How do you feel today about the Leafs future.

[Riellyfan04]

Best feeling since becoming a leafs fan!!! and thats 15 years ago... yea i know, thats sad.

 

[Dayjobdave]

We soon will have a perennially strong team instead of a laughing stock doormat.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I'm a lifelong Habs fan...not a fairweather fan...and I can honestly say that Bergevin, Therrien and the rest of the Habs brass is guilty of gross mismanagement, and I can't support the Habs anymore as long as they're around. This isn't solely about PK being traded yesterday, it's about 4 years of gross mismanagement. I'm a management consultant, and I can write a 40-page document filled with evidence corroborating my claim about their mismanagement. Habs mismanagement is actually symbolic of the systemic issues which have led to Quebec's economic stagnation for the past 40 years, but I'll leave those thoughts for another day.

I look at what you guys are doing right now, and I can't help but feel envious. You have an open-minded management group willing to evolve and adapt. Leafs management committed to doing a proper rebuild, and I commend them for that. It might be painful for a little while still, but you guys have so many reasons to be optimistic.

I'm heartbroken. I'm an orphan right now. Many habs fans will consider it sacrilege to switch allegiances to the Leafs. But as a management consultant, I admire what the Leafs management group is doing, and their commitment to building a winning culture and embracing innovation as the game evolves.

I feel very good about the Leafs future. I don't know if you'll win a cup in the next 5-10 years, but at least you have a group that is demonstrably making the types of smart moves that will make you a contender soon. I could root for the Predators, but I'm not just a disgruntled PK fan whose allegiance to the player exceeds his allegiance to the team. I truly hate the current Habs management team, and this PK trade is the last straw for me. I want to support a team that puts winning ahead of pleasing a backward society. I'd like to support a Canadian team, and right now, as much as I like how the Jets are set up with their skilled depth, the Leafs management group is really drawing me in. Should I jump ship and join Leaf nation???

Nope never. You are too nice a person to be a habs fan though.

 

[Clark4Ever]

If we landed Stamkos, I would have felt better about our immediate future. Now, I feel better about our long term future.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The future is a franchise center with zero Nhl expierence. He will take time to learn that nothing fools Nhl'ers for very long. He will learn that every shift will be a challenge and that every player has a high hockey IQ. Matthews will likely have all the tools to have a pretty good read on how he has to play every shift by mid season.

A franchise right winger in Marner that will have the same learning curve as Matthews. If Mitch ever threatens to be a 6'2" and 195 lbs in the mould of his brothers size, its a 1,2 punch that could form a very expensive elite top 2 forwards.

Andersen is a true #1 stopper signed to a tern in line with a proper projection of the prospects moving us towards being contenders.

Kadri is the right quality center and right age to play the tougher minutes while our prospect centers acquire the expierence needed to be comfortable with more responsibilities down the line. Kadri will easily transition down the order in the center position as Matthews and Nylander develope into our 1 and 2 centers.

Rielly is a young defenseman still entirely learning his game and is together with Gardiner the known core pieces that exists on our backend. They are both likely at about the same development stage in spite of the age difference. Gardiner was hampered significantly by the concussion he recieved a couple years back.

Jvr is our premier left winger with a enough dimensions to his game to completely ignore entertaining the idea of trading him. A solid asset to keep around and extend to a fair cap hit in the near future. He could eventually be traded though with the extent if depth we currently have at the wing position. There is other nuances that may effect his long term future. Being, his age, potential to be a cap hit burden forcing a trade and the current contract is not long enough to provide the proper timing or flexability at its end date. Better to keep until the trade deadline of the year his contract will expire or hopefully get a fair extension contract in place after this season if he shows significant ownership in a leadership role.

I see a quality core coming together with:

Andersen
Rielly
Gardiner
Kadri
Jvr
Nylander
Matthews
Marner

Zaitsev is a huge wildcard towards the extent of our defenses effectiveness next season. If he happens to be equally as good as Morgan and Jake its three very effective # 2 defensemen. The defense lacks some physicality but looks to have a quality potential for a strong puck possession and skating game/ passing game. Carrick looks like a quality #4 type defenseman with what is looking like some unexpected upside that could have landed us a solid # 3 defenseman.

That looks like a present core that will be very entertaining to watch but will possibly be non playoff team or a early playoff exit team that would gain valuable expierence.

We have a abundance of quality wingers in the system with plenty of time to allow to develope. I do not see any need to sign free agents tomorrow. The quality that is available as unrestricted free agents could possibly already be in the system or better options could become available through trade. The length of contracts in free agency might be to long if anything more than three years at any position.

Cap management had been well taken care of and planned or timed properly for next off season if you may.

I like where we are and would suggest the same previous patience shown by the fanbase needs to be maintained. Draft, development, asset management and cap flexability is still the paramount best route to expect and follow.


Wow to long already and i was going to keep going lol. Nuff 4 now!

 

[jaric1862]

Very Bright future. Smart Management, Amazing coach and promising Prospects

 

[Gabriel426]

Feels great. And honestly, a few more yrs down the road when all the Hunter picks become solid and good NHLers, the future will be even better. Look at Tima, Dermott, Neilsen and even Bracco from last year. They all seems to improve Vs their draft slots.

 

[BM14]

There's so much work to be done, but the framework for being a competitive playoff team is being played out.
As an organization, we really need to improve our top end D and G prospects and need a lot of forwards we've drafted to hit their ceiling.

Not to paint a gloomy picture but things are definitely on the rise in Leaf land.

 

[leafers]

potential dynasty.

 

[Pyrophorus]

I'm happy and positive, Stamkos wouldn't have changed, that much.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Normally the Leafs are the ones making big splashes for trades and signings. After yesterday though I truly feel like this management group is different. While all of the nonsense has happened with trades and Stamkos signing in TB it's still nice and quite from the Leafs camp.

In previous years there would be news conferences explaining how they were in on those trades (even if they weren't) or how players were just not a fit. Instead we are treated with a silence that quite frankly is a welcome feeling.

Honestly it just hammers home the whole "Shannaplan" concept that much more to me.

The title suggests one thing, but the text in the body of the thread another.

Are you saying that you like the fact that the Leafs brass don't leak their intentions to the press?

Otherwise, you'll get nothing but a consensus (justifiably) "Yes", and thus, there won't be much "discussion".

 

[Bullseye]

The success of Pittsburgh this post season bodes well for the Leafs future. Get strong at centre. Stock-pile speedy skilled players and fill in with gritty player undervalued by other organizations.

Organizations fail when they expect players that can't handle the pressure to be their leaders. I trust this group not to make that mistake.

I think the Leafs are truly another few years away from figuring out their defence and their goaltending. But I trust Babcock will get the forward group playing the right way right now.

I expect them to contend for the last playoff spot with Detroit this coming season. If we didn't get Matthews I would say that I am still guardedly optimistic about the future knowing the several of our can't miss prospects are likely going to miss but with Matthews I am simply very optimist.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

#1

I'm very excited.. I was also one who rode the Stamkos train pretty hard and found myself disappointed when he didn't come home. All that said we can now move forward with an incredible management team, coach and prospect group that looks solid with lots of room to grow. It's a group of kids I can't wait to watch for many years to come. Things haven't looked this good in leaf land for a long time.

#2

I feel better about the Leafs future now that they didn't bury themselves in a declining asset......gives me hope that the new boss isn't the same as the old boss

The above two posts represent the two sides of the debate that raged here for quite some time. Something tells me a lot of people snuck over to the #2 side overnight while it was dark versus where they stood prior to Stamkos signing. LOL.

 

[i1]

Now that Subban's out of our division I feel much much better

 

[hullsy47]

#1

#2

The above two posts represent the two sides of the debate that raged here for quite some time. Something tells me a lot of people snuck over to the #2 side overnight while it was dark versus where they stood prior to Stamkos signing. LOL.

it ll be easier to convince john tavaras to come here

 

[Bullseye]

I'm a lifelong Habs fan...not a fairweather fan...and I can honestly say that Bergevin, Therrien and the rest of the Habs brass is guilty of gross mismanagement, and I can't support the Habs anymore as long as they're around. This isn't solely about PK being traded yesterday, it's about 4 years of gross mismanagement. I'm a management consultant, and I can write a 40-page document filled with evidence corroborating my claim about their mismanagement. Habs mismanagement is actually symbolic of the systemic issues which have led to Quebec's economic stagnation for the past 40 years, but I'll leave those thoughts for another day.

I look at what you guys are doing right now, and I can't help but feel envious. You have an open-minded management group willing to evolve and adapt. Leafs management committed to doing a proper rebuild, and I commend them for that. It might be painful for a little while still, but you guys have so many reasons to be optimistic.

I'm heartbroken. I'm an orphan right now. Many habs fans will consider it sacrilege to switch allegiances to the Leafs. But as a management consultant, I admire what the Leafs management group is doing, and their commitment to building a winning culture and embracing innovation as the game evolves.

I feel very good about the Leafs future. I don't know if you'll win a cup in the next 5-10 years, but at least you have a group that is demonstrably making the types of smart moves that will make you a contender soon. I could root for the Predators, but I'm not just a disgruntled PK fan whose allegiance to the player exceeds his allegiance to the team. I truly hate the current Habs management team, and this PK trade is the last straw for me. I want to support a team that puts winning ahead of pleasing a backward society. I'd like to support a Canadian team, and right now, as much as I like how the Jets are set up with their skilled depth, the Leafs management group is really drawing me in. Should I jump ship and join Leaf nation???

I feel for you man. That trade yesterday was a monumental head-scratcher. I like Shea Weber but not for 10 years and then not for 8 mil/yr. yikes. I think the Habs are doomed to be mediocre for a decade. So that being said, welcome to where we've been ever since Pat Quinn was removed as GM here in 2003.

I understand your intention to switch allegences to the Buds but it won't work. Us Leafs fans have all had to try and route for other teams this past 11 years but here we still here. You can see it in our sunken eyes that've had that deer-in-the-headlight look through all the JFJ & Burke & Nonis moves: Tuuku Rask for Andrew Raycroft, Toskala & Mark Bell for a 1st, 2nd, 4th round picks, signing Jeff Finger for 4yrs., signing Mike Komisarek for 5 yrs, signing Jason Blake for 5 yrs., signing Colby Armstrong for 3 yrs 9 mil deal, signing David Clarkson to a 7yr deal.

We are the beleaguered long-suffering fans of the most ineptly run franchise outside of the Islanders and now we finally see light. The tunnel is still there despite our optimism today but we now have faith the train will make it out.

Relax Habs fan and enjoy the mayhem that is about to happen and feel calm in the knowledge that it isn't you making these stupid decisions and someday the owners will find solid management once again. Until then, unfortunately, you will likely remain a committed Habs fan despite your anger and frustration. You have my experienced sympathy.

 

[Dustin]

The title suggests one thing, but the text in the body of the thread another.

Are you saying that you like the fact that the Leafs brass don't leak their intentions to the press?

Otherwise, you'll get nothing but a consensus (justifiably) "Yes", and thus, there won't be much "discussion".

Sorry perhaps I wasn't very clear. What I was trying to suggest was that in previous years you would get the Leafs involved in lots of big name trades or at the very least they would hold a news conference where they discussed why they didn't participate in any trades or signings.

With Stamkos signing in TB there was ample opportunity for the Leafs to hold a presser. I don't think anyone would have blamed them considering how long the Stamkos drama lasted in Toronto. In fact even with Lou at the top I kind of expected it. Instead we got silence.

Again with previous management groups I feel like the Leafs would have done a big trade or parked the Brinks truck for Stamkos and today we'd be listening to people tell us on the board how we got fleeced. Instead on what some claim was the craziest 23 minutes they have ever seen in the NHL the Leafs were nowhere to be seen.

To me this was yet another test for the Toronto brass and I think they passed with flying colours.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

it ll be easier to convince john tavaras to come here

Sure. Deja vu? Haven't we been down this path before?

Might as well put up the Tavares thread now though.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Sorry perhaps I wasn't very clear. What I was trying to suggest was that in previous years you would get the Leafs involved in lots of big name trades or at the very least they would hold a news conference where they discussed why they didn't participate in any trades or signings.

With Stamkos signing in TB there was ample opportunity for the Leafs to hold a presser. I don't think anyone would have blamed them considering how long the Stamkos drama lasted in Toronto. In fact even with Lou at the top I kind of expected it. Instead we got silence.

Again with previous management groups I feel like the Leafs would have done a big trade or parked the Brinks truck for Stamkos and today we'd be listening to people tell us on the board how we got fleeced. Instead on what some claim was the craziest 23 minutes they have ever seen in the NHL the Leafs were nowhere to be seen.

To me this was yet another test for the Toronto brass and I think they passed with flying colours.

Thanks for the clarification. Hope you are right.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Sure. Deja vu? Haven't we been down this path before?

Might as well put up the Tavares thread now though.

I was going to open it yesterday but I was too busy at work ;-)

 

[The Bad Seed*]

I'm a lifelong Habs fan...not a fairweather fan...and I can honestly say that Bergevin, Therrien and the rest of the Habs brass is guilty of gross mismanagement, and I can't support the Habs anymore as long as they're around. This isn't solely about PK being traded yesterday, it's about 4 years of gross mismanagement. I'm a management consultant, and I can write a 40-page document filled with evidence corroborating my claim about their mismanagement. Habs mismanagement is actually symbolic of the systemic issues which have led to Quebec's economic stagnation for the past 40 years, but I'll leave those thoughts for another day.

I look at what you guys are doing right now, and I can't help but feel envious. You have an open-minded management group willing to evolve and adapt. Leafs management committed to doing a proper rebuild, and I commend them for that. It might be painful for a little while still, but you guys have so many reasons to be optimistic.

I'm heartbroken. I'm an orphan right now. Many habs fans will consider it sacrilege to switch allegiances to the Leafs. But as a management consultant, I admire what the Leafs management group is doing, and their commitment to building a winning culture and embracing innovation as the game evolves.

I feel very good about the Leafs future. I don't know if you'll win a cup in the next 5-10 years, but at least you have a group that is demonstrably making the types of smart moves that will make you a contender soon. I could root for the Predators, but I'm not just a disgruntled PK fan whose allegiance to the player exceeds his allegiance to the team. I truly hate the current Habs management team, and this PK trade is the last straw for me. I want to support a team that puts winning ahead of pleasing a backward society. I'd like to support a Canadian team, and right now, as much as I like how the Jets are set up with their skilled depth, the Leafs management group is really drawing me in. Should I jump ship and join Leaf nation???

reminds me of

 

[SteelWind]

I admit, I was devastated on the Stamkos failure, but only because as the week went on, it really started to feel likely.

Still disappointed, but the Leafs might be the better team in the long run for it. The problem is, to say it's a better team in the long run really requires fans to look the coming season in the eye and admit: there needs to be more pain. This team must lose again.

I can follow the team religiously through websites, Leafs Lunch and Overdrive every day. But it was excruciating and soul crushing to watch the team play and WANT them to lose. The inner conflict was terrible. I couldn't do it long term, and when November was over, so was my capacity to watch them play. I followed from afar.

Has it changed? Maybe. Maybe it';s possible to watch Auston Matthews, Nylander and Marner et al and focus on their play and accept just not making the play-offs. Maybe that will be fine.

*sigh* I'd rather cheer with hope though.

 

[RhyZa]

Feels amazing that we didn't go full tilt after missing on Stamkos. Thank god they held firm on the you don't build through free agency mantra.

 

[LeafsEqualDaBest]

Some our fans act like we didn't just finish bottom of the league last year. All this talk about having a great farm team (which is BS, it's all unproven talent), that we'll be an amazing free agent destination in the future, that we're this close to winning a cup. It's all complete ******** until we actually see the team WIN something. Other teams in the league, including our hated rivals, have better teams RIGHT NOW and can actually make the playoffs and compete. We're still bottom feeders until proven otherwise. Say what you want, but I'll believe it when I see it unlike some of you guys. How many times have we been burnt by hope only to wind up outside of the playoffs. For ****'s sake, we haven't won **** since before color TV has been invented and you guys are already planning parades. Pathetic

 

[Mad Brills*]

Decent about the future.


How they handle the lupul/waiver guys situation 2 months from now will be interesting.