Gleason traded to Toronto for Liles

[TML fan]

- Kind of talked around why the Leafs give up so many shots

What a question. "You've been here for 2 hours now, what's wrong with the Leafs defensive system?"

It's a fair question. As someone who just came to the organization he'd have a different perspective to offer. Of course he won't actually offer it but it doesn't negate the validity of the question.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I doubt he'd know enough about their defensive game to make an informed comment.

 

[TML fan]

I doubt he'd know enough about their defensive game to make an informed comment.

I doubt that's true.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I doubt he'd know enough about their defensive game to make an informed comment.

I doubt that's true.

Why?  You'd have to extensively watch many Leafs games to determine what the system is, and when Carolina played the Leafs and did their video stuff I doubt the defensive defenseman on Carolina was getting too in-depth into how to penetrate the Leafs defensive schemes.

 

[TML fan]

I doubt he'd know enough about their defensive game to make an informed comment.

I doubt that's true.

Why?  You'd have to extensively watch many Leafs games to determine what the system is, and when Carolina played the Leafs and did their video stuff I doubt the defensive defenseman on Carolina was getting too in-depth into how to penetrate the Leafs defensive schemes.

You really wouldn't. All you'd have to do is watch a few quick clips of their D zone setup to know when to pinch and when not to. I'm sure this is something every defenceman on every team the Leafs play is involved in.

At the end of the day, everyone already knows why the Leafs get outshot every night. The media likely were hoping to get a more honest answer.

 

[mr grieves]

The Leafs have done pretty good with 'damaged' goods as far as I'm concerned.

So, now that it's clear Clarkson isn't the second coming of Gary Roberts, we'll bestow the title on Tim Gleason?

Unless you put 'damaged' in quotes in order to make an abstraction of it, and find something in common with Raymond, MacArthur, Franson, Lupul, Grabovski, Kessel, and other castoffs (many of whom constitute the core)... well, but, you know, Gleason is actually damaged.

Your hyperbole seems to know no bounds.

Boundless, naive optimism needs to be met with something.

Losveratos already said it, but, like, you know, Lupul was sort of hurt before he arrived. 

Is Gleason more like a 28 year old recovering from a freak injury or a 30-year-old, hard-hitting defenseman whose body is beginning to break down? No, the only similarity to Lupul is that Gleason's now wearing a Leafs jersey. But that describes as many bad moves as good ones.

And I'm not sure why you would have included Grabovski in your list, unless of course you thought Moon had said 'deranged' instead of 'damaged'.

"'Damaged' goods" and "abstraction" are probably the key words above. I didn't have Kessel on the list in reference to testicular cancer or Franson for having had chicken pox.

The team's made up of young guys that other teams had given up on, lost interest in, didn't want to commit to, or whatever, and, for the most part, the Leafs have done pretty well with this assortment of castoffs and broken toys. Pretty good with "'damaged' goods" indeed. But where they haven't done well is bringing in worthwhile pieces on the wrong side of their prime.

 

[brothert]

The team's made up of young guys that other teams had given up on, lost interest in, didn't want to commit to, or whatever, and, for the most part, the Leafs have done pretty well with this assortment of castoffs and broken toys. Pretty good with "'damaged' goods" indeed. But where they haven't done well is bringing in worthwhile pieces on the wrong side of their prime.

hear hear!

cough... Nolan cough...

runs away.......................

 

[lamajama]

I doubt he'd know enough about their defensive game to make an informed comment.

This is a trick question, the Leafs have no system.

 

[leafplasma]

Tim Gleason on Sportsnet:
- Doesn't know many guys on the team
- Felt welcomed, hanging out with Cody Franson as he gets used to the area
- Describes himself as hard, consistent, hard to play against with grit
- On decreased minutes in Carolina - injuries slowed him down, feels healthy now, didn't get training camp, feels game ready
- Didn't work with Carlyle much in practice, worked on systems with the defensive coach
- Kind of talked around why the Leafs give up so many shots

No mention of when he f'ed up Kulemin? These guys should have done their homework, that would have been money.

When asked if he knew any of the guys, he joked he knew Kulemin from a couple years back.  He said that he went up to him today to say he hoped there were no hard feelings.  He said he wasn't sure if Kulemin understood him.  He seemed quite rattled by the interview I thought, almost uncomfortable.

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

he's gonna wear #8 according to Lance Hornby. Yay!! ColaiacovoBear gets another shot at employment.

 

[Highlander]

Its actually a no lose deal actually better for the Leafs as the buy out terms are a lot better than Liles. Lets give the guy a chance and if he bumps Frazer off the team I will have a reason to Glee some.

 

[Joe S.]

The team's made up of young guys that other teams had given up on, lost interest in, didn't want to commit to, or whatever, and, for the most part, the Leafs have done pretty well with this assortment of castoffs and broken toys. Pretty good with "'damaged' goods" indeed. But where they haven't done well is bringing in worthwhile pieces on the wrong side of their prime.

hear hear!

cough... Nolan cough...

runs away.......................

I don't care what anyone says. Nolan was awesome.

 

[moon111]

For every Dave Ellett, Dmitri Mironov, Todd Gill you have, it's nice to have a Sylvain Lefebvre, Bob Rouse, and Jamie Macoun.  With Phaneuf, Franson, Gardiner and Reilly, there's no need for Liles on the P.P., and no need for his 5-on-5 offense either.  Compare these two players last three years:

Even-Strength
G  A  PTS
3 11 14
2  8 10
0  0   0

G  A  PTS
1 14 15
0 8 8
0 1 1

 

[Redleaf]

The team's made up of young guys that other teams had given up on, lost interest in, didn't want to commit to, or whatever, and, for the most part, the Leafs have done pretty well with this assortment of castoffs and broken toys. Pretty good with "'damaged' goods" indeed. But where they haven't done well is bringing in worthwhile pieces on the wrong side of their prime.

hear hear!

cough... Nolan cough...

runs away.......................

I don't care what anyone says. Nolan was awesome.

All kinds of awesome for, what, about 40 or so games? 

 

[Andy007]

The team's made up of young guys that other teams had given up on, lost interest in, didn't want to commit to, or whatever, and, for the most part, the Leafs have done pretty well with this assortment of castoffs and broken toys. Pretty good with "'damaged' goods" indeed. But where they haven't done well is bringing in worthwhile pieces on the wrong side of their prime.

hear hear!

cough... Nolan cough...

runs away.......................

I don't care what anyone says. Nolan was awesome.

79 games with Toronto, 26 goals and 60 points. He kinda tanked in the playoffs but, yea, he was a pretty effective player here.

 

[moon111]

The Leafs had to go for it.  They were building, in my honest opinion, one of the most stacked teams ever.  The 2003?04 Toronto Maple Leafs, if they stayed health, would definitely have to be considered as a Stanley Cup Contender.  Sure prospects are nice, but they would just acquire someone who was destined to the Hockey Hall of Fame.  Of course soon the Cap would come in, dismantling the Leafs and leave them with no prospects.  Prospects that not only were traded away, but of lower quality from poor draft position year after year.

Roberts  *Sundin Mogilny
Renberg Nieuwendyk Nolan
Stajan *Francis Tucker
Ponikarovsky Antropov *Domi
Fitzgerald Belak

Leetch McCabe
Kaberle Klee
Pilar Johansson
Bryan Marchment
*Berg

*Belfour
Tellqvist
*-denotes player that played an entire season.  The rest all missed games.

 

[pmrules]

I'm hoping Gleason comes in and settles down the penalty kill.  He should provide a lift I hope.  That alone, would make the trade worth it.

Otherwise, its a no risk deal for a younger player who was in the doghouse of his coach (just like Liles).

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Agreed. That 03-04 Leafs team was the best in my memory (since 2000 pretty much). I know some of those guys were old and near the ends of their careers (Leetch, Francis), but they were still playing at a pretty good level.

God damn lockout.

 

[L K]

Agreed. That 03-04 Leafs team was the best in my memory (since 2000 pretty much). I know some of those guys were old and near the ends of their careers (Leetch, Francis), but they were still playing at a pretty good level.

God damn lockout.

Leetch was a flawed player by the time of that trade but you saw his skill shine through at times.  As much as I loved Kaberle, he made him look like an amateur when carrying the puck.  The problem was he had lost some of his footspeed/endurance to get back defensively.  I think the Leafs would have had a better shot the following year had the lockout not happened.  I think the extra year off took a lot out of a few players on the Leafs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Leetch was a flawed player by the time of that trade but you saw his skill shine through at times.  As much as I loved Kaberle, he made him look like an amateur when carrying the puck.  The problem was he had lost some of his footspeed/endurance to get back defensively.  I think the Leafs would have had a better shot the following year had the lockout not happened.  I think the extra year off took a lot out of a few players on the Leafs.

Only getting like a quarter of a season of Leetch was such a shame. 15 points in 15 regular season games. 8 points in 13 playoff games. He and McCabe were very good together.