Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] Joe Thornton signs with the Maple Leafs (1 year, $700K) Part 2

[A1LeafNation]

Keep this post.

He's already on thin ice.

So is Shanny

Lol give me what you smoking.

Shanahan and Dubas have put us in the best situation that we have been in like 50 years.

We've never had a good young skilled team like this on the brink of being a contender.

 

[LokiDog]

Never was a big Jumbo fan as a player, but I’ve come to love him as a person. Big bearded weirdo who just loves hockey more than anything. I dig it.

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

You don't let Kap get offer sheeted. You tell multiple teams you're trading him and create a bidding war. No doubt in my mind he gets a 1st plus for Kap. I think given where AJ was, you get a 1st for him as well. Could have had three 1sts in a deep draft. Plus another year of a guy like Marleau in the room. Which clearly was needed given the fact Dubas has now doubled down on that type of player.

Marleau was making too much money and his was decline from year 1 to 2 was hard.
No we dont need more 6 million dollar players that arent top 6 players.
What leafs are doing now is signing leage min or close to depth players. And at times better then depth.

 

[deca guard]

i think this is a shanny idea havingboth spezz and thorton around , the two old hockey master minds , to teach his young offensive weapons . shanny saw bowman bring in murph-cheli and they helped lidstrom . brought in the professor-brett-luc and they helped teach the twins . you arent going to find a better teacher than an old great vet right before he hangs the skates up . and no matter what else he does jumbo going to seriously enhance leafs power plays , limited ice time but playing every power play minute possible . on an offensively challenged team without guys to finish joe wouldnt help alot , but with all the leafs firepower for joe to feed he will help alot . stay tuned for nothing but 4 forward pp units in toronto

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

What kinda odds you getting on a San Jose-Toronto final?

The funny thing about SJ next year is that you just never know.

They're coming into the season trying to re-establish their identity and work their game from the ground up. Chip on their shoulder and all that which probably leads to some individuals having great seasons, and they got some top guys who can perform at an elite level. Bunch of young guys knocking on the door closer than what they were last year and if a couple of those pan out that creates some nice depth.

Nobody thinks they're a stanley cup contender, i'd wager not even themselves, but they think they can still make the playoffs and the plan is to show DW they can do the things he wants to see to earn possible future additions, so the process is definitely going to be there from compete standpoint and attention to detail etc. If they can show DW enough positives (whether they're exactly where they want to be in the standings or not) after that all bets are off on what type of move(s) he could make in the season. They should have plenty of cap space.

This could be one of those scenarios where they're a bubble team mid-season, playing good hockey but not always getting the results due to lack of scoring up front or whatever. Then they pull a 18-19 Carolina where one trade for a top 6 winger changed the dynamic completely. But this time instead of Niederreiter it's Taylor Hall coming in, maybe another depth piece where they need and it suddenly you put everything together and they go from a bubble team to a dark horse, get in hot and win the whole thing.

As long as you have the basic elements of a good team like SJ has in my opinion, a lot can happen in the season to change the narrative on them later on.

Obviously much needs to happen for this scenario and it's unlikely, but it would be something to see for sure especially if the Leafs figure it out on the other side and they end up meeting in the finals. That storyline with Jumbo is insane drama.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Dubas trying to correct mistakes he made in the past thinking you don't need good pros to help a young core. This is a guy who picked AJ and Kapanen over Marleau and a 1st round pick. Only to then trade those same guys the next offseason. That mistake cost the Leafs a 1st ++.

Should have listened to Babcock about needing good pros on the team. Instead Dubas filled the team with water bugs who are afraid of physical contact.

While I like the logic behind some of these moves, ultimately I don't think they will help. It's tough for 4th line guys to come in and take over a room.
The core of this team plays a gutless style that can't be successful in the playoffs. Having Thornton play 8 minutes a night isn't going to help them play a playoff style that will get them out of the 1st round. And it's entirely possible this is a lottery team anyway.

Dubas should have been more bold with the changes instead of only adding around the fringes. Shows he thinks the core of the team is fine, which is where he will fail and ultimately lose his job after this season.

The issues with this team has never had anything to do with the core, the issues have with the depth all you have to do the prove that is go back to the series with Columbus they lost that series with Columbus why? because after Jake Muzzin got hurt they didn't have the depth to cover for it, their replacement was Martin Marincin and he can't play at the NHL level.

If Muzzin doesn't get hurt, or they have an NHL level replacement they don't lose that series, but he did get hurt, they didn't have an NHL level replacement so they lost.

That's not a core issue that's a depth issue, that's why you have seen Simmonds, Brodie, Bogosian, Vesey, Dell and Thornton all get signed because you can't keep allowing injury or suspension if you want to go back as far as 2018 to screw you over and it has for the last 3 years because of the lack of depth.

Now the Leafs have 15 or 16 NHL forwards.

A minimum of 8, possibly 9 NHL D

3 NHL goalies

and all their prospect capital intact so if needed they can acquire another piece.

Toronto is in a very good position going forward because for the first time in 3 years depth isn't an issue

 

[The90]

You don't let Kap get offer sheeted. You tell multiple teams you're trading him and create a bidding war. No doubt in my mind he gets a 1st plus for Kap. I think given where AJ was, you get a 1st for him as well. Could have had three 1sts in a deep draft. Plus another year of a guy like Marleau in the room. Which clearly was needed given the fact Dubas has now doubled down on that type of player.

Lol the guy coming off a major injury, that’s less physical, slower, and smaller does not get the same return as kapanen. I like johnsson as a player, but they’re not equal in value.

your hypothetical scenario isn’t in touch with reality it’s in your own head

 

[Stubu]

Nylander - Thornton - Simmonds
Vesey - Matthews - Marner
Robertson - Kerfoot - Hyman
Engvall - Tavares - Spezza

Pretty good. Leafs can run four lines instead of the traditional three lines plus checking line. Continuous speed and scoring is how you do it nowadays. Nylander makes up for Thornton's low top speed. Engvall might be a really good fit with Tavares.

 

[Kranix]

Why not try Jumbo with AM34? He's one of the best playmakers of all time

 

[Ciao]

I'm very surprised that I'm actually warming up to the Thornton signing.

I much prefer younger, faster players with more of the future than the past.

However, when I watched Thornton's meet–the-press video I was impressed and started to imagine a better on-ice and off-ice presence then I had previously thought possible.

Now I don't know what to think, but I'm more hopeful than I was before.

 

[Stubu]

Nylander - Thornton - Simmonds
Vesey - Matthews - Marner
Robertson - Kerfoot - Hyman
Engvall - Tavares - Spezza

Pretty good. Leafs can run four lines instead of the traditional three lines plus checking line. Continuous speed and scoring is how you do it nowadays. Nylander makes up for Thornton's low top speed. Engvall might be a really good fit with Tavares.

The damn typo edit gave me away. If you're hating (Toronto or what have you) and having fun, don't go edit your own posts. Kills your astroturf right dead.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I'm very surprised that I'm actually warming up to the Thornton signing.

I much prefer younger, faster players with more of the future than the past.

However, when I watched Thornton's meet–the-press video I was impressed and started to imagine a better on-ice and off-ice presence then I had previously thought possible.

Now I don't know what to think, but I'm more hopeful than I was before.

The idea that you are warming up to the signing of a good player shouldn't surprise you

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

1260 posts and counting for Leafs signing an old 3rd liner for league min

HF in a nutshell

I mean it IS Joe Thornton

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Why not try Jumbo with AM34? He's one of the best playmakers of all time

I suspect it will be tried

 

[Jerkbait]

Keep this post.

He's already on thin ice.

So is Shanny

Lol no he isn't.... leafs brass are fine .. another year or two of missing playoffs maybe but they will make payloads are probably win a round , maybe more. Your dreaming

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

does this signing really deserve a part 2 lol

It should have been like 15 pages total, it's kind of dumb it's already a second thread.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It should have been like 15 pages total, it's kind of dumb it's already a second thread.

It's the Leafs signing Joe Thornton ANYTHING Toronto does generates discussion

 

[joe dirte]

1260 posts and counting for Leafs signing an old 3rd liner for league min

HF in a nutshell

I suspect if someone like Jagr or Chara signs somewhere else, even as a depth player, it'll generate a lot of discussion as well. It's not like Joe Thornton is just some "old 3rd liner".... He's one of the best playmakers in the history of hockey.

But sure, Leaf fans love talking Leafs, and everyone else just can't stay away, they always have to put in their 2 cents. Even if it's just useless comments.... Like yours, really.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I suspect if someone like Jagr or Chara signs somewhere else, even as a depth player, it'll generate a lot of discussion as well. It's not like Joe Thornton is just some "old 3rd liner".... He's one of the best playmakers in the history of hockey.

But sure, Leaf fans love talking Leafs, and everyone else just can't stay away, they always have to put in their 2 cents. Even if it's just useless comments.... Like yours, really.

It would but not 1300 comments. Was more referring to the non leaf fans ripping this deal and Joe anyway

 

[joe dirte]

It would but not 1300 comments. Was more referring to the non leaf fans ripping this deal and Joe anyway

Yeah people like to pretend itsbleaf fans and think they flood the boards. In reality anything leaf related gets flooded by non keaf fans just as much as leaf fans.

 

[Blowfish]

Leafs known for being a speedy team now more like the turtle team...

Out Kapanen, Johnsson & Barrie

In Turtle Spezza, Jumbo slow, Hasbeen Simmonds

Yikers this from a team that spent last 5 years bragging about being the youngest team....

 

[Leaf Fans]

Leafs known for being a speedy team now more like the turtle team...

Out Kapanen, Johnsson & Barrie

In Turtle Spezza, Jumbo slow, Hasbeen Simmonds

Yikers this from a team that spent last 5 years bragging about being the youngest team....

Geez now they have two players older than 32 years old and an average age of 28.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Leafs known for being a speedy team now more like the turtle team...

Out Kapanen, Johnsson & Barrie

In Turtle Spezza, Jumbo slow, Hasbeen Simmonds

Yikers this from a team that spent last 5 years bragging about being the youngest team....

Leafs going to play their fourth line all game?

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Leafs known for being a speedy team now more like the turtle team...

Out Kapanen, Johnsson & Barrie

In Turtle Spezza, Jumbo slow, Hasbeen Simmonds

Yikers this from a team that spent last 5 years bragging about being the youngest team....

You tried.

You failed miserably, but you tried.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Leafs known for being a speedy team now more like the turtle team...

Out Kapanen, Johnsson & Barrie

In Turtle Spezza, Jumbo slow, Hasbeen Simmonds

Yikers this from a team that spent last 5 years bragging about being the youngest team....

A team's identity clearly begins from its bottom 6. Very conveniently left out Brodie too.