Leafs set to blow up roster

[YOYOTCROSTER*]

It is crystal clear to me you are a fan who has never played a pro game in your life. I never had near the skill of guys like Kessel in fact I fought my way to minor pro. My son in ahl currently too so I do know a thing or two about current game. Go ask a player the game has changed as it is a lot faster but it is still hockey and skill guys never did and still don't play like everyone else. Until Kessel gets a Trots like centre to feed him and a Gilles like power winger who can create ice for him to open up his time and space Kessel is wasted on the Leafs. I say trade him now and get same value as in original trade for Seguin and Hamilton. Any team with a top flight playmaker and a great defence could really utilize him for a Cup run. Kessel like players are always the last piece of the Cup puzzle.

 

[EN4CER]

Is the bold possible?

I refuse to even click on the article because of who it's written by and how terrible of a reporter he is. How the best hockey coverage organization in TSN gives him airtime is beyond me.

That's too bad you didn't click the link. Stevie would have blown your mind while the rest of us anticipate the leafs blowing up the roster

 

[Al14]

I wish the bomb would just go off already

Hey, with Nonis and Shanahan at the helm, the bomb just might be a dud!

 

[Sonny21]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger now17 seconds ago
It's believed Cody Franson has a minor hip problem. It's not believed to be serious. Clarkson also expected to draw back vs Isles.

Let's hope the injury IS minor

 

[ChrisCall]

You just don't get it.

Nobody is asking him to become a two way player. Nobody is asking him to be that guy on his line who is always in the corners fighting for pucks on the forecheck. Nobody asks him to hit anybody either, that last claim is just a joke.

All I wanted was to see him actually try to give even half a **** about his play in the defensive zone. Believe it or not, the way he plays defensively is essentially the same thing as our opponents having a PP every time his line is on the ice.

In terms of fighting for pucks, no, I never expected him to be that guy that always does the hard work. What's pathetic and inexcusable however is his willingness to completely bail on a play or give away the puck whenever it becomes obvious that he might need to be that guy on the forecheck every now and then.

Hockey has changed a lot since the days of Bossy and Lafleur. Pretty much all players coming into the league these days are expected to have some sort of defensive awareness as the game has changed and most successful teams have rosters composed of players that play a decent two-way game.

Plus / minus may not be everything, but i go by the philosophy that the concept is everything. Yes, you need players who can score, but do they score more than they cause their team to be scored on? That is why i was not hugely interested in TJ Brennan with the Marlies last year. He put up a lot of points, but how much of the time was he the cause of as many or more against? This is also why i continue to submit that Anze Kopitar is the best player in the league, or has been much of the time the least several seasons. The true bona-fide complete player with great character.

Maybe Dion wouldn't look so bad most nights if he had forwards that could be bothered to play defence on the ice with him? It has to be frustrating being out there, constantly wondering if you have to skate out of position because your team mates can't be trusted to make the smart play.

So being that, i do think it is possible to win with Phil Kessel or Dion, but they have the wrong cast around them. Hey, i am a Ken Hitchcock fan forever, and i think the Leafs gaffed huge if they didn;t reach out to him before the Blues did. I love the trap. I love Freddy the Goat. That's just me. There's no question that open pond hockey is exciting. I'm just not convinced it is the best way to build a long term contender.

 

[King Mapes]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger now17 seconds ago
It's believed Cody Franson has a minor hip problem. It's not believed to be serious. Clarkson also expected to draw back vs Isles.

Let's hope the injury IS minor

Here we go..

Nah should be minor

 

[buttman*]

ok; Dave; blow it up.

 

[Leaf Lander]

Mats Sundin use to get an occasional hip. Injury

It's pretty common prob has a pulled / strained deep ligament issue

 

[Warden of the North]

Just sit him until hes traded

 

[Erdinger]

Hey, with Nonis and Shanahan at the helm, the bomb just might be a dud!

Like those ones they keep finding in construction sites in Germany 70 years later

 

[Leaf Lander]

Buffalo made. 3 separate trades today?

 

[Hunters Rule]

Reilly and kadri should be untouchable, not Reilly and jvr
also keep conner brown, gardiner and some of our recent draft picks ex. nylander, percy, finn, gauthier, rinat and a few others(not going to name them all). Don't bother trying to trade lupul, robidas and clarkson it will cost to much. We can afford to eat the salary(with the other contracts traded out now to the deadline and at the draft and smart cheap ufa signings ) for a couple of years until more decent trades are done and properly developed youth push them out. Yes keep gardiner for another year or 2 as his contract is not that bad$ still think he has potential and if not at least we won't look back and say **** he took a little longer and now look what he is doing, the rest of the players se ya

 

[diceman934]

Reilly and kadri should be untouchable, not Reilly and jvr
also keep conner brown, gardiner and some of our recent draft picks ex. nylander, percy, finn, gauthier, rinat and a few others(not going to name them all). Don't bother trying to trade lupul, robidas and clarkson it will cost to much. We can afford to eat the salary(with the other contracts traded out now to the deadline and at the draft and smart cheap ufa signings ) for a couple of years until more decent trades are done and properly developed youth push them out. Yes keep gardiner for another year or 2 as his contract is not that bad$ still think he has potential and if not at least we won't look back and say **** he took a little longer and now look what he is doing, the rest of the players se ya

JVR is a must go.....man has no heart at all. Soft wingers who fail to show up should never be considered as a player that you build around.

 

[91Stammer*]

JVR is a must go.....man has no heart at all. Soft wingers who fail to show up should never be considered as a player that you build around.

2nded this. He will also get us much more in return from teams like Chicago, Tampa, Isles, Preds. Has to go if we are rebuilding, I would want no players on the team who floats around watching puck, I would rather have players like Sharp, Hossa setting an example for young players.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Just sit him until hes traded

This x1000

Protect the asset.

 

[daveleaf]

JVR is a must go.....man has no heart at all. Soft wingers who fail to show up should never be considered as a player that you build around.

Is he completely healthy though? Be careful here, JVR is a very good player. The whole team looks like crap right now, I wouldn't trade him at all.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I'm going to close this thread down, it's all tank/re-build talk and we've got a dedicated ongoing thread for that