his shoulders, and give him a wink. He had no defensive game other then to constantly skate and harass a single player. Team defense by structure was a foreign concept to him. (Currently he's been on the ice for 3x as many goals-against at even-strength as Kerfoot) As such, he couldn't even be used as a penalty-killer. The best scenario in dealing with Kadri was to let him do what he was going to do and leave the team-concept responsibilities to his wingers. You could not trust him not to take a selfish penalty.

Kerfoot had the 2nd highest points/60 on the Leafs in the playoffs. He out hit Kadri, he blocked way more shots then Kadri. With Kadri on the team, you have to ask yourself, do I place my bet on Toronto or the other club?

 

[stickty111]

He's a very good defensive player with solid 3rd line offense as well. His speed and positioning allows him to both cover defense well while also quickly transitioning the puck out of danger and to the attack.

Since the trade, at Even Strength:

Kadri: 13:26, 37pt pace, 46.2xgf% (-7.0rel)
Kerfoot: 13:09, 32pt pace, 51.7xgf% (+0.1rel)

Comments about Kadri from last night's Avalanche Board game thread:

"Kadri needs to get his head out of his *** soon."

"Kadri pisses me off and tbh hasnt been a good Avalanche player for most of his tenure here. He showed up for the playoffs last year so I'll give him credit for that, but I thought he was kinda shit during the season last year too."

"Kadri is rubbish"

"Out of these four (JTC, Saad, Donskoi, Kadri), two should come out and be replaced with LOC and Kaut. "

"Kadri is a bonehead,"

"Kadri + Saad look like 3rd liners"

"Kadri and Saad both have been donkey piss every single game."

"Kadri’s drop-off is really hurting this team. Even at his best he’s not really a shift-to-shift impact guy, but when his scoring touch is gone, he’s a liability."

"Boy do I wish Kadri was on any other team."

"Still a second round exit team with a bunch of losers like Kadri leading the way."

"He's one of the biggest idiotson this team for sure."

"Kadri really needs to wake up. Totally uninterested play. As a 2nd line centreman, it's unacceptable."

"He's got to go."

"I think it’s also time to take Kadri off that 1st PP unit. It seemed like he lost alot of faceoffs in the PP and other than that I find him quite useless there."

"What Kadri needs to do is leave Columbus off his no trade list so we can package him for Dubois."

"Kadri does not setup his teammates for success, he only really uses them when he has completely run himself out of options"

"He's one of the most selfish player in the NHL. Not sure all his linemates are OK with that."

"Hes completely useless as a bumper. I said it before but all he does is confuse the hell out of Nathan there. Nathan does that fake shot pass to Kadri and it almost always ends up in Kadri's feet. It worked a few times in the playoffs against the Yotes but all season it never worked. "

"Saad hardly touches the puck and Kadri just wants to fire off inaccurate shots."

"Kadri has zero ability to drive a line. He's as bad as Donskoi at winning puck battles, has below average playmaking skills (kerfoot is actually much better than him in that aspect) and is either lazy or has poor awareness defensively all while taking stupid Ian Cole-esque penalties. The only things he has going for him as a player is that he can shoot and stickhandle but even that is not there most nights. Honestly I'd rather have Jeff Carter playing 2c out there than Kadri, at least he wouldn't kill so many plays."

"I’m worried about our centers outside Mack. Is Kadri-Compher-Bellemare good enough to win the cup?"

"The second line is only going to work with a high level transition puck carrier on the wing. Kadri/Saad just don't skate well enough for Bednar's transition game."

Well well what do you know. Almost as if the trade wasn't all that bad.