Would you move Ian White to forward?

...or keep him where he is?
Right now we have way too many defencemen (as has been pointed out by everyone at least 3 times in the last week). It's going to take some creative moves by Burke to manage them without losing them for free on waivers. Ian White seemed to do well enough on forward last season. Put up a few points, brought some energy.
So where is he most valuable to the team, considering what he brings to the table and the situation we are in with our defence?

If we're in a logjam and he's #8 again then sure.

It worked for Wendel Clark.

yeah I wouldn't have a problem moving him back up this year. Especially, if we can't deal with our logjam

Definitely not, he deserves more after the way he played last year. He should be written into the top 6 position and it's his position to lose

No.

I'd trade him and Stajan for a forward.

I honestly don't see 6 d outplaying him in he plays like last year but if they do then yes. I think we should have our best 6 dmen play d even if that means some guys with bigger contracts are scratches (Finger, Van Ryn, Exelby).

I could be wrong but I thought I heard this somewhere....

Didn't the players say White was the strongest guy on the team last year?

I like White on defence. we need his puck moving skills to complement our hitters now more than ever.

Yeah, Ian White is now very important to being able to get the puck out of the zone. This will be even more important if/when the team decides to trade Kaberle.

I could be wrong but I thought I heard this somewhere....

Didn't the players say White was the strongest guy on the team last year?

RW said he was the Leafs' best defenseman, and that he benched him for the first month (or whatever) because he couldn't accept that the Leafs would have a strong defense with a 5'9-5'10 defenseman.

I wouldn't mind him at forward but I don't think the Leafs will get very far so stacked with defensive-minded guys on the blueline. I guess my answer would be "yes, but only as a last option." Or second last if we're including trades (but only if it's a significant offer - I think the management likes White).

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I could be wrong but I thought I heard this somewhere....

Didn't the players say White was the strongest guy on the team last year?


It was the Leafs strength coach....about 32 seconds in.
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I'd rather he play a role in our top 4 with significant PP time. I'm alright with putting him on the wing though.

It was the Leafs strength coach....about 32 seconds in.
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I loved that.

Nobody messes with Luke Schenn.
:yo:

Definitely not, he deserves more after the way he played last year. He should be written into the top 6 position and it's his position to lose

+1

He's a very well-rounded defenceman, effectively physical for his size, good skater, good passer and great shot. Big fan of his game being an undersized puck-moving d-man myself.

Never trade White, he's going to become a very good D man. Only 25 years of age he has lots of potential. He showed last year he was the Leafs best defencemen.

It's rather silly to move White to forward after he made great strides on D last year. On many nights he was the leafs best d-man and you want to move him to forward ? :laugh:

And it's even more silly to move him to forward or to trade him if Kaberle will be moved. White's type of game will really be needed on D next season with the additions of Komi, XLB and Beach.

If Kaberle is moved, they`ll need his puck-moving skills on the back end. He was one of the better D-men for the leafs last season and should be patrolling the blueline this season.

He was VERY good as a D last season. One of the best Leaf players in fact.

So it's weird... moving him on the wing again. But he has skillz and offensive eye. So if the Leafs keep all these Kaberles and Van Ryns... then this is a must. We can't put Kaberle or Van Ryn on the wing. White can do his thang, and he would like to be the next Wendel Clark type of truck. Although he doesn't have Wendel Clark type of muscle, not even near. He does have a Leaf heart though.

The best thing for me so far has been that Luke Schenn is not our enforcer anymore.

I'd love to keep White around, he's so versatile and STRONG.

I vote yes! keep him as your swingman injury insurance.

I didn't think White was comfortable at forward last season. It was just a nice placeholding spot for him until the team needed him on defense. His attitude towards it was impressive. That showed brains on his part realizing that patience can pay off.

I'd like to see an experiment with Tomas Kaberle at center for a good 25 games. It's a completely different sort of hockey so it would take time for him to adjust. His offensive hockey IQ is quite high and I think in time he could be a viable NHL center. And few coaches worry about the physical presence of their skilled forwards. It may be a marriage made in heaven for the Leafs. And of course, the Leafs would still have their power play quarterback and someone to play on defense late in games when you're down a goal or two.

If White isn't in the starting 6 for defense he should be moved (I can't see him as a top-6 forward on the team at this point).

His value is at an all-time high and is no use sitting on the outside looking in as an injury filler. Those spots are reserved for the Jonas Frogren types of the world.

Much prefer to see White in our top 4.

We have more than enough depth forwards, he'd just be pushing someone out of a position up front.

The solution is to deal Kaberle for a top-6 forward, and one of Finger or Frogren for a pick.

No, it is unfair to White to change his position in his contract year. Play him or trade him.

White was great where ever he played.

If we move Kaberle, White becomes the nest best puck moving dman.

i think we keep him on the blueline, pending what other moves Burke is making.

Barring subtractions, there is no room for l'il Ian on the blueline.

Trade him or try him out on the wing.

Barring subtractions, there is no room for l'il Ian on the blueline.

Trade him or try him out on the wing.

Interesting, Mr. Darcy. For my part I see him more or less on par with MVR and Beauchemin, and ahead of Finger, Exelby and Frogren. Unless you're assuming Stralman is paying with the Leafs to start the season, I don't see how you can afford *not* to have White in your top 6... or even top 4.

yes, he played great on the wing last year

Barring subtractions, there is no room for l'il Ian on the blueline.

Trade him or try him out on the wing.

At the trade deadline Burke claimed he was offered a 2nd round pick for Ian White..

I would see if that opportunity still existed and move l'il Ian without hesitation, particularly now with all the new defenders on the way in.

Maybe Leafs use him in a package with Kaberle.

voted yes and as a matter of fact I mentioned putting White up front long before then tried it......he looked pretty good up there to me..

if burke can't get his dream offer for kaberle, in a moment of enlightenment he continues his mantra of defense first and moves both white and kabby to the wing!!!!!!!!

id move him to forward and give him a plane ticket to phoenix

White plays best when on D.. leave him there or trade him!

If Burke can't find any suitors for Finger/MVR.. or possibly Kaberle, then yah I think it could be a good idea. It shouldn't be that big of a deal with respect to his contract because if he's able to play exceptional at any position, it will only make him more valuable.

He deserves to stay in our top 4 on defense, but I think that he could turn out to be a very effective forward.

I'm glad that I'm not the one who has to make these decisions.

I would sell high with white, he had his breakout year and has a good contract so his value will likely never be higher than this as i cant see him being a top 3 defensmen in the league

I would sell high with white, he had his breakout year and has a good contract so his value will likely never be higher than this as i cant see him being a top 3 defensmen in the league

I sort of disagree with the trade him approach...I think his value will continue to increase. Burke turned down a 2nd for him last TDD, so it seems his value to the team is still considered really high. Everyone seems to love him. And he's versatile. If we can't make room for him on defence (or if he loses his spot) then I say we should move him to the wing at least to try out. That being said, I agree with the previous poster saying that his position should be his to lose.

Not enough puck movement in this D. They need to find a place for him unless they can somehow unload Finger and MVR for a left side offensive guy.
I think Finger is untradeable with that contract but that doesn't make him better than White. It just means they have an expensive guy sitting a lot. I really like MVR but he is more injury prone than Cola.
If White improves at all over last year it is going to make a 2nd round pick look like a poor exchange.