Sportsnet: Jeremy Roenick says it how it is/about leafs

[KapG]

This kind of defeatist, expect to lose attitude, is a big part of what has held this organization back over the years. Things look bleak so stop trying.

The Kings have won two of the last three Stanley Cups. Take a look back and remember how things were in LA just a couple of years before they won. Things weren't exactly amazing there.

If the Kings can win a Stanley Cup while paying Dustin Brown and Mike Richards almost $6 million there's no reason we can't build a contending team with Kessel and his contract.

The Kings captain Dustin Brown (who by the way was nearly run out of town at the trade deadline just months before they won their first cup) makes almost $6 million and is wildly inconsistent.

Last year in the regular season Dustin Brown had 15 goals and 27 points. That's David Clarkson production.

If Brown were playing in Toronto he'd be absolutely roasted by the fans and media. Think about it. A captain who makes $6 million and follows up a 4 point playoff performance with a 27 point regular season. Think about how that would go over in Toronto.

We need to stop thinking everything is hopeless all the time. It's not productive. I'm not saying we're in a great position here. We're obviously not. But if our goal is to win a Stanley Cup we've got a better chance of doing it by building on what we have then by starting from scratch again.

Lol, this kind of highlights everything wrong with this team. Build with what we have? How's that been going the last 5-6 years?

 

[hoglund]

I don't care for Phaneuf at all and I would cheer if he was shipped out, but a 4th or 5th dman? C'mon.

I agree, I used to defend Phaneuf, but he's no captain, but he's not a 4th or 5th defensemen either, he's most teams 1st or 2nd, but he's no leader.

 

[FerrisRox]

If our goal is to win a Stanley Cup we've got a better chance of doing it by building on what we have then by starting from scratch again.

How much evidence could you possibly require to see that that is clearly not true? I understand being a "fan" and having faith in your team, but how many seasons do you need to see this core go out there and fail before you call a spade a spade?

 

[Leaf Army]

How much evidence could you possibly require to see that that is clearly not true? I understand being a "fan" and having faith in your team, but how many seasons do you need to see this core go out there and fail before you call a spade a spade?

I guess I have to say this again.

From an asset management standpoint Kessel and Phaneuf are far more valuable as players than they are as trade chips. End of story.

 

[diceman934]

I guess I have to say this again.

From an asset management standpoint Kessel and Phaneuf are far more valuable as players than they are as trade chips. End of story.

It is about healing.....sometimes you have to take your medicine and with these two we do! The return is just simply a bonus!

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Some of you are in denile thinking that phaneuf is a #1 or #2 dman. Not a chance in hell. The guy skates like he has a load in his pants, can't hit the broad side of a barn if he tried, out of position, immobile, takes unnecessary penalties etc... it's actually embarrassing that he is the captain for this team.

 

[Faltorvo]

I guess I have to say this again.

From an asset management standpoint Kessel and Phaneuf are far more valuable as players than they are as trade chips. End of story.

nope, they ain't

not where this organisations sits right now, what we have(don't have) in the pipe line and where we sit with the cap , given their ages , conditioning regimes, neither of these two are going to age well.

save for the pending ufa s these are the 1-2 to go

 

[Stephen]

I guess I have to say this again.

From an asset management standpoint Kessel and Phaneuf are far more valuable as players than they are as trade chips. End of story.

Do you remember how toxic the environment was in Vancouver with Luongo, Kesler and Gillis in the aftermath of their cup loss? There was a lot of unhappiness in house and in the fanbase, and finally, everybody had to be cleared out for the rejuvenation of the franchise.

I see something similar with Nonis, Phaneuf, Kessel, the ghost of Burke, etc. We have to move on from this era.

 

[Leaf Army]

It is about healing.....sometimes you have to take your medicine and with these two we do! The return is just simply a bonus!

We're going to trade a 27 year old player who has been one of the best scorers in the NHL over the past few seasons and just consider that whatever we get back to be a "bonus"?

I've been a fan of this team for a very long time and I understand we're all very frustrated right now. But we can't lose our ability to think rationally.

 

[Leaf Army]

Do you remember how toxic the environment was in Vancouver with Luongo, Kesler and Gillis in the aftermath of their cup loss? There was a lot of unhappiness in house and in the fanbase, and finally, everybody had to be cleared out for the rejuvenation of the franchise.

I see something similar with Nonis, Phaneuf, Kessel, the ghost of Burke, etc. We have to move on from this era.

Luongo was different. He's a goalie so he was literally sitting on the bench and not playing. That's an unworkable situation and Gillis should have recognized that a lot earlier than he did and simply traded him to the highest bidder.

Kesler demanded a trade.

 

[diceman934]

We're going to trade a 27 year old player who has been one of the best scorers in the NHL over the past few seasons and just consider that whatever we get back to be a "bonus"?

I've been a fan of this team for a very long time and I understand we're all very frustrated right now. But we can't lose our ability to think rationally.

Yes, when said player refuses to listen to the instructions and requests of a coaching staff....dam right! He is killing any hope of "team" when he is not buying in to the team concept!

Kessel we would like to try this breakout....NO!
Kessel we would like to try you as a left Winger....NO!

No one needs to know anything else....he simply needs to go and the return is a bonus.

 

[Leaf Army]

Also I think a lot of people are operating on some mistaken notion that it has to take 5 or 10 years to build a Cup winner.

The Kings went from missing the playoffs six years in a row to Stanley Cup champions in three years.

 

[Faltorvo]

Also I think a lot of people are operating on some mistaken notion that it has to take 5 or 10 years to build a Cup winner.

The Kings went from missing the playoffs six years in a row to Stanley Cup champions in three years.

yup, but then you need to look at how many high draft slots they added in that time

this is not about just counting years like they have any correlation here

we don't have the horses now

in the system

the cap space

nor a extra bounty of draft slots coming to turn where this is all headed.

this whole thing was built on burkes faulty premise and it needs to be reset and course corrected.

 

[diceman934]

Also I think a lot of people are operating on some mistaken notion that it has to take 5 or 10 years to build a Cup winner.

The Kings went from missing the playoffs six years in a row to Stanley Cup champions in three years.

I think you are forgetting we are Not the Kings....we do not compare in any way to the Kings before they won their first cup....not in management, coaching staff, or most importantly key players!

 

[Muston Atthews]

Yes, when said player refuses to listen to the instructions and requests of a coaching staff....dam right! He is killing any hope of "team" when he is not buying in to the team concept!

Kessel we would like to try this breakout....NO!
Kessel we would like to try you as a left Winger....NO!

No one needs to know anything else....he simply needs to go and the return is a bonus.

Shanahan laughed those rumours off, yet you still keep posting them. Is there no accountability for posts, mods?

 

[Stephen]

Shanahan laughed those rumours off, yet you still keep posting them. Is there no accountability for posts, mods?

When did he laugh off those rumours? It's not like he speaks on a daily basis to the media.

 

[Menzinger]

I believe Shanahan directly refuted the 'left wing' rumor during a radio interview - Hope Smoke posted the transcript ages ago.

 

[Confucius]

Lol, this kind of highlights everything wrong with this team. Build with what we have? How's that been going the last 5-6 years?

Have we been building with what we have? I'd think we've had a hundred different players wear a Leafs jersey in that time. It's more of a stop gap measure revolving door atmosphere.

 

[Trapper]

Have we been building with what we have? I'd think we've had a hundred different players wear a Leafs jersey in that time. It's more of a stop gap measure revolving door atmosphere.

Building through the draft? Compare the Leafs to contending teams drafted core.
Leafs currently have 6 players on the roster since 2006 that they have drafted.
Reimer 2006
Holzer 2006
Komarov 2006
Frattin 2006
Kadri 2009
Rielly 2012

The bulk of our team is made from JFJ.
2 NHL players on the roster actually drafted during the Burke/Nonis regime.

 

[Stephen]

Building through the draft? Compare the Leafs to contending teams drafted core.
Leafs currently have 6 players on the roster since 2006 that they have drafted.
Reimer 2006
Holzer 2006
Komarov 2006
Frattin 2006
Kadri 2009
Rielly 2012

The bulk of our team is made from JFJ.
2 NHL players on the roster actually drafted during the Burke/Nonis regime.

The Leafs are probably bottom five in terms of drafted and retained talent making a difference.

 

[Gallagbi]

When did he laugh off those rumours? It's not like he speaks on a daily basis to the media.

Dave Naylor's show: TSN drive after the Carlyle firing he spoke about the Kessel to LW question.

I thought Spott touched on the breakout comments as well.