Confirmed with Link: Joe Thornton to Leafs [1yr/700k]

[JT AM da real deal]

Wheeler reviewed all 6 games of Thornton this season with Davos
Here is what he says.
The skills that made him effective are still there. His patience, poise, protecting the puck and playmaking. The tunnel vision stuff hasn't set in.
While his skating has regressed, but he has been good when playing with faster players. He thinks he could be effective with someone like Mikheyev.

I was thinking that too maybe Jumbo Jow with da 2 Russians ... Kerfoot with his buddy Vessey might rekindle an old flame with Simmonds to keep da peace

 

[JayfromNB1219]

He isn’t even 50 percent on draws anymore. I worry people are expecting something that doesn't exist anymore.

If you read the thread it is abundantly apparent that we all recognize Jumbo isn’t the Jumbo of past years, the guy is a damn good leader though and if he can help one of our kids to grow then I have 0 issue with him being here...nobody is expecting an 80pt year from the guy, we just want him to work his arse off and hopefully help to instill a better attitude in the room...he’s a guy who never got a cup even though he was THE GUY of his prime...maybe wake a few of the kids up to the opportunity they have in front of them

 

[Gabriel426]

Jumbo is here to replace the Goat and not to be the GOAT.

 

[DarkKnight]

If you read the thread it is abundantly apparent that we all recognize Jumbo isn’t the Jumbo of past years, the guy is a damn good leader though and if he can help one of our kids to grow then I have 0 issue with him being here...nobody is expecting an 80pt year from the guy, we just want him to work his arse off and hopefully help to instill a better attitude in the room...he’s a guy who never got a cup even though he was THE GUY of his prime...maybe wake a few of the kids up to the opportunity they have in front of them

They aren’t kids anymore. Hopefully he has something left.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Gauthier? Lol. Thornton just became the 4th line center we never dreamed Gauthier would be.

 

[member 300185]

Ya still a crap shoot but I think JT (Joe) is way more vocal and flamboyant that JT (John).
Also Joe might have that wookie effect and scare the kids in line hahahaha

Edit
At this point even Tavares would look up to Joe as JT Jr started his career afte JT Sr and was his winger at the Olympics iirc

Great, I just pictured Joe in drag. Thanks for that.

 

[saltming]

Great, I just pictured Joe in drag. Thanks for that.

Interesting words association hahahaha

 

[darrylsittler27]

Gauthier is toast. We needed more, much more.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Gauthier is toast. We needed more, much more.

The GOAT was a likable guy who is huge but plays soft as butter and wasn't very good at being a specialist on D, which was his calling card. Just a failed prospect. Way she goes. He should sign in Europe. Otherwise, he'll yoyo between the AHL and NHL.

 

[KyleDubasBoyGeniua]

Goat was the typical Brian Burke pick. Big guy with no talent.

 

[ACC1224]

Goat was the typical Brian Burke pick. Big guy with no talent.

Like his other first round picks here?

 

[ottomaddox]

Goat was the typical Brian Burke pick. Big guy with no talent.

Burke was not the GM when Goat was drafted. I thought that Rielly and Kadri were more typical of Burke.

 

[KyleDubasBoyGeniua]

Like his other first round picks here?

Like Tyler Biggs? He liked his big guys that lacked talent. His drafting was bad.
Kyle Dubas' drafting looks brilliant right now without any top picks and what the Leafs have.

 

[KyleDubasBoyGeniua]

Burke was not the GM when Goat was drafted. I thought that Rielly and Kadri were more typical of Burke.

True. He had been fired earlier in the yrear.

 

[ACC1224]

Like Tyler Biggs? He liked his big guys that lacked talent. His drafting was bad.
Kyle Dubas' drafting looks brilliant right now without any top picks and what the Leafs have.

Rielly, Kadri certainly not big guys that lacked talent

 

[darrylsittler27]

Goat was the typical Brian Burke pick. Big guy with no talent.

Umm Nonuts pick.

 

[darrylsittler27]

There is nothing now that says this is a Burke or any other GM team yet. It is becoming a Dubas team but he can't take all the credit...

 

[Mess]

There is nothing now that says this is a Burke or any other GM team yet. It is becoming a Dubas team but he can't take all the credit...

Lou Lam directed the team he inherited to last place and won the lottery and drafted Auston Matthews, Leafs best and franchise cornerstone player who is a Rocket Richard candidate as league top goal scorer. Lou Lam also traded for and signed Freddy Andersen as Leafs starting #1G.

Your #1C and your #1G are your 2 most important building block players that will drive team success and Dubas will rely heavily on those inherited players to build his team around.

Adding greybeards like Thornton and Spezza to fill out the bottom of the roster as they fade into to retirement is more about adding leadership than production at this stage of their careers.

 

[KyleDubasBoyGeniua]

Lou Lam directed the team he inherited to last place and won the lottery and drafted Auston Matthews, Leafs best and franchise cornerstone player who is a Rocket Richard candidate as league top goal scorer. Lou Lam also traded for and signed Freddy Andersen as Leafs starting #1G.

Your #1C and your #1G are your 2 most important building block players that will drive team success and Dubas will rely heavily on those inherited players to build his team around.

Anyone would have drafted Matthews. In fact, Dubas made the Kessel deal and I'd argue that's the biggest reason for getting Matthews (Leafs lost the most 1 goal games in the entire NHL and finsihed last by just 1 singel point).
Dubas was already making Leaf trades before Lou even arrived (Like the superb Hyman trade).
And we have no idea if Freddy is even going to be a Leaf beyond this season.
Dubas drafting Nick Robertson 53rd overall impresses me more than Lou selecting Matthews 1st overall.

 

[Deebo]

Lou Lam directed the team he inherited to last place and won the lottery and drafted Auston Matthews, Leafs best and franchise cornerstone player who is a Rocket Richard candidate as league top goal scorer. Lou Lam also traded for and signed Freddy Andersen as Leafs starting #1G.

Your #1C and your #1G are your 2 most important building block players that will drive team success and Dubas will rely heavily on those inherited players to build his team around.

Adding greybeards like Thornton and Spezza to fill out the bottom of the roster as they fade into to retirement is more about adding leadership than production at this stage of their careers.

I remember when the Leafs made the playoffs back in the shortened year and you gave all the credit to Nonis even though he inherited pretty much the entire roster, I think the only player he acutally added was Frazer McLaren.

Now Dubas inherits part of his roster, and its all about relying on inhertited players.

 

[Garthinater]

Anyone would have drafted Matthews. In fact, Dubas made the Kessel deal and I'd argue that's the biggest reason for getting Matthews (Leafs lost the most 1 goal games in the entire NHL and finsihed last by just 1 singel point).
Dubas was already making Leaf trades before Lou even arrived (Like the superb Hyman trade).
And we have no idea if Freddy is even going to be a Leaf beyond this season.
Dubas drafting Nick Robertson 53rd overall impresses me more than Lou selecting Matthews 1st overall.

You have a link that says dubas is the one who traded kessel?

Lou was the gm and generally trades of that magnitude are done by the gm, not assistant.

 

[Dekes For Days]

You have a link that says dubas is the one who traded kessel?
Lou was the gm and generally trades of that magnitude are done by the gm, not assistant.

Lou wasn't even with the team yet. Dubas was interim GM, not an assistant at that point.

 

[Garthinater]

Lou wasn't even with the team yet. Dubas was interim GM, not an assistant at that point.

Good call.

But Hunter was also interim gm.

Do we have a link saying that it was in fact dubas who made the trade and not hunter?

 

[IPS]

I remember when the Leafs made the playoffs back in the shortened year and you gave all the credit to Nonis even though he inherited pretty much the entire roster, I think the only player he acutally added was Frazer McLaren.

Now Dubas inherits part of his roster, and its all about relying on inhertited players.

"In Nonis we trust!"

 

[KyleDubasBoyGeniua]

Good call.

But Hunter was also interim gm.

Do we have a link saying that it was in fact dubas who made the trade and not hunter?

I'll try to find it but Dubas gave an interview with Sportsnet and the Hyman trade was his first trade ever and he talked about how nervous he was. From the recollection it seemed Dubas made the trade.