Sportsnet: Maple Leafs need to mend divided dressing room

[TheVision]

They probably need to take back a crappy contract to move Kessel's contract. But that's what will need to happen.

I wish Cap Geek hadn't shut down. Last night I really wanted to start looking at the cap situations of contending teams to see what kinds of (realistic deals) are possible for some of the Leafs contracts.

Yeah, the serviceable player I mentioned would most likely be a cap dump, who can still play some. The Top prospect and the 1st rounder is what you need!

Actually, Ironically, a team to think of would be Dallas! Imagine Seguin and Kessel on the same team LOL. You've got Benn and Spezza there to insulate them. Wonder if they'd gut their prospect pool and take Dion as well and make a run, they have the goaltending!

 

[Longshot]

Yeah, the serviceable player I mentioned would most likely be a cap dump, who can still play some. The Top prospect and the 1st rounder is what you need!

Actually, Ironically, a team to think of would be Dallas! Imagine Seguin and Kessel on the same team LOL. You've got Benn and Spezza there to insulate them. Wonder if they'd gut their prospect pool and take Dion as well and make a run, they have the goaltending!

Not sure they have the cap space for that kind of move. Would have to check.

If the Leafs are going to move Kessel and Phaneuf I think it would take a minor miracle to do it as a package.

Their combined cap hit is $15 million. That's a pretty big pill for any team to swallow. And most contending teams (the ones that would want a Kessel and Phaneuf to help put them over the top) are already close to the cap limit as it is.

It might be a fun project if some like-minded posters here got together and took a look at what might be possible. Tougher without CapGeek, but there are other cap situation resources out there.

 

[TheVision]

Not sure they have the cap space for that kind of move. Would have to check.

If the Leafs are going to move Kessel and Phaneuf I think it would take a minor miracle to do it as a package.

Their combined cap hit is $15 million. That's a pretty big pill for any team to swallow. And most contending teams (the ones that would want a Kessel and Phaneuf to help put them over the top) are already close to the cap limit as it is.

It might be a fun project if some like-minded posters here go together and took a look at what might be possible. Tougher without CapGeek, but there are other cap situation resources out there.

was more just a dream bud. But Dallas has $5.3M in space...hockeybuzz does have a capcentral section. I'm not sure how reliable it is though; it's eklund's site after all.

Another team who should be looking really hard at Kessel: St Louis!

 

[Wafflewhipper]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-need-to-bridge-divided-dressing-room/



I thought that was a pretty significant quote - especially coming from the guy who got a puck in the mouth and returned to set up a goal (not bad for a shutdown D).

So you think Nonis got our back on this? I doubt it. This stuff is not fresh news. Its a old dried up cow patty. All the offense has translated to poor defense. You can't have all offensive skill on any team and be successful without defensive skill to boot.

 

[trellaine201]

Omg it's been like this for years! It's the same old issues year after year. They will never get it right. This organization is so dysfunctional. Organizational structure: nobody has hired the person directly below them lol except lieweke. And he's leaving lol , yikes.

 

[Swayze*]

was more just a dream bud. But Dallas has $5.3M in space...hockeybuzz does have a capcentral section. I'm not sure how reliable it is though; it's eklund's site after all.

Another team who should be looking really hard at Kessel: St Louis!

STL has no cap and like their team a lot

I don't think there is any interest there

 

[Longshot]

was more just a dream bud. But Dallas has $5.3M in space...hockeybuzz does have a capcentral section. I'm not sure how reliable it is though; it's eklund's site after all.

Another team who should be looking really hard at Kessel: St Louis!

I was thinking the Rangers on Kessel. They need a sniper. They have the money. Martin St. Louis is 39 years old. The Rangers are also the kind of organization that might do something.

Hard to make the cap numbers work. Unless the Leafs were taking back Nash or St. Louis. I can't see the Rangers trading multiple roster players (to balance the cap hits) and futures for Kessel.

Dallas is definitely an interesting option.

 

[ACC1224]

It was definitely a different time.

As I said, there were stories and criticisms. But there was nothing like this kind of scale. Divided dressing room, uncoachable players, etc, etc.

But I guess that's the nature of the beast when you're comparing winning and successful teams to teams that have been bad for a long time.

When a team is losing everything gets magnified. And every critical story seems like the end of the world and more piling on.

This kind of scale is more a reflection of the times we live in, then the magnitude of the story.

Apparently now the dressing room is divided, what's the next leap?

 

[hockeyfanz*]

We all know this....now it is time fore everyone to admit it. Players need to go.

I actually dont even care anymore. They suck.

If you are watching hockey for entertainment and don't care about winning..what better team is there than the TML...NONE.

Its a circus...a media frenzy..and a gong show all rolled into one. Very entertaining indeed.

I love the fans hanging onto Kessel like he is Mark Messier or Brett Hull...lol....Its kinda sad and intriguing at the same time.

Still waiting for a manager who has some cahonas to do what actually needs to be done.....for once in 50 years.

Horaceck will regret the day he took the interim job just like RW and RC. Toronto is a place where coaches go to have their careers destroyed...although Mr. Maurice had a nice bounce back. Good for him.

 

[ACC1224]

exactly.
take off the wrapper and look inside, what is Polak saying. that's the important thing

Is what he's not saying but is stated anyway not equally important?

 

[hockeyfanz*]

This kind of scale is more a reflection of the times we live in, then the magnitude of the story.

Apparently now the dressing room is divided, what's the next leap?

Man...if you are that naive to not think there is dysfunction on this team and has been for a long time...you are seriously beyond hope Mr. ACC.

 

[Swayze*]

Florida and Arizona need to sell tickets badly and they need an electrifying guy like kessel to put fans in the seats.

I see potential suitors being:

Fla
Az
Avs
Isles maybe

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Either direct comments, indirect comments, or rumours of comments from Polak, Wilson, JS Giguere, Lieweke, Spott, Chara, Chiarelli, etc.

But yea, there's no problem with Kessel, he's a great team player

Well everyone should be prepared to suck it up because we are the ones that need to fix him and support him. He shows the effort and he will be applauded. Trading him is not a option right now. His value scoring is better that his trade value right now.

Others need to go right now. Kessel needs to grow up and get better in every aspect that he lacks. I'll say if he does that,he will be respected by his peers. He isn't respected right now is all he should focus on really. Its his fault,he should accept that.

 

[Ratboy]

The Polak quote was pretty huge IMO. That's why I posted the article.

Contrast it with Giguere going on about players wanting to play pond hockey and , ****. It's not like I want this team to be bad, it's not like I want to have to go through (yet another) retool, rebuild, whatever the heck you want to call it.

We're all fans here. This is just a ****** situation.

 

[BLONG7]

The core guys are being questioned big time now...they as a unit have no character/camraderie with each other.......someone's gotta go...

 

[Longshot]

Florida and Arizona need to sell tickets badly and they need an electrifying guy like kessel to put fans in the seats.

I see potential suitors being:

Fla
Az
Avs
Isles maybe

What? Where on Earth do you get the idea any of those teams (except the Islanders) would want Kessel and his $8 million cap hit?

Florida is still in the midst of their rebuilding. They are assembling a nice young core and letting them grow together, with some solid veterans and strong goaltending. Why would they want to toss Kessel into that mix?

Arizona is worse than the Leafs (13th in west). Why would a team like that want Kessel and his contract?

I highly doubt Arizona or Florida are going to sacrifice their long-term flexibility to get a guy to "sell tickets."

And the Avs are similar to both the above teams. Assembling a young core and near the bottom of the standings. The last thing they need is a veteran with an $8 million cap hit.

The Islanders, on the other hand are a young team on the rise that might be looking for a (still relatively young) sniper to add to their core.

 

[mashedpotato]

Why hasn't someone put a tank nation thread?

Divided room is a divided team. Any team that's divided is basically just playing for themselves now.

 

[Pilky01]

Why would you want to mend this kind of divide?

If anything management should work to exacerbate this divide. Make the players on the wrong side of this divide are so freaking uncomfortable that they are forced to either change, or maybe just quit altogether.

This divide shouldn't be mended. It sounds like the kind of divide this team desperately needs.

 

[Swayze*]

What? Where on Earth do you get the idea any of those teams (except the Islanders) would want Kessel and his $8 million cap hit?

Florida is still in the midst of their rebuilding. They are assembling a nice young core and letting them grow together, with some solid veterans and strong goaltending. Why would they want to toss Kessel into that mix?

Arizona is worse than the Leafs (13th in west). Why would a team like that want Kessel and his contract?

I highly doubt Arizona or Florida are going to sacrifice their long-term flexibility to get a guy to "sell tickets."

And the Avs are similar to both the above teams. Assembling a young core and near the bottom of the standings. The last thing they need is a veteran with an $8 million cap hit.

The Islanders, on the other hand are a young team on the rise that might be looking for a (still relatively young) sniper to add to their core.

Fla is pushing hard for a playoff birth
They need to sell tickets. This is a business afterall
They desperately need scoring
They have the cap

Pretty much the exact same thing with Az

 

[Swayze*]

FLa also just gave bolland a huge contract and Jokinen

they are coming out of the rebuild

 

[Peasy]

Blows my mind that people are just finally starting to realize this now, but its better late then never.

I remember getting hammered for saying that this team would never win anything while Kessel was on it.

 

[ACC1224]

Does Polak say the "dressing room is divided" or is this just an assumed leap?
By all accounts they've seemed like a pretty tight group.

Very misleading headline by Sportsnet. Nowhere in that article di I read that there are dressing room problems and that it is divided.

and now slowly becoming fact....

Why hasn't someone put a tank nation thread?

Divided room is a divided team. Any team that's divided is basically just playing for themselves now.

 

[Longshot]

Fla is pushing hard for a playoff birth
They need to sell tickets. This is a business afterall
They desperately need scoring
They have the cap

Pretty much the exact same thing with Az

According to this site they don't have much cap space (CapGeek is gone, so I'm not sure about the best cap resource out there, been searching the past two days):

http://stats.nhlnumbers.com/teams/FLA?year=2015

Sorry, I don't see it. Florida has been on a pretty steady process. I can't see why they would want to blow up that process and deal futures for Kessel. The deals they gave to the veterans was to have some solid leaders around their young core.

They're also lower than the Leafs in the standings. I also doubt acquiring Kessel would have any significant impact on ticket sales in Florida. Most people in Miami have probably never heard of him.

I don't think it's the same thing at all in Arizona. I've been reading/hearing they're contemplating a rebuild since they're current second last in the standings.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Ok, so the dressing room is divided. Would the media now please let us know who is on what side of the divide? I would like to be privy to such information.

 

[hockeystick89]

What does he say. Don't read your own personal bias into.

He said “Because it’s hard work,†Polak said before Wednesday’s 6-2 loss to Washington. “It’s always tough to do something you know you don’t like to do. I think we have lots of guys that just want to play offence.â€

So a player has an opinion on what the problem is with the Leafs but how does that make it a dressing room divided? Does Polak hate Kessel, JVR, Kadri, Lupul, Bozak cause they think offence first? So Polak ignores them in the dressing room, the plane and hotel? So certain players sit only with certain players and they don't host Halloween parties where everyone shows up.

You hear the same comment from any player on any team when a team struggles no different on his team than others.

Don't let the media's CNN style headline on Sportsnet fool you into thinking something that it is not. They are just trying to suck you into reading their article and they were successful.

I can pull post game comments from every team that are similar to Polak and that doesn't mean there is a room divided.

Let's not be sheeple here people