The Leafs new Guardian as part of the Guardian project
http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=550430
The Leafs have recalled Reimer but he will not start until Tuesday (Giggy will start Monday) But I would guess from that point forward he will see the bulk of the starts as long as he keeps up his strong play. This means that Gus is the odd man out..... Not exactly sure how this will work long term but its interesting to see to say the least.
The Leafs new Guardian as part of the Guardian project
http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=550430
The Leafs goaltending situation is now more confusing than ever with Riemer back up, Giguere apparently healthy again and the supposed-to-be future goalie slumping badly and likely to be a healthy scratch.
Leaf fans are racking their brains over what is going to happen in the nets in Leaf Land. Really two years ago the rage was Gustavsson and when the Leafs won the sweepstakes to bring in the highly touted netminder fans were excited to have him the nets for the future. Hell at that time anyone would have been and still is an upgrade over Toskala. Then Burke made the deal to get rid of Toskala and in turn brought in J.S. Giguere and his lofty salary. Giguere was brought in not to be the number one goalie but to be the veteran presence that young Gustavsson needed to guide him through the transition of becoming an NHL starting goaltender.
Well fast forward to this year that has seen Giguere in and out of the lineup due to a nagging groin injury and "The Monster" having the continued battle with consistency. Gustavsson has shown flashes of why Burke went out and signed him in the first place and then has had clunkers like the Rangers game. Yes the team itself has been inconsistent and has played poor defensively at times, but then there was James Reimer. Who? Exactly Reimer has been called up before but has seen very limited action, but once he got in well we all know what happened. Reimer came in and won 4 of 6 games and had two big wins on a tough Western road trip posting great numbers and shutting down teams that the Leafs would normally not show well against.
The 22 year old James Reimer had been put on the back burner in the AHL for new comer Jussi Ryanns and is currently ranked lower on the Leafs prospect list on www.hockeysfuture.com than Ryanns is . Ryanns is second and Reimer is now seventh but had previously not been in the top ten. Still he was the more veteran of the two and when the Leafs needed a backup he got the call. Ryanns is still highly touted in the organization and only adds to the confusion for the future but for this year his home will be the Marlies. Reimer on the other hand has gotten the call again and is slated to start in Tuesday’s game against Tampa Bay with Giguere getting the start Monday versus the Canes.
If Reimer has a strong game against the Lightning then look for this scenario to continue with Giguere and Reimer splitting starts. Wilson has already come out said that he is thinking of send Gustavsson down after the All-Star break for a conditioning stint and really it may just be the best thing for him and the Leafs. It will give Gustavsson a chance to regain his confidence and it will give the Leafs a chance to get an extended look at Reimer to see what they have in the kid going forward.
Make no doubt that the Leafs are shopping Giguere trying to move his contract. Also you will also see Gustavsson back up with Leafs sooner rather than later in hopes that he can regain his confidence it will give the Leafs at a minimum a decent trading asset which they have very few of.
In Toronto it’s safe to say that everyone is rooting on Reimer in hopes that this is the guy that we have been waiting for to take the reins of the number one spot in the nets. If he is the guy then the Leafs will likely roll with him as their true starter next year and have Gustavsson backup as Ryanns gets another year of professional hockey under his belt.
The only thing clear right now is that nothing is clear and that we are all waiting for one guy to step up and be the man and good luck to whomever that ends up being because the pressure to maintain that status will never be higher!
Last edited by JD88; January 24, 2011 at 2:04 PM.
Another night another loss and another shaky performance from Giguere. If the Leafs are ever going to move him and his contract they are going to need him to put a string of decent starts together.
Tim Brent with two goals last night including a short handed marker and really he seems to be a good fit on the team as a fourth line centre and has played his role well in the 47 games he has played this year.
Another bright spot that might go missed is that Phaneuf now has a three game point streak going with assists in each of the last three games and his overall play has looked better however he is still a minus-2 over those three games. I know he seems to have some kind of comfort level with Beacuhamin but really the two just don't make up what I would call a solid pairing. Really I still think that Aulie should be with the club and maybe even pair the big shut-down style defenseman with Phaneuf would better the captains game?
Reimer is likely to get the start tonight and if he posts the win against the tougher opponent in Tampa Bay then he will likely see the next game as well? So long as he plays well and keeps the team in games then I think that Wilson will continue to give the kid the starts. That said they do need to Giggy in a grove and the Leafs not-so-great goalie saga continues.
If we are going to post a win against the Lightning tonight we are going to need a strong showing from Reimer because we don't have a very good history of winning games against Tampa Bay but I will still be watching and cheering on my Buds. I like the never give up effort last night and really that kind of game is going to turn into wins as the goaltending gets better and the team gets more experienced.
Go Leafs Go!!
I missed the game last night, but watching the fights i guess it was a physical game?
work right now is really screwing with my ability to watch leafs games right nowive missed the last three now and feel really out of the loop
whos looked good and who hasnt?
NFHA categories: G(25) A(25) PIM(3) Hits(2) Blocks(2) PPP(15) SHP(20) Goalie Stats: W(50) Sv(2) ShOu(100) OtL(10) ShL(10) L(-10) GA(-12)
Cold As Ice Dynasty H2H categories: G A PIM SOG PPP +/- HIT BLK WINS GAA SV% SHO
Starting Roster:
Center - Giroux, Krejci, W.Karlsson
Left Wing - Hall, Guentzel, Danault
Right Wing - Stone, R.Smith, Compher
Ultility Forward - Fast, Gaborik
Defense - Klingberg, Pietrangelo, Jones, C.Miller, Phanuef, E.Johnson
Goalie - Allen, R.Miller
Bench - M.Foligno, Sheahan, Laughton, Glendening, Djoos, Jensen, H.Fleury
Prospects - Kyrou, Andersson Hinostroza, Grundstrom, Roy, Timmins, Grzelcyk, Lauzon, Lindgren
how do you guys feel about the punch on Kulemin last night by gleason?
Just read this article and I cant believe (regardless of what Wilson thinks personally) that he didnt backup his player, i mean Gleason was ejected and Wilson still says essentially that Kulemin got what he deserved.
and a couple of twitter posts from one of the Hurricanes beat writers afetr talking with Gleason today:
ice_chip Chip Alexander
Asked Gleason about fight. Said he would call Kulemin today. Hopes he takes call.
ice_chip Chip Alexander
Gleason said talked to his dad just after it. Said if dad had been head coach he probably would be suspended for 10 games.
its clear that Gleason knows he was in the wrong.
also from Bob Mackenzie
TSNBobMcKenzie Bob McKenzie
Wilson said "not a sucker punch." Said it was "appropriate action." MacArthur called it "disgusting." Rare to get a disconnect like that.
Last edited by wendelclark17; January 25, 2011 at 12:54 PM.
The game was a spirited one sparked mainly by another big hit by Phaneuf near the end of the second period. Kully was hit pretty hard in the nose by Gleason and suffered a broken nose. Looks though that he is still going to try and play tonight.Originally Posted by The_Wfactor
I missed the game last night, but watching the fights i guess it was a physical game?
work right now is really screwing with my ability to watch leafs games right now
whos looked good and who hasnt?
The goaltending has been the worst part of the team over the past few games the offense well it is what it is and the D, I really think guys like Beauchamin, and Kommy have overstayed the welcome.
I have been very unimpressed with Beauch's play I know that people have been getting on Phaneuf but really I think that his play since he has come over could be somewhat related to the pairing of him with Beauch. For whatever reason though Wilson keeps going with it.
As for Kommy he hasnt played well for us since game one against the Habs he is not a defensmen that is made for the new NHL and really we need to deal him away.
For looking good, that second line still second line still looks solid and seem to be a force when they are out there. They dictate the oplay most shifts and cycle / move the puck well. Bozak has looked solid of late as well but I have noticed his play more so for his defensive abilities.
for the most part the team has looked OK if we could get some solid goaltending then we are going to win a few games.
This just goes to further show me that Wilson is not the man for this club and it doesn't surprise me at all. With a young team like this everyone has to be on each others side regardless of their personal opinions. Wilson is wrong with his comments.
That said I agree with him to some point. Kully instigated the fight then turtles really he was asking for something, Gleason is a class act for his comments and the way that he has held himself after this.
Yeah this could be my last straw for Wilson, you cant throw your own kids under the bus, even if he doesnt feel that Gleason did anythign wrong it is his JOB to support his players in every way possible. It does him absolutely no good to not back his player, there is no benefit to him backling Gleason (unless he is eyeing Paul Maurice's job).
I agree as well that Kully did throw a couple of shots with his gloves on and he was kinda asking for it but I dont think Gleason needed to drop the glove and pop him on the beak. I also have been pleasantly suprised by the way Gleason has handled himself he really does seem like a good guy and obviously feels bad about it.
here is the full article that was being quoted on twitter earlier, its hard to argue with what Gleason says.
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/canes/...protect-myself
The Canes' Tim Gleason said he wasn't looking for a fight. But when a fight came looking for him ...
"I stand up for myself," the defenseman said today. "I don't hit people who I know don't fight. I have zero interest in people who don't fight."
That would be people like forward Nikolai Kulemin of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But at the end of the first period last night at the RBC Center, there was a scrum in front of the Canes bench. During it, Kulemin threw a jab at Gleason.
"I could have dropped by gloves there, but I didn't," Gleason said.
Gleason took a few more jabs, then had had enough. He threw a punch of his own, leaving Kulemin bloodied. Gleason was given a fighting major and game misconduct; Kulemin was done for the night as the Canes won 6-4.
"I took one and I didn't (drop the gloves)," Gleason said. "Then I took two and I thought, 'Well, if you're going to keep punching me in the face, I don't know what else to do.' I have to protect myself. ... It's almost like a boxer getting hit in the face.
"I don't wish anything like that upon anybody. In a way I feel bad because of what happened. I'm getting his phone number today and will give him a call. And hopefully he answers. If not I'll leave a message. That's all I can do."
After the ejection, Gleason returned to the locker room to lift weights and watch the game on TV. He said he did make a call to his father.
"I called the ol' Pops," he said. "He was probably more sour than I was. He was yelling and screaming. If he was the head coach he would have been kicked out for 10 games probably."
Gleason said he has watched the replay 30 times last night, staying up until 2:30 a.m. He was wearing a small bandage over the knuckle of his right forefinger, which he said was evidence of the fight.
"I feel bad," he said. "I'm not a type of player like that, I don't care what anybody says. If they have a problem, well, I'm here."
Yeah I would say that Gleason's shot was a bit much but I really did think that watching that Kully was going to drop his gloves too?? I still think he may have if they would grappled a bit more but Gleason got a quick shot in and he like I said has been great about the whole thing.
I think that Wilson may be writing his own resignation with these comments he has to be a TEAM leader and show nothing but support and praise thats what a young team needs, imagine what one of your best players (Kully) thinks of his coach now after those comments...would you want to play hard for that prick!
Well he is right and what a class act!! Great for him!
Nikolai Kulemin (facial injury) will play on Tuesday if he can pass another round of testing.
The Leafs likely want to rule out the possibility of a concussion before they let him return to the lineup. Kulemin sustained the injury when Carolina's Tim Gleason punched him in the face during Monday's game. Stay tuned.
Source: Toronto Star
Just an update.
Classy job of handling the situation after the fact by Gleason. I think that Wilson should have stood up for his player for the sole reason that he is the coach and that's just what he's supposed to do. The fact is though that he's right, Kulemin deserved every bit of that punch. If a guy does not even know how to protect himself in a fight, then he should not be throwing jabs in a scrum. Give Gleason a facewash or something but don't pop him in the face. Gleason didn't blindside or sucker punch him, he dropped the gloves on a guy who asked for it and just doesn't know how to fight.
Jonas Gustavsson would agree to an AHL conditioning stint if the team asks him to participate in one. Gustavsson has only started in two games this month and he looked terrible in both of those contests. Sending him to the minors might be a good way to restore his confidence, but the Leafs haven't taken that step yet. He has a 3.28 GAA and .890 save percentage in 23 games this season.
Source: Darren Dreger on Twitter
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