Line-up changes

[CarltonTheBear]

I haven't been as in love with Frattin's game as others have been, so I'm not too upset that he's been sent down. But I don't quite like the Crabb promotion. I've been very happy with our bottom-6 for the first time in years, and it's because nobody was playing on a line above their playing level. Dupuis, Steckel, and Brown have been a terrific 4th line because they are all very good 4th liners. And a good 4th liner usually translates into an average 3rd liner, which is too bad because I think Frattin has been playing like a pretty good 3rd liner. So we're swapping him out for either one of those guys or a career AHLer who is having a career year, either way it's a downgrade.

 

[TML fan]

Only if you believe that Crabb can't play well defensively, throw hits, or get 1 point every 11 games...

I don't see how Mike Brown has been any less of a "3rd liner" than Frattin. He has 1 more goal, 2 more points, 3 points higher in +\-, and the same number of minor penalties. He's doing everything better than Frattin, statistically speaking. He is also a lot faster than Frattin, and he hits just as much if not more.

As far as Crabb being a career AHLer, he's proven a heck of a lot more than Frattin in the NHL. Frattin hasn't even had enough of a career to be considered a career anything. Crabb deserves more credit than he's being given in this situation.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Only if you believe that Crabb can't play well defensively, throw hits, or get 1 point every 11 games...

You make it sound like being an effective 3rd liner in the NHL is sort of easy.

 

[TML fan]

Only if you believe that Crabb can't play well defensively, throw hits, or get 1 point every 11 games...

You make it sound like being an effective 3rd liner in the NHL is sort of easy.

And you make it sound like Crabb can't even tie his skates properly. For the record, I've given every bit of credit to Frattin in this topic that I think he's earned.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't see how Mike Brown has been any less of a "3rd liner" than Frattin. He has 1 more goal, 2 more points, 3 points higher in +\-, and the same number of minor penalties. He's doing everything better than Frattin, statistically speaking.

And yet he receives the least amount of even-strength ice-time amongst our forwards (not counting Rosehill/Orr). Some players play better in smaller roles than they would in larger ones.

And you make it sound like Crabb can't even tie his skates properly.

I'll admit, that made me chuckle. For the record, I appreciate everything that Crabb and Boyce did for us last season. They played their hearts out and had some moderate success in the NHL. But there's a pretty good reason that it took Crabb until he was 27 years old to have some sort of impact in the NHL, and even then that only happened because of how lackluster our roster was last season.

And saying Crabb is a more proven NHLer than Frattin is like saying he's a more proven NHLer than RNH. I mean sure, in the strictest definition of the phrase sure, but really it's just nuts.

With all this said, I don't expect Crabb to play more than 10 games with the Leafs in this stint (barring any other injuries, even then I'd imagine a Kadri/Colborne/Frattin will get called up). So I won't really sweat it until it passes that mark.

 

[TML fan]

I don't see how Mike Brown has been any less of a "3rd liner" than Frattin. He has 1 more goal, 2 more points, 3 points higher in +\-, and the same number of minor penalties. He's doing everything better than Frattin, statistically speaking.

And yet he receives the least amount of even-strength ice-time amongst our forwards (not counting Rosehill/Orr). Some players play better in smaller roles than they would in larger ones.

And you make it sound like Crabb can't even tie his skates properly.

I'll admit, that made me chuckle. For the record, I appreciate everything that Crabb and Boyce did for us last season. They played their hearts out and had some moderate success in the NHL. But there's a pretty good reason that it took Crabb until he was 27 years old to have some sort of impact in the NHL, and even then that only happened because of how lackluster our roster was last season.

And saying Crabb is a more proven NHLer than Frattin is like saying he's a more proven NHLer than RNH. I mean sure, in the strictest definition of the phrase sure, but really it's just nuts.

With all this said, I don't expect Crabb to play more than 10 games with the Leafs in this stint (barring any other injuries, even then I'd imagine a Kadri/Colborne/Frattin will get called up). So I won't really sweat it until it passes that mark.

So Brown is more productive than Frattin with less ice time. Is that a knock on Brown, Frattin, or neither?

Am I comparing Joey Crabb to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, or are you comparing Matt Frattin to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?

I understand that Crabb's abilities are limited in the NHL. The point I think you're missing is that Frattin's abilities are also limited in the NHL. While I believe that Crabb can do an adequate job of filling the role Frattin played with the Leafs, I don't know if Frattin can fill the role Crabb was playing with the Marlies. That's what he was sent down to find out.

 

[Deebo]

It took Crabb less that 2 minutes of ice time to surpass Frattin's goal scoring

 

[Kin]

Well it was an Army doctor after all...

You have to be crazy to want to fly, Yossarian.

I've always wondered if there was a market for an unauthorized sequel to that.  Seems like there would be, and I've toyed with giving it a whirl.  The only thing is, I haven't got the slightest idea what to call it.

Isn't there an actual sequel to it?

 

[maplesyrup]

mirtle James Mirtle
Tim Connolly out up to two weeks. Upper body.

Good Gravy.  : On the positive side, maybe Colborne will get a look.

 

[Zee]

Joey Colborne, step right up!

 

[Derk]

Mr. Glass breaks again.

I figured he had played too many games in a row.

 

[freer]

good to here NOT, But maybe Bozak Kessel and Lupel can get things back on track. IMO Tiny Tim joining that line is when Kessel started to slide.

 

[Zee]

good to here NOT, But maybe Bozak Kessel and Lupel can get things back on track. IMO Tiny Tim joining that line is when Kessel started to slide.

Kessel still had 6 points in 6 games with Connolly in the lineup.  Before Connolly he was insane with 15 points in 8 games, you didn't really expect Kessel to keep up that kind of production did you?

 

[Corn Flake]

mirtle James Mirtle
Tim Connolly out up to two weeks. Upper body.

Good Gravy.  : On the positive side, maybe Colborne will get a look.

I will probably be proven wrong in about 3 hours when he gets called up but I'm guessing they want to avoid the yoyo effect for JC, and keep him down until he's more than ready to come up permanently. 

 

[Stronger Than All]

I still barely even consider him part of the team. 

 

[bustaheims]

I will probably be proven wrong in about 3 hours when he gets called up but I'm guessing they want to avoid the yoyo effect for JC, and keep him down until he's more than ready to come up permanently.

Yeah. My guess is Kadri or Frattin are on their way back up, Bozak slots back in between Lupul and Kessel and Lombardi shifts to centre for the 3rd line. I mean, that's what was working before Connolly got back, why not go back to it now?

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

Bozak is prolly happy. He is totally useless as a third line centre. I have never seen a player do less.

 

[Corn Flake]

Frattin appears to be getting the call up.

 

[Corn Flake]

I will probably be proven wrong in about 3 hours when he gets called up but I'm guessing they want to avoid the yoyo effect for JC, and keep him down until he's more than ready to come up permanently.

Yeah. My guess is Kadri or Frattin are on their way back up, Bozak slots back in between Lupul and Kessel and Lombardi shifts to centre for the 3rd line. I mean, that's what was working before Connolly got back, why not go back to it now?

Exactly.  The upcoming few games could be a bit dicey, and regaining some winning momentum will be critical. Throwing JC into the mix right now feels risky for him and the team.  Besides, he is all about offense right now and that isn't an area the Leafs need immediate help with.

Bozak can do back to doing whatever it is he's doing on the top line (basically playing high and letting Lupul & Kessel do their thing down low) and they can get by for another couple of weeks.

 

[Spider]

My guess would be:

Move Bozak up with Lupul and Kessel
Move Steckel with Lombardi and Crabb
And put Dupuis back in at Forth line centre.