Post-Game Talk: It's Getting Nazzy Up In Here

[Menzinger]

Burke also drafted players like… Bobby Ryan, Chris Pronger, Kessler, the Sedins, Bieksa, Umberger, Jake Gardiner (in Anaheim).

Terrible is a stretch.

While he was GM of the Leafs the only two players drafted by him that have played a noticable amount of NHL games are Rielly and Kadri - two top 10 picks.

It also isn't surprising that most of the guys you just listed were top 5 picks too.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

If your GM starts doing that, the other GMs will start taking advantage of him, and he won't be able to make trades that are decent value. Maybe when he asks for a 1st + A prospect, the other teams says "no, we'll give you a 2nd and a B prospect, take it or leave it." IMO, giving the impression that you're a strong-willed GM (ie. not going to fold during a negotiation and just take the best offer you can get) is worth more than a 4th/5th rd draft pick.

I suppose that is true. Marketing oneself as a tough negotiator may likely end up being handy several reasons from now as well.

Anyhow, let's hope the kids start generating rather than the usual over-performing scrubs.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Burke Nonis were horrible...End of discussion.....we got rid of some of their picks for nothing...Biggs who we traded up to get was a toss in to get contract spaces. In that same purge we shipped off Finn as well. Percy looks like he will be the next to move on from. Nylander was a Shanahan pick ....He said so himself. So looking at our draft picks from the Burke/Nonis joke we have next to nothing.. other then two top 10 picks.

No.
Biggs was dealt in the Kessel deal
Finn, was dealt with 4 others to the Isles for Grabner.

Unless purge means more of a time period.

 

[Sergei Berezin]

While he was GM of the Leafs the only two players drafted by him that have played a noticable amount of NHL games are Rielly and Kadri - two top 10 picks.

It also isn't surprising that most of the guys you just listed were top 5 picks too.

To be fair, both guys were reaches where they were taken compared to where they were ranked. Also important to note that he only chose the first round picks... rounds 2-7 can but on the scouting staff, which is all gone except Morrison, who's onto the pro side of scouting now anyway.

 

[Menzinger]

To be fair, both guys were reaches where they were taken compared to where they were ranked. Also important to note that he only chose the first round picks... rounds 2-7 can but on the scouting staff, which is all gone except Morrison, who's onto the pro side of scouting now anyway.

To an extent - but it's pretty clear Burke set the overall draft philosophy. Leaf late round picks like Ross and Broll were prototypical of his love of "grit" - as was his move to trade up for Biggs, and then using another 1st on Percy.

I actually didn't hate Burke overall as a GM - just what he did at the draft.

 

[Pookie]

While he was GM of the Leafs the only two players drafted by him that have played a noticable amount of NHL games are Rielly and Kadri - two top 10 picks.

It also isn't surprising that most of the guys you just listed were top 5 picks too.

Shall we debate "drafting vs development"?

Wings get credit for late round gems but if they saw them as gems in the first place they wouldn't be taken so late.

1st rounders are clearly more likely to play significant NHL minutes.

We could debate Shanahan's draft history except he doesn't have one. Hunters? Same deal.

Lou? Only 3 first rounders since 1998 have played more than 200 NHL games.

 

[orbiter11]

Kadri hat trick after they have been mathematically eliminated.
Great.

I new this would eventually become a problem. Regardless of what anyone says we didn't purge our enitre team like most teams have done for there rebuilds. Kadri is part of the old guard that just wasn't good enough along with Bozak,Lupol,Gardiner etc.... He goes on little streaks but thats not enough to be a core player on our team. The fact we didnt purge the roster is biting us right now. Imagine if we had Bozak JVr and Lupol all year wed probably be 5 spots higher in this race.

Dont get me wrong keeping 1 of Bozak or Kadri is needed and 1 of JVR or Lupol. BUt we never burned this thing completely down....

 

[diceman934]

No.
Biggs was dealt in the Kessel deal
Finn, was dealt with 4 others to the Isles for Grabner.

Unless purge means more of a time period.

He was tossed in for contract space in the Kessel trade. With tossed in as the key word.

 

[diceman934]

Is it just me or does it seem like in the last couple of years Kadri turns up his point production when the Leafs have nothing to play for and are either mathematically eliminated from the playoffs or on the verge of being eliminated?

So you mean that when the other teams are cranking it up and time and space are at a premium, he is producing rather then mailing in the effort....

 

[orbiter11]

So you mean that when the other teams are cranking it up and time and space are at a premium, he is producing rather then mailing in the effort....

NO I think he means that in the regualr season Kadri plays like a 35 40 point center and when the pressures off and hes given tons of minutes his points increase. Kadri has an OHL level shot thats why he cant score goals even when he creates space for himself regularly. He also takes too much time making passing decisions. (Notice Babcock keeps referring to Kadri working on his shot) ive noticed it for years.

 

[schenneuf]

I new this would eventually become a problem. Regardless of what anyone says we didn't purge our enitre team like most teams have done for there rebuilds. Kadri is part of the old guard that just wasn't good enough along with Bozak,Lupol,Gardiner etc.... He goes on little streaks but thats not enough to be a core player on our team. The fact we didnt purge the roster is biting us right now. Imagine if we had Bozak JVr and Lupol all year wed probably be 5 spots higher in this race.

Dont get me wrong keeping 1 of Bozak or Kadri is needed and 1 of JVR or Lupol. BUt we never burned this thing completely down....

Agreed.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I new this would eventually become a problem. Regardless of what anyone says we didn't purge our enitre team like most teams have done for there rebuilds. Kadri is part of the old guard that just wasn't good enough along with Bozak,Lupol,Gardiner etc.... He goes on little streaks but thats not enough to be a core player on our team. The fact we didnt purge the roster is biting us right now. Imagine if we had Bozak JVr and Lupol all year wed probably be 5 spots higher in this race.

Dont get me wrong keeping 1 of Bozak or Kadri is needed and 1 of JVR or Lupol. BUt we never burned this thing completely down....

Lupul has negative value on the trade market, so management did what they had to do to bury his contract and make room for an extra body from the Marlies to gain valuable experience this season.

As for the other players you mentioned, I think Kadri and Gardiner have played their best hockey under Babcock's tutelage all season, and they are young enough to be part of the solution moving forward.

JVR was arguably the best forward on the team prior to his injury, and he is also young enough to augment our emerging youthful core of players for many years.

Bozak is a question mark. He played well prior to his injury, and he has been excellent since his return. He is also relatively young for a veteran, and he is on a cap friendly contract for what he brings to the table. The question is whether or not there will be room for him on the roster depending on what transpires this off season. If he has to go, I think he can return a fairly valuable asset.