home from work, trying to fill the voids in my life with the internets. How about you good sir
- Nastradamus

Just on my way out to some straight up street school open house son! Check out my lil' shorty's school


(frank), i'm losing my touch.

Something needs to change drastically in the leafs top 6.

Lupol, Kessel, and Gravoski aren;t going anywhere in all likelyhood.
That leaves Bozak, Kulemin, and Maccarthur as the spots to fill.

I have to belevie Kadri takes Maccarthurs spot. Mac gone in trade.
Bozak will be the odd center out via trade, as that is the biggest area in terms of needed improvement.

That leaves Kulemin who will probably fight with Frattin/Ashton/Colborne for that final top 6 winger role.
To be honest, given the $ the leafs would probably offer him in this type of role, I'm not so sure Kulemin doesn't just opt to the KHL. That would be my bet.
- B-Wforever

So he fights depression* for an entire year because a close friend died in a KHL charter plane crash, and you think he now wants to return to Russia to get on airplanes all the time?






*Yeah, shut up - just go with it. It's better than saying he sucks.

Hopefully he just poop the bed. Everybody does at some point. Let's hope anyways.
- weirdoh

I said it before the season started, that 2nd line was not going to reproduce the numbers they had last year. 2nd line players don't have career years every single year. If they did, they wouldn't be 2nd liners. They'd be Malkin or Crosby or Stamkos.

I expected that line to go backwards but of all three players, I would have given Kulemin a better chance of replicating his numbers. He works his ass off and usually it pays off for him.

You can tell though that without Kulemin scoring like he was, MacArthur's numbers took a big dive too. Hopefully, Kulemin reaches the 20-25 goal range next year and they have a good opportunity to trade MacArthur.

Just on my way out to some straight up street school open house son! Check out my lil' shorty's school


(frank), i'm losing my touch.
- weirdoh

dats okay son, it happens to the best of us. yuh'll be back like eminem waz, and it'll be great, (frank)ing great i tells ya

and show dat der teachin' lady who's boss

Something needs to change drastically in the leafs top 6.

Lupol, Kessel, and Gravoski aren;t going anywhere in all likelyhood.
That leaves Bozak, Kulemin, and Maccarthur as the spots to fill.

I have to belevie Kadri takes Maccarthurs spot. Mac gone in trade.
Bozak will be the odd center out via trade, as that is the biggest area in terms of needed improvement.
- B-Wforever

Kadri can't replace MacArthur right away. Kadri, unfortunately, will have to start on the 3rd line. It's not where he belongs but he needs NHL time. Kadri will only move into the top-six if one of the six guys that are there now either get injured or are having a horrible cold streak.

I'm not so sure Kulemin doesn't just opt to the KHL. That would be my bet.

That's a losing bet.

Something needs to change drastically in the leafs top 6.

Lupol, Kessel, and Gravoski aren;t going anywhere in all likelyhood.
That leaves Bozak, Kulemin, and Maccarthur as the spots to fill.

I have to belevie Kadri takes Maccarthurs spot. Mac gone in trade.
Bozak will be the odd center out via trade, as that is the biggest area in terms of needed improvement.

That leaves Kulemin who will probably fight with Frattin/Ashton/Colborne for that final top 6 winger role.
To be honest, given the $ the leafs would probably offer him in this type of role, I'm not so sure Kulemin doesn't just opt to the KHL. That would be my bet.
- B-Wforever

Agreed....Kadri Grabbo Kulemin

Kadri can't replace MacArthur. Kadri, unfortunately, will have to start on the 3rd line. It's not where he belongs but he needs NHL time. Kadri will only move into the top-six if one of the six guys that are there now either get injured or are having a horrible cold streak.



That's a losing bet.
- Unholy_Goalie

guaranteed atleast one top six guy will be moved this summer.

i'm glad they kept kadri down as long as they did, but he should be with the leafs next year, agreed

I've heard every excuse in the book. He's playing hurt. He had a kid. Igor Korolev died.

I could see him having a bad year this year, just like MacArthur and Grabovski, simply because 2nd line players who have a career year, rarely match the numbers the next year. But 30 goals down to 7? I could see 20, maybe even 15, but 7? Ridiculous.
- Unholy_Goalie

So we're apologetic about Schenn's play....but Kulemin has no excuse?

You re-define the word contradiction my friend...

I said it before the season started, that 2nd line was not going to reproduce the numbers they had last year. 2nd line players don't have career years every single year. If they did, they wouldn't be 2nd liners. They'd be Malkin or Crosby or Stamkos.

I expected that line to go backwards but of all three players, I would have given Kulemin a better chance of replicating his numbers. He works his ass off and usually it pays off for him.

You can tell though that without Kulemin scoring like he was, MacArthur's numbers took a big dive too. Hopefully, Kulemin reaches the 20-25 goal range next year and they have a good opportunity to trade MacArthur.
- Unholy_Goalie

I'm going to stick up for Grabbo here - his numbers were pretty much equal.

Six less goals, one less assist, in 7 less games. And that's playing pretty much the year with Kulemin leaking oil all over the left side of the ice.

So we're apologetic about Schenn's play....but Kulemin has no excuse?

You re-define the word contradiction my friend...
- Pen15

he means kulemin drastically underperformed, while Schenn also did underperform, it wasn't to the degree that kulemin did

So we're apologetic about Schenn's play....but Kulemin has no excuse?

You re-define the word contradiction my friend...
- Pen15

Napoleon created a system that should have benefited Kulemin. A run and gun game, given his work ethic and shooting ability, should have created a lot more than 7 goals.

Schenn on the other hand, in a run and gun system, isn't suited to his strengths.

Try and keep in mind that Schenn is playing DEFENSE at the age of 23 while Kulemin, is 26 and playing on the wing. Two different worlds completely.

Try and pay attention Nicky. You're falling behind again.

Kadri can't replace MacArthur right away. Kadri, unfortunately, will have to start on the 3rd line. It's not where he belongs but he needs NHL time. Kadri will only move into the top-six if one of the six guys that are there now either get injured or are having a horrible cold streak.
.
- Unholy_Goalie

Great - I have tickets to the Leafs' second or third game - will be great to see Kadri on the second line.

I'm going to stick up for Grabbo here - his numbers were pretty much equal.

Six less goals, one less assist, in 7 less games. And that's playing pretty much the year with Kulemin leaking oil all over the left side of the ice.
- Atomic Wedgie

Still didn't match his numbers. He did well to get close but there were people expecting him to match or exceed his numbers from last year. It wasn't going to happen and didn't.

he means kulemin drastically underperformed, while Schenn also did underperform, it wasn't to the degree that kulemin did
- Nastradamus

Kulemin should have benefited from the style of play the Leafs had this year. With the way everybody else was scoring, Kulemin should have definitely produced more. Even Matthew Lombardi had more goals. Lombardi!

Napoleon created a system that should have benefited Kulemin. A run and gun game, given his work ethic and shooting ability, should have created a lot more than 7 goals.

Schenn on the other hand, in a run and gun system, isn't suited to his strengths.

Try and keep in mind that Schenn is playing DEFENSE at the age of 23 while Kulemin, is 26 and playing on the wing. Two different worlds completely.

Try and pay attention Nicky. You're falling behind again.
- Unholy_Goalie

Wrong again guppy...shows yet again your lack of being able to properly assess skillset...

Kulemin is a solid 2-way forward who has a stronger board game than open/middle ice game. Wilson's system did not benefit Kulemins strengths...

Try to keep up.

Kulemin should have benefited from the style of play the Leafs had this year. With the way everybody else was scoring, Kulemin should have definitely produced more. Even Matthew Lombardi had more goals. Lombardi!


- Unholy_Goalie

lombardi continues to be a disappointment. He has the potential to contribute way more then he does

Still didn't match his numbers. He did well to get close but there were people expecting him to match or exceed his numbers from last year. It wasn't going to happen and didn't.
- Unholy_Goalie

People were also expecting Schenn's play to improve from his previous year too....

That didn't happen...

Wilson's system did not benefit Kulemins strengths...
- Pen15

Speed and fore-checking isn't a strength of Kulemin?

I'm just going to ignore your inaccurate and worthless comments from now on.

Still didn't match his numbers. He did well to get close but there were people expecting him to match or exceed his numbers from last year. It wasn't going to happen and didn't.
- Unholy_Goalie

I also thought Grabbo was a better all-round player this year than last. Better defensively, more patient with the puck, coaches relied on him more in key situations. He also seems (and I concede I have no way of actually knowing) to be more mature, and more of a leader.

Overall, the 7 points less doesn't bother me. I thought he improved over last season.

lombardi continues to be a disappointment. He has the potential to contribute way more then he does
- Nastradamus

Lombardi has zero potential. He sucks. He's Jason Blake with less luck. Absolutely worthless.

I also thought Grabbo was a better all-round player this year than last. Better defensively, more patient with the puck, coaches relied on him more in key situations. He also seems (and I concede I have no way of actually knowing) to be more mature, and more of a leader.

Overall, the 7 points less doesn't bother me. I thought he improved over last season.
- Atomic Wedgie

Offensively, he still runs hot and cold. Looking at his age, this is as good as he's going to get. Maybe he has one more big year but this is pretty much what he is.

Should have traded him for that 1st round pick. What a waste.

Speed and fore-checking isn't a strength of Kulemin?

I'm just going to ignore your inaccurate and worthless comments from now on.
- Unholy_Goalie

Shows how much you know.

Wilson's system was offense off the rush...not a strong forecheck...and DEFINITELY not a strong cycle game (which is what Kulemin would benefit from)...

You need to stop trying to assess systems and players because it's getting pathetic.

EDIT: and the majority of Kulemin's goals from 2 seasons ago weren't off the rush...they were dirty goals from front of the net....or off the boards....which correlates well to his skillset.

lombardi continues to be a disappointment. He has the potential to contribute way more then he does
- Nastradamus

Shellshock.....but still has speed

Shellshock.....but still has speed
- JIMI-JAMES

So did Sjostrom and Devereaux.

lombardi continues to be a disappointment. He has the potential to contribute way more then he does
- Nastradamus

He doesn't, actually.

The guy has incredible speed, and that's about it. He has no size, and no grit.

20 goals is the most he is ever going to score.

He's just like every other Leafs forward, going back to Dixon Ward and Terry Yake. A 3rd liner that doesn't contribute anything to the team that anyone else couldn't do.

But he has one attribute that fans lock onto and love. For Lombardi, that's speed.

Kinda like Bozak and face-offs.