How is there not a JVR appreciation thread going?

[Buds17]

Was a great trade that brought him here, and he's definitely firing on all cylinders right now.

 

[SprDaVE]

He's completely on fire. I hope he can keep that red hot streak going into the playoffs.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Well he's been on for 81 goals for and 44 against. However 36 of them have been on the power-play. It leads his plus/minus to be -3. He's not any where close to all the goals scored against while Marleau has been on the ice, but perhaps has had easier opposition? I think it's a little hard to fall in love with someone who's leaving you.

This. If he's back next season and continues this level of play, I'll consider falling in love with him then. For now I like him, I appreciate what he brings to our team, I hope he helps us win the cup and wish him well wherever he ends up.

But not smart enough to trade him in the off-season. So now watch him walk for nothing

I wanted him traded too but I'm fine with keeping him now. I always said that we should consider keeping JVR and risk having him walk for nothing if and only if we thought we could go all the way, if not then cash in. A couple of months ago it looked like we should cash in on him but as of today, we're legit contenders and JVR is a big part of it. He may walk for nothing but that's OK, the flip side of that is that we have a legit shot at winning the cup this season and I'm good with that. And you never know, if we don't get Tavares then bringing him back is an option too, I'll trust our brass to decide what's best. Honestly, I can't complain about management right now. From last place to legit contenders in two short years without mortgaging the future, we have plenty of picks for upcoming drafts and some solid prospects on the way so I'm fine with paying the price of letting JVR walk in order to have him for this cup run.

If we lose in the first round, I'm sure a ton of people will be complaining about keeping JVR but I won't be one of them. Hindsight is great but you have to make decisions with the information you have and every decision you make is a gamble in some way. We may lose this gamble but we may also win the cup. I'm fine with this gamble and won't be second guessing management if it doesn't pan out.

This is a really good team and we have no reason to fear anyone. We're healthy, ready to roll and I don't think our boys are afraid of winning now. GLG!

 

[ShaneFalco]

If we lose in the first round, I'm sure a ton of people will be complaining about keeping JVR but I won't be one of them. Hindsight is great but you have to make decisions with the information you have and every decision you make is a gamble in some way.

It's a gamble for sure, and this is a results business. You lose that gamble, and go out early, you as management are responsible. And it turns into terrible asset management. There is no "We thought we could win" That's Burke/Nonis thinking/excuses. "Own rentals" is just a convenient term. GM's get fired for taking gambles and losing out. Hindsight shmindsight
Lou's body of work over the last few years will be re-evaluated. Including the Pleks and Boyle trades

It wouldn't be as bad if 3 others weren't set to walk as well.

Win it all and probably noone cares JVR is walking.

And re-sign him and watch a 6+ mill guy signed to a retirement contract float most nights.

 

[Gary Nylund]

It's a gamble for sure, and this is a results business. You lose that gamble, and go out early, you as management are responsible. And it turns into terrible asset management. There is no "We thought we could win" That's Burke/Nonis thinking/excuses. "Own rentals" is just a convenient term. GM's get fired for taking gambles and losing out. Hindsight shmindsight
Lou's body of work over the last few years will be re-evaluated. Including the Pleks and Boyle trades

It wouldn't be as bad if 3 others weren't set to walk as well.

Win it all and probably noone cares JVR is walking.

That's fine. For me personally though, I don't feel right using hindsight to evaluate. The way I look at it is to ask myself - what would I have done in their place with the information I had at the time. If the answer is that I would have done exactly the same thing then how can I justify complaining if it doesn't work out? And let's face it, winning the cup is hard, the odds are stacked against every team so in that sense, this gamble likely won't pan out. I think it's worth taking though so win or lose, I'm fine with taking the shot. Many teams are taking chances to win and I wouldn't say that only one those GM's doesn't deserve to be fired when the season is over. And sometimes a playoff series is basically a toss up and is decided by a bounce here and there so there's that too.

 

[LeafFever]

Should have traded him for picks, right guys?

 

[Cor]

Said this before, but my heart says to sign him, but my brain says to let him walk.

Gonna miss Reemer

 

[Clark4Ever]

I just keep thinking Adreychuk watching him this season. Andreychuk was better, at least when we had him which was later in the career so maybe jvr gets there later with the full game, but offensively he’s Andreychuk.

That's a good comparison. Andreychuk was a bit older when he left us and still went on to have several good years in Tampa Bay.

 

[Duke Silver]

He'll get a full NTC. Hell if Hyman can get a partial NTC......

Players waive NTC’s all the time. They just want some control so they don’t get traded to Buffalo.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Players waive NTC’s all the time. They just want some control so they don’t get traded to Buffalo.

True but trading a 6 mill + player on a long-term deal when the player has all the control....... good luck

 

[Morbo]

how is there not? well, probably because he's about our 5th best forward.

Should have traded him for picks, right guys?

probably. A long playoff run would help though.

 

[Dustin]

how is there not? well, probably because he's about our 5th best forward.QUOTE]

Meh. We've had appreciation threads for Leafs far worse than JVR in the past.

Like I said, while he may be gone at the end of the season I certainly appreciate what he has brought over the years here.

 

[CanadasTeam]

Said this before, but my heart says to sign him, but my brain says to let him walk.

Gonna miss Reemer

Me too -- Muy apreciado, JVR.

Ottawa

Florida

 

[hamzarocks]

B/c f*** Jvr. He is such a disappointing player. This guy is supposed to be our blake wheeler and help insulate the young players. He needs to be heavily sheltered and fed dimes to produce. Was my least favourite leaf for a long time, so I am happy he will be going. Whether we regress or not from the loss of ufa's remains to be seen. But atleast we dont need to see JVR with his lazy, defensive game on the ice. He skates like he is in cement and never uses his size. I dont know about others but I feel our team defense will improve greatly with departures of polak(he aas solid in last 15 games or so but was poor for quite a while), komorov( one of the more overrated players we had this season),jvr(our worse defensive forward), and maybe bozak(if we resign him I need more playoffs level bozak who was very engaged in the play). Jvr will be the next lucic in 2 years from now

 

[The List Of Jericho]

Anyway guy has had one hell of a season and has been smoking hot over the last couple of weeks. Who knows what next season holds but until then I have been quite pleased with his season this year.

Probably because he’s either playing real well or a ghost that’s his legacy

 

[charliolemieux]

Should have traded him for picks, right guys?

Yes. As per the original Shana-plan.
Damn shame the plan went out the window when we succeeded too quickly.

 

[The Apologist]

Yes. As per the original Shana-plan.
Damn shame the plan went out the window when we succeeded too quickly.

Can you show us all the original shanaplan?

 

[rent free]

He sucks that's why.

 

[pheasant]

He's not off the team yet.

I expect he will walk, but there's still a chance he re-signs. So why have a going away party for someone who doesn't even have the "for sale" sign up yet?

 

[Mikeyg]

Jvr is good but hes just not a championship player unfortunately. Cya bud thanks for the mouth guard entertainment

 

[ULF_55]

He did what he did.

Not sure how much I'll miss him, he was excellent in one half of one zone.

He'll get a good contract somewhere, I hope it isn't in Toronto.

If he stays I'd like to see him with Kadri.

 

[Battle Lin]

hes probably the best scorer in the nhl 3 feet out and those garbage goals matter and can make a difference, he has flaws too like most players, but jvr is super useful to any team

 

[rumman]

I could get half the goals he got on the power play with Marner feeding me gimme goals all season long. JVR is too one dimensional for my liking, better to replace with more all round player who MIGHT not get as many goals, but will actually have something to contribute defensively.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'll appreciate seeing him on another team

Great hands, skilled guy.....but seriously, it was time to move on a year or 2 ago

 

[Battle Lin]

jvr been banging in close shots his entire career well before marner, who gets more in close goals in hockey than this guy?

in basketball, big guys that finish garbage plays around the basket are very useful, not as important as your main scorers but still super useful...in football, big guys that muscle it in in close are very useful, not as important as your QB, and runners and receivers that get you close to the goal, but still very very useful...there are different ways to score in all team sports, and in all of them or almost all, there are the dirty/ugly goals or dirty/ugly points and they are very useful and is an important skill to have, sure the pretty 3 pointers and nice touch passes are great to see, but at times its the other stuff that win it for you and you need that variety