Tribute Zachary Aston-Reese Appreciation Thread

[FiveHoleo]

I can't believe there isn't one already. Just kidding, this guy is pants, and I can't figure out how he still gets pencilled into the lineup. What is Keefe's fascination with this guy? He moves his feet a little bit maybe, but that's the best that can be said of him. He has no ability to play the skilled hockey the rest of the players play, he looks like a sore thumb out there. He's a 5th wheel, he's a superfluous third nipple, and he's useless. Feel free to share your Zach Aston-Reese highlight compilation videos to change my mind.

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[Raging Bull]

He's low-event in every situation and coaches seem to love that. Nothing ever happens when he's on the ice, both ways.

 

[NewZealandMike]

I can't believe there isn't one already. Just kidding, this guy is pants, and I can't figure out how he still gets pencilled into the lineup. What is Keefe's fascination with this guy? He moves his feet a little bit maybe, but that's the best that can be said of him. He has no ability to play the skilled hockey the rest of the players play, he looks like a sore thumb out there. He's a 5th wheel, he's a superfluous third nipple, and he's useless. Feel free to share your Zach Aston-Reese highlight compilation videos to change my mind.

Can we have one physical player? Or do you feel figure skaters will win in playoffs after 7 failures

 

[Menzinger]

He's low-event in every situation and coaches seem to love that. Nothing ever happens when he's on the ice, both ways.

Yep. Coaches just want to know likely no goals against while the team's skilled guys rest up for their next shift.

 

[Buds17]

He's a fourth liner in both pay and play.

 

[LeafChief]

i don't mind him. He accomplishes what he is supposed to accomplish considering his AAV. Teams will trade picks for players like him at the deadline each year to bolster their depth. We already have it in house now.

 

[FiveHoleo]

Can we have one physical player? Or do you feel figure skaters will win in playoffs after 7 failures

Can we have a physical player who doesn't suck at the game? I'm pretty sure there are players out there who can throw a body check once in a while but also pass the puck, skate, and shoot a little bit too.

As for the "low event" argument, the guy is a minus player on a team full of massively plus players. That's doesn't make him "low event" that makes him trash.

 

[The Iceman]

ZAR is very low on the list of players to be concerned about.
Plays the body, responsible defensively, can PK, and doesn't take bad penalties.

Write him in until there is an upgrade.

 

[OVO16]

Problem with this fanbase is they want every single player on the roster to be a PPG player, or else he's a bust.

Pat Maroon has a whopping 1 goal this ear but you're never going here their fans complain about how useless and slow Maroon is.

Every player has their own skill set and ZAR does his well. He's a defensive physical 4th line player. Nothign wrong with that. You need a different mix of skillsets in the playoffs.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Such a solid player and works hard on the ice. Our fourth line is just great with him.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Can we have a physical player who doesn't suck at the game? I'm pretty sure there are players out there who can throw a body check once in a while but also pass the puck, skate, and shoot a little bit too.

As for the "low event" argument, the guy is a minus player on a team full of massively plus players. That's doesn't make him "low event" that makes him trash.

Do you understand how plus minus works?

 

[saffronleaf]

he's fine as a fourth line winger

i like that he brings a bit of physicality.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

He can play on my team anytime...but only on the 4th line.

All I expect is a tight defensive game and safe plays. Try for a goal or an assist...sometime.

 

[Its not your fault]

Can we have a physical player who doesn't suck at the game? I'm pretty sure there are players out there who can throw a body check once in a while but also pass the puck, skate, and shoot a little bit too.

As for the "low event" argument, the guy is a minus player on a team full of massively plus players. That's doesn't make him "low event" that makes him trash.

Most those types have 3 to 5 seasons.

Problem with this fanbase is they want every single player on the roster to be a PPG player, or else he's a bust.

Pat Maroon has a whopping 1 goal this ear but you're never going here their fans complain about how useless and slow Maroon is.

Every player has their own skill set and ZAR does his well. He's a defensive physical 4th line player. Nothign wrong with that. You need a different mix of skillsets in the playoffs.

Look at Nick Richie respond without this fan base. Looks good on them.

 

[FiveHoleo]

He can play on my team anytime...but only on the 4th line.

All I expect is a tight defensive game and safe plays. Try for a goal or an assist...sometime.

How many cups does your team have lately?

Look, don't get the wrong idea here, I'm not saying the guy isn't an NHL player. There are all sorts of teams that could probably benefit from having this guy in the lineup every night. I'm just not convinced any team that wants to win a Stanley Cup can afford a plug like this, even if it is on the fourth line. If there were a bunch of injuries maybe I'd be cool with him playing a game or two, but he does not belong in the starting lineup of a true cup contender.

Problem with this fanbase is they want every single player on the roster to be a PPG player, or else he's a bust.

Pat Maroon has a whopping 1 goal this ear but you're never going here their fans complain about how useless and slow Maroon is.

Every player has their own skill set and ZAR does his well. He's a defensive physical 4th line player. Nothign wrong with that. You need a different mix of skillsets in the playoffs.

Pat Maroon once scored 27 goals in the NHL. Zach Aston Reese is not our Pat Maroon. ZAR's skill set is strikingly far below the rest of the team, and that can be an issue when the style the team plays is based on high skill and puck possession. We're running with a square wheel here gentlemen, all so we can have the thinnest possible veneer of physicality to our game. The only saving grace is that players will be added before the deadline that will push Zach Aston Reese further down the lineup so he can be pinched off in the minors where he belongs.

In the grand scheme of things our team is damn good. Our defence is much stronger and deeper than it has ever been, and so is our goaltending. We know the top of the forward group is awesome, and even some of the pieces in the bottom six are pretty damn good. The only way to meaningfully improve the team at this point is in the bottom six, and more specifically that gruesome 4th line.

Do you understand how plus minus works?

Yes. Zachary Aston Reese is a minus player on a team with one of the best positive goal differentials in the league.

*Edit* I almost forgot, he's got three names like most serial killers. OPP should have a look at that too.

 

[Kyle089]

I don't have a problem with ZAR at all, he's fine for the 4th line. He's new to the team this year and has had very little consistency when it comes to linemates. He plays a simple, physical, defensive game. He'll be even more effective when he has linemates that he can gel with as a unit.

 

[OVO16]

How many cups does your team have lately?

Look, don't get the wrong idea here, I'm not saying the guy isn't an NHL player. There are all sorts of teams that could probably benefit from having this guy in the lineup every night. I'm just not convinced any team that wants to win a Stanley Cup can afford a plug like this, even if it is on the fourth line. If there were a bunch of injuries maybe I'd be cool with him playing a game or two, but he does not belong in the starting lineup of a true cup contender.



Pat Maroon once scored 27 goals in the NHL. Zach Aston Reese is not our Pat Maroon. ZAR's skill set is strikingly far below the rest of the team, and that can be an issue when the style the team plays is based on high skill and puck possession. We're running with a square wheel here gentlemen, all so we can have the thinnest possible veneer of physicality to our game. The only saving grace is that players will be added before the deadline that will push Zach Aston Reese further down the lineup so he can be pinched off in the minors where he belongs.

In the grand scheme of things our team is damn good. Our defence is much stronger and deeper than it has ever been, and so is our goaltending. We know the top of the forward group is awesome, and even some of the pieces in the bottom six are pretty damn good. The only way to meaningfully improve the team at this point is in the bottom six, and more specifically that gruesome 4th line.


Yes. Zachary Aston Reese is a minus player on a team with one of the best positive goal differentials in the league.

*Edit* I almost forgot, he's got three names like most serial killers. OPP should have a look at that too.

Who tf cares if Pat Maroon scored 27 goals like 7 years ago. Its about what the player can bring now and ZAR is perfectly fine as a 4th line player.

 

[FiveHoleo]

Who tf cares if Pat Maroon scored 27 goals like 7 years ago. Its about what the player can bring now and ZAR is perfectly fine as a 4th line player.

If you are good with him on the 4th line it's clearly only because you don't know what a championship 4th line looks like. Go ahead, use your google skills to look at the 4th lines of championship teams from years past and find me any example of a player with ZAR's grim production playing regularly and I'll withdraw my complaint. You can't however, because nobody has ever won a Stanley Cup with such an inferior player getting regular minutes.

 

[hockeywiz542]

‘A beast’: Why Zach Aston-Reese is playing his best hockey for Maple Leafs

Zach Aston-Reese has been pouring in extra work at practice improving his net-front skills. It's paying off as the Maple Leafs depth winger scored twice, including a greasy winner, during Toronto's 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

www.sportsnet.ca

TORONTO — A little breakoff group has formed during Toronto Maple Leafs practice sessions.

Goalie coach Curtis Sanford is spending extra time with the netminders, getting them used to stopping tipped pucks, while assistant coach Manny Malhotra works with dirty-goal scorers Ryan O’Reilly and Zach Aston-Reese on redirecting shots and tidying up rebounds in close.

These tip drills have spiked since the arrival of the 2019 Conn Smythe champ to Toronto, and it may be no coincidence that Aston-Reese’s own performance spike shortly after he began pouring in extra work to the net-front skills.

“Maybe Ryan O’Reilly coming,” Aston-Reese smiles when asked why his touch around flying pucks has improved.

“It’s fun. You work on tipping it, and you work on finishing that rebound, playing it like it’s a game situation. It’s definitely helped.”

On Tuesday, it helped the depth winger score twice, including a greasy winner, as the Maple Leafs defeated the talent-depleted Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2.

Notching his ninth and 10th goals of the season, Aston-Reese hit double digits for the first time in his six-year career.

Aston-Reese was healthy-scratched shortly after the trade deadline when GM Kyle Dubas sought out a couple of competitive, check-finishing role players in Sam Lafferty and Noel Acciari.

Sheldon Keefe stressed the need for the bubble forward to ratchet up his physicality and energy. The coach demanded two things: effort and consistency.

Be it internal competition, a clarity of role or the anticipation of the playoffs, Aston-Reese has played his best hockey for Toronto over the past month.

“I know they want me to be physical and finishing checks, and it doesn’t have to be blowing up guys every night. It’s just being stiff and aggressive on the puck,” Aston-Reese said.

His teammates farther up the lineup have taken note.