• Moderators, please send me a PM if you are unable to access mod permissions. Thanks, Habsy.

Leaf Rumours

Yes, I do think that the Leafs have a deep farm system. It was considerably better when Reimer, Gardiner, and Kadri qualified as prospects, but it's still in the upper-halfof the league (I'd rate it between eleventh and fourteenth on paper).

But like was already previously addressed, even if you do draft several potential impact players, that's a three to four year wait at minimum in most instances, for those players to make contributions at the NHL level.
 
Anyone who says a shortened season Stanley Cup winner is less legit is out to lunch.

It still takes 16 wins in the playoffs regardless of an 82 game or 48 game season.
 
JaysCyYoung said:
Yes, I do think that the Leafs have a deep farm system. It was considerably better when Reimer, Gardiner, and Kadri qualified as prospects, but it's still in the upper-halfof the league (I'd rate it between eleventh and fourteenth on paper).

But like was already previously addressed, even if you do draft several potential impact players, that's a three to four year wait at minimum in most instances, for those players to make contributions at the NHL level.
Click to expand...

Though you can also trade those draft picks for prospects, established players, etc.
 
Cojo said:
Anyone who says a shortened season Stanley Cup winner is less legit is out to lunch.

It still takes 16 wins in the playoffs regardless of an 82 game or 48 game season.
Click to expand...

Have we heard anything more about the extra playoff teams?
 
The Leafs are best to go with what they have this season and leave as much cap room as possible headed to the off-season; this will truly be there best shot of fulfilling their need of a top line centre (Getzlaf, Thornton, Marleau) and goaltending (Smith, Backstrom)
 
Killer93 said:
The Leafs are best to go with what they have this season and leave as much cap room as possible headed to the off-season; this will truly be there best shot of fulfilling their need of a top line centre (Getzlaf, Thornton, Marleau) and goaltending (Smith, Backstrom)
Click to expand...

Same song and dance every year only to see 95% of the big ticket names get signed prior to free agency.
 
Leblanc is a better prospect than Colborne though: at bare minimum he has the skating, hockey IQ, and penalty killing skills to be a very valuable defensive player, even if he isn't a top six talent offensively.

Colborne is useless in almost every respect. Can't score, isn't physical, is slow, and doesn't seem to think ahead or have very good anticipation skills. For someone of his size he should be more effective on the other side of the puck too, but he's a defensive liability as well.
 
zeke said:
Do you think leblanc does?
Click to expand...

Did Colbourne have value 1 year ago? Yes.

Will Leblanc's value continue to fall if he produces at the same rate as Colbourne over the next Calendar year? Yes.

1 year older..... 1 more year of failing to show signs of a breakout in production hurts his value.

I'd hope that Leblanc would do more over that year. Heck with 5 NHL goals as a 20 year old, some might say Leblanc has already done more despite the age difference.

Add to that the fact, that at minimum Leblanc can play a third line roll and be a penalty killer even if his offence doesn't develop... and Colbourne hasn't shown those defensive skills.... and I don't think the two are really comparable.
 
Leblanc is scoring at a 20pt pace in the ahl this year after scoring at. a 20pt pace in the nhl last year.

colborne is scoring at a 40pt pace in the ahl this year after scoring at a 40pt pace in the nhl last year....and has really started picking up the offense the past couple of weeks.
 
Meh, you'da given yourself more credit by admitting that they're basically on the same level. First round picks who haven't lived up to billing in the AHL.

Only a homer would say 'Leblanc has already done more'. He was out of place in the NHL, just like Colborne was. He doesn't deserve credit for the Habs playing him despite that.

And I really don't think Leblanc has shown any more ability to be a third liner/penalty killer than Colborne. You could just as easily argue that with Colborne's physical attributes suggests the same.
 
Besides, if we are going to strictly off of limited NHL samples then it is no contest:

Colborne - 11 gp, 1 gl, 6 pts (82 gms, 7 gls, 43 pts)
Leblanc - 42 gp, 5 gls, 10 pts (82 gms, 10 gls, 20 pts)
 
The problem is that Colborne is soft and doesn't utilize his physical gifts in a meaningful way that would contribute to his defensive skills. He's soft, slow, and not really that interested in playing on the other side of the puck.

He's a liability in a lot of ways, even at the AHL level. I know that many of us were hopeful that his poor offensive production in Providence was the result of an injury or playing on a team with limited scoring options, but I'm starting to suspect more and more that the Bruins brass was aware of what they had on their hands: a physically talented but flawed prospect who might not have the offence to stick around in the NHL, and who certainly doesn't have the defensive skills at this moment to play a bottom six role either.

I'm honestly not sure what to make of Colborne, but I certainly think that Leblanc is a much surer bet to become a decent NHLer in some respect between the two of them: he can skate and has a high IQ.
 
mbow30 said:
Meh, you'da given yourself more credit by admitting that they're basically on the same level. First round picks who haven't lived up to billing in the AHL.

Only a homer would say 'Leblanc has already done more'. He was out of place in the NHL, just like Colborne was. He doesn't deserve credit for the Habs playing him despite that.

And I really don't think Leblanc has shown any more ability to be a third liner/penalty killer than Colborne. You could just as easily argue that with Colborne's physical attributes suggests the same.
Click to expand...

Physical attributes that he doesn't use? When was the last time Colbourne played a physical game? When was he known as a defensively sound player? How much PK time does he even get on the Marlies? (I haven't seen much). Think there might be a reason for that?
 
Funny thing is, Colborne has been effective in his limited NHL action -- 6 points in 11 games with ~13 mins of playing time.

I think some prospects might just get bored at a certain level over time-- this is Colborne's 5th season in the AHL.

Not to say Colborne is a good prospect anymore, because I don't think he is, but you either give him a shot in the NHL and see what he does, or you cut bait.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top