Opening Forward Lines

[Strangelove]

He's getting bad ice-time in bad spots with bad linemates. He hasn't sniffed he first PP unit.  Despite that, he's hitting, drawing penalties, and possession numbers are good.

Basically he's been unlucky and he's being misused by a bad coach.

 

[Bullfrog]

Bozak also has an 18% shooting percentage right now. That is not sustainable.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Bozak also has an 18% shooting percentage right now. That is not sustainable.

It actually might not be far off.  His career SH% is 16.8% over 318 games.

 

[bustaheims]

Bozak also has an 18% shooting percentage right now. That is not sustainable.

His shooting percentage was 21.1% last season and 19.7% the season before, so, for him, it might be. He's generally been pretty selective about the shots he takes. He is shooting more this season, though, so, I also wouldn't be surprised if it drops. The big problem is that he's either not shooting at even strength, or he's only taking quality shots on the PP and while shorthanded. He hasn't put the puck past a goalie at even strength since the 3rd game of the season. That will probably balance out over the course of the season, though.

 

[Bullfrog]

Well that's surprising.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Saw this and thought it was interesting re: Kadri.

Last night:
+50% CF at evens last night vs Crosby and Malkin.
Clean zone entry, fights off check, makes one handed pass to set up first goal
This season:
10 even strength points
2.06 p/60 at 5v5
The only regular Leaf forward to be a +50% CF player (Lupul there too, but not as many minutes obviously)
The last 3 years:
2.13 p/60 at 5v5. Better than Kopitar, Nash, E. Kane, Couture, JVR, D. Sedin, Bozak, Ovechkin, Parise, Stastny, Carter, Backes, Kovalchuk and a whole host of other people
4.77 p/60 at 5v4. Better than Pavelski, Thornton, Stamkos, Backes, both Sedins, Karlsson, Eberle, Krejci, Parise, Seguin, Sharp, P. Kane, Perry, Duchene, Carter, St. Louis, E. Staal, Bozak, Toews, JVR and more.
He's done most of this while dragging around boat anchors for linemates at times, and getting 2nd line PP minutes (when he's not kicked off for stupid reasons). I wonder at what point he's going to have stop "proving" himself to the coaching staff and media. We are wasting the prime years of a gifted offensive player for no discernible legitimate reason.

 

[Deebo]

Saw this and thought it was interesting re: Kadri.

Last night:
+50% CF at evens last night vs Crosby and Malkin.
Clean zone entry, fights off check, makes one handed pass to set up first goal
This season:
10 even strength points
2.06 p/60 at 5v5
The only regular Leaf forward to be a +50% CF player (Lupul there too, but not as many minutes obviously)
The last 3 years:
2.13 p/60 at 5v5. Better than Kopitar, Nash, E. Kane, Couture, JVR, D. Sedin, Bozak, Ovechkin, Parise, Stastny, Carter, Backes, Kovalchuk and a whole host of other people
4.77 p/60 at 5v4. Better than Pavelski, Thornton, Stamkos, Backes, both Sedins, Karlsson, Eberle, Krejci, Parise, Seguin, Sharp, P. Kane, Perry, Duchene, Carter, St. Louis, E. Staal, Bozak, Toews, JVR and more.
He's done most of this while dragging around boat anchors for linemates at times, and getting 2nd line PP minutes (when he's not kicked off for stupid reasons). I wonder at what point he's going to have stop "proving" himself to the coaching staff and media. We are wasting the prime years of a gifted offensive player for no discernible legitimate reason.

You just have to hope the new analysis department draws the same conclusions and relays this information to the front office and either Carlyle starts to utilize him differently or Nonis finds a coach who will or Shanahan finds a GM who will find a coach who will.

 

[moon111]

Can you imagine how good Kadri and Gardiner will do on their new teams...

 

[freer]

Can you imagine how good Kadri and Gardiner will do on their new teams...

Gardiner is not going be to any better. He is still going to make stupid passes and not play defensive IMO

 

[Arn]

Just in pure basic numbers Bozak has 203 points in 318 games (0.64 PPG) playing mostly top line and PP minutes.

The supposedly struggling Kadri had scored 123 points in 199 games (0.62 PPG) playing with Clarkson, McClement, Orr, McClaren, Colby Armstrong, Phillipe Dupuis, John Mitchell at various times

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Can you imagine how good Kadri and Gardiner will do on their new teams...

Gardiner is not going be to any better. He is still going to make stupid passes and not play defensive IMO

Every player makes stupid passes.  Not every player handles the puck as often as Gardiner or has confidence to do so.

He hasn't been good to start the season (he seems to be a slow starter every season) but the tools are all there.  He's not a dumb player.

 

[freer]

Just in pure basic numbers Bozak has 203 points in 318 games (0.64 PPG) playing mostly top line and PP minutes.

The supposedly struggling Kadri had scored 123 points in 199 games (0.62 PPG) playing with Clarkson, McClement, Orr, McClaren, Colby Armstrong, Phillipe Dupuis, John Mitchell at various times

Clarkson has scored 30 goals in a season, before you place him in the same boat at Orr, and McClaren. Please stop bad mouthing him

What is your point. Kadri has had one good season. The rest of the time has been mediocre and inconsistent. All you folks want to bitch about him not being on the PP. Randy had it right, you score on it your off it. Sorry, IMO.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Randy had it right, you score on it your off it.

The logic checks out.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

All you folks want to witch about him not being on the PP. Randy had it right, you score on it your off it. Sorry, IMO.

Bozak went 18 games last season without a PP point, and he was getting top unit time during that stretch.

 

[bustaheims]

Clarkson has scored 30 goals in a season, before you place him in the same boat at Orr, and McClaren. Please stop bad mouthing him

And, in his other 6+ NHL seasons, he's scored a total of 78. He may not be Orr/McLaren bad, but he's not a quality offensive player or goal scorer. He doesn't deserve to be on the PP over Kadri. You know who else scored 30 goals once? David Booth, who you recently called "unproven."

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Clarkson has scored 30 goals in a season, before you place him in the same boat at Orr, and McClaren. Please stop bad mouthing him

And, if his other 6+ NHL seasons, he's scored a total of 78. He may not be Orr/McLaren bad, but he's not a quality offensive player or goal scorer. He doesn't deserve to be on the PP over Kadri. You know who else scored 30 goals once? David Booth, who you recently called "unproven."

Worth linking to this again that Mirtle posted during the Pittsburgh game.

Of skaters who have played for the Leafs and have played at least 300 PP minutes between 2007-14 (not solely with the Leafs), Clarkson ranks last of 14 players in 5 on 4 P/60.  Behind Bolland, behind Kulemin, behind Gunnarsson.

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/ratings.php?db=200714&sit=5v4&type=individual&teamid=28&pos=skaters&minutes=300&disp=1&sort=PCT&sortdir=DESC

 

[Arn]

Just in pure basic numbers Bozak has 203 points in 318 games (0.64 PPG) playing mostly top line and PP minutes.

The supposedly struggling Kadri had scored 123 points in 199 games (0.62 PPG) playing with Clarkson, McClement, Orr, McClaren, Colby Armstrong, Phillipe Dupuis, John Mitchell at various times

Clarkson has scored 30 goals in a season, before you place him in the same boat at Orr, and McClaren. Please stop bad mouthing him

What is your point. Kadri has had one good season. The rest of the time has been mediocre and inconsistent. All you folks want to witch about him not being on the PP. Randy had it right, you score on it your off it. Sorry, IMO.

Last season Clarkson was barely any better than Orr. Orr probably skated better and fell down less.

The simple point is that you don't need fancy analytics to see that Kadri has more potential and a far higher upside than Bozak and deserves a consistent chance to prove it. Very similar to the chance others such as Bozak have been given, really.

It's a fair argument that if Kadri were to be traded away (or worse let go as a free agent) I reckon it would be the biggest mistake the Leafs have made in recent times.

Edit to add: Kadri may have had one "good" season. How many "good" seasons has Bozak had? I'd argue he's had two "solid" seasons

 

[Kin]

The simple point is that you don't need fancy analytics to see that Kadri has more potential and a far higher upside than Bozak and deserves a consistent chance to prove it.

I think that's probably true, although it's really not saying much to say a 24 year old who was a top 10 pick has more potential and a higher upside than a 28 year old former college free agent, but I don't necessarily think that follows that Kadri should be put on the top line.

Getting top 6 minutes, being on the second unit PP...that is a chance to prove a player's offensive talent. Making a legitimate secondary scoring option might be more valuable to the team than just trying to load everything up on the top line.  I think right now the issue with Kadri is A) he should be back on the PP and B) the team really needs to get him some better wingers although Lupul's health issues make that a tricky problem to solve.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think right now the issue with Kadri is A) he should be back on the PP and B) the team really needs to get him some better wingers although Lupul's health issues make that a tricky problem to solve.

I think the Leafs were praying that Frattin wouldn't suck and that Lupul would be healthy. Both bad bets to make. As for the PP, I don't expect him to be off of it for long. Randy might have just been doing it to light a fire under him.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I think the Leafs were praying that Frattin wouldn't suck and that Lupul would be healthy. Both bad bets to make. As for the PP, I don't expect him to be off of it for long. Randy might have just been doing it to light a fire under him.

I wonder if eventually Lupul-Kadri-Booth becomes a line?  But I could also see Carlyle wanting to pair Booth with Santorelli given that they have played well together in the past.