Line-up changes

[Drunk Leaf Fan]

I think the danger now is that the tries to do too much to in order to justify his comments and makes mistakes which will send him back to you know where...Wilson better get in front of this before this really turns into a sh*tshow.

 

[4th Liner]

Blah, blah, blah with a week off this (Wilson/Franson) becomes a story. Enough talk from both sides - let him show what he can do.

It's nice to have tough decisions about who to take off the ice, it used to be about who we could trust to put on it.

 

[Kin]

I agree, I personally don't care what he says to the media but he and his agent should know what kind of reaction it'd get in this market.

Like I said, I don't think the reaction matters. If he plays well, that will be the issue for the fans and the team. Going to media didn't matter much. It was an understandable reaction that likely won't have much of an impact.

I don't expect them to be happy about it, I just think it's better for the player to be professional about it. I agree that his play on the ice will ultimatley decide what role he plays here but I don't think complaining to the media, especially after 2 games benefits anyone involved.

I don't think there's anything inherently unprofessional about what he did. He spoke honestly. He's going to get the chance to prove himself.

And that sort of thing is going to happen if the Leafs build the roster the way they have. I'm not going to criticize a player too harshly for a pretty fair reaction.

 

[princedpw]

This is the downside of the "depth" that some people were talking about with regards to the Leafs' D. You can't stash legitimate NHL'ers in the press box and expect them to be happy.

I prefer the approach of stashing legitimate NHL'ers in the press box, used by the Leafs now, to the approach of stashing illegitimate NHL'ers on the ice, used by the Leafs in the past.

Post of the year.

+1

 

[Propellertop]

This is the downside of the "depth" that some people were talking about with regards to the Leafs' D. You can't stash legitimate NHL'ers in the press box and expect them to be happy.

I prefer the approach of stashing legitimate NHL'ers in the press box, used by the Leafs now, to the approach of stashing illegitimate NHL'ers on the ice, used by the Leafs in the past.

Post of the year.

+1

+1

 

[Deebo]

Like I said, I don't think the reaction matters. If he plays well, that will be the issue for the fans and the team. Going to media didn't matter much. It was an understandable reaction that likely won't have much of an impact.

Like I said, I don't think it will have much impact either, but what I'm questioning is what purpose complaining about it to the media serves. He was going to get in a game sooner rather than later, that much was obvious.

I don't think there's anything inherently unprofessional about what he did. He spoke honestly. He's going to get the chance to prove himself.

And that sort of thing is going to happen if the Leafs build the roster the way they have. I'm not going to criticize a player too harshly for a pretty fair reaction.

Well, I guess thats where we disagree. I think complaining to the media that you aren't playing when you were outplayed in camp is unprofessional and I also think its a knock against your team mates that were in the line-up.

Either way, I'm glad the games have started again and we can move on from inconsequential stuff like this and go back to figuring out a way to blame every goal against on Komisarek.

 

[freer]

Either Fransen puts up, or he falls on his faces and plays for the Marilies. Either way I heard enough whinning from him to last the rest of the season IMO.

 

[Bullfrog]

That two-faced ba....

 

[caver]

Either Fransen puts up, or he falls on his faces and plays for the Marilies. Either way I heard enough whinning from him to last the rest of the season IMO.

I don't think Franson will play for the Marlies. All this talk about having 8 top four defencemen in Toronto will have to lead to a trade.

 

[princedpw]

Either Fransen puts up, or he falls on his faces and plays for the Marilies. Either way I heard enough whinning from him to last the rest of the season IMO.

I don't think Franson will play for the Marlies. All this talk about having 8 top four defencemen in Toronto will have to lead to a trade.

Franson won't play for the marlies because he would get picked up by another team if the leafs tried to send him down.  There won't be a trade in the short term either.  Guys will get injured soon enough.  The situation is temporary.

 

[freer]

Well he did not prove that he could play during the pre-season or he would of been more then our 7th d-men. Time to put up or shut up and remember your place on the team.

IMO Aulie played better in the preseason, and that is not saying much.

 

[Kin]

Like I said, I don't think it will have much impact either, but what I'm questioning is what purpose complaining about it to the media serves. He was going to get in a game sooner rather than later, that much was obvious.

I'm not sure it was the kind of thing that was said with an intended purpose necessarily. He said he was unhappy with the situation. It's a fair reaction to what's going on.

Well, I guess thats where we disagree. I think complaining to the media that you aren't playing when you were outplayed in camp is unprofessional and I also think its a knock against your team mates that were in the line-up.

I'd agree if it weren't a case of the Leafs clearly having more NHL calibre defensemen than they need(nobody's even mentioned Aulie) and stashing a legitimate player in the press box. If this were Brett Lebda saying "I want to play" I'd agree, he'd have to have shown it at camp. But this is a guy who had a good year last year over 82 games and probably earned himself a spot on a NHL team that way. Not being happy with that situation is, to my mind, kind of different.

 

[slapshot]

Will be interesting to see what kind of chemistry Lombardi, Armstrong and Frattin have.

Probably wouldn't happen, but I'm wondering if it might be better to have Frattin play his natural right side and move Armstrong to left. He's the natural scorer on that line, so playing a position he comfortable with might spring him for some goals, while Armstrong is pretty much a straight up and down winger/grinder anyway.
With Lombardi, a left shot, he'd have a natural pass for Frattin coming down the right side. With Frattin on the left side, Lombardi would likely have to gain the line, and leave a drop pass for Frattin to shoot on his off wing, which can create a better shooting angle. But drop passes can also be dangerous for opposition transition if not executed right. Anyway, I think it should be interesting to see how they make out. Probably only stop gap though as when Connolly and Kadri get back, there will be a whole new round of personnel decisions.

 

[moon111]

I noticed Frattin parked on the right side of the net in practice.  Maybe they will use him there?

 

[Deebo]

Like I said, I don't think it will have much impact either, but what I'm questioning is what purpose complaining about it to the media serves. He was going to get in a game sooner rather than later, that much was obvious.

I'm not sure it was the kind of thing that was said with an intended purpose necessarily. He said he was unhappy with the situation. It's a fair reaction to what's going on.

Well, I guess thats where we disagree. I think complaining to the media that you aren't playing when you were outplayed in camp is unprofessional and I also think its a knock against your team mates that were in the line-up.

I'd agree if it weren't a case of the Leafs clearly having more NHL calibre defensemen than they need(nobody's even mentioned Aulie) and stashing a legitimate player in the press box. If this were Brett Lebda saying "I want to play" I'd agree, he'd have to have shown it at camp. But this is a guy who had a good year last year over 82 games and probably earned himself a spot on a NHL team that way. Not being happy with that situation is, to my mind, kind of different.

In a thread called 'Internal Competetion' you argued that Colton Orr, after 300+ games as an NHL enforcer shouldn't have had a spot on the roster guaranteed spot on the team, you said he should have to win that job in camp. Keeping in mind that Burke was going to carry an enforcer on his roster and that Colton Orr was cleared to play, why should a 6th defenseman have a guaranteed job based on his last 82 and 300+ game NHL vet have to earn a spot?

 

[Tigger]

I don't like Franson talking to the media the way he did but his words will have to be backed up, if not he's making Wilsons job pretty easy, maybe even enjoyable with the sense of humour he has.

 

[Kin]

In a thread called 'Internal Competetion' you argued that Colton Orr, after 300+ games as an NHL enforcer shouldn't have had a spot on the roster guaranteed spot on the team, you said he should have to win that job in camp. Keeping in mind that Burke was going to carry an enforcer on his roster and that Colton Orr was cleared to play, why should a 6th defenseman have a guaranteed job based on his last 82 and 300+ game NHL vet have to earn a spot?

As I say pretty clearly in that thread the issue with Orr and him having to earn his spot was related to the fact that I thought his performance was mediocre in his role in the season previous and that because of the nature of his role it was important to see how he'd come back from the injury.

So to me they're fairly different situations. You're free to disagree with the perspective if you want but there's no inconsistency there.

 

[Number 5]

I noticed Frattin parked on the right side of the net in practice.  Maybe they will use him there?

No...no one on the Leafs ever parks there during a game. Must have been one of those "here's where you shouldn't stand" exercises.

Be nice if it happened, though.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

@TSNScottyMac Scott MacArthur
Wilson: Bozak "keeping the seat warm" for Connolly. Suddenly there's really no rush for a return. #Leafs #Flames #NHL

I haven't seen the entire quote, but does this mean Bozak gets bumped right when Connolly returns? While I'm not expecting Bozak to be Kessel's centre throughout the entire season, I don't see why Wilson would take him off that line when they're having such great success. Connolly isn't a half-bad defensive player, I'd start him on the 3rd line with Lombardi and Armstrong.

 

[L K]

@TSNScottyMac Scott MacArthur
Wilson: Bozak "keeping the seat warm" for Connolly. Suddenly there's really no rush for a return. #Leafs #Flames #NHL

I haven't seen the entire quote, but does this mean Bozak gets bumped right when Connolly returns? While I'm not expecting Bozak to be Kessel's centre throughout the entire season, I don't see why Wilson would take him off that line when they're having such great success. Connolly isn't a half-bad defensive player, I'd start him on the 3rd line with Lombardi and Armstrong.

The Lupul-Connolly-Kessel line didn't look good in preseason, but that's not enough time to develop chemistry.  However, I think the success of Kessel in the early season has far more to do with Lupul and Kessel than it does Bozak.