OT: Stanley Cup Champions and Calder Cup Champions

[ottomaddox]

I love the Marlies and I love their recent success. I've been watching them since they moved to Ricoh.
Saw some pretty exciting playoff games over the years too.

As much as I want their success to translate to NHL success, it's just not like that. The move from AHL to NHL is not a smooth running escalator.

Many years of the Calder Cup hasn't always translated to Stanley Cup Champions. Yes it is a reflection of some decent prospects.

I am sorry, but I just don't buy that the leafs will not touch the UFA market and fill their roster with new graduating Marlies next sesson.

This is why:

Here's a list of Stanley Cup Champs and Calder Cup Champs (with their NHL affiliate listed).

Stanley Cup

2008 DET
2009 PIT
2010 CHI
2011 BOS
2012 LAK
2013 CHI
2014 LAK
2015 CHI
2016 PIT
2017 PIT

Calder Cup Champs

2008 Chicago Wolves (STL)
2009 Hershey Bears (WSH)
2010 Hershey Bears (WSH)
2011 Binghamton Sens (OTT)
2012 Norfolk Admirals (*TBL)
2013 Grand Rapids Griffons (DET)
2014 Texas Stars (DAL)
2015 Manchester Monarchs (LAK)
2016 Lake Erie Monsters (CBS)
2017 Grand Rapids Griffons (DET)

Click to read more...

 

[hamzarocks]

The leafs already have elite young players line up on the roster. They have a great system with a really good coach who for all his faults was the main reason we did not end up being a laughing stock like the Sabres. The marlies players wont ve our stars, they will he really solid contributing players who support guys like kadri, Matthews,nylander, marner, rielly, and one day lilijgren. We are not the 2011-2014 leafs team who needed frattin, kadri(did his job and lived up to the hype mostly), percy, Biggs, colborne, goat, finn, etc to come into the team and be our offensive line drivers and star talents. This group will be more insulated and have the ability to learn on the job in protected roles.

 

[Judas Tavares]

Note that the 2012 Admirals were Tampa's affiliate. Take away CBJ and Dallas and what do I notice? Teams who have played a ton of playoff games within the same timeframe. Washington, St. Louis, Ottawa, Detroit, Tampa, LA.. My guess is if you find a list of most playoff games played by team in the last decade, those teams would all be in the upper third.

 

[Cor]

So I shouldn’t plan the parade?

 

[Menzinger]

It’s obviously not a formula for a guaranteed cup run, but fact remains every cup winner/contending team and the salary cap era has relied on a constant influx of young cheap talent fromtheir minor-league teams.

There are several Marlies clearly ready for he next step, and I’d expect they’ll be given a chance. Especially since the former Marlies Gm is now running the Leafs, and their recent free agency experience has been somewhat mixed the last couple seasons.

That doesn’t mean of course the Leafs 100% stay away form free agents, but I’m not expecting them to rely on them more so than Marlies grads.

 

[Stephen]

So I shouldn’t plan the parade?

You can plan a Calder Cup parade if the Marlies do it...

In the AHL you can supplement your young guys with those veteran NHL/AHL tweeners in any position you want, but you can't do that in the NHL. However, it is good to know that the kids are learning to thrive in big game experience which can only mean good things when they become Leafs. Lou Lamoriello's Devils used to do that year after year, bringing up non star guys like Pellerin, Brylin, etc. who were successful in the AHL and quite comfortable in the NHL too.

 

[Schenn]

One thing you have to consider too is that some AHL teams aren't or haven't been in the business of producing young talent as much as others. For example those Hershey teams that won back to back were mostly veterans and not young guns. Not every AHL championship team is like the last when it comes to producing NHL talent and the championship rosters will show that.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Winning the Calder Cup is generally a sign that you have several decent to good, mature prospects. The best prospects usually jump right into the show. It's the guys on these teams that replace the Bozak/JVR/Komorovs of the world at a fraction of the price.

 

[Schenn]

Winning the Calder Cup is generally a sign that you have several decent to good, mature prospects. The best prospects usually jump right into the show. It's the guys on these teams that replace the Bozak/JVR/Komorovs of the world at a fraction of the price.

I disagree to an extent. Winning the Calder can indicate you have good to great prospects ready to make the jump. It can also indicate you have a good AHL team full of good NHL tweeners who can succeed at that level. I will say though that this Marlies team is a good, young prospect driven team. I guess what I'm saying is you are correct. Just maybe not in in every case. Ha.

 

[Boutette]

No one is saying the Leafs won't touch the UFA market. What people like me are saying is that it doesn't make sense to spend much cap in areas where we are *strongest*. Where we are strongest is in goal and on the wings. Where we are weakest is defense primarily and at bottom 6 center. It makes sense to avoid overpaying and overrisking cap for goaltenders and wingers. It would make sense to overpay at center and on defence if it fits with the Shanaplan. We do have a handful of prospects who are both young and dominating the AHL handily. As with the leafs, the Marlies are not being lead by their vetrans, but by their rookies and sophomores. Since these young players now have nothing more to prove at the AHL level, it makes sense to see if they can prove their worth at the NHL level. The only way they can do that is to play at the NHL level.

 

[Boutette]

The leafs already have elite young players line up on the roster. They have a great system with a really good coach who for all his faults was the main reason we did not end up being a laughing stock like the Sabres. The marlies players wont ve our stars, they will he really solid contributing players who support guys like kadri, Matthews,nylander, marner, rielly, and one day lilijgren. We are not the 2011-2014 leafs team who needed frattin, kadri(did his job and lived up to the hype mostly), percy, Biggs, colborne, goat, finn, etc to come into the team and be our offensive line drivers and star talents. This group will be more insulated and have the ability to learn on the job in protected roles.

On the other hand, any of these young players who show motor, skill and leadership qualities that can make the Leafs a better team and have proven all they need to in the AHL should be given a chance to earn an NHL job and not be blocked by an overpriced UFA, as these UFAs are often just as or even more risky options than our best prospects are. UFAs should be only used as a last resort when we don't have prospects ready to be promoted.

 

[AllDay28]

got bored so checked out NHL teams the next 3 yrs after they won Calder. nothing really stands out

Pts (Place In Division), Yellow Playoffs, Red not.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Usually very little correlation. Most of the teams that win stack their teams with AHL vets without much of an NHL future. If we win, that may show something since we are mostly prospects.

 

[Buds17]

The hope is to win the Calder Cup and then graduate the key, young contributors with the next goal of eventually winning the Stanley Cup. The cap is another reason why it's important to promote from within to a certain extent. Free agency will almost always play somewhat of a part in a team's additions in any given season though. Not really a way to build a team any longer, but definitely useful to augment the roster when utilized effectively.