Toronto Maple Leafs 1st Round Draft Pick. Will It Help?

[zoomster]

Lol, fanboi reactions like that drive the price of tickets to $200 each for nosebleeds.

The ONLY reason they spent any money at all on the likes of babcock is because they didn't sell out their regular season for the first time in decades a year or so ago. Instead of lowering their INSANE ticket prices, they dangled the babcock fish in front of wide eyed fans. They may make the playoffs, but contenders? Not in our lifetimes. I'm almost 50 and never have seen a cup in Toronto, and don't plan to see one for the next 50. They didn't even win the cup that often when there was only 6 teams in the whole league...and how many times since they started expansion?

Ummm, if you are 50 then you did get to see 1 cup ( but you were probably still playing with your rattle at that time )
Now me on the other hand at 47 have not seen one! And I am pretty sure that neither you or I will if we both live to be a 100 !
..........Just sayin'

 

[Salty Cracker]

I watched almost all of the leaf games this year too, and I will say they have beefed up the ass end a lot, the D without phanoof was pretty good. Goaltending was a bit shaky but not horrible. Problem was, THERE'S NOT A GUY ON THE TEAM THAT CAN SCORE. Front end was a barren wasteland.

Oh and how do you feel about that awesome kadri deal Poseidon? I see you neglected to comment on that.

Leafs won't have a cup in my lifetime, if I live to be 150. You guys have already bought the paint for the parade, but it's been drying on the shelf for almost half a century.

(I'm 46....close enough to fifty that I hear my bones creak when I get out of a chair)

 

[Nonuser]

Ten rules to being a true sports fan

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/269126-what-does-it-take-to-be-a-true-sports-fan

 

[Salty Cracker]

LOL. Those are excerpts from the New York Times bestseller "Excuse me I suck".

There should instead be a rulebook for sports teams to KEEP fans.

 

[Nighthawk26]

I watched almost all of the leaf games this year too, and I will say they have beefed up the ass end a lot, the D without phanoof was pretty good. Goaltending was a bit shaky but not horrible. Problem was, THERE'S NOT A GUY ON THE TEAM THAT CAN SCORE. Front end was a barren wasteland.

Oh and how do you feel about that awesome kadri deal Poseidon? I see you neglected to comment on that.

Leafs won't have a cup in my lifetime, if I live to be 150. You guys have already bought the paint for the parade, but it's been drying on the shelf for almost half a century.

(I'm 46....close enough to fifty that I hear my bones creak when I get out of a chair)

Again, have you actually looked at what a 2/3 Center in the NHL makes? This really is a win win for the most part deal. If he pans out, and even just MEETS expectations, we are sitting pretty. If he takes off, like there is a great chance, we literally STOLE from him over 6 years without question. If they need to trade him for whatever reason, he is a more than reasonable cap hit to whoever he goes too, so we won't be saddled with anyone.

He JUST started coming into his own. You cannot talk exclusively of his plus minus at all. He was playing a 1st line center for a huge chunk of the season, which lines him up against the top lines of every other team he plays. If you don't think that's a factor, you are dreaming. Couple that with mediocre goal tending, and low level linemates for the most part, and really what are you expecting.

Kessel is a perfect example. I was not a fan of his. Mostly his shit attitude, and what I believe to be completely lazy attitude. Yet he scored serious goals with ZERO support, and just watch him take off in Pittsburgh.

What I am more curious about when it comes to Stamkos. You actually called him over the hill. Are you insane? He is 26 years old for God sakes. That said. If we do take Matthews, that puts us in a strange spot cause we also need wingers. I read some reports today (who knows if they are accurate to any degree) that seem to indicate there are more than slight talks in the background, that Stamkos very much wants to be here. I have a feeling we are gonna see some crazy stuff go down between now, and the Draft.

 

[Salty Cracker]

I think stamkos has seen his best days, blood clots are nothing to shake a stick at, and the leafs tend to pay way way way too much for someone who doesn't pan out.

Matthews can't hurt, I really hope they keep him and let him develop.

kadri has had tons of time to get better, he just gets worse. I agree that kessel was a lazy whiny player, but his speed can be unreal. If kadri had any skill at all, he could do what both the bruins AND the penguins did: feed the lazy bastard passes and let him score. Okay not fair to just blame kadri, but he's supposed to be a 1st line guy... know what I mean? He also does what I like to call "pulling a kessel" by skulking off to a corner if he doesn't score on a rush. THAT is the kind of thing that leads to a HORRIBLE +/- If you're not going to play any more, get the eff off the ice, don't slide around in the corner blaming the coach, the ice, the lights, the stick...etc etc. He's sometimes a kessel without the speed or the aim. (I really don't like him. He and Rinaldo were best buds on the knights, and I think they both share attitudes, and both should be out of the legaue. Rinaldo was a LOT more dirty and douchebaggy than kadri, but there's similarities.)

I hope they become competitive. I like slagging on them, but it's not fun when they're in last place. I like them in the "oh we -almost- made the playoffs" league that the bruins are in. Riding the short bus, but not still standing back on the curb.

 

[Nighthawk26]

He is not a first line guy at ALL. They expect him to be a 2/3 line center. This is my whole point. He has NOTHING surrounding him so is forced into a role he is not suited, nor intended for.

You also cannot say, this and that is what the "Leafs" do. As though they are their own entity. They have NEVER had a rebuild like this from the ground up involving every facet of management and player personnel.

Your last comments make sense. You've just been so used to bagging on them all these years, and for good reason, it's almost habitual. I get it.

 

[Salty Cracker]

Heh, after 50 year, it's not habitual on my part, it's habitual on the leaf's part.

They suck, but they throw a bone to the fans: They fire a coach, a GM, trade a captain, throw out the "rebuilding" BS, and the fans swallow it whole, and 2 years down the road they are in the same boat, wash, rinse repeat. What I'm saying is that this -looked- like a real teardown, but then they throw a huge contract at a hack player, when they could have brought up a better player from the marlies, or hell from pee wee for 1/50th his 5 year salary. It just doesn't make sense when he's proven to be a liability on the ice. He's dirty and lazy. That's worth a few hundred thousand, not millions.

I will totally accept that I'm wrong in 5 years, but I really don't think I will be, and when I say "told you so" there will be another dangly bit in the water "oh yeah, but this time they've got [name whatever player] at center!!" or "yeah but this time they fired babcock!!" or "yeah but it was the bad contracts" or "the ice was bad last year" etc etc etc. This isn't new, it's just the latest gimmick to keep asses paying for the seats. It only came about because they didn't sell a full season, and even the teachers union dumped them as a bad liability. This wasn't for fans, and it isn't for fans.

I'm not a generic hater (that I reserve for philthy philly). BUT I don't think I'm wrong, when I see things like the kadri deal. They had a perfectly clean slate to work with. Newspapers will be screaming for babckock's resignation if they end up in last next year too.




Philly sucks donkey balls for all reasons.

 

[Nonuser]

not 50 years, I was born in 67 Bi-Centennial Baby, will be 49 this year 2017 50 years jeesh...

 

[Salty Cracker]

I stand corrected.

 

[Poseidon]

man what a salty old cracker...

 

[jroovers]

I hate to say it as a Habs fan but I think the Leafs are in pretty good shape up the middle with prospects. They can afford to wait another year or two with Kadri and not expect too much out of him, and then extend after next season or re-sign in two years. By then Nylander, Marner, and Matthews should all be pretty solidified as NHL players... pretty good depth at Centre. From watching him during his time with the Knights, Kadri has turned into a much better all around player than I would have expected (based on his last season), and probably will be a decent third line checking centre that can chip in offensively time to time, behind Matthews (#1), and Nylander/Marner (#2). One of those last two probably moves to the wing to start, and maybe stays there. Can't see why Stamkos would want to go to Toronto now. Agree that some teams might take a step back in pursuing him now due to the clot, but someone will definitely go all out and pick him up and overpay him. He'll at least get Kane/Toews term/money. I certainly hope the Leafs screw this situation up as they have done in the past

 

[Salty Cracker]

I agree they have tons of potential, but I think kadri has become a worse player, in that he takes rinaldo shots at people's heads/backs/legs, but won't drop the gloves. The throat slashing thing was disgusting (this is hockey for god's sake). Refs are going to keep ignoring hits on him because they know he's becoming a dirty weasel.

Habs need price healthy and 20 new guys up front

 

[Nighthawk26]

Heh, after 50 year, it's not habitual on my part, it's habitual on the leaf's part.

They suck, but they throw a bone to the fans: They fire a coach, a GM, trade a captain, throw out the "rebuilding" BS, and the fans swallow it whole, and 2 years down the road they are in the same boat, wash, rinse repeat. What I'm saying is that this -looked- like a real teardown, but then they throw a huge contract at a hack player, when they could have brought up a better player from the marlies, or hell from pee wee for 1/50th his 5 year salary. It just doesn't make sense when he's proven to be a liability on the ice. He's dirty and lazy. That's worth a few hundred thousand, not millions.

I will totally accept that I'm wrong in 5 years, but I really don't think I will be, and when I say "told you so" there will be another dangly bit in the water "oh yeah, but this time they've got [name whatever player] at center!!" or "yeah but this time they fired babcock!!" or "yeah but it was the bad contracts" or "the ice was bad last year" etc etc etc. This isn't new, it's just the latest gimmick to keep asses paying for the seats. It only came about because they didn't sell a full season, and even the teachers union dumped them as a bad liability. This wasn't for fans, and it isn't for fans.

I'm not a generic hater (that I reserve for philthy philly). BUT I don't think I'm wrong, when I see things like the kadri deal. They had a perfectly clean slate to work with. Newspapers will be screaming for babckock's resignation if they end up in last next year too.

Philly sucks donkey balls for all reasons.

This is not 1992 Salty. Check your calendar. You keep going on about this "huge" contract. Go look at examples of SECOND, and THIRD line centers, and see what they are paid. Worst case, his production stays and does not improve at all. He is paid appropriately for that. Anything beyond that, we steal. Notice I am not arguing your points of how Kardi is. You look at his numbers, and the roll he plays, and he is right in line with equivalent centers. Anything beyond that is you just making personal statements that aren't based on facts.

Also, you are forgetting her President, New GM, WHOLE new back end, complete sell off. The more you go on in a circle, the more it's telling me you just pound the same hate drum without even looking at new information. Maybe this. Tell me how there could be MORE of a complete teardown and rebuild?

 

[Nighthawk26]

I'm con

I hate to say it as a Habs fan but I think the Leafs are in pretty good shape up the middle with prospects. They can afford to wait another year or two with Kadri and not expect too much out of him, and then extend after next season or re-sign in two years. By then Nylander, Marner, and Matthews should all be pretty solidified as NHL players... pretty good depth at Centre. From watching him during his time with the Knights, Kadri has turned into a much better all around player than I would have expected (based on his last season), and probably will be a decent third line checking centre that can chip in offensively time to time, behind Matthews (#1), and Nylander/Marner (#2). One of those last two probably moves to the wing to start, and maybe stays there. Can't see why Stamkos would want to go to Toronto now. Agree that some teams might take a step back in pursuing him now due to the clot, but someone will definitely go all out and pick him up and overpay him. He'll at least get Kane/Toews term/money. I certainly hope the Leafs screw this situation up as they have done in the past

I am confused who you are talking about waiting a few years, then extend or resign. Kadri? He is already signed to 6 years. Thats Salty's primary beef and reason for his conviction they are not at all rebuilding. 6 years, 27M.

 

[Salty Cracker]

Should have let him go and picked him up for $500 a game 2 years down the road when he was rotting in the khl.

 

[Nighthawk26]

Let me ruffle things further with an idea.

Leafs in the off season aquire James Reimer from the Sharks.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Salty Cracker]

Or maybe they can finally get Justin Pogge, I hear he is going to be the next franchise goalie for the leafs

Reimer might win a cup this year. So yes they might try to get him for 8x his original salary. [ruffle ruffle]

 

[Luke.]

I think it's a great thing for the leafs but to make things better they HAVE to toss a offer to stamkos .. If they got him ( he loves toronto btw) he would wear the C and with Riley at age 22 move nylander on a winger.
Toronto will be a contending play off team in 3 years 100% and I'd rather see my team make the play offs every year then not Like the old leafs are doing .

Toronto tanked this year they had to , and they did it in style !

 

[Salty Cracker]

Stamkos is 50/50 on being yet another liability. If he is now prone to blood clots (and not uncommon in athletes), his career is going to be very short. I agree the leafs need a strong first line but not sure if he's the guy for the job. Hell make Matthews the new captain and make him a franchise guy, instead of always going to the well for the old race horses.