Sportsnet: Leafs underwhelm on free-agency opener

[Tyler Biggs*]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/leafs-underwhelm-on-free-agent-opener/

What was a day of celebration for Toronto Maple Leaf fans last year was a day of disappointment this year, as a July 1st free agent frenzy fizzled for the Buds’ faithful.

The Leafs were the talk of the league as they acquired David Bolland and Jonathan Bernier through trades and then landed what seemed like the biggest free agent fish of them in all in David Clarkson agreeing to a seven-year contract with the blue and white.

Not many weeks earlier the Leafs had that unfortunate and epic collapse in that memorable game seven against the Boston Bruins. In a few short days, Leafs general manager David Nonis had solved all Toronto’s problems with this moves, thought Leafs fans who believed that had Bernier, Bolland and Clarkson all been on the ice in those final minutes against the Bruins, the collapse would have been averted.

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[Leafidelity]

Gord Stellick. Nuff said.

 

[mokspeed]

Media always gonna hate. If we sign big contracts, we've obviously paid too much. If we don't sign big contracts, we obviously aren't trying hard enough. *sigh*

 

[mikebel111*]

Media being dumb again
Ignore thread

 

[DD03]

Lol. Compares it to last season? Why?

 

[Joey Hoser]

Leafs underwhelm on free-agency opener

I don't understand the article. As if we should be doing those things again?

The Leafs were the talk of the league as they acquired David Bolland and Jonathan Bernier through trades and then landed what seemed like the biggest free agent fish of them in all in David Clarkson agreeing to a seven-year contract with the blue and white.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Again Leafs fans always on the defensive when a media member tells truths.

I look at it as Leafs taking a step back, and this is not a bad thing. Too much spending by Nonis of late has tied our hands.

Again this team barring a miracle year from Bernier will be life and death making the playoffs. It's not great, it's not bad, it's mediocre. Which is where a bubble team belongs.

 

[stakesishigh]

Interesting considering the majority of us are content with what transpired the last few days.

 

[Morbo]

I bet if we had signed Goc and Ehrhoff to the contracts the Pens gave them, we'd still be seeing "Bulletin: Leafs Suck Again" stories in the media.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

Again Leafs fans always on the defensive when a media member tells truths.

I look at it as Leafs taking a step back, and this is not a bad thing. Too much spending by Nonis of late has tied our hands.

Again this team barring a miracle year from Bernier will be life and death making the playoffs. It's not great, it's not bad, it's mediocre. Which is where a bubble team belongs.

This is what most people think as well. Actually I'd say the average Leaf fan here has us worse than that.

 

[JackJ]

Amazed that Stellick still has a job in the industry. After the Courtnell/Kordic trade he should never criticize anyone, ever!

 

[Holymakinaw]

If someone were to take a poll of all the Leaf fans around here, I'm betting that the majority would be very happy with the additions of Polak, Robidas, Komarov, Santorelli and Kontiola.

Especially considering how little we paid for them all.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

This is what most people think as well. Actually I'd say the average Leaf fan here has us worse than that.

Being a mediocre team in a draft year when Mcdavid or Eichel are draft eligible is bad management IMO.

If one thought trading up to get Ekblad was hard, and apparently we tried. It is impossible if it is the former 2 guys I mentioned.

This team looks pretty bad on paper, I wouldn't be too disappointed if we are out of the playoffs by December, if Nonis is a smart man, to let this team free fall like Colorado did for Mackinnon.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Being a mediocre team in a draft year when Mcdavid or Eichel are draft eligible is bad management IMO.

If one thought trading up to get Ekblad was hard, and apparently we tried. It is impossible if it is the former 2 guys I mentioned.

This team looks pretty bad on paper, I wouldn't be too disappointed if we are out of the playoffs by December, if Nonis is a smart man, to let this team free fall like Colorado did for Mackinnon.

LMAO. What a ridiculous comment.

So it you're not LA or Chicago or Boston........you should be deliberately tanking?

Um......NO!!

 

[FifthLine]

And if we have signed some one to a bigger deal, they would also complain that we shouldn't be trying to add through Free agency. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

LMAO. What a ridiculous comment.

So it you're not LA or Chicago or Boston........you should be deliberately tanking?

Um......NO!!

Worked for Colorado, they went last to a 112 pt season last year, they laughed all the way to Mackinnon and the playoffs in under 12 months.

 

[Jacquestrapless]

I thought we should stay away from over-priced FAs? the media is just mad they have to get creative in sensationalizing the Leafs instead of the leafs doing it for them.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Worked for Colorado, they went last to a 112 pt season last year, they laughed all the way to Mackinnon and the playoffs in under 12 months.

Anyone in the NHL who tries to deliberately lose, especially before we've played a game, should be removed from the league.

Terrible way to go about things.

Glad you have no say in the matter.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Being a mediocre team in a draft year when Mcdavid or Eichel are draft eligible is bad management IMO.

If one thought trading up to get Ekblad was hard, and apparently we tried. It is impossible if it is the former 2 guys I mentioned.

This team looks pretty bad on paper, I wouldn't be too disappointed if we are out of the playoffs by December, if Nonis is a smart man, to let this team free fall like Colorado did for Mackinnon.

There's a heck of lot more than just two guys in next years draft. We need stop being so focused on the top one or and more the draft as whole.

It's a little bit ridiculous to start planning for this now, And the goal should be playoffs; If we don't, Then so be it; But it's far too early to start the campaigning now.

 

[Pholus]

Being a mediocre team in a draft year when Mcdavid or Eichel are draft eligible is bad management IMO.

If one thought trading up to get Ekblad was hard, and apparently we tried. It is impossible if it is the former 2 guys I mentioned.

This team looks pretty bad on paper, I wouldn't be too disappointed if we are out of the playoffs by December, if Nonis is a smart man, to let this team free fall like Colorado did for Mackinnon.

Wouldn't that just mean you are close to being a bad team? Close enough that selling off a few players for draft picks at the trade deadline could result in a slide down the standings.

Also worth noting that, next year being such a deep draft, you could probably find a 'franchise' center even at 5th or 6th overall (McDavid/Eichel/Konecny/Barzal could all be that guy)

 

[Leafy Undergrowth]

Oh, I get it now. The goal of a team is to be the talk of the league .... on July 1.

 

[MaskedSonja]

And if we have signed some one to a bigger deal, they would also complain that we shouldn't be trying to add through Free agency. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Pretty much par for the course for Toronto Media.

If Leafs had gone big and signed guys like Richards, Bolland, Stastny, you wouldn't be reading an article about "how Toronto shored up their forward line up": you'd see the "didn't the Leafs learn from Clarkson, these guys are huge contracts that Leafs will have to buy out, they should have gone with smaller moves for the 3/4 line and played the youth, Toronto never learns"

Because happy stories don't sell button clicks it seems, but negative ones seem to.

 

[TootooTrain]

Oh, I get it now. The goal of a team is to be the talk of the league .... on July 1.

Islanders offseason > Leafs offseason clearly.

 

[Stats01]

When the media says stuff that generalizations an opinion for the whole fan base like "Leaf fans were upset with today's signings" How the hell do they get to that conclusion. Did they call and ask every single Leaf fan in this country..no they base their own opinion and brand it a "Leafs fans opinion". Once again these sort of articles are created to get the buzz going to create controversy to create panic amongst ourselves. These guys are ****ing piranas. I hate the media in this city with a passion, Gord Stellick is a moron.

 

[613Leafer]

How many big money contracts have been bought out, demoted, and generally regretted within 1-3 of signing?

How many shortterm cheaper contracts have been considered "bargains", "homesruns", etc.

I like what we've done. We might not be much better on paper compared to last season, but given the conference, other teams, etc. That means we're still easily a playoff threat, and thats without handing out big dumb overpaid long contracts or trading more 2nd rounders.

I still question the overall direction of this team, but the last month has been managed a lot better than last draft/free agency IMO.