Quote:
Originally Posted by kyuss275
The problem with your stats is that what counts the most is last year. Grabovski got a whopping 16 points. Any time he paired with Kessel they had no chemistry. Up until this year they had been using Bozak as the 3rd line center. Thye gave him his chance at first line center and he showed better chemistry than Grabovski.
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Grabovski was largely forced into a defensive assignment by Carlyle last year, with more defensive zone starts than any other Leafs forward, I believe (or very close to it), and a stone cold Kulemin, along with Colton Orr at times, as his linemates. Furthermore, how many games did he play as the #1 C? I certainly don't remember very many complete games played in that role for Grabovski, and I watched all the Leafs games last year. Finally, he was plagued with a stomach/digestive issue that was impacting his ability to maintain playing weight and energy for a good chunk of the season.
Grabbo wasn't in Carlyle's good books, not unlike how Kadri wasn't in Wilson's good books previously - I'm not surprised he badmouthed the team on his way out; at times it felt like Carlyle went out of his way to marginalize Grabovski (the shootout snub against Winnipeg being one example, and having more than 75% of his starts being in the defensive zone being another).