TORONTO — In order to take a step forward, Joe Colborne has to take a step back.
Not back to the minors, where the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect spent a majority of the last three seasons. But to the bottom of the team’s depth chart, where a first-round draft pick with top-line potential is now eyeing the fourth line as his ticket to the NHL.
It is part of the transformation that Colborne is trying to undertake in an attempt to make the Leafs’ roster out of training camp. The 23-year-old was a No. 1 centre in college and in the minors, where he was relied upon to score big goals and play big minutes. And while he is certain he can play that role in the NHL one day, he realizes that if he is going to earn a spot on head coach Randy Carlyle’s team it will be in a role where he is valued more for his size and defence than his goal-scoring ability.
“I mean, whatever the coaching staff wants me to do I’ll do,” Colborne said before Sunday’s pre-season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers in London, Ont. “Obviously, I have trust in my offensive ability and I know I can play a scoring role in this league. But if we already have a solid couple of lines there, then I’m more than happy to play the role they want me to do and get my foot in the door and continually build that trust with the coaching staff.”
This is the challenge of any young player who is trying to define his game at the next level. Colborne, who has the size and skill to be a top-six forward, might have scored in the past. But almost everyone in the NHL has scored in the past.
Colborne, who would have to clear waivers if he were sent down to the minors, should have the inside track to starting the season as the fourth-line centre. That might not be where he sees himself as a player but the coaching staff has made it clear that ice time has to be earned. If Colborne wants to end up with a corner office, he will have to get there by starting in the mailroom.
To that end, Colborne spent this summer training with power skating instructor Barb Underhill to become faster, and he shot hundreds of pucks at the old concrete shed at his parents’ place in Alberta to become more of a scoring threat. But unless he can show the ability to play a fourth-line energy role, he might not get a chance to show what else he can do [read entire article].
14 comments:
Great article. Go to DU and you can be a fourth line role player or have a stellar career in the ECHL. Go to North Dakota and you can hold the Stanley Cup.
That's true.
Win the Stanley Cup and you'll never have to live in North Dakota again.
That's a powerful incentive.
As an FYI, over the last five years, more players from Vermont (4) have hoisted The Cup than have players from North Dakota (3).
Just sayin...
Pretty much an irrelevant correlation...
The very best players are likely to be drafted by poor teams who dominate the higher slots in the NHL draft pool. Even then, your first round players would at least get NHL playing time no matter where they go to school or where they played junior hockey. NHL teams have a vested interest to make sure the first round players have every opportunity to play at the NHL level.
A better measure of a program's value in developing talent is which lower round or undrafted players make it to the NHL. Developing a Tyler Bozak or a Matt Frattin into NHL players is a better measure.
Jonathan Toews (high first round pick) would by an NHL star no matter where he played before the NHL...
What year did North Dakota win the National Championship when Toews played? 2004? 2005? Who else was on his line? What does that tell us about NHL talent dominating the college game?
That's why Monty is putting together a team of mediocre players that will stay/linger for four years. Well that or recruits with NHL level talent are avoiding the DOPpES system.
a post about hockey...WTF???
Monty will get some good players - he's been a proven winner at the USHL level and has some of the best recruiters in college hockey (Miller, Lassonde) as holdovers from the Gwoz era. He also knows exactly what is in the recruiting pool, given his junior experience.
With all 3 undergraduate losses DU had to the NHL this year (Nick Shore, Jussi Olkinoura, Scott Mayfield), regular graduation and Ausmus' de-commit, it will take Monty at least a year or two to fix the holes, especially on defense.
While DU will struggle with depth this year, DU will likely be a .500 team this year, given a slightly softer schedule than they usually play.
I expect them to be an NCAA contender in 3-4 years, once Monty gets the players he wants in place.
The same concerns have been voiced about Joe since his draft year. Everyone lies his size and his hands but his gr.t/toughness have been questioned. With only a 1 year minimum contract with the Leafs this could very well b his last chance in Toronto. He would have to go on the waiver wire if sent to the Marlies.
Good luck to Joe! Time for him to make a good impression, and I look forward to seeing him and Mr. Bozak in the Leafs' games. DU rocks, and hopefully the Leafs will roll.
Knocking an opponent on his ass is more about that "snap" timing than size. A good example is one of my favorites, number 24, Ryder.
Tell that to Zdeno Chara.
I'd rather tell that to Colbourne!!
A warning to the little fellas on the ice. Zdeno Chara said "I don't see any reason to change my game or style of play" after cracking Max Pacioretty's spine.
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