Direction this team is heading

[Daisy Jane]

Remember how upset everyone was last year when we drafted Rielly?

and Kadri the year before that... Schenn the year before that... man, there were people complaining when we drafted Steen & Boyes. [and I've swear, I've read some posts saying that we should get Steen back].

the direction the team is heading is a good one.

 

[Squiffy]

Like the trade as bringing in a top notch thirder, but begs the question of the other shoe falling. If Kadri or Grabs could win the draw better i wouldn't be so worried. 1 or the ther in either of the 1-2 C spots I can live with but whoever the other is needs to be good on the draw.

 

[Cor]

Bolland, Bernier both added, now just sign Vinny and Clarkson, and then trade for Robidas or Morris and we will be in great shape.

 

[GilmourClarkScores]

You also don't win them without n franchise 1c's and a top D pairing. Why are we getting excited over cattle when there's still the top end of the line up to figure out. They need a 1c a 2nd line winger and a top pairing D. We end up with 2 3c's instead.

Yes we need a lot of things. As does every team that didn't win the Cup this year. You sound like the type of hockey fan that would have called Getzlaf and Perry cattle simply because they weren't drafted in the top 10. Gauthier got picked where he was ranked. Get over it.

 

[Havoc]

Bolland and a panned-out Gauthier type player could have been the difference between a first round exit and stanley cup appearance/win this season and you have the audacity to cry over today's moves? Thank god HF has no say in how the team is built. Even if you play in a low-tier ball hockey league, it is always the best defensive, structured and well rounded teams that win and the flashy top 10 youtube highlights-team that doesn't know what defense or team means, that loses.

Our team can score, chill. What our team can't do is maintain consistent, structured defense.

Moreover, can someone enlighten me to who this top 6 savior was going to be at our amazingly high lottery position at pick 21? Our pick was solid. Have fun mourning over picks who will probably amount to nothing. Statistics indicate that "probably amount to nothing" is a correct statement to use.

None of the picks we gave up will produce a Bolland. The odds are slim. Why dwell on these slim odds? It is these slim odds that allow such deals to take place.

However I understand. If there's nothing to complain about then you will become irrelevant because you won't have anything to say thus there will be zero attention bestowed upon your never ending nagging. Complain away, complain away.

I myself am outraged we did not draft anyone whose last name ends in Berg. This should be a must every year. Stock pile on all the variations of Berg. Who is this Johnson. But do you see me crying? No.

Man up.

 

[glasses91]

that 3C has a name you know.

 

[topched]

Like the trade as bringing in a top notch thirder, but begs the question of the other shoe falling. If Kadri or Grabs could win the draw better i wouldn't be so worried. 1 or the ther in either of the 1-2 C spots I can live with but whoever the other is needs to be good on the draw.

Faceoff isn't really an inherent skill thing. Its not like having a pair of hands, or vision. It is definitely a learned thing. Hence why you usually see average level vets beating up rookies on the draws.

Just a quick check I did on a few top flight C's:

Bergeron first full year: 49%
2013: 62%

Giroux first full year: 47%
2013: 55%

Stamkos first full year: 45%
2013: 50%


There's still hope for Naz!

 

[petehill16]

I disagree. I feel as though your 3rd line now needs to contribute offense, although I do think that Bolland and Mclement are one of the the better #3 and #4 centre punches in the league, our top 2 centres (as it stands now) with Grabovski and Kadri are among the weakest 1-2 punches.

I am not really a fan of Grabovski who does not seem to share chemistry with any wingers we've put with him, I've find offense goes there to die lately.

I also disagree on your description of Gauthier, I do not think he possesses that kind of offense. He was not even a point per game (yes he's 2 off, but still) in the Q, and a lot of people really question his offensive skills. I hope he proves me wrong and is Getzlaf in a couple years, but as of right now I feel he's a safe pick, but he's not what I want in my 1st round pick, Hunter is who I would of went for.

Also really wanted Crus-Rynberg with our 3rd rounder, great Swedish centre. Highly skilled. I also don't want to become a soft team either, and I believe grit is important, but in the middle of the ice we need to inject some talent.

good thing you're not our GM, right?

 

[WTFMAN99]

good thing you're not our GM, right?

Great contribution! Astonishing.

 

[Fogelhund]

Patience is something our fanbase sure is short on. It is ALWAYS best to wait to see what is done with the team over the full summer, than make conclusions on something that isn't finished.

Gauthier is some 3-4 years away, and if he becomes a strong two way #3C, I'll be fine with that. There is a chance he can become a #2C, or become a bust too. But it will take years for us to know. I wouldn't doubt if this kid puts up 90 points + in the Q this year though. There was no prospect available at #21 that is likely to make an impact on the club in the next few years, so they went with the BPA according to their scouting.

I really like the Bolland and Bernier moves, really solidified our team. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do for a #1C, a Defensive D, and how we move out some pieces.

 

[Reddaye]

All year the complaints were how awful our defense was. We give up too many shots. We don't win enough important draws. A year before that (many years before) our PK was awful.

Game 7 against Boston we scored more than enough goals. However we crumbled, and apparently a lot of our roster didn't want to go on the ice during the collapse. They had given up.

Bolland has two Cup rings, and was an important factor in those wins. He knows what it means to battle and can inspire our young guys to not cower on the bench when pressure mounts. He's reliable in the defensive end, and will be an important piece on our PK to keep it effective.

I haven't seen a lot of Gautier but he looks like the perfect player to replace Bolland and McClement down the road. Maybe a little better offensively. At pick 21 you're not getting a superstar. We may have just picked the future centerpiece of our PK. If we're really lucky he'll develop into a 50 point guy who's versatile that knows the defensive side of the game.

Then again most people here would complain no matter what management did.

 

[egd27]

One of the more amusing things to me is that it seems the people that thought there would be a bunch of moves are now the ones that seem to think we're done after the draft and one transaction.

 

[Jackothy]

I can't believe this hasn't been said...
It's not like we just traded away a bunch of picks for some run of the mill third line center. We just acquired quite possibly the best third line center in the game.

 

[Faltorvo]

So we've traded 3 picks for a 3rd line centre, drafted a 3rd line centre in the 1st round, and I feel the majority of the picks (although I really loved our 7th pick) were pretty meh picks, likely to be a 3rd line guy kind of guy.

I kind of find it weird we're trading a lot of picks for a 3rd line centre, we should be signing those or developing our own, not trading so much for one.

Also I feel our draft strategy in the last few years is a little rough. I do not feel as though the team is really going for any higher end skill guys. Quite honestly I feel as though the team is has enough 2-way grinder type of players in the system now and we should go for some boom/bust type picks.

I do think we do well drafting defenseman and we're well stocked but Dave Morrison did a great job helping build up our cupboards but he doesn't really take any chance on higher end skill guys.

Anyways kind of ranting and wondering out loud the direction this team is taking. What do you guys think? Are we taking short cuts again trading picks/youth for quick fixes? Are you happy with our draft picks?

Look at Bos and Chi as examples of what happens when you have a roster full of strong two way players.

About the only player on those rosters that stands out as kinda 1 dimensional would be P Kane.

Pitt showed that raw fire power alone is not enough.

Safe to say right now and moving forward, fire power is probably the least of our worries?

Our 1rst round pick is a big big C (was this not a need for this team?) from what i can see so far ,he looks to be a projected stalwart 2 way C with serious size, won't see me shed a tear if he turns into our 3rd line C, PK #1C for the next 10 + years.

For me if he can develop into a 2nd line, two way C , well thats a touchdown in my books.

 

[Faltorvo]

we traded a 2nd rounder and 2 fourth rounders for a guy with 2 cup rings and a guy who is from TO and is only 27. The odds of those pick becoming as good as Bolland are slim. We win.

Well for the sake of balanced argument, if we are going to introduce the premise of the odds of those players developing, we should also note that there is a percentage odds chance of him walking after only 1 years worth of service.

 

[Brock Radunske]

Well we probably have one of the worst prospect pools, injected it with more bottom 6 pluggers, and used assets on a piece we didn't really need.

So typical Leaf stagnation.

When 5/6 top 6 players are 25 or under, you get some breathing room with our prospects...

 

[Faltorvo]

Odds of a second round pick in a very deep draft being better or as good as a 3rd liner is quite high

If one looks at the 2nd round draft history over say the last 10/15 years, you will definitely see a upward trend in 2nd round successes.

Thanks to the earlier and better, coaching/training/nutrition programs, the bigger carrot that even a 4th liner can become a millionaire.

Mind you , I'm not against this trade, but it does get a little tiring seeing 2nd round picks contently fly out the door.

If one looks at the 2nd round draft, say over the last 12 years, teams that do find that amazing gem in the second round , tend to have the future of that franchise greatly altered more then just a "safe, or useful" NHL ready player.

Would ROR look great on this roster or Weber,Keith,Lucic,Krejic,Voynov,Shultz,Hamonic,PK Subban,Simmonds,Seabrook,Neal,Stastny,Eriksson,Bergeron,Backes,Roy,Pominville

All I'm trying to say is that your never going to even have a chance at one of these organization draft changers if you never have any 2nds to use.

 

[Faltorvo]

I think Nonis better be making the playoffs at the very least or him and his crew are going to ALL face the music.

The Leafs completely half assed their rebuild and are now using bandaids to cover up what should have been our own drafted and developed players in key roles.

I mean if you look around the league....in the time Sundin left....nearly every team has found a star center. No excuse really.

Nonis even said it today....championship teams are built up the middle, on defence, and with goaltending...

Geee buddy, did you just figure that out now or did you know that before you built an entire team around wingers?

Where is the you part?, he was only the assistant GM during all that. He could have been giving the best advice in the world but if BB overrode that advice, wellll.

 

[Faltorvo]

Buddy, if he was j staal or landeskog-like or even lite then he likely wouldn't of been on the board at 21.
OP is right in a sense, drafting a hopeful 3c @ #21 makes no sense when your able to get one of the best 3c in hockey today for #51, just doesn't make sense.

So your saying that most of the scouting boards and the likes had it dead wrong that he was the BPA at #21?

Jeeeeesus folks your acting like we went off the board on this one.

 

[SprDaVE]

If one looks at the 2nd round draft history over say the last 10/15 years, you will definitely see a upward trend in 2nd round successes.

Thanks to the earlier and better, coaching/training/nutrition programs, the bigger carrot that even a 4th liner can become a millionaire.

Mind you , I'm not against this trade, but it does get a little tiring seeing 2nd round picks contently fly out the door.

If one looks at the 2nd round draft, say over the last 12 years, teams that do find that amazing gem in the second round , tend to have the future of that franchise greatly altered more then just a "safe, or useful" NHL ready player.

Would ROR look great on this roster or Weber,Keith,Lucic,Krejic,Voynov,Shultz,Hamonic,PK Subban,Simmonds,Seabrook,Neal,Stastny,Eriksson,Bergeron,Backes,Roy,Pominville

All I'm trying to say is that your never going to even have a chance at one of these organization draft changers if you never have any 2nds to use.

Blacker, Ryan and Finn are coming up. We've had/have our share of 2nd round picks.

 

[RhinoD]

The addition of Bolland likely means that either Bozak or Grabo will not be back.

Personally, I hope Bozak resigns, Grabo gets traded/bought out/whatever, and the four centers next year will be... Bozak, Kadri, Bolland and McClement.

Two scoring lines, a shutdown defensive line and a checking line.

The other possibility is that Nonis/Carlyle dont think Kadri is ever going to grow into a decent center and want to move him back to the wing (Cant say I disagree).

Then you have Bozak, Grabo, Bolland and McClement and put Kadri on the second line as a winger.

 

[James Duthie]

I'm just really glad some of you people aren't a gm, cause if you were I think I'd give myself a concussion. Dave Bolland is something that the Leafs can really use, what the hell are we going to do with a bunch of picks that might not even be good until like 4 years? If anything this tells us that what Bozak is asking is too much and he's pretty much gone, Grabovski is now likely centering our 2nd line and that first line center will probably be Weiss or Lecavalier.

 

[Hawaiinleaf]

My read on this and concern

#1 We our going to be letting assets leave without getting any prospects or picks back
Bozak Mac

#2 We have surplus assets to deal and could have gotten additional picks but choose not too
Liles

#3 We have player upgrades we need to do TBD can Nonis deal a Phaneuf for a top C. Can Nonis deal Gabo for assets back...Would Nonis offer sheet Pietro....

If we do not use our compliance buyouts to take on a contract and garner some free assets or offer sheet a great asset we need from a team against the cap when we have been gifted all of this cap room in a tight cap year. These will be enormous wasted oppurtunities...I am not so sure Burke was not planning on acting on these, Nonis jury is out

 

[Faltorvo]

Blacker, Ryan and Finn are coming up. We've had/have our share of 2nd round picks.

Oh, i know and understand.

Just getting a little concerned that we maybe back slipping into the draft schmaft BS that created this past what? 8 year disaster.

We sit ranked 24th in prospect depth , we just shipped out 4 of our top 8 draft slots over this and next draft, IIRC.

Add in the decisions not to move some guys like Grabo,Lilles,Mac,Boz at the TDs(over the past 2 years) for picks prospects and now we are stuck with 2(unwanted?) contracts and so far 2 players walking for no returns?

I ain't crying or freaking out but I am taking notice of this trending.

 

[Faltorvo]

My read on this and concern

#1 We our going to be letting assets leave without getting any prospects or picks back
Bozak Mac

#2 We have surplus assets to deal and could have gotten additional picks but choose not too
Liles

#3 We have player upgrades we need to do TBD can Nonis deal a Phaneuf for a top C. Can Nonis deal Gabo for assets back...Would Nonis offer sheet Pietro....

If we do not use our compliance buyouts to take on a contract and garner some free assets or offer sheet a great asset we need from a team against the cap when we have been gifted all of this cap room in a tight cap year. These will be enormous wasted oppurtunities...I am not so sure Burke was not planning on acting on these, Nonis jury is out

UMMM have you been paying close attention to our cap situation, we are not THAT flush with cap space mate,

16m to get what? 10/12 names under contract?, it's not scary but it sure ain't uber either.