Leafs @ Kings - Jan. 12th, 10:30pm - SNO, Fan 590

[bustaheims]

To be fair to all. Clarkson did no worse then anyone else on the PP. The whole PP team was not on last night.

Despite averaging over 2 minutes on PP per game, Clarkson has all of 1 point on it this season. This discussion is not about last night. Clarkson's remaining on the PP in spite of his clear inability to produce there is just ridiculous. It's long past time to try someone else in the spot. Certainly, they couldn't do any worse.

 

[freer]

To be fair to all. Clarkson did no worse then anyone else on the PP. The whole PP team was not on last night.

Despite averaging over 2 minutes on PP per game, Clarkson has all of 1 point on it this season. This discussion is not about last night. Clarkson's remaining on the PP in spite of his clear inability to produce there is just ridiculous. It's long past time to try someone else in the spot. Certainly, they couldn't do any worse.

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

To be fair to all. Clarkson did no worse then anyone else on the PP. The whole PP team was not on last night.

Despite averaging over 2 minutes on PP per game, Clarkson has all of 1 point on it this season. This discussion is not about last night. Clarkson's remaining on the PP in spite of his clear inability to produce there is just ridiculous. It's long past time to try someone else in the spot. Certainly, they couldn't do any worse.

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

Santorelli?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

To be fair to all. Clarkson did no worse then anyone else on the PP. The whole PP team was not on last night.

Despite averaging over 2 minutes on PP per game, Clarkson has all of 1 point on it this season. This discussion is not about last night. Clarkson's remaining on the PP in spite of his clear inability to produce there is just ridiculous. It's long past time to try someone else in the spot. Certainly, they couldn't do any worse.

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

Santorelli?

<blank>?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

To be fair to all. Clarkson did no worse then anyone else on the PP. The whole PP team was not on last night.

Despite averaging over 2 minutes on PP per game, Clarkson has all of 1 point on it this season. This discussion is not about last night. Clarkson's remaining on the PP in spite of his clear inability to produce there is just ridiculous. It's long past time to try someone else in the spot. Certainly, they couldn't do any worse.

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

Santorelli?

<blank>?

Busta?

 

[Bullfrog]

Santorelli?

Definitely the obvious choice. But, I'd even try Komarov over Clarkson.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Definitely the obvious choice. But, I'd even try Komarov over Clarkson.

I don't think Booth's really been anything special, but I wouldn't mind seeing him in an offensive situation like that until Lupul returns.

 

[bustaheims]

To be fair to all. Clarkson did no worse then anyone else on the PP. The whole PP team was not on last night.

Despite averaging over 2 minutes on PP per game, Clarkson has all of 1 point on it this season. This discussion is not about last night. Clarkson's remaining on the PP in spite of his clear inability to produce there is just ridiculous. It's long past time to try someone else in the spot. Certainly, they couldn't do any worse.

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

Santorelli?

<blank>?

Busta?

Sadly, Clarkson's probably a better skater than I am.

 

[bustaheims]

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

The team could try literally anyone else on the roster in that spot and not see a decrease in production. Anyone other than the goalies - and that's only because they're not allowed to cross the redline unless they're going to the bench. There not being any other players to put in that spot is the emptiest of empty excuses. Clarkson is not working. It's time to try anyone and everyone else to see if something might click.

 

[freer]

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

The team could try literally anyone else on the roster in that spot and not see a decrease in production. Anyone other than the goalies - and that's only because they're not allowed to cross the redline unless they're going to the bench. There not being any other players to put in that spot is the emptiest of empty excuses. Clarkson is not working. It's time to try anyone and everyone else to see if something might click.

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Unfortunately at this present time there are no other players to put on it. Once Lupul gets back maybe he will be going.

The team could try literally anyone else on the roster in that spot and not see a decrease in production. Anyone other than the goalies - and that's only because they're not allowed to cross the redline unless they're going to the bench. There not being any other players to put in that spot is the emptiest of empty excuses. Clarkson is not working. It's time to try anyone and everyone else to see if something might click.

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

But with Kadri you can make the argument that he has historically had success on the PP, which you can't make for Clarkson.  If Clarkson did, it could be argued that he might turn it around.  But if he's not had previous PP success and isn't right now....at some point you just have to accept that he isn't suited for PP situations.

 

[Bullfrog]

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

Chicken and egg scenario, perhaps? If Clarkson would score some goals, maybe Kadri would get some assists?

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

Chicken and egg scenario, perhaps? If Clarkson would score some goals, maybe Kadri would get some assists?

The top PP unit of the Leafs (Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Phaneuf, Franson) have combined for 71 points (1 point shy of Pittsburgh's 72 combined points).  The rest of the team have combined for 19 PP points (1 more than Kessel alone).  Clarkson's PP TOI/game of 2:03 is 6th among forwards on the team, seconds behind Kadri and Lupul, and vastly more than any other forward outside of those top 6.  In fact, no other winger averages more than 0:20 on the PP.

The second unit isn't getting the job done, and Clarkson is clearly and by far the weakest link out there on it.

 

[Bullfrog]

Absolutely agreed. I believe an earlier comment sums it up best: anyone else on the team couldn't possibly be worse, so why not try it?

 

[herman]

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

Chicken and egg scenario, perhaps? If Clarkson would score some goals, maybe Kadri would get some assists?

The top PP unit of the Leafs (Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Phaneuf, Franson) have combined for 71 points (1 point shy of Pittsburgh's 72 combined points).  The rest of the team have combined for 19 PP points (1 more than Kessel alone).  Clarkson's PP TOI/game of 2:03 is 6th among forwards on the team, seconds behind Kadri and Lupul, and vastly more than any other forward outside of those top 6.  In fact, no other winger averages more than 0:20 on the PP.

The second unit isn't getting the job done, and Clarkson is clearly and by far the weakest link out there on it.

Absolutely agreed. I believe an earlier comment sums it up best: anyone else on the team couldn't possibly be worse, so why not try it?

No one will take his ludicrous contract off our hands if we don't showcase his value to a team. Unfortunately he has nearly negative value in this role (PP/top 6) and needs to be relegated to 4th line/'energy' duties entirely.

On the bright side, I saw him receive 2 passes cleanly this game, so maybe a simpler game and some focused training time with Santorelli (cut and curl! stick handling!) can improve his play.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Funny enough this just popped up on my Twitter feed.  I combined them all into one, so the sentences end up a bit weird looking/sounding.

@quinnesq 

Clarkson's had 89 minutes on the PP this year. That's a game & a 1/2. He has 1 point. The Leafs have 4 goals for. And 4 against.  At that rate, if you gave the Leafs a full game on the PP with Clarkson, they would only score 2.72 goals. From a 60 minute powerplay.  Clarkson averages 0.68 points per 60 minutes PP time. That's 318th in the NHL. Now, that's bad. But it's hard to imagine just HOW bad.  If Clarkson played his 14 mins/night, ALL of it on the PP & did that ALL year - that's 574 PPs - he would end the year with 13 points.

And last year?  The Leafs scored just 2.83 PP goals per 60 mins last year with Clarkson. And he got just 1.89 points per 60.  So when Clarkson plays, the Leafs PP scores 2.7 or 2.8 times per 60 mins. The NHL average is 6.8. The best teams' get 10 or 11 goals.  Even in NJ, Clarkson was bad on the PP. He ranked 267th, 95th & 195th. And that's in TEAM scoring - his personal stats were worse. 

And the cherry? Clarkson takes more penalties while on the PP than any other NHL'er. He TAKES penalties. [With 4 already this year.]  So David Clarkson doesn't score on the PowerPlay. Nor do his team-mates. Instead, they give up goals. And he takes penalties. It's ugly.

 

[Joe S.]

Clarkson has reached Lumme levels of frustration for me.

 

[freer]

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

Chicken and egg scenario, perhaps? If Clarkson would score some goals, maybe Kadri would get some assists?

people were bitching that Clarkson is on working on PP. I was just saying that Kadri hasn't been any better either.

 

[Andy007]

Ok, with that statement, Kadri should be replaced also, since he only has a couple of assists on PP.  No I am not saying that.

Chicken and egg scenario, perhaps? If Clarkson would score some goals, maybe Kadri would get some assists?

people were bitching that Clarkson is on working on PP. I was just saying that Kadri hasn't been any better either.

Sure he has; he has double Clarkson's points!