Look, do I think that the Leafs are amazing now that Carlyle is gone? No. But do I think they will be a better team?? Definitely. When your team makes the same mistakes, with no resolution, game after game, season after season, regardless of personnel, it falls on the guy making the systematic decisions. There are stat nerds who have been pointing out the major flaws in Randys system for what feels like forever. Half of them arent even paid and they have made better suggestions as to how to make this team better (by better, I mean any). And even if you dont want to agree with these suggestions, compete level has little or nothing to do with why this team gives up 35 shots against a game. Randys go-to response when the Leafs were struggling always included either compete level or execution issues (or both). These are not relevant solutions. Especially when this team was displaying the very same execution and compete level in games they still won 6-2 over the best teams in the league. Besides, if a continued failure to compete and execute were the actual reason this team was missing the playoffs under Carlyle, then its DEFINITELY on him as the coach. How long does a Cup ring buy a coach accountability exemption in this league?? The Ducks missed the playoffs just once under Carlyle and fired him 24 games into the next season. What were the Leafs waiting for?? Hed won one playoff round since his Cup victory in 2007. Hed only seen THREE rounds. Three in 7 seasons but the Leafs somehow believed he was going to turn this team around with a roster nowhere near the one he had in Anaheim?? One that included Pronger, Niedermeyer, Getzlaf, Perry, Kunitz and Selanne?? I just listed 5 HOFers there. Three without debate. So, how about this Leaf roster. Its a playoff roster. Im not even a fan and Ill admit to that. I think with proper coaching, they could easily have 10 points more than they do now. A lot of the pieces are there. They have a solid goalie in Bernier (Top 10 in SV%), they have arguably the best scoring winger in the league in Kessel, they have a great bottom 6 and they have a blossoming two way centre in Kadri. Even their defence, which is certainly far from stellar, has some great pieces and future prospects. Just no true number one. If Im the Leafs, here are two simple fixes I make to immediately improve this team. 1) I make Kadri Kessels centre. I dont even care who you put on the other wing, Kadri will help drive Kessels possession numbers and at least keep him in the offensive end more. No one will care about Phils defensive zone play when hes not spending more than half of his ice-time there. This is what number one centres do more than anything. They help put their wingers in the best position to score. Namely the OFFENSIVE ZONE. Kadri has the best ability to do that. Hell, even Winnik would do it better than Bozak has. 2) Have Franson and Reilly eat up some of Phaneufs minutes. Currently Franson plays about 21 mins and Phaneuf is at 23.5. Dions downed mins this year have improved his play. Why not down them a little more and see what happens? Franson is capable of eating a minute or so of that time and Reilly could eat another minute getting himself closer to the 19 minute mark, where I think he should be. Now if you allow me to GM for a second, heres what Id do to have this team immediately be someone to look out for THIS YEAR. Make the push for OReilly in Colorado. Instantly the Leafs have a young, formidable and responsible 1-2 in him and Kadri plus, when you add Winnik to that mix, one of the better top 3s in the league. Start the return with Bozak. If theres a team in this league who gives less respect to possession numbers than the Leafs, its Colorado. Package him and whatever non-roster pieces they want, aside from Nylander, and get it done. My second move is obviously getting a top defenceman. Even just a guy to help Phaneuf out. Something hes needed for years and the Leafs have failed to provide. If you dangle Gardiner plus out there, Im sure its a very make-able deal. Some options would include, Ekkman-Larsson, Sekera or Edler. Any of those 3 plus Phaneuf, Franson and Reilly and you have the makings of a very good top 4. There are more than enough guys on this roster to create a capable 5/6 pairing. For the right guy (in either proposed moves) Im also making this years number one available. Its a deep draft, but this team can compete now if they make a big enough splash with these two moves, pushing that pick further down the draft order in the process. Lets see what happens...
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 22:59:06 +0000
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