Rebuild/Draft & Develop/Tank GDT #30: BecauseWe're All About the 4th, no Trouble

[Daisy Jane]

thread is full, and it's a game day tomorrow, so let's start saturday off with a fresh new thread - will have updated standings right as St Louis's game is finished.

Click to read more...

 

[Erdinger]

Sabres are shameless. Hopefully they don't win the lottery

 

[Moncherry]

If Carolina wins tomorrow I hope we beat Boston.

 

[Reddaye]

I'm trying to remember a season that has seemed as long as this one, and I don't honestly think I can recall one. There's only four games left, but it feels like it'll be an eternity before we get to the finish line. Just a miserable year to be a Leaf fan.

That draft pick is pretty much everything.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

If I were Murray I would have done the exact same thing this year. To blame him for foreseeing this Sabres team was really bad, and wanting get Eichel or Mcdavid in a unique draft year is really silly to me. I wished Shanahan did the same thing earlier this year, as opposed to unintentionally doing so by trying to right the ship with Horachek. If you are going to be bad, be bad, not half bad and pick 10-14. Wasn't this our complaint for this Leafs franchise all these years? Winning meaningless games that got us further away from a great pick? Being just mediocre, you will be mediocre for years to come. Just Like the Leafs the past decade.

 

[Stand Witness]

I'm trying to remember a season that has seemed as long as this one, and I don't honestly think I can recall one. There's only four games left, but it feels like it'll be an eternity before we get to the finish line. Just a miserable year to be a Leaf fan.

That draft pick is pretty much everything.

This year actually feels like one of the shortest to me.

Maybe this has to do with some external factors or that I didn't really have faith from the start. I also haven't felt like I need to watch all game either this year and I have been able to do other things with my life.

I still would rather watch every game in a playoff race though.

 

[Erdinger]

If I were Murray I would have done the exact same thing this year. To blame him for foreseeing this Sabres team was bad, and wanting get Eichel or Mcdavid in a unique draft year is really silly to me. I wished Shanahan did the same thing earlier this year, as opposed to unintentionally doing so by trying to right the ship with Horachek. If you are going to be bad, be bad, not half bad and pick 10-14. Wasn't this our complaint for this Leafs franchise all these years? Winning meaningless games that got us further away from a great pick?

Normally by picking up parts that just got us closer to 9th. But Murray's moves during this season are what are the most troubling. Play well and you are out of here. It's disgusting.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I'm trying to remember a season that has seemed as long as this one, and I don't honestly think I can recall one. There's only four games left, but it feels like it'll be an eternity before we get to the finish line. Just a miserable year to be a Leaf fan.

That draft pick is pretty much everything.

i honestly feel (and i'm going to write about this further) - for a lot of us, it was like last season was on pause - then unpaused at training camp. that was the first time in a v. long time i ever felt like that.

 

[Erdinger]

i honestly feel (and i'm going to write about this further) - for a lot of us, it was like last season was on pause - then unpaused at training camp. that was the first time in a v. long time i ever felt like that.

Will feel the same when all the core are here to start next season

 

[Nithoniniel]

Normally by picking up parts that just got us closer to 9th. But Murray's moves during this season are what are the most troubling. Play well and you are out of here. It's disgusting.

Buffalo could have put themselves in a lot of trouble, but at least they've been smart enough to keep most of their real assets out of that team for the year. Ristolainen is pretty much the only one that's in their long-term plans that has been on their team. Gionta and Ennis too perhaps.

 

[Reddaye]

This year actually feels like one of the shortest to me.

Maybe this has to do with some external factors or that I didn't really have faith from the start. I also haven't felt like I need to watch all game either this year and I have been able to do other things with my life.

I still would rather watch every game in a playoff race though.

I wish it felt short. I spent 1/2 of the season not even paying much attention to the team and only really came back in the new year. Probably haven't watched more than 20 Leaf games this season. Still feels like a horrible slog to me.

i honestly feel (and i'm going to write about this further) - for a lot of us, it was like last season was on pause - then unpaused at training camp. that was the first time in a v. long time i ever felt like that.

Wow...training camp. Seems like an eternity ago we were having training camp.

 

[Erdinger]

Habs are nothing without Price. Hopefully they keep losing with Tokarski so they will have to play Price the final game against us.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Normally by picking up parts that just got us closer to 9th. But Murray's moves during this season are what are the most troubling. Play well and you are out of here. It's disgusting.

it's not even that.

it's whinging to the BOG to not implement the lottery changes this year and postpone it to next (they were going to do the 1-2-3 change. Murarry was the loudest person to go "that's not fair.")

every single player who was playing well was traded, etc, and yes, theoretically they were all hockey moves, but if you look at it... Nolan was riding Neuwrith like a dead horse to the finish line - he gets traded. then he does the same thing with Enroth, and he gets traded. 1/2 of the Sabres, you need to pull out HockeyDB.

Murarry (who was there for two years) made zero moves to even attempt to be better on the ice - which is, the ultimate goal of the game. as much as we (as fans) want to bleat about meaningless games, i would sure as hell hope that the management staff would at least support and cultivate a system that promotes winning, competition, and growth, not just ensuring you are winning the #1-#2 draft pick.

but. whatever. it's not my problem

 

[Reddaye]

The ultimate hilarity would be for Arizona to pass Buffalo, and then for another team (us, for example ) to win the lottery and dump them down into the third draft position.

I hate to be petty, but I'd find that pretty enjoyable.

 

[Erdinger]

The ultimate hilarity would be for Arizona to pass Buffalo, and then for another team (us, for example ) to win the lottery and dump them down into the third draft position.

I hate to be petty, but I'd find that pretty enjoyable.

That would be ideal for Gary. He wouldn't have to rig the lottery for Arizona.

 

[Daisy Jane]

St Louis is losing now.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Normally by picking up parts that just got us closer to 9th. But Murray's moves during this season are what are the most troubling. Play well and you are out of here. It's disgusting.

If The Leafs were as bad as the Sabres looked and were this year, the people criticizing him for tanking would probably be applauding him if we were in the same position. This is why we have tank threads. I don't get it. Why would Buffalo try to win more games when it was obvious they were the worst team in the NHL at the start of the year? Especially with Mcdavid as the prize. They only have 20% chance anyway, its hardly guaranteed. Eichel will do I suppose.

 

[Erdinger]

If The Leafs were as bad as the Sabres looked and were this year, the people criticizing him for tanking would probably be applauding him if we were in the same position. This is why we have tank threads. I don't get it. Why would Buffalo try to win more games when it was obvious they were the worst team in the NHL at the start of the year? Especially with Mcdavid as the prize. They only have 20% chance anyway, its hardly guaranteed. Eichel will do I suppose.

It's the optics. The Leafs just stunk but they kept a "talented " roster. Buffalo wasn't even stealthy about it. Looks bad.

 

[Matt24]

Even if St. Louis wins this game, Chicago's going to have the better shot at catching Nashville imo. St. Louis' remaining schedule is brutal and Chicago's looked better lately (although they looked asleep tonight).

ETA: Dallas up by 2 now.

 

[Durrr]

If The Leafs were as bad as the Sabres looked and were this year, the people criticizing him for tanking would probably be applauding him if we were in the same position. This is why we have tank threads. I don't get it. Why would Buffalo try to win more games when it was obvious they were the worst team in the NHL at the start of the year? Especially with Mcdavid as the prize. They only have 20% chance anyway, its hardly guaranteed. Eichel will do I suppose.

I mean, the Sabers have gone too far this season, but I have to agree. The league has made it impossible for teams to build winning rosters without the draft and then people get mad when teams actually take the initiative to do just that.

The contract restrictions, strict free agency (cant be a UFA until 7 years in the league, when your almost done your prime) and a salary cap that makes it impossible to orchestrate big trades has made the NHL prime for tanking.

The new rules next year in the lottery are going to make it even worse. The fact that you are able to be as bad as a team like Buffalo and end up with the 4th pick means teams will not get better in a hurry, and honestly just extends the tanking cycle.

 

[Daisy Jane]

i don't think there are enough games
but if there were a way to have Detroit/Boston miss out and Ottawa/Florida make the dance.. in the immortal words of Bob Cole "oh, baby!"

 

[Erdinger]

I mean, the Sabres have gone too far this season, but I have to agree. The league has made it impossible for teams to build winning rosters without the draft and then people get mad when teams actually take the initiative to do just that.

The contract restrictions, strict free agency (cant be a UFA until 7 years in the league, when your almost done your prime) and a salary cap that makes it impossible to orchestrate big trades has made the NHL prime for tanking.

The new rules next year in the lottery are going to make it even worse. The fact that you are able to be as bad as a team like Buffalo and end up with the 4th pick means teams will not get better in a hurry, and honestly just extends the tanking cycle.

That will be us next year

 

[Kamal007]

While Buffalo's tanking is terrible, I can at least appreciate the attempt at getting a franchise player. Their fans are loyal, they pack the building every night and they have a great owner who loves the city. It would truly disgust me to watch Mcdavid go to Arizona, where no body cares about the team and the NHL is trying to force it down their throats by forcing a kid from Toronto to put the team on his back. This isn't pittsburgh, a town that had a fan base that was just tired of terrible teams, they have never showed up there. They have been terrible this year, 28th in attendance, they won their division in 11-12, 30th in attendance.

Sorry for the rant, just annoys me that kids from our backyard are forced to go to terrible markets in an attempt to save them. I can at least be happy for Mcdavid that he went to a city that will actually pack the building every night, if he got drafted by Buffalo. That town would actually appreciate getting a talent like Mcdavid, Arizona would just let out a collective yawn and continue to be bottom 5 in attendance.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

It's the optics. The Leafs just stunk but they kept a "talented " roster. Buffalo wasn't even stealthy about it. Looks bad.

I don't think we are bad as many have bought into "scorched earth". I think this year will turn out to be a Rielly once in an aberration to pick up another stud young player. With a few moves, we may even make the playoffs next year.

But Buffalo were bad from the start. Murray understands with Reinhart, McCabe, Girgenens, 2 first rd picks, Kane and other young pieces. Next year is the year to realistically start trying when you have Eichel and say Reinhart-Girgenens 1-2-3 up the middle. Murray will look smart if that happens. I wouldn't blame him if this indeed happened. Nor would Sabres fans. If this were the Leafs, and we had a chance of getting Mcdavid or Eichel. I don't want to ice a mediocre team as to watch another team get them, and we are left with scraps.

 

[KGL]

i don't think there are enough games
but if there were a way to have Detroit/Boston miss out and Ottawa/Florida make the dance.. in the immortal words of Bob Cole "oh, baby!"

I'd love to see that as well. But yeah, like you said, not enough games remaining to make it happen.