anyone?

Lupul Bozak Kessel
JVR Kadri Clackson
Kulemin Bolland Do be signed
Ross McClement Orr

Phaneuf Gunnarson
Franson Gardiner
Liles Fraser

JVR Bozak Kessel
Lupul Kadri Clarkson
Kuklemin Bolland McClemment
McClaren Colborne Orr

Phanuef Gunner
gardiner Franson
Liles Fraser

JVR Bozak Kessel
Lupul Kadri Clarkson
Kuklemin Bolland McClemment
McClaren Colborne Orr

Phanuef Gunner
gardiner Franson
Liles Fraser
- burn

gl scoring against Toronto when the 3rd line is out

JVR Bozak Kessel
Lupul Kadri Clarkson
Kuklemin Bolland McClemment
McClaren Colborne Orr

Phanuef Gunner
gardiner Franson
Liles Fraser
- burn

Nearly exactly what I thought although I'd keep Franson with Fraser and put Gardiner on the 3rd pairing with Liles.

Still think we have another "D" spot to fill and maybe a 3rd line checker if MCClemment on the wing doesn't pan out.

gl scoring against Toronto when the 3rd line is out
- daeth

That's gonna be a nasty bit of business. RC hockey.

Nearly exactly what I thought although I'd keep Franson with Fraser and put Gardiner on the 3rd pairing with Liles.

Still think we have another "D" spot to fill and maybe a 3rd line checker if MCClemment on the wing doesn't pan out.
- mlabs13

I put gards and franson together mainly because they did pretty good together when put together. Also those 2 plus dion and gunner will get the bulk of the mins.


Maybe a marlie like blacker or holzer takes a spot. Well have to see what happens with liles. I think he doesn't fit into what RC wants. Hopefully liles are get back to where he was prior to the concussion. If he can i think he's easily movable.

That looks, on paper at least, like a really good, balanced forward group.

On paper that is a really solid group.

Add in a guy like Bernier and IMO the only slightest qustion mark becomes the Dcore. And it's not a big question mark.

On paper that is a really solid group.

Add in a guy like Bernier and IMO the only slightest qustion mark becomes the Dcore. And it's not a big question mark.
- willey101

It's a pretty big question mark imo.

It's a pretty big question mark imo.
- daeth

Your D was extremely solid last year. And sure there is no way of knowing whether Fraser goes back to what he was for the first 10 years of his life but your group of 6 played well together.

Plus you've shed a bit of dead weight up front for better 2 way forwards with Clarkson and Bolland.

Your D was extremely solid last year. And sure there is no way of knowing whether Fraser goes back to what he was for the first 10 years of his life but your group of 6 played well together.

Plus you've shed a bit of dead weight up front for better 2 way forwards with Clarkson and Bolland.
- willey101

After Phaneuf there isn't really another dman I'd want in a defensive role (PK, protecting a lead late in a game, etc). It was a problem all last season and in the playoffs. I'm not sold on Gunnarsson.

Scuderi would've been perfect, though obviously it wasn't meant to be. Hainsey would work to a lesser extent too. If they start the season with who they have now I expect that the problems from last season will creep up again to some degree.

After Phaneuf there isn't really another dman I'd want in a defensive role (PK, protecting a lead late in a game, etc). It was a problem all last season and in the playoffs. I'm not sold on Gunnarsson.

Scuderi would've been perfect, though obviously it wasn't meant to be. Hainsey would work to a lesser extent too. If they start the season with who they have now I expect that the problems from last season will creep up again to some degree.
- daeth

Perhaps you're right but Carlyle is great at getting alot out of nothing. He's tightened up the leafs D and sysem tremendously. You essentially have the same Dcore as last year only with added time of playing together. Missing a piece perhaps but still very formidable IMO.

It's really the last area of concern I'd say. They've done a good job at plugging the massive holes in the lineup over the last few years.

It's really the last area of concern I'd say. They've done a good job at plugging the massive holes in the lineup over the last few years.
- daeth

I believe Kadri will grow into the #1C spot by season's end... so that won't be a hole that needs filling(hey-o). Maybe Bolland will prove his worth in camp with more offensive players, as well... putting Bozak in his rightful role as 3rd line C.


Or maybe Bolland will just wind up on the second PP in his stead.

Who knows.

I think they're gonna make a move to solidify the back-end.

top of my head ( i think they will try this but may not stay)
clarkson bozak kessel
Lupul kadri kuli
JVR bolland colborne
Mclaren mcclement orr

THey will try and spread out the scoring early in the season, but if its a slow start you will see loaded up lines like some other people have said, having a shutdown line with bolland and mcclement together

top of my head ( i think they will try this but may not stay)
clarkson bozak kessel
Lupul kadri kuli
JVR bolland colborne
Mclaren mcclement orr

THey will try and spread out the scoring early in the season, but if its a slow start you will see loaded up lines like some other people have said, having a shutdown line with bolland and mcclement together
- nightmare3020

I don't see it... Carlyle goes with a strong shut-down line...
Here's what I see(based on what we have, ordered by ice time)

JVR-Bozak-Kessel

Top offensive line. JVR is the big body at the net. Kessel is the shooter/passer. Bozak's just, kinda... there. He'll move down by the end of the season, I'm sure... but for now, he's the defensive/face-off specialist

McClemment-Bolland-Kulemin

Top shut down line. Will see lots and lots of time on ice. Like, approaching the Kessel line's minutes. McClemment may actually be the one taking faceoffs on this line... but during actual play, Bolland will be the center.

Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
Just like last season, the Lupul/Kadri pairing will make a killing against the opponent's weaker defensive units. Clarkson's there for when the other team tries to match this one up with their big guns.

Orr-Colborne-MacLaren featuring Carter Ashton and/or Jerry D'Amigo.

Colborne gets his break into the NHL... even if it's in a bit of a poopty role. Gotta start somewhere, and hopefully Orr and MacLaren's meanstreak rubs off on him. depending on the skill/physicality mix of the other teams, some of our prospective 3rd liners can draw in for whichever fighter is more beat up.

D-pairings...

Too much up in the air right now. We'll need to take another look later.


Powerplay 1:

Lupul-Kadri-Kessel
Phaneuf-Gardiner

Speed and skill in this one, tire the other team out with fast play. May lack physicality, but that won't be a problem with the next PP...

PP2:
JVR-Bolland-Clarkson
Franson-Gunnarson?????

Cycle, crash, and bang the puck into the net.

PK1:
McClemment-Clarkson
Phaneuf-??

PK2:
Bolland-Kulemin
????????

I don't see it.
- Feeling Glucky?

these are the most logical lines IMO, but i have a weird feeling we wont see logical

I like the Leafs defense. Gardiner will eat up a lot more minutes this upcoming season.

I like the Leafs defense. Gardiner will eat up a lot more minutes this upcoming season.
- RogerRoeper

should have this year but apparently kostka needed ice time

lupul-bozak-kessel
JVR-kadri-clarkson
kulemin-bolland-mcclement
mclaren-mckegg/colborne-orr

Im not gunna do the D-pairings for two reasons.... i don't think our d is set (i think nonis will move one of phanuef or liles) 2nd reason is I think Morgan Rielly might crack the lineup for 7-10 games....I also think kulemin will be moved....need the cap space....no way in hell we sign colborne, kadri, gunnar, fraser and franson for 10mill

kadri will get 2-3mill per
franson will get 3.5-4.5 easily
gunnar will get the same as franson
fraser should be less that 1.3 per
colborne will get 900k for 2 or 3 years

either way something needs to happen....people who are of the belief that this is our team are jumping the gun quite a bit.


I bet nonis' phone is only ringing for dmen

our d will probably be
gunner phaneuf
fraser franson
gardiner ?

riley needs some ahl time, and barring a big trade i dont see much movement

our d will probably be
gunner phaneuf
fraser franson
gardiner ?

riley needs some ahl time, and barring a big trade i dont see much movement
- nightmare3020

It doesn't need to be a big trade, if they cant get a top 6 dman via trade then they should move liles for prospects and use blacker holzer and brennan as our 6 7 8...franson is a really underrated dman... he can take phanuefs minutes and play better defensively... I cant stress enough how important it is to sign franson...and fraser for that matter...and gunner....liles or phanuef need to go...hopefully phanuef cause I think the return for him would be better than anticipated


edit- send phanuef to winnepeg for bogosian and a pick, sign zach for 3 mill, use the extra 3.5 to help get our key players signed

liles needs to be on a team like detroit thats a puck possession team
see if maybe nashville needs him, hide him behind weber

liles needs to be on a team like detroit thats a puck possession team
see if maybe nashville needs him, hide him behind weber
- nightmare3020

Not sure if nashville will be enthused to add money to their blueline but i see your point....regardless of where he goes i just cant see him in a leaf uniform....we have one DFD and its fraser...that is our teams only problem on paper...but on the ice that paper problem can become a major issue very shortly...nonis needs to make something happen and he can because theres a huge market for blueliners right now...especially with top 4 guys like phanuef and liles...its just a matter of cap space and return...which is why I think a deal with a team like winnepeg or st.louis is more likely

edit- even teams like edmonton and Florida are screaming for a top 4 guy.