Leafs set to blow up roster

[Wendel17]

I think Kessel would be that motivated if we had a Toews and a Keith and our team was that good. I can see Kane being demotivated if he was on the Leafs in Kessel's situation. And I dont even blame Kessel. This team was built ass-backwards. Kessel is like Gaborik, they go to a team as the last piece of the puzzle, not the first piece.

This right here. Same can be said about Ovechkin, Taylor Hall, Brett Hull. You can't build a team with a winger as your central player. A winger, no matter how good, is only as good as his centre and #1D.

 

[senor martinez]

There's a danger that trading Kessel might actually improve the team. So hopefully we stick it out until the offseason.

Sure. Less goals scored against us and one more player in the lineup who tries hard everytime he plays.

That's better right there.

 

[GoonieFace]

If the Kane trade is true, the Leafs should be able to get a boatload for Kessel. Heres to hoping they can.

 

[Mehar]

Oh AND SCRATCH CLARKSON INTO RETIRMENT!!!!! or atleast contract termination.

Funny thing is that there were some in this forum that supported the Clarkson contract in 2013, when i was absolutely disgusted by it and could not understand that move. I do not blame Clarkson, since anyone that is presented that offer- is not going to decline it.

 

[SprDaVE]

If the Kane trade is true, the Leafs should be able to get a boatload for Kessel. Heres to hoping they can.

Completely different circumstances.

But even without a Kane deal like today, the Leafs were always going to get a great return for Kessel.

 

[The Legend]

Completely different circumstances.

But even without a Kane deal like today, the Leafs were always going to get a great return for Kessel.

I think that would require Nonis to be alive.

 

[Stats01]

wakey wakey Nonis, wake up and start being proactive...if our UFA's get hurt and we can't move them it would be such a Leaf move

 

[Pookie]

Completely different circumstances.

But even without a Kane deal like today, the Leafs were always going to get a great return for Kessel.

Maybe.

Listening to the radio guys this morning, I wanted to call in. Calling Kessel an asset is true (sort of). He's a great player.

But he isn't contributing anything. What value is there to keep him and build around him? It looks like he doesn't want to be here. He isn't doing anything here. That's not really an asset...

I wouldn't hold out for "great return"... fantastic player that will be great elsewhere. Not a fit for him or the Leafs. Get a return but like when the Raptors unloaded Gay, sometimes other players step up and surprise you. The cap space and competition for top spot may be a good return in and of itself

I'd wager a hard working but lesser skilled team would outperform this current roster any day of the way.

 

[Vexed]

wakey wakey Nonis, wake up and start being proactive...if our UFA's get hurt and we can't move them it would be such a Leaf move

Doesn't mean you take the first crappy move being offered. Such a Leaf fan thing to say lol

 

[Stats01]

Doesn't mean you take the first crappy move being offered. Such a Leaf fan thing to say lol

Jhonas Enroth about to be traded from Buffalo to Dallas. Tim Murray is getting **** done...such a Leaf fan thing to say defending nothing being done lol

 

[colchar]

You can't build a team with a winger as your central player.

Guy Lafleur?

Mike Bossy?

Sure, they both had great casts around them but they were clearly the central players.

 

[613Leafer]

Guy Lafleur?

Mike Bossy?

Sure, they both had great casts around them but they were clearly the central players.

Different eras. The NHL used to be driven by skill and offence. Goalies used to be MUCH worse than they are now, team defence was much worse, the level of athleticism of your average NHLer was much worse, etc.

In today's NHL, where team defence and goaltending are so strong, and where everyone is expected to show up to training camp in top top shape, the ability of a scoring winger to dominate the game is substantially reduced.

The game is being dominated by strong systems that control the pace of the game, as opposed to high flying offence.

 

[91Kadri91*]

Maybe.

Listening to the radio guys this morning, I wanted to call in. Calling Kessel an asset is true (sort of). He's a great player.

But he isn't contributing anything. What value is there to keep him and build around him? It looks like he doesn't want to be here. He isn't doing anything here. That's not really an asset...

I wouldn't hold out for "great return"... fantastic player that will be great elsewhere. Not a fit for him or the Leafs. Get a return but like when the Raptors unloaded Gay, sometimes other players step up and surprise you. The cap space and competition for top spot may be a good return in and of itself

I'd wager a hard working but lesser skilled team would outperform this current roster any day of the way.

Phil Kessel is a significantly better player than Rudy Gay was (in terms of their standing in their respective leagues), on a significantly better contract.

 

[Wendel17]

Different eras. The NHL used to be driven by skill and offence. Goalies used to be MUCH worse than they are now, team defence was much worse, the level of athleticism of your average NHLer was much worse, etc.

In today's NHL, where team defence and goaltending are so strong, and where everyone is expected to show up to training camp in top top shape, the ability of a scoring winger to dominate the game is substantially reduced.

The game is being dominated by strong systems that control the pace of the game, as opposed to high flying offence.

And strong 1c and 1d figure more prominently into this.

Not arguing that Bossy and Lafleur weren't the best players on their teams, but looking at more recent history I don't think we would see similar examples for the reasons you stated Leafer.

 

[Leaf Lander]

Guy Lafleur?

Mike Bossy?

Sure, they both had great casts around them but they were clearly the central players.

Both teams were insanely deep with wicked defence

Lafleur had Lemiere for his center man while Bossy had trottier

And they both. Had great goalies

Billy Smith and Ken dryden

 

[paulhiggins]

I think that would require Nonis to be alive.

Hoping it doesn't go down like this:

"Well we decided to stand pat with core players because nothing that was offered made sense for the team. I guess I could have taken the initiative and proposed some trades of my own instead of just sitting back and waiting but I didn't want to appear too desparate to other GMs. So we left the war room a bit early and headed over to Phil's house for coffee and donuts."

 

[studebaker17]

First you don't NEED your franchise players spread over Center, defense and goaltending. The Devils won without a "real" #1 center. The Penguins won without a franchise D. The Wings won with Osgood in need. The Hawks don't have a franchise centerman, the Ducks won with MacDonald as their #1 center etc... You need franchise PLAYERS, you don't need them in those positions.

And Strome is not the player the NEED. They need McDavid, Eichel or Hannifin. Strome is very good 2nd place prize. Unfortunately, this year, its not likely the Leafs ended up in a positio to get one of the franchise prospects.



To be fair he didn't like the Bruins system and coaching and culture or the money they offered. He didn't "turn his back" on the idea of playing with all-star talent.

Toews is absolutely a franchise center , probably the 2nd best center in the game today and no way chicago would win the cup without him. I think you're confusing a high points offense center like stamkos with a center who dominates the entire ice surface. All that said your point stands that you just need quality players throughout the line up not necessarily a franchise player but it sure helps especially at defense or center. If your team has a vezina ,or selke candidate and what should be a norris candidate although they give that more or less to the best offensive d then you are probably a contender. To lazy to look but heart candidates help but not sure how many are actually on cup winners. The last 3 cup winners have norris and selke candidates on all 3 of them.

 

[Trapper]

Both teams were insanely deep with wicked defence

Lafleur had Lemiere for his center man while Bossy had trottier

And they both. Had great goalies

Billy Smith and Ken dryden

And All-Star D in Robinson and Potvin.

 

[Al14]

Damn it Shanahan, stop evaluating, get off your duff, and get some trades completed! Other teams can get **** done, but, not our Leafs!

#FireShanahan

 

[gamer1035]

Funny thing is that there were some in this forum that supported the Clarkson contract in 2013, when i was absolutely disgusted by it and could not understand that move. I do not blame Clarkson, since anyone that is presented that offer- is not going to decline.

remember that dude who made a thread saying could make the playoffs after we beat edmonton? thats the type of fan which defended the clarkson signing. i think theyve all gone into hiding

 

[Diatomic]

wakey wakey Nonis, wake up and start being proactive...if our UFA's get hurt and we can't move them it would be such a Leaf move

Even if their healthy, this will be the nonis's presser during the trade deadline:


Nonis: We decided to stand pat, there wasn't a very good market out there for our players

Reporter: So what's going to happen to Winnik, Santorelli, Franson and the other UFA's?

Nonis: Well, were very hopeful we can sign them

Reporter: On behalf of leafs nation, **** yourself

 

[William Hylander]

Anyone who defended the contract assumed that he would be a 20 Goal scorer, and wouldn't suck eggs. The fact that Nonis was rumored to be offering 6 mill per year is terrifying. Everyone knew Clarkson to Leafs was a done deal, and I was happy simply because the contract wasn't the 6 million per.

Clarkson is a fraud, I have no idea how he is even in the NHL at this point. I guess a 5.25 mill @ 7 year contract will do that to you. How Nonis is able to come to work still is beyond me. He specifically backed himself into a corner with the signing bonuses, so that there was no escape from the contract. Call it anti-hedging or a nonis-clause.

 

[613Leafer]

What a mess of a situation. Kessel is a pouty one-dimensional winger, but it's not like management isn't to blame either.

1) They traded a premium for him when that was absolutely his reputation at the time

2) Management then did NOTHING to try and change that about him. Kessel cheats defensively, doesn't fight for loose pucks, puts in limited effort at practice, etc. Did they ever demote him before? Cut his PP time? Etc? Nope. The management of this team have CREATED the culture of entitlement that exists here, and then they complain about it to the media, talking about accountability/leadership/character without actually doing anything about it.

The Leafs should have taken this hardlined approach with Kessel when he got here. They could have spent a couple of years putting in legitimate effort to mold him into more of a responsible two-way winger, like Kovalchuk became in NJ, or Hossa has become later in his career.

If he didn't respond well to that treatment 4-5 years ago, then we could have simply traded him, and accepted our losses on the whole thing. Instead, worried about upsetting our "star" player, we've wasted 6 years. Not once trying to enforce accountability on him, and now all of a sudden they're trying to do that and are surprised that Kessel is surprised.

Now at 28 years old with 7 years remaining at 8M, he's going to be harder to move than if we'd moved him at 24/25 with a couple years remaining at 5.4M. Our management has had zero vision when it comes to assets, but also when it comes to accountability on the team and how it affects the players.

 

[Al14]

I think that would require Nonis to be alive.

And, Shanahan to stop EVALUATING, and start wheeling and dealing
NOW!!!

 

[egd27]

Funny how so many posters that claim to favour a patient multi year rebuild, seem to lack the patience to wait a couple of weeks until the trade deadline for moves to be made.

"Hurry up and gets things going so I can start being patient"