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Leafs' Prospect/Marlies Discussion Thread!

Nick's body either needs to grow into his game - or he needs to adjust in the pros. Even in his limited NHL games he appears to be trying to do too much, and at top speed. He's got great hands and could actually do more if he slowed his game down a bit IMO.
 
LeafGm said:
I don’t think “prospect fatigue” is really my issue with Robertson. I’m not really concerned at all with how long he’s taking, considering the dude isn’t even of legal drinking age yet in the Puritan States of America.

The fact that he suffers at least one major, catastrophic injury every year and that he ends up on his ass every time I’ve seen him get into a puck battle is what has me less than hopeful about his NHL potential.

And I’m not one to complain about a prospect’s size. With Mitch obviously it isn’t an issue. But Robertson plays a game where he wants to be a physical buzz saw out there, and I’m just not convinced he’s got the body to do that when he’s not mostly playing against teenagers.

Hope he proves me wrong of course.
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I share your concern but likely remain a bit more bullish on Robbie overall
 
Sometimes too much patience isn't good either.

Looking at this kids A numbers he really has nothing more to learn down there.
 
Habsy said:
Sometimes too much patience isn't good either.

Looking at this kids A numbers he really has nothing more to learn down there.
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Yeah, once a kid’s dominating down in the AHL, I don’t think there’s anything to be gained by leaving them down there for longer.

After the numbers he put up in the AHL last year, he should definitely be given a spot in the NHL lineup on the top-3 lines and a lengthy opportunity to prove himself.

Assuming he makes it through training camp healthy, of course.
 
LeafGm said:
I don’t think “prospect fatigue” is really my issue with Robertson. I’m not really concerned at all with how long he’s taking, considering the dude isn’t even of legal drinking age yet in the Puritan States of America.

The fact that he suffers at least one major, catastrophic injury every year and that he ends up on his ass every time I’ve seen him get into a puck battle is what has me less than hopeful about his NHL potential.

And I’m not one to complain about a prospect’s size. With Mitch obviously it isn’t an issue. But Robertson plays a game where he wants to be a physical buzz saw out there, and I’m just not convinced he’s got the body to do that when he’s not mostly playing against teenagers.

Hope he proves me wrong of course.
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Look at Gaudreau in that behind the scenes video posted yesterday. The guy is built like a 14 year old. Not a bicep to be found.
 
A little context here.. Nick has a total of 65 games played between the AHL(49)/NHL(16) over 2 seasons. So yes, 28pts in 28 games in the AHL last season looks great - but it's still very early in his professional career to say he's "ready".

Again, he'll get every chance in rookie/pre-season to claim a spot - but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back with the Marlies for another season.
 
If he plays like Kase, he'll probably end up like Kase. Always hurt with a career that could have been better if he had played a bit smarter. Mitchie needs to show him how to play without getting himself killed.
 
BG said:
A little context here.. Nick has a total of 65 games played between the AHL(49)/NHL(16) over 2 seasons. So yes, 28pts in 28 games in the AHL last season looks great - but it's still very early in his professional career to say he's "ready".

Again, he'll get every chance in rookie/pre-season to claim a spot - but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back with the Marlies for another season.
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If that continues to be our approach with top prospects, we deserve to continue watching our depth players who replace them fail to play a meaningful role in playoff games.

Every recent Stanley cup champion has had top young players playing real roles for them. Byram and Newhook for the Avs this year. Tampa well documented. Dunn, Thomas and Binnington for the Blues, etc, etc.

Letting our top kids cook off their ELC years in the AHL because mediocre veterans need to have their doors blown off to lose their job is just bad team building strategy in a hard capped world, doubly so when you're using a strategy like ours where 5 guys make almost 50 million.
 
LeafGm said:
Yeah, but like fellow midget Mitch Marner, Gaudreau doesn’t try and play like a kamikaze out there. Robertson does.
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Does he? I haven’t really seen that from him. He seems to try to play the same evasive, elusive style. He’s not looking for contact.
 
MindzEye said:
If that continues to be our approach with top prospects, we deserve to continue watching our depth players who replace them fail to play a meaningful role in playoff games.

Every recent Stanley cup champion has had top young players playing real roles for them. Byram and Newhook for the Avs this year. Tampa well documented. Dunn, Thomas and Binnington for the Blues, etc, etc.

Letting our top kids cook off their ELC years in the AHL because mediocre veterans need to have their doors blown off to lose their job is just bad team building strategy in a hard capped world, doubly so when you're using a strategy like ours where 5 guys make almost 50 million.
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And honestly, who fucking cares? I’d rather Robertson even just tire out the opposition with his speed and put up zero points than see Simmonds trip over his dick and Cliffy try to put his elbow through anything that moves.
 
Deckie007 said:
If he plays like Kase, he'll probably end up like Kase. Always hurt with a career that could have been better if he had played a bit smarter. Mitchie needs to show him how to play without getting himself killed.
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Also, the thing with Kase is not that he plays looking for contact either. He’s just a dumbass who puts himself in the most vulnerable positions imaginable, and every so often gets his head taken off. He needs training from Ra’s Al Ghul to mind his fucking surroundings already.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
Does he? I haven’t really seen that from him. He seems to try to play the same evasive, elusive style. He’s not looking for contact.
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Robertson definitely plays like his bones are made of fucking titanium and his skull of diamonds. Dunno if I've seen a more reckless midget in recent memory.
 
MindzEye said:
If that continues to be our approach with top prospects, we deserve to continue watching our depth players who replace them fail to play a meaningful role in playoff games.

Every recent Stanley cup champion has had top young players playing real roles for them. Byram and Newhook for the Avs this year. Tampa well documented. Dunn, Thomas and Binnington for the Blues, etc, etc.

Letting our top kids cook off their ELC years in the AHL because mediocre veterans need to have their doors blown off to lose their job is just bad team building strategy in a hard capped world, doubly so when you're using a strategy like ours where 5 guys make almost 50 million.
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Oh I agree, and would love to see Robertson up. Also don't think it will be the case that he would spend the season in the A, if he can put together another stretch of 20-30 games of point/per-game production. My hope is that he figures it out in training camp/preseason and is a full-time NHLer.
 
Wayward DP said:
Robertson definitely plays like his bones are made of fucking titanium and his skull of diamonds. Dunno if I've seen a more reckless midget in recent memory.
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Yeah, it was even a line of discussion heading into camp last year, when Hayley Wickenheiser commented that Robertson needed to “dial back” his intensity/physical play. And Robertson replied that he didn’t even know what a “dialed-back” version of him would look like.

A week or two later, he broke his fibula.
 
Wayward DP said:
Robertson definitely plays like his bones are made of fucking titanium and his skull of diamonds. Dunno if I've seen a more reckless midget in recent memory.
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There used to be more of them but good point, send to be drying up as player usage is keyed upon.
 
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