Stop history repeating itself

The damage has been done, the error made for what seems like the millionth time in Maple Leaf history.

Now, the challenge for Brian Burke and Co. is to make sure that more damage isn't done to Luke Schenn that would ultimately see him lumped together in Leaf history with Jim Benning, Bob McGill, Fred Boimistruck, Luke Richardson, Gary Nylund, Drake Berehowsky and Jeff Ware as promising defencemen whose careers were compromised in the name of rushing them to the NHL.

Some of those one-time Leafs enjoyed long and productive NHL careers, but none became stars. The idea was that Schenn, drafted fifth overall in '08 after the Leafs traded first, second and third round picks to the Islanders to move up two slots in the draft, would become a star and possibly a future Leaf captain.

He still might. He's a terrific young man, big and rugged and game. But only a fool would argue now that having Schenn play in the NHL last season was a useful move. It was pointless then and looks more pointless now.

It's clear that, like Richardson way back when, Schenn has not only taken a step back in his sophomore season, parts of his game were either retarded or left undeveloped by preventing his return to the junior ranks last season just so he could participate in yet another lost Leaf season.

You don't have to look much further than Buffalo's Tyler Myers — a player drafted seven slots after Schenn — to understand what a difference an extra year of junior experience, experience as a dominant player in all phases of the game, can make.

Schenn is capable of no more now than he was last year. In fact, some of the things he did well last season he does awkwardly now, with his confidence in tatters. Among the problems of rushing kids to the NHL is that if they do slip in their second seasons and require a move back to junior or the minors, it appears as though they've failed somehow. That's the impression many have of Columbus youngster Nikita Filatov, drafted immediately after Schenn and now back playing in Russia.

Schenn hasn't failed. The Leafs, starting with Cliff Fletcher and Ron Wilson, failed him, or at least failed to logically and gradually sculpt his talents to make him the best player he can be, not just a kid who made them look good because they could say he was ready to play in the NHL at 18.

So what now, now that Schenn has tumbled to the bottom of the Leafs blueline depth chart? As hard as it might be for all concerned, Schenn needs to go to the AHL to begin to serve the apprenticeship he should have served before he played his first NHL game. It might take the rest of this season. Maybe next year as well. That's what the minors are there for. What is it about this Leaf organization that forever makes it treat the farm like a punishment or a form of menial labour rather than a useful development tool? At least the signs are that Burke intends to change this mentality, with Nazem Kadri properly returned to junior (hopefully more people understand the wisdom of that move now) and with Tyler Bozak, Christian Hanson and Viktor Stalberg spending most of their time with the Marlies. Wouldn't hurt Jonas Gustavsson to get a few AHL games under his belt either.

Schenn, meanwhile, certainly isn't a lost prospect yet. But he will be if the Leafs, once more ignorant of their own history, continue to pretend he's developing as a player at the NHL level.

Comments

[Rich D]

I wholeheartedly agree. I thought that dumping picks to trade up made no sense in a deep draft.

Schenn is going to be a solid NHL'er, but he should have NEVER played for the Leafs last year. I thought it was a bad idea then and it looks worse now.

He had a bad start to this year but has looked ok recently. A couple of games in the press box won't hurt, and a month with the Marlies will help much more.

[Jeff M]

Good call Damien. I was at the draft when the Leafs gave up precious picks to move up to 5th overall to draft a stay-at-home defenceman and couldn't help but think that it was a mistake at the time and it is showing to be a mistake now. However, Brian Burke cannot go back in time and undo "Caretaker" Cliff's mistake, so the next best thing to do is to send Schenn down. Let him play under Dallas Eakins and tell him that it's not that he is failing right now, it's just that he needs to develop further. It's getting frustrating as a Leafs fan seeing either Finger (he of the big contract) or Exelby (who the Leafs traded Kubina for) sitting night after night while Schenn plods through another rough outing. Send Schenn down and let's try to actually develop this prospect instead of ruin him.

[Belligerent Burkie]

Man, it's like Schenn is the only person in the history of the NHL to have struggled in his second NHL season. Wait, don't they have a name for it? Um...........oh, that's right, the sophomore slump. Something that happens to many (not all) second year players. I guess it was a mistake for Columbus to play Steve Mason last year. Look how much he's struggling this year.

[hugh]

toronto is screwed. They should have sent him back to the minors last year, but it would do no good to send him back at this point. Since he has already played more then 9 nhl games in a season, his 3 year rookie contract has already kicked in , and will continue to tick whether he is in the NHL or the minors. Since he is already in year 2 of this 3 year contract, he might as well stay in the NHL and help toronto out.

[Pete]

Impossible to argue with you on this one Damien. I can't see how he can develop by attending practices and then sitting in the press box for games. The Leafs are better served by playing the experienced NHL defencemen they already have on roster and having Luke Schenn play meaningful minutes down at Ricoh.

[Matthew Bogart]

I'm not sure whether it's possible and I appreciate that camp has already begun but is there any way to get Luke to try out for the national junior team. Might be a chance to play with his brother and dominate against his peers as he is meant to be doing. And if they win another gold that would provide him the confidence he needs.

[Johnnyk]

If they send Schenn to the Marlies he'd get a chance to play with the other youngsters. Maybe they could all learn to play together then move up knowing each other and making a good young core group for the future.

[drake richards]

Why don't we wait to see how Tyler Myers plays in his sophmore season before we give Sabres management a big hug for being so gentle and patient in their player development.

[Hendy_100]

He's an NHL'er. Sending him down to play with smaller, slower players - playing a system that is not NHL calibre does nothing to help his development. It can only hurt his confidence to play against; 3 on 2, 3 on 1, play after play. The AHL is a good development, but Luke Schenn was the toast of the town last year. The game he played against Washington last year he was paired against the undisputed best player in the league (Ovechkin). He hit him, blocked shots and shut him down. Schenn got injured that game but had effectively neutralized Ovechkin and help him pointless and blocked all of his shooting attempts. This is a player that usually gets 7 shots a game. Is this the same player that should be sent to the Marlies - a mediocre team at best (some would say plain bad)? His confidence is a little shakey. He's 20. He's won at everything he's done and he'll pull through. Playing alongside men and with a sound coaching staff is the best way to teach him.

I still say after all this time he should be paired with Komisarek. A like minded defenceman that will settle him down and get him back to playing the game he knows. Hit, physically intimidate, block shots, clear the front of the net - and fight from time to time. Wilson staggers the defence pairings with an offensive defenseman and a defensive defenseman. It's very much a coaching 101 style of pairing your defenseman, but I really think that Luke but the better suited to playing with a player of his ilk -- namely Mike Komisarek.

Steven Samkos was benched last year, you'll remember. He seems to have rebounded quite nicely this year. I do agree that if he is a play on the fringe this here, being bench consistently -- then it is best to sentence the Marley's. I can't see this happening for longer than one or two games. Watching the games from the press box sometimes gives players perspective, and I think with you to see that with the big win over Washington.

[J]

and this is improve his confidence?.....doubt it. The leafs finally playing well, why dont we just send the whole leafs team to AHL.

[William Coombs]

I don't know if I needed to be reminded that the Schenn pick cost 1st, 2nd and 3rd
round picks -- ouch! That was quite a cost to move up two places in the draft. It is what it is and now back to your thesis: I agree, Luke needs to grow in the A.H.L. if he is to reach his best. At his age, he should welcome the opportunity.

[A. Porter]

I disagree. Given his play last year at training camp and the exhibition games, there was no point in sending Schenn back to Junior. He was physically mature and was able to dominate NHL players with his physical play and it appeared he was on his way as a solid NHL defensemen. This was also evident by the way that other teams were expressing interest in him in trade talks with the Leafs. Taking a step back in the second year of an NHL career is not unusual, especially for a defenseman. Lanny McDonald and Guy Lafluer struggled early in their careers too and they went on to be stars in this league.
Having said that, Schenn does seem a tad slower and uncoordinated this year so I'm wondering if some off season weight training program has made a physical difference. This is often the case with young players who need to grow into their mature body without making drastic changes overnight. All he needs right now is a stint wuth the Marlies and patience by the media, fans and management.

[Brian Seddon]

An excellent analysis of the situation. I hope Schenn readsit or speaks to you.

[Chris]

Relax Damien. Luke Schenn's career is not ruined. I agree it would have been best to send him back to junior last year but what's done is done and at 20 years old Schenn has plenty of time to get back on track. I don't object to sending him back to the AHL as I've been preaching development with regards to this team for the entire season especially in the cases of Kadri, Stalberg and Hanson. I just object to the picture you are painting that Schenn is this weak regressing defenceman. He's not. He's had some great games lately but is lacking consistency. As for sending him down now instead of giving him that year in junior being seen as a failure it's most definitely not without precedent. Kyle Turris and Viktor Tikhanov are in the AHL and KHL respectively after playing over 60 games with the Coyotes last season. Karl Alzner, Washinton's 5th overall pick a year before Schenn, has been bouncing back and forth as well. The only difference in their respective cases is that it's seen as normal everywhere else and the Toronto media typically overanalyze it and assume the worst. Nobody thinks Turris or Alzner's carreers are ruined; on the other hand they are seen as top prospects on their respective teams as they should be. Rightly or wrongly Schenn earned his spot last year and played well for most of the season. He's simply too inconsistent right now and while I think he should be sent to the AHL for a while, I don't think his career is going to be damaged by a sophmore slump. Sophmore slumps are typical; hence the term 'sophmore slump'.

[smithJT]

I agree with your comments, the bigger mistake was taking this guy number 5 - way too high for a guy with zero offensive to his game. Trading those extra picks was also stupid. It tough being a Leaf fan with all these idiots running the team.

[George]

Jason Spezza spent a year or two in the minors and I suspect today he is a very good player and will probably have a good long career because of it.
In he minors Schenn could get away with making the odd mistake while he learns to play the game with confidence and pleasure.