TML's Coach Wilson said he's sticking with his plan to give the guys tomorrow off and "Try to have a bit of fun on Thursday and go from there."
The trick is getting the guys to laugh out there. One Coach I had brought out a figure skater. Made us guys pair off, lock arms and challenged us to stop her from going from one end to the other. All we had to do was get in her way and stop her. We fell all over ourselves in heaps on the ice and she never broke a sweat. Then there's always playing with opposite sticks. Bulldog is always fun. As are snow fights.
The absolute last thing Leafs need right now is bag skates and long lectures.
Posted on 10/13 9:46 PM | IP: 75.128.51.39
What the Leafs need is some skill. They are saddled with too many duds in the top 6, and Mayers. Mayers is absolutely useless. I'd rather guys like rosehill and orr play over him. The stalberg, bozak and stempniak line played decently, but there is no spark to this team whatsoever. Blake is a waste of space.
The D just needs time to gel. Their forwards are just crap. It will be interesting to see what Burkie can pull off before Kessel returns, but man are they dreadful right now.
But, at least they can scrap. I can watch this over what they put on the ice last year.
Posted on 10/13 10:27 PM | IP: 24.6.156.174
That may or may not be so Kordic27. I do know that right now it's not what the Leafs need to hear or focus on though. Each one of those guys needs to deal with things he can effect. And nothing else.
The idea that Burke can somehow manufacture a miracle trade is silly. Who the heck wants those guys? They suck. Yeah, Leafs can trade off more picks and the Kadri's, Bozak's and Stalberg's. That's about it. Nobody is going to pony up value for the Grabovski's or Blake's or Finger's.
If Burke does anything, he needs to walk into the room, flash his Stanley Cup ring and remind the guys they're Leafs because he believes in them. He needs to talk about other team's he's managed that hit walls and how they got through it.
It's time for Burkey to get real.
Coach Wilson also talked about hitting a reset button. Were it so easy. In a nutshell that's what the Buds need to do. It's what they will try to do with only one game in the next ten days.
Posted on 10/13 11:36 PM | IP: 75.128.51.39
If Phoenix can play well. If the Isle's can play hard, so can the Leafs. I mean, goaltending will be an issue, but these guys are just not getting it.
They need to come together, and play team hockey.
Posted on 10/14 7:16 AM | IP: 65.9.82.239
$50 to you and/or rikster if you can get through a week without blaming Burke for something.
Posted on 10/14 7:23 AM | IP: 24.114.255.83
I agree with you on the defense. Beauch looks like he's started to settle in and Komisarek is better except for the penalty issues, which he has owned up to publicly. Schenn seems to be having some softmore jinx issues though.
Up front? I think there is skill there but there is also an incredible amount of selfish play going on right now, or guys trying to do it all themselves, and it makes them all look like bumbling morons.
Yes this team lacks elite high end skill (I think Kessel will inject some of that) but there are lots of secondary skilled guys who could be doing much better than they are.. again the problem is selfish play and "team" effort.
I do think they badly need a natural top end playmaker up front but that player won't suddenly change this team's fortunes. I think they key issue at the moment is they need a leader. A guy who truly has been there done that and they don't have anyone right now. The name looking more and more appealing to me is Brendan Shannahan. I think on a reasonable contract he would be a guy I'd bring in here to settle things down and take the reins.
Posted on 10/14 7:34 AM | IP: 24.114.255.83
Shanny is ok, but you have to clear out some of the dead weight. The Blake's, Mayers', and even Stajan's have to clear out. Even Kulemin.
There is no room to move at forward because of too many older contracts. Wait until Primeau gets back, that's another body.
Posted on 10/14 7:59 AM | IP: 67.188.145.186
...will do little to make people sit up and take notice. If Wilson really wanted to send a message he'd have sat Komisarek and Beauchemin. Those two guys have made as many, if not more, mistakes as anyone else, though they're touted to be the next captain of the team. What kind of message is that? I'd sit Schenn a game or so, let him think about things...he's trying, but that isn't good enough right now. I'd like to see the Leafs keep up Bozak and see if he and Stahlberg can gell, Mitchell isn't doing much right now. Its only 5 games in and I don't expect that the Leafs will stay bad for a long time, but I don't think sitting guys who are getting you points is the way to go..sit the guys who've been costing you.
Posted on 10/14 12:09 PM | IP: 67.220.46.72
Meh.. those are easy contracts to move out or dump if you want to. Not really as big a deal as you are making it out to be. I would gladly throw Mayers on waivers to make room for Shanny, or demote Kulemin (who hasn't been that bad IMO but whatever.)
"theres no room" really is not an issue if your underachieving team desperately needs a key ingredient you can go get and move in.
Posted on 10/14 12:51 PM | IP: 24.114.255.83
Excuuse me but it seems Burke agrees with me as well. And how is dropping a note in the suggestion box "blaming Burke?"
I post Coach Wilson has the right approach. Burkey endorses the Coach. I post Burkey can't make a trade right now. Burkey tells espn he's talked but other teams are tossing him anchors. I post on the need for a team meeting. Burkey says they're going to have a team meeting.
Maybe, the problem with the Leafs is Burkey is listening to me ;)
Sitting Stajan at the exact same day as last year did wonders for him a year ago. It can work again.
Wilson sat out Blake a year ago as well and his game dramatically changed after that.
Schenn, Beach and Komi? Not as easy to sit d-men - especially 3 of your top 4. IMO those 3 have had their moments but the two new guys were a lot better last night, especially Beauch.. Komi just has to avoid the pbox. who knows he might get sat soon enough - you can't sit everybody in one night.
Posted on 10/14 1:06 PM | IP: 24.114.255.83
You said, "It's time for Burkey to get real."
Wasn't sure how to take that line as it was isolated from the rest of the comments.
Posted on 10/14 1:27 PM | IP: 24.114.255.83
So naturally you assume it's a shot. Check my new sig, that's a shot.
Posted on 10/14 3:30 PM | IP: 75.128.51.39
Perhaps they'll get better, but I think they would have been a bigger attention grabber than Hagman and Stajan, whom I think have been playing better hockey than some who stayed in the lineup.
Posted on 10/14 4:22 PM | IP: 142.143.11.52
I thought Hagman sitting as a pretty big attention grabber myself.
Posted on 10/15 9:15 AM | IP: 99.227.212.130
...but he hasn't been messing up as much as the other two. Just the Leafs luck eh? Improve, on paper, the players and start off worse than ever before...I'm not saying they aren't going to right the ship, but the points they're losing now will probably be the difference between making the playoffs or not. I was wondering whent the "fire Wilson" chant was going to start, and I see in the paper it has.
Posted on 10/15 3:26 PM | IP: 142.143.11.52
Yes it could be the difference in them making the playoffs or not but honestly I think anyone who assumed that the post-season was a given is kidding themselves anyway.
"Compete" for a playoff spot vs. "we will make the playoffs" seems to be the source of confusion in terms of what Burke has been talking about. Never did he say the latter he only said this team " the playoffs are always the goal and this team has a good shot at making it".
The media very quickly twisted that into a proclamation that this team is playoff bound.
Burke probably should have tempered expectations a bit more but obviously he's so competitive that he can't help it. Thats fine, just fans need to calm down and see this team for what it is - an improved team on paper with nobody yet grabbing the reins in goal (Monster will soon I think), and offense lacking chemistry and a PK that is just brutal.
I don't care if they don't make the playoffs. At this point I just care that they don't finish in the bottom five and heaven forbid, finish last overall.
Posted on 10/16 8:20 AM | IP: 24.114.255.83
...and somehow you don't get Jack Adams trophy nominations by always taking a wrong approach.
...and Burke doesn't have to flash his ring, naming names from the Ducks roster overhaul between 2005 and 2007 should open some eyes quickly enough.
Agreed that there are good ingredients on the Leafs roster right now to have something half decent for a few future seasons...solid defence corp once melded together, decent nucleus of younger players, good upcoming goalie...possibly lacking a couple "seasoned" proven forwards but not necessarily "elite" calibar, an experienced goalie, and couple solid third line forwards. Over the few years, the upcoming drafts maybe a little weaker (good support players pickup opportunities), however possible upcoming available free agents is very interesting and having readily available cap space could prove invaluable.
But the time is now to remove the "bad weeds" at whatever the cost, shape up or ship out approach needs to simply happen. Start the trimming now and bring players for this season anyways that will help mold the young stars into a commodity worth keeping for a while. Kessel could be a great player, IMO he could also turn disgruntled very quickly without a proper supporting cast (both on and off ice). The win/loss ratio or final standings placement is not the real issue this season, building of a strong team confidence for next year is more essential.
I agree totally with Ian and the Shanny possibility...what a great immediate on-ice fit (and possible future assistant management role??). IMO, McAmmond could also provide some well needed team leadership for very short term; Calder seemed to help some in LA's recent rebuilding efforts; Chelios; and even Peca could be worthly of consideration...let's face it, you are not looking at needing big point contributions or continual games played from these players, but a 1.0 million for one season contract might be attractive enough to provide "tutoring".
I also agree that you can move a player if you have to...if you have to pay 3.0 mil to other teams as contract compensation for the next three years, its better than having to carry 7 or 8 mil of dead weight contracts over that same time period. GM's and coaches tend to have ways to "influence" players in rethinking a no-trade clause, and the lure of a cup ring by being traded to a contending teams tends to elevate some players games.
I'm not the biggest Burke fan; but if someone is going to recourse the apparent Leaf's direction, he is likely the best man for the job...and he has a more than capable coach in Wilson to get things done on the ice. So maybe a bit of patience should happen before the lynch mobs start gathering...""from choas comes order"".
Just my two cents worth.
Posted on 10/17 12:14 AM | IP: 76.64.159.20
Some things I'd like to hear Leafs Nation address are as follows;
1. Many of you suggest getting rid of players, if you can't trade 'em make 'em Marlies. Given cap restraints, given Burke said the other day there are no trades in the offing; do you think sending NHL hockey players down, will make it somewhat difficult to sign UFA's in the future?
2. Do you think Burke will use the European option of creating cap space? I'm kinda surprised nobody has done it yet. Basically it's send guys to Europe instead of down.
4. This week I have heard people say the Leafs D is too slow as a group. One for sure is Larry Murphy. I think his opinion is worth considering. This is not a shot or even a veiled shot.
5. This one is a Chomp, Chomp. Assuming Leafs have solve their challenges from within, what changes, if any, do you make to the system and structure they're trying to execute to get things moving in a different direction?
6. With a week off, what do the Leafs need to work on most?
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