GDT: Leafs @ Coyotes 9 PM SNO

[MR4]

you would rather honor and a 10th OA pick every year spinning our wheels? or like almost every elite teams now play horribly and get a top draft talent?

so the leafs should have honor but almost every single other team that tanks has shown it works so we shouldnt do it then

This *100.. Biggest honor in hockey is in winning the Stanley Cup, doesn't matter how you get there if you do get there. End justifies the means in building a team in any sport.

 

[zeke]

you would rather honor and a 10th OA pick every year spinning our wheels? or like almost every elite teams now play horribly and get a top draft talent?

so the leafs should have honor but almost every single other team that tanks has shown it works so we shouldnt do it then

how many 1st overalls have won cups with the team that drafted them?

 

[Suntouchable13]

how many 1st overalls have won cups with the team that drafted them?

Crosby and Pat Kane won 5 out the past 8 cups.

 

[zeke]

so 2, then?

 

[MR4]

how many 1st overalls have won cups with the team that drafted them?

How many teams have won cups with a player drafted in the top 2 picks since the 05 lockout, where drafting became much more significant? Pretty sure Detroit in 08 is the only exception.

Shows drafting high gets you a better chance at the cup no?

 

[HockeyThoughts]

so 2, then?

Lol do you just argue about everything, Zeke?

 

[zeke]

most tanking teams don't win. that's the truth

we got very lucky that we tanked the right year AND won the lottery to make this tank worth it.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Back on this topic, eh?

I don't think Toronto was outright tanking to start last season. They made moves for the long-term good, but other than that they filled up with some quality depth veterans and played better than the 30th place finish they ended up with.

I think that changed post-TDL though. The decision to ride Sparks the rest of the year was among the most obvious tank moves I've seen.

For clarity, I see things having five tiers:
* Go for it-stage, where you actively sacrifice future for a better chance now
* Competitive-stage, where you strive to strengthen your team without too heavy cost to immediate future.
* Growing-stage, where the focus is on getting better in the immediate future
* Rebuilding-stage, where you focus on long-term growth above present concerns
* Tanking, where you actively try to tear down your present team to bottom out

It's very possible to make sensible long-term decisions and rebuild without actually tanking. Then there's tanking moves, like playing Sparks, where the focus seem to solely be on getting worse now.

 

[taurine330]

How far we've come in less than a year:

Now that was a Tank job well done.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Anyways....the next 2 games are back to back in FL, and are key divisional games.

 

[Paradoc]

People can call it a tank job and all, but we actually had more points last year then the year before. We also has the best Canadian record after November. Our bad October was truly the reason why we were last.

 

[IBeL34f]

It is, but we did run those lines for a couple games. It's just incredible that we could actually live through those games, now we get to watch Marner, Matthews, Nylander, etc

Will not deny that in the slightest.

Though, I will say, I actually enjoyed watching them buy into Babcock's systems last year, despite the lack of talent. This year is the beauty of watching a hard-working Leafs squad with the addition of franchise-changing talent. Very exciting to see it coming together so quickly.

 

[canadon]

How far we've come in less than a year:

Wow, what a team... Only two full time players are left from that forwards group. We all had to survive last season in order to enjoy what we have now and hopefully for some foreseeable future.

 

[realgoodleafs]

People can call it a tank job and all, but we actually had more points last year then the year before. We also has the best Canadian record after November. Our bad October was truly the reason why we were last.

We tanked those last games though. Sparks was excellent

 

[NoTouchIcing]

so 2, then?

You can add MAF into that, as well.