Fun question. If you were to rebuild, who do you keep? who do you trade?

[Orfieus]

I would trade:

Kessel - great scorer but that's about it. IMO not the type of player you try to rebuild with. He has an great contract and teams will want him. 2 firsts + player(s)

Franson - if TO can resign him for less then $3m then I may keep him. If not trade. 2nd + player(s)

Raymond - his trade value is super high. If we can get 2 2nd's for him take it!

Phaneuf - I like him. Great defenseman and at 7x$7m he has an amazing contract. Has a no trade starting next year. Its a toss up depending on what we could get for him. 1st + 2nd + player(s)


Keep:

Lupal - put the ****ing C on his Jersey. I love the guy.

Clarkson - 2 yrs from now no1 will be complaining about his contract. Put him on 1st line PP and he will get points

Kadri - having a hard time right now. This will be his first 82 game season and will grow and get better. I want him and he is going to be a great 2nd line centre. No question.

JVR - love this kid. Too bad he can't play centre

Gardner - young. Smart. Fast.

Rielly - Big. Young. Smart. Very fast. Future Leafs captain.

Holland - only a short look but I like what I see. He is large, quick and determined. Like to see where he develops.

I did this list on the fly and just wondering who you would trade / keep. May be fun. Leafs may be in good shape 5-7yrs from now.

Click to read more...

 

[Liferleafer]

We don't need a rebuild. We do need some bigger changes. I would make all of Kadri, Franson, Gardiner, Lupul, Ranger, Frazer and Kulemin available for deals that shore up our defensive game.

 

[Sonofamitch]

Keep

JVR - our franchise power forward winger
Kadri- offensive Center
Rielly- offensive defencemen
Phaneuf- captain #1 dman
Jerry D'amigo- third line core peice
Bernier- franchise goalie
Phil Kessel- first line sniper

Trade:Anyone else who can get us these peices:
-Shut down #2 defencemen to pair with Rielly preferably right handed
-2 way big body center


JVR -XXX- kessel
XXX-Kadri-XXX
XXX-xXX-D'Amigo
XXX-XXX-XXX

XXX-Phaneuf
Rielly-XXX
XXX-XXX

Bernier
XXX

More of a retool for me
Fill out the roster with all the guys still left after acquiring the two peices above.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Core to Build Around: Kessel, JVR, Phaneuf, Rielly, Bernier

The rest: all tradeable except probably Clarkson cause of contract

 

[rdawg1234]

We really need to replace franson with a more mobile shutdown D. I've seen that guy consistently make mistakes but he covers it up with putting up points.

I'd rather a safe d-man that protects leads then a soft d-man that pads the stats.

Who I'd trade for I'm not sure, and we also have to wait and see how Gleason is.

Ranger too is pretty poor, but at 1m and if only playing low minutes im OKAY with keeping him as the #6 guy. He sometimes makes a solid defensive play.

Other than that, you probably want a better two-way player than Raymond on the wing, he's a pretty soft winger who's game is all speed and offense(which he isn't that great at).

So for the short term, Out:

Franson
Raymond

In:

Top 4 D(Girardi, Klein, Fayne, older veteran D)- Trade franson+ to get this, a team that needs OFD.
More dependable winger(Komarov? not sure on this one)- probably get this in UFA.

 

[rdawg1234]

Core to Build Around: Kessel, JVR, Phaneuf, Rielly, Bernier

The rest: all tradeable except probably Clarkson cause of contract

I have nothing wrong with our core of forwards, but in the NHL you need to support those top players with a dependable partner.

Phaneuf needs someone better than Gunnar for example
Kessel needs a defensive/two-way centre(Bozak is okay for now).

Our defense really needs a shakeup, Phaneuf and Gunnar are the only defensively dependable guys, and Rielly/Gardiner can make up for their mistakes, but they are still developing. You essentially need two more D to fix this line up, Franson, Ranger, Fraser are atrocious at defense.

 

[Al14]

I would trade:

Kessel - great scorer but that's about it. IMO not the type of player you try to rebuild with. He has an great contract and teams will want him. 2 firsts + player(s)

Franson - if TO can resign him for less then $3m then I may keep him. If not trade. 2nd + player(s)

Raymond - his trade value is super high. If we can get 2 2nd's for him take it!

Phaneuf - I like him. Great defenseman and at 7x$7m he has an amazing contract. Has a no trade starting next year. Its a toss up depending on what we could get for him. 1st + 2nd + player(s)


Keep:

Lupal - put the ****ing C on his Jersey. I love the guy.

Clarkson - 2 yrs from now no1 will be complaining about his contract. Put him on 1st line PP and he will get points

Kadri - having a hard time right now. This will be his first 82 game season and will grow and get better. I want him and he is going to be a great 2nd line centre. No question.

JVR - love this kid. Too bad he can't play centre

Gardner - young. Smart. Fast.

Rielly - Big. Young. Smart. Very fast. Future Leafs captain.

Holland - only a short look but I like what I see. He is large, quick and determined. Like to see where he develops.

I did this list on the fly and just wondering who you would trade / keep. May be fun. Leafs may be in good shape 5-7yrs from now.

Who is this Lupal character?

If you mean Lupul, then, making him captain would be a joke because he seems to miss more games than he plays through injury and suspension!!!

Lupul should be on the trade block first and foremost!

 

[Ash35]

Why do these threads pop up after every loss?

 

[colchar]

If you mean Lupul, then, making him captain would be a joke because he seems to miss more games than he plays through injury and suspension!!!

Wendel Clark missed a ***** ton of games due to injury. Did that make his captaincy a joke? I am not saying Lupul=Clark, just that your reasoning doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

 

[Stephen]

You can blame the lesser players like Kostka, Ranger, Fraser, Grabovski, Raymond, etc. or anyone you want, but at the end of the day, I look at our franchise forward Phil Kessel on a night like this, and he sets the tone.

When the opposition decides to play a grinding heavy game and lean on the Leafs, clog up the neutral zone and shut down our top line, what can Phil Kessel actually do? If there's no room to skate, is he going to create space for himself? If he gets double teamed off the puck, is he going to fight tooth and nail to get it back? Is he going to create a turnover through tireless defensive effort? Is he going to throw a big hit on the forecheck? When the team loses is he going to stand up and take the heat and bear the responsibility?

No, he doesn't have to do any of those things and neither does anyone else. No one is accountable and the team doesn't get better. Same old meltdowns every ****ing year. Phil Kessel doesn't necessarily have to be traded but he cannot be our number one forward. Otherwise, this is what you get every time.

Everyone's to blame but it starts at the top.

 

[Al14]

Wendel Clark missed a ***** ton of games due to injury. Did that make his captaincy a joke? I am not saying Lupul=Clark, just that your reasoning doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

There is NO comparing Clark and Lupul. Even when healthy, and playing, Lupul is a selfish player that puts himself before the team! We all saw a brief glimpse of that in the Winter Classic! Why do you think he has bounced around the League so much?

 

[Snow Dog]

Keep - players
Fire - coach

 

[Stephen]

There is NO comparing Clark and Lupul. Even when healthy, and playing, Lupul is a selfish player that puts himself before the team! We all saw a brief glimpse of that in the Winter Classic! Why do you think he has bounced around the League so much?

Lupul wants to be the Derek Jeter of the Toronto Maple Leafs and be that superstar but his flashiness up front often comes at the expense of an honest two way game.

 

[Al14]

Keep - players
Fire - coach

This might be the only solution! Can't get rid of an entire roster of players, and, the players know that!

 

[Strategy]

Keep - players
Fire - coach

+1. I think we are a good enough team on paper barring some trades for defense, but the system we play is terrible and doesnt suit our personnel at all. The dumb thing is, its the same night in and night out

 

[Sonny21]

This might be the only solution! Can't get rid of an entire roster of players, and, the players know that!

I remember a reporter once said that to Burke when he was recently hired, he said JUST WATCH ME! He proceeded in doing so.

Anyways that was just random thing I remember, not happening now.

 

[AuGsY]

I would trade:

Kessel - great scorer but that's about it. IMO not the type of player you try to rebuild with. He has an great contract and teams will want him. 2 firsts + player(s)

Franson - if TO can resign him for less then $3m then I may keep him. If not trade. 2nd + player(s)

Raymond - his trade value is super high. If we can get 2 2nd's for him take it!

Phaneuf - I like him. Great defenseman and at 7x$7m he has an amazing contract. Has a no trade starting next year. Its a toss up depending on what we could get for him. 1st + 2nd + player(s)


Keep:

Lupal - put the ****ing C on his Jersey. I love the guy.

Clarkson - 2 yrs from now no1 will be complaining about his contract. Put him on 1st line PP and he will get points

Kadri - having a hard time right now. This will be his first 82 game season and will grow and get better. I want him and he is going to be a great 2nd line centre. No question.

JVR - love this kid. Too bad he can't play centre

Gardner - young. Smart. Fast.

Rielly - Big. Young. Smart. Very fast. Future Leafs captain.

Holland - only a short look but I like what I see. He is large, quick and determined. Like to see where he develops.

I did this list on the fly and just wondering who you would trade / keep. May be fun. Leafs may be in good shape 5-7yrs from now.

trade phaneuf, but keep clarkson? Huh?

 

[Diatomic]

If I had to rebuild this team, I'd take offers on every player except for Rielly and JVR. Rielly as a future top 2 D-man and JVR as a cheap, young #1 winger.

 

[Mimico]

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
XXXX-Holland-Lupul
XXXX-Bolland-Clarkson
D'Amigo-McCLement-Ashton

Gunnarsson-Phaneuf
Rielly-XXXX
Gleason-XXXX

Bernier
XXXX

Ship Kulemin out for Niskanen when the Penguins get some of their Dmen back from injury. Trade Kadri + Franson for Skinner. Trade Reimer for a mid 1st round pick. Sign Komarov back. Be it realistic or not, that is how I'd attempt to fill these holes.

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Skinner-Holland-Lupul
Komarov-Bolland-Clarkson
D'Amigo-McClement-Ashton

Gunnarsson-Phaneuf
Rielly-Niskanen
Gleason-Percy

Bernier
MacIntyre

 

[BraveCanadian]

If I had to rebuild this team, I'd take offers on every player except for Rielly and JVR. Rielly as a future top 2 D-man and JVR as a cheap, young #1 winger.

I would also keep one or both goalies

 

[Wheels]

There is NO comparing Clark and Lupul. Even when healthy, and playing, Lupul is a selfish player that puts himself before the team! We all saw a brief glimpse of that in the Winter Classic! Why do you think he has bounced around the League so much?

Lupul has played for four organizations in his career. Clark played for six. And I don't see how Lupul is a selfish player. Great with the puck, lousy without it, competes hard all the time and desperately wants to win.

 

[Wheels]

If you were to really "rebuild", you can't keep your top 7-8 players and trade everyone else. You're not going to get much for guys like Bozak, Raymond, Clarkson, McClement, Kulemin, Franson, etc. Even Reimer won't bring back much - he's UFA after this season anyway.

If you're trading your young core pieces (Gardiner, Kadri, etc.), you're not rebuilding unless you're getting even younger guys than they are.

Kessel, Clarkson, Lupul, JVR, Bozak and Dion are each signed for minimum four seasons after this one - some for far longer. Better hope that cap comes up or some of the prospects develop.

 

[rdawg1234]

If you were to really "rebuild", you can't keep your top 7-8 players and trade everyone else. You're not going to get much for guys like Bozak, Raymond, Clarkson, McClement, Kulemin, Franson, etc. Even Reimer won't bring back much - he's UFA after this season anyway.

He's an RFA actually. So his value wouldn't drop.

Reimer and more so Franson are expendable pieces that we should look to trade pre-deadline if necessary, they could bring something. If a centre is included you of course include one of ours(Holland, Bozak).

No franchise would just drop everything and rebuild, it's a fantasy, you always tweak what you have in the cheapest way possible, then if it doesnt work go for a bigger trade(I.e liles for gleason trade first, then a bigger trade probably before the deadline).

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Raymond: trade. To easy to play against.

Kulemin and McClement: trade if no hometown short term discount deal by deadline in place.

Bolland: try to extend but don't go past 5 years term cause of injury concerns. Trade at deadline if not inked.

Franson: trade at deadline. PP specialist but we have Rielly, Gardiner who'll be ready for more of those minutes next season. Even replacing Franson this season I don't think will be nearly the loss people think. He is good on the PP but sucks at everything else. Ranger and Brennan who deserves a call up can fill out the remaining PP minutes.

Lupul: If this team is building for the future we need to get value for him now cause he'll continue to decline. He's nearing the end of his prime and already regressed from last season and the season prior.

Kadri, Gardiner: Keep unless a crazy offer is given at the deadline. Could be good secondary pieces for us to build with but could just as easily be affordable pieces used in a package for top end talent.

Bozak, Gunnarson: more valuable to us as solid secondary players than what they'd return in a trade. Don't consider dealing now but might be dealable in a season or two.

Holland, Gauthier, Leivo, Finn, Percy, Brennan etc.: future affordable # 6-9 forwards and # 5 or 6 Dman over next few seasons. Need to add to this group significantly.

Core to Build Around: Kessel, Phaneuf, Rielly, JVR, Bernier: need another 1 or 2 top end talent added to this group.

 

[Kessley Snipes*]

You don't need to rebuild. The ingredients are fine, it is the chef who needs to be taken out of the kitchen.