Speculation: Is This The Begining of A Perfect Storm For The Leafs?

[Leaf Rocket]

I keep saying this: MacKinnon AND Drouin. Would give us a dynamic duo with insane chemistry for the next 15 years.

we would need a burke move but atm we don't have a burke type GM at our hands. So unless Nonis pulls off a great trick don't see it happening as much as I'd love it and salivate at the thought of our franchise having those players for the next few generations.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Yes, this season does have the potential to be the perfect storm to set this team up to be a top contender next season or a year after that.

Hopefully Nonis and the management don't make moves to make the playoffs this year and instead working on selling off all of our mid-range priced vets for whatever we can get. Acquire extra assets by taking on bad contracts. Draft high. Then in the summer look to sign a big UFA or make big trades.

This is going to be a very interesting next 6 months for Leafs fans.

 

[s7ark]

Dave Nonis is a patient man, one who views all the angles before making a move. Well, a perfect storm is brewing in the NHL, and the Leafs could be one of the best positioned teams to take advantage. If you wanted to rebuild this thing in short order, there won't be a better opportunity than the next 7 - 8 months.

Think about it:

Currently, this team has major holes that could result in another poor finish, but as Nonis just took over, he can afford it this year (but not next year).

With the new CBA, teams have to shave about $10 million in cap this summer - and the Leafs are in the best position in the NHL to help them do that. Yes, other teams have less cap committed going forward - but with significant pieces to re-sign with that space. The Leafs only have Lupul, and with a Komisarek buy-out, we're rocking. Not only would we have the space - we have the $$ to use it as well.

The new CBA allows to for two free buy-outs, this summer and next. Most teams can't afford the $$, whether it's against the cap or not. Well, the Leafs can, and the for the small fee of a prospect / pick ....

This upcoming draft is being hailed as one of the best in years ...

The upcoming UFA crop is being hailed as one of the best in years ...

You put all the pieces together, and a smart, patient, calculating GM could pull off a clean sweep ... is Nonis that man? Maybe ...

I am not sure I follow. If you plan on buying out Komi then you have one other buy out you can use over the next two summers. Even if you can find a team that will offer up their 1st along with a poison contract that you can buy out for them, that pick would have to be for 2014 or later because the buy out period happens after this years draft. So how does the buy out help you guys stack your team from this draft?

As for this year's UFA crop being one of the best in years, well there is Getz and Perry but what else after that? It isn't like any team is going to be buying out their 1st line players to dump onto the market.

I don't mean to be a debbie downer, but I don't really understand how this is supposed to work. Am I missing something obvious?

 

[Confucius]

I think you mean 13 and not 3, but then again 2 of those are Komisarek and Liles and both are potential amnesty buyout candidates making even more free cap space and nothing to spend it on.

According to Capgeek we have Grabovski, Liles, Vanriemsdyk and that's it from our current roster
http://capgeek.com/mapleleafs/

 

[Confucius]

i believe Burke wanted Luongo to much to make the playoffs and was willing to trade some prospects/picks for him. MLSE has seen that show before with Kessel being a laughing stock of the NHL and doesn't want to go down that road again so thats why he got canned. i hope this means were going to get a good draft pick here and stay the course instead of doing something as stupid as trading kadri gardiner and rielly for luongo.

My views exactly, I've stated it already. He was going to pull the trigger. He probably needed permission to blow 50 million on one guy and the rest is history. That explains the timing.

 

[TheKingSlayer]

According to Capgeek we have Grabovski, Liles, Vanriemsdyk and that's it from our current roster
http://capgeek.com/mapleleafs/

Dude, you are looking at the wrong season. Our current season is 2012-2013, next season is '13-'14 and we have 13 players under contract + our two buyouts on the cap.

 

[IBeL34f]

I am not sure I follow. If you plan on buying out Komi then you have one other buy out you can use over the next two summers. Even if you can find a team that will offer up their 1st along with a poison contract that you can buy out for them, that pick would have to be for 2014 or later because the buy out period happens after this years draft. So how does the buy out help you guys stack your team from this draft?

As for this year's UFA crop being one of the best in years, well there is Getz and Perry but what else after that? It isn't like any team is going to be buying out their 1st line players to dump onto the market.

I don't mean to be a debbie downer, but I don't really understand how this is supposed to work. Am I missing something obvious?

You could make the trade before the draft, then buy the player out once the off-season starts.

However, is anyone sure yet that it will be possible to use amnesty buy-outs on players acquired by trade? It would be a great tool for us to use if it's one that is available to us, but I could also see there being a rule where you can only use those amnesties on players you've inked yourself.

 

[Confucius]

Dude, you are looking at the wrong season. Our current season is 2012-2013, next season is '13-'14 and we have 13 players under contract + our two buyouts on the cap.

I was talking about the season after next. That's where the confusion is. This started with us using 2 buyouts one this summer and one next. I said we won't need the next one since we'll only have 3 guys anyway.

 

[thom]

I know Scotty Bowman will be 79yrs old but has anyone mentioned him for a possible job as a adviser?And how would he get along with the bell and rogers people?

 

[rumman]

Somebody (maybe Nonis)is going to come in and look like a hero with the foundation Burke has laid.

disagree, Leafs foundation is OK, but I wouldn't call it stellar, their most valuable asset is upcoming cap space. being rid of Connelly, Lombo, Komi, is a gift.

 

[The Blue Devil]

Minnesota finished 1pt above us in last season's standings and haven't made the playoffs in 4 years. Parise and Suter look pretty happy. In the end, for the majority of players, money talks.

Is Minnesota Toronto? they are not the same at all, the only other teams with comparable media pressure are NYR and the Habs. Which is the point I was getting at.

 

[The Blue Devil]

Schultz went to Edmonton precisely because he knows the potential in the upcoming years.

Players avoid signing in markets where NOTHING is happening.

Barkov or MacKinnon could change that I think. Along with some smart movements

Shultz is a prospect, he went to a team where he knew he would get ice-time. Big difference from a Star NHL forward. Just like when we got Bozak over the other 25 or so teams that were after him.

 

[pooleboy]

I keep saying this: MacKinnon AND Drouin. Would give us a dynamic duo with insane chemistry for the next 15 years.

although not even close to the same, i said the same thing about bschenn and glennie. dont get hung up on those duos in junior because players change and things change. and if we got mackinnon he would look real nice with the speed of jvr and kessel on his wings way more than Drouin. thats just my opinion though (and kessel was drafted high and jvr even higher)

 

[TootooTrain]

Is Minnesota Toronto? they are not the same at all, the only other teams with comparable media pressure are NYR and the Habs. Which is the point I was getting at.

Your first point was "how does losing attract players". I then compared Minnesota and Toronto, two teams that have had very similar records over the last 4 years. Parise and Suter seemed just fine committing. Like Mess said though, retaining talent on a sinking ship isn't necessarily going to work in terms of attracting free agents either. It's never cut and dry. In the end, money is usually the deciding factor.

Your second point about why would said player want to come to a team and be pegged as "savior of the franchise" is stuff of newspaper headlines and fanatic conversation. Not really something to base an argument on.

 

[Cor]

Hopefully Burke Nonis will be smart this season and try and pick up an extra 1st round pick or two.

Plenty of teams should be buying by the trade deadline, so if we sell, and play the market right, we may be able to snag a couple.

 

[Warden of the North]

Hopefully Burke Nonis will be smart this season and try and pick up an extra 1st round pick or two.

Plenty of teams should be buying by the trade deadline, so if we sell, and play the market right, we may be able to snag a couple.

Watch us be in a playoff position and start "buying".

 

[The Blue Devil]

Your first point was "how does losing attract players". I then compared Minnesota and Toronto, two teams that have had very similar records over the last 4 years. Parise and Suter seemed just fine committing. Like Mess said though, retaining talent on a sinking ship isn't necessarily going to work in terms of attracting free agents either. It's never cut and dry. In the end, money is usually the deciding factor.

Your second point about why would said player want to come to a team and be pegged as "savior of the franchise" is stuff of newspaper headlines and fanatic conversation. Not really something to base an argument on.

I asked how losing in a city like Toronto attracts players. What player wants to come into an environment where he knows that he'll be harassed. The Leafs will have a much easier time attracting star UFA's when they show that they can win, losing doesn't show that.

As for Minnesota, a big reason for Parise signing there was because it was his hometown and Suter signed for a similar reason. The 100mil contracts also helped.

 

[Cor]

Watch us be in a playoff position and start "buying".

That would be terrible

 

[Cor]

I asked how losing in a city like Toronto attracts players. What player wants to come into an environment where he knows that he'll be harassed. The Leafs will have a much easier time attracting star UFA's when they show that they can win, losing doesn't show that.

As for Minnesota, a big reason for Parise signing there was because it was his hometown and Suter signed for a similar reason. The 100mil contracts also helped.

If this helps, if I got offered 9M by the Devils and 5M with the Leafs, i'd sign with the Leafs

 

[Crispy Crust]

I asked how losing in a city like Toronto attracts players. What player wants to come into an environment where he knows that he'll be harassed. The Leafs will have a much easier time attracting star UFA's when they show that they can win, losing doesn't show that.

As for Minnesota, a big reason for Parise signing there was because it was his hometown and Suter signed for a similar reason. The 100mil contracts also helped.

Spot on.

 

[The Blue Devil]

If this helps, if I got offered 9M by the Devils and 5M with the Leafs, i'd sign with the Leafs

I wouldn't blame you, I mean who wants to live in Jersey?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Dave Nonis is a patient man, one who views all the angles before making a move. Well, a perfect storm is brewing in the NHL, and the Leafs could be one of the best positioned teams to take advantage. If you wanted to rebuild this thing in short order, there won't be a better opportunity than the next 7 - 8 months.

Think about it:

Currently, this team has major holes that could result in another poor finish, but as Nonis just took over, he can afford it this year (but not next year).

With the new CBA, teams have to shave about $10 million in cap this summer - and the Leafs are in the best position in the NHL to help them do that. Yes, other teams have less cap committed going forward - but with significant pieces to re-sign with that space. The Leafs only have Lupul, and with a Komisarek buy-out, we're rocking. Not only would we have the space - we have the $$ to use it as well.

The new CBA allows to for two free buy-outs, this summer and next. Most teams can't afford the $$, whether it's against the cap or not. Well, the Leafs can, and the for the small fee of a prospect / pick ....

This upcoming draft is being hailed as one of the best in years ...

The upcoming UFA crop is being hailed as one of the best in years ...

You put all the pieces together, and a smart, patient, calculating GM could pull off a clean sweep ... is Nonis that man? Maybe ...

.....and we can all thank Mr. Burke for that.

 

[Cor]

I wouldn't blame you, I mean who wants to live in Jersey?

 

[Schennanigans]

I would like to see us get a 1st for MacArther. I see Kadri being ready to replace him this season if we keep him.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Hopefully Burke Nonis will be smart this season and try and pick up an extra 1st round pick or two.

Plenty of teams should be buying by the trade deadline, so if we sell, and play the market right, we may be able to snag a couple.

I was so ticked about him not trading CMac the last two deadlines.

Now we have a player who will be traded this season but not at the peak value we could have gotten because their is due to be a lot more sellers this season and the contract status is so different.