Rumor: Sportsnet's Chris Johnston Thornton and Leafs have mutual interest.

[Team Cozens]

I don't see the need for this. Bottom 6 is already way too crowded.

Expanded rosters if the AHL season fails??? Anything is possible. Trade Kerfoot. Bury Vesey,

 

[Neuf]

Waiting here for a Jagr announcement

 

[CupInSIX]

forwards 10 thru 14:

Spezza Thornton Simmonds
Boyd
Vesey

butwhy.gif

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I don't see the need for this. Bottom 6 is already way too crowded.

Like I said in the OP if the NHL really does intend to play a full 82 game season and they say they do that would mean an INCREDIBLY condense schedule so you NEED depth

 

[BostonBob]

Look at the bright side. When they show replays, they can show them at full speed because they will already be in slow motion.

 

[CupInSIX]

Like I said in the OP if the NHL really does intend to play a full 82 game season and they say they do that would mean an INCREDIBLY condense schedule so you NEED depth

This is no bubble for old men

 

[serp]

Too many old and slow guys. That'd be a bad idea for both Thornton and the Leafs. You can have a couple but those allways need to plays with fast skaters or it gets exploited. Leafs already have two in Simmonds and Spezza in their bottom 6 .

 

[SomethingWild77]

Vesey Engvall Simmonds
Barabanov Spezza Anderson
Thornton

Possibly Thornton and Spezza alternate.

Vesey over Robertson would be a mistake.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Want to see a race to the blueline between him and Jason Allison.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

forwards 10 thru 14:

Spezza Thornton Simmonds
Boyd
Vesey

butwhy.gif

Boyd is likely Marlie depth

 

[82Ninety42011]

Waiting here for a Jagr announcement

He was still playing this year for Kladno in his home town. There's hope yet he signs back here .

 

[A1LeafNation]

Vesey over Robertson would be a mistake.

Or it would be giving Robertson more time to develop.

 

[ToDavid]

I don't recall him saying anything along the lines of "there's a pretty good chance." He said as far as he knows there is mutual interest, that's it.

With the amount of guys we've got at the bottom of the roster now, I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Playoff choker signs with a team that can’t get past the first round? Sounds about right.

people saying big joe is a playoff choker makes me sad everytime

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I hope the Leafs use Joe Thornton in shootouts, just as they did with Jason Allison.

 

[Langdon Alger]

people saying big joe is a playoff choker makes me sad everytime

I’ll send over some tissues.

 

[FerrisRox]

You don't like what Dubas has done this off season?

I was very pleased to see him side step Pietrangelo, which I think would have completely sunk the team and I think Brodie is an excellent addition, but I don't understand a lot of his other moves.

I feel like the team has gotten slower, for sure, and one of the biggest issues beyond the defense has been that they are way too easy to play against and he's done largely nothing to address that.

Simmonds is definitely the style of player they need more of but he is old and broken down and his foot speed is troubling. Bogosian adds size but no real snarl and Jimmy Vesey is just a baffling move that doesn't address any needs at all other than plugging in a warm body. Needless to say Joe Thornton would do absolutely nothing to address these issues either and would make the bottom six even slower. I don't get it. What would the point of bringing in a 41-year old Joe Thornton be?

The team *must* get more difficult to play against. They simply must or they will never enjoy any kind of playoff success and its infuriating watch Kyle Dubas let seasons slip by while he refuses to fix what is wrong with the team.

I have seen some Leaf fans talking about their "new depth" but I don't see how this team is any deeper than last years, and quite possibly it's *less* deep.

From last years club they have lost: Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, Kyle Clifford, Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci. They have been replaced by Wayne Simmonds, Jimmy Vesey, Joey Anderson, TJ Brodie and Zach Bogosian.

What am I missing here? How are they any deeper at all? It seems like they have five NHLers going out and less than five coming back.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Headline makes it sound like the Leafs are in talks with Sportsnet's Chris Johnston Thornton.

Can't say I know much about him but maybe they're a good fit!

 

[93gilmour93]

Would love to see Big Joe for a season in Toronto. If we're talking 1 / 1.5 for one year I'd try it......

 

[Rob Brown]

Like I said in the OP if the NHL really does intend to play a full 82 game season and they say they do that would mean an INCREDIBLY condense schedule so you NEED depth

Still don't think there's space. The bottom 6 likely already includes some combination of:

Kerfoot
Robertson
Simmonds
Spezza
Engvall
Vesey
Barabanov
Anderson
Boyd

Plus younger guys like Brooks or Korshkov who could easily see time, not to mention Petan, Malgin, Agostino etc.

If Kyle is going to make a move, sure, but there is already so much depth and I don't think Thornton is a better option than some of the names listed above.

 

[CupInSIX]

Headline makes it sound like the Leafs are in talks with Sportsnet's Chris Johnston Thornton.

Can't say I know much about him but maybe they're a good fit!

Leafs are talking to Joe Thornton's John- rooster

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

Playoff choker signs with a team that can’t get past the first round? Sounds about right.

nowhere to go but up?

 

[Ncit3]

Who is Chris Johnston Thornton?

 

[joestevens29]

Wouldn't Marleau have made sense to go back and play with his kids?

 

[slimbob8]

Or it would be giving Robertson more time to develop.

Nah, he doesn't need anymore time to develop. He looked more than ready to contribute in his short stint and he's only going to keep getting better. The guy had the highest goals/game season in the OHL since Eric Lindros almost 30 years ago. Another year in the OHL would be a waste for him.