Does Nonis have a direction for the Leafs??

[yakfish]

Nonis has had the time to settle in as GM for the Leafs now. Has he descided on a direction to take this team? Will he continue with the foundation Burke laid or will he blow it up and start over? Play the short season and attempt to aquire a top five pick?

I personally think the team is close to being a playoff team if they can add a couple key peices this season. In a couple years they may even be a contender if they descide to stay the course and build on what they have.

What is Nonis' plan for the Leafs going forward??

Click to read more...

 

[BayStBullies]

Nonis will not blow up anything; he was part of the reason the Leafs have been progressing in the direction that they have been.

The plan will be to fortify weak areas and continue to develop internal talent. All signs point to the Leafs clearing money in time for the free agent period coming up; look for free agent acquisitions.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

He already made some big moves by finally letting young players play and it has paid off.

This team is extremely young and is .500. "Blowing-It-Up" is crazy talk.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Yes,

He wants to build this team that is determined and extremely hard to play against. To do this he has rewarded guys who have worked hard by penciling them into the lineup (Kadri, Frattin, Fraser, Kostka), and he has gotten rid of guys with entitlement issues (Lombardi, Connolly). This is only the beginning but its a "win and your in" team attmosphere and if you dont pull your weight your gone, Nonis shows NO sentimental attachment to players, gone are the days where Burke would put emotions ahead of hockey decisions, if you ask me its a vast improvement.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

This team is extremely young and is .500. "Blowing-It-Up" is crazy talk.[/QUOTE]

I disagree that were "extremely young", the majority of our players are currently in their prime.

 

[DaveT83*]

Its status quo until Phil Kessel is traded. Purgatory.


I don't see any reason to do anything this year at all - its a development year for Reimer/Kadri/Frattin and some of the others.

Its an assessment on the worth/value of some of the guys that have been around for a while (Kessel/Dion/Grabo etc)

Changes will be made in the off-season - expect to see a team that relies less on talent and more on work ethic.

 

[yakfish]

Yes,

He wants to build this team that is determined and extremely hard to play against. To do this he has rewarded guys who have worked hard by penciling them into the lineup (Kadri, Frattin, Fraser, Kostka), and he has gotten rid of guys with entitlement issues (Lombardi, Connolly). This is only the beginning but its a "win and your in" team attmosphere and if you dont pull your weight your gone, Nonis shows NO sentimental attachment to players, gone are the days where Burke would put emotions ahead of hockey decisions, if you ask me its a vast improvement.

Yep, emotion has no place in management I have been very happy with what I have seen from these young guys so far. Glad they are getting a chance to play.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Its status quo until Phil Kessel is traded.

Hockey purgatory continues.

Expect him to be gone by trade deadline - regardless of teams position in standings.

Why would Nonis trade Kessel this deadline? Most contract negoations begin a year before the expirary date, not anytime sooner. Nonis and Kessel will start negoations probably next summer, if a deal cant be reached then Kessel will be dealt at somepoint between next summer and the 2014 deadline.

 

[DaveT83*]

Why would Nonis trade Kessel this deadline? Most contract negoations begin a year before the expirary date, not anytime sooner. Nonis and Kessel will start negoations probably next summer, if a deal cant be reached then Kessel will be dealt at somepoint between next summer and the 2014 deadline.

Because Phil has a Limited NTC/NMC that kicks in the final year of his deal. Nonis would loose control of potentially moving Phil should negotiations break down. Risking him walking as a UFA is something this Organization cannot afford to ever let happen.

You'd also get significantly less via any trade with Phil in the final year of his contract - aka Rental

So unless we sign him for a cheap and trade him - a deal would have to be accomplished by no later than this summer. Although in this shortened season I don't know if TD will be very active

 

[Billy6]

As long as whatever plan he has doesn't involve trading prospects or first round draft picks then we should be alright.

 

[A1LeafNation]

This team is extremely young and is .500. "Blowing-It-Up" is crazy talk.

I disagree that were "extremely young", the majority of our players are currently in their prime.

Still to hit their prime...

JVR Kadri Frattin
D'Amigo McKegg Biggs
Ross Colborne Ashton

Gardiner Blacker
Rielly Finn
Percy

Reimer
Scrivens

I say they keep doing what they've been doing and we will be alright moving forward.

 

[diceman934]

Because Phil has a Limited NTC/NMC that kicks in the final year of his deal. Nonis would loose control of potentially moving Phil should negotiations break down. Risking him walking as a UFA is something this Organization cannot afford to ever let happen.

You'd also get significantly less via any trade with Phil in the final year of his contract - aka Rental

So unless we sign him for a cheap and trade him - a deal would have to be accomplished by no later than this summer.

Agreed.

 

[MaskedSonja]

My half cent:

There was a reference made on another thread about the 48 game season being "a glorified training camp", I think in Nonis' case that's exactly what this season is about. He's going to use these 48 games to see what he's got, who fits and who doesn't. If what I have read about him from Vancouver fans is accurate, he doesn't make rash moves, is conservative, and doesn't seem like someone who's going to trade first round picks for "quick fixes".

He's going to be slow and steady and build and let the young guys work their way up, and wouldn't surprise me to see him trade at the deadline for more picks. I really don't see him "going for it" just to try and make the playoffs: the playoffs will or won't be made with essentially this group-with minor tweaks.

I think if ever there was a GM for Toronto who was going to test the adage "Toronto fans can/can't be patient to build through draft", Nonis is going to be it.

 

[Dangles McGavin]

Its status quo until Phil Kessel is traded. Purgatory.


I don't see any reason to do anything this year at all - its a development year for Reimer/Kadri/Frattin and some of the others.

Its an assessment on the worth/value of some of the guys that have been around for a while (Kessel/Dion/Grabo etc)

Changes will be made in the off-season - expect to see a team that relies less on talent and more on work ethic.

Great post.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

There was a reference made on another thread about the 48 game season being "a glorified training camp", I think in Nonis' case that's exactly what this season is about. He's going to use these 48 games to see what he's got, who fits and who doesn't.

- Nonis has been here since Burke, he clearly knows what he has and doesn't have. I think Nonis is doing the one thing Burke could never do and this seperate personal feelings from hockey decisions, he is getting rid of people that don't belong, and making room for the ones that do.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Still to hit their prime...

JVR Kadri Frattin
D'Amigo McKegg Biggs
Ross Colborne Ashton

Gardiner Blacker
Rielly Finn
Percy

Reimer
Scrivens

I say they keep doing what they've been doing and we will be alright moving forward.

I'm not talking about the marlies, I'm talking about the leafs

Lupul (smack prime) Bozak (prime) Kessel (just entering his)
Kulemin (prime) Grabo (smack prime) Mac (prime)
JVR(nowhere near his)- Kadri (nowhere near) Mcclement (prime)
Brown (prime) Steckel (prime) Orr (smack prime)

Phaneuf (prime) Gunnar (just entering)
Gardiner (nowhere near) Liles (smack prime)
Franson (approaching) Komi (smack prime)

Riemer (nowhere near it)

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

Nonis has had the time to settle in as GM for the Leafs now.

For like a month or so?

How comfortable are you making impactful decisions about your billion dollar organization a month after getting a job?

Baby steps people. 'What About Bob' had it right.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

Forward

 

[A1LeafNation]

I'm not talking about the marlies, I'm talking about the leafs

Lupul (smack prime) Bozak (prime) Kessel (just entering his)
Kulemin (prime) Grabo (smack prime) Mac (prime)
JVR(nowhere near his)- Kadri (nowhere near) Mcclement (prime)
Brown (prime) Steckel (prime) Orr (smack prime)

Phaneuf (prime) Gunnar (just entering)
Gardiner (nowhere near) Liles (smack prime)
Franson (approaching) Komi (smack prime)

Riemer (nowhere near it)

Thats why you keep the guys in their prime so they can bring along the marlies gradually instead of having them fend for themselves like they are doing now...

Trade the guys who are about to leave their prime when their contracts expire(Liles, Komisarek, Orr, Steckel) and keep doing so until we are ready to contend.

 

[p.l.f.]

i believe i heard him say 10 games would be needed to make an assessment
that's tuesday)

 

[Stephen]

Nonis has had the time to settle in as GM for the Leafs now. Has he descided on a direction to take this team?

Not sure how a GM can be settled into a job he took three weeks ago...

 

[Kingstonian84*]

i believe i heard him say 10 games would be needed to make an assessment
that's tuesday)

Here's my asssement on the team

Positives:

- The team for the most part is committent to playing a defensive first system, the hardest part is getting players to buy into it and so far Carlyle has done a good job at selling

- Physical game has improved with the additions of Komorov and JVR to an extent

- Penalty kill is much more aggressive

Negatives

- Still have trouble comprhending how to safely/quickly get the puck up the ice

- Powerplay is horrid

- Lack a finishing touch upfront

So basically the essential needs right now IMO: A top 6 sniper (to replace Lupul), a PMD (until Gardiner is healthy), at least one more gritty winger for the bottom 6.

 

[Stephen]

Its status quo until Phil Kessel is traded. Purgatory.


I don't see any reason to do anything this year at all - its a development year for Reimer/Kadri/Frattin and some of the others.

Its an assessment on the worth/value of some of the guys that have been around for a while (Kessel/Dion/Grabo etc)

Changes will be made in the off-season - expect to see a team that relies less on talent and more on work ethic.

You know what I don't understand? How some fans think that Kessel can't be included in the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs while they speak of James Reimer and Matt Frattin as young future pieces we have to wait on the develop.

Phil Kessel, is 93 days older than Matt Frattin and 153 more career goals than him.

Phil Kessel is 165 days older than James Reimer.

How can a team be in purgatory until it gets rid of a player who is the same age as everyone else in its 'future core'? If Frattin and Reimer have upside, I'm pretty sure Phil does as well.

 

[p.l.f.]

and a #1 center

 

[yakfish]

For like a month or so?

How comfortable are you making impactful decisions about your billion dollar organization a month after getting a job?

Baby steps people. 'What About Bob' had it right.

Not sure how a GM can be settled into a job he took three weeks ago...

He isn't brand new to the organization. Remember he got promoted to GM. He's been here a while. But I agree baby steps are needed. I just haven't heard anything from Nonis or the organization about a goal, plan or direction for the team. Upper level management in any organization needs to have at least a five year plan at a minimum that outline s where that organization is expect be in that amount of time.