Leafs

[hahaimhenry 0]

If anyone else remembers Cherry said leafs were making it to the playoffs this year on Hockey Night in Canada. He looks a bit wrong at the moment ha.

[kosydar 0]

I wish Sundin would be traded right now, but I don't see it happening. I love the guy and he doesn't deserve to go out like this. But who can really take him on right now? The salary situation makes it very unlikely that a straight swap could happen this early in the season when he still has a lot left to be paid. I think his value will also be higher at the deadline. Hopefully the Leafs get something like what Forsberg/Tkachuk went for last year.

[kosydar 0]

The thing is, I'm not ready to write them off just yet. It isn't even Christmas yet. Yes they have huge problems, but I don't doubt there are solutions out there.

[mack 44]

Maybe I have it wrong, but going by nhlnumbers.com Anaheim has about $6 mil space, assuming Niedermayer is retired; Avs have about $4.3 (which would be a fitting place to end up); Detroit $5.4. Those are just the Western teams I can figure being key playoff teams, but not sure how true the numbers are from the site.

[mack 44]

What are they, about 3 pts out of the 8th? I wouldn't count them out of the playoffs but as contenders there's just no shot.

[kosydar 0]

I think the Sharks have a lot of cap room, too, but they're better off getting a defenseman. It'd be really interesting if he was traded at this point in the season, unless I'm mistaken the trading of a marquee player hasn't happened this far away from the deadline since the lockout.

[mack 44]

Last time I can think of some marquee player being dealt this early was Thornton, ironically to SJ. I agree with their needs of a d-man as well.

Figuring that the Leafs don't trade him inside the conference, Chicago or Nashville (hope hope) could be possibilities but I just don't see it happening. I definitely don't see Minnesota or Columbus going after him and St. Louis would have to wait till they could get him under the cap.

[kosydar 0]

Good call on Thornton. Who went back, Primeau, Stuart and Sturm? I would hope for the Leafs sake that A. they get a better return and B. get more prospects/picks than roster players.

[hahaimhenry 0]

Thats true, I don't remember too well from last year but I remember Ottawa didn't have a good beginning to their season and they stepped it up and look where they got.

not sure if their record was any close but thats what I remember

[mack 44]

I think those are the players, but not sure if any picks went as well. I do remember SJ stealing that deal so I think that was it.

I'd hope the same for the Leafs since they've got young talent, but I'm not sure who's going to give up on youth like they did a few years ago.

[mack 44]

But to be fair, Ottawa had Alfie, Heatley and Spezza, plus a good amount of other talent (Redden, Phillips, Volchenkov). Toronto has nothing like that.

[hahaimhenry 0]

Well I've looked at it like us having Sundin, Blake, Wellwood, and tucker. Also defenseman like Mccabe, Kaberle, Kubina. That talent doesn't match up to the sens but the only one contributing out of the 7 is Sundin.

I also have this weird feeling Kubina doesn't really want to play for the Leafs.

[mack 44]

Not sure, but I wonder if the media and attention hockey gets there factors into it. I mean the guy spent the rest of his time in Tampa, where hockey isn't even in the backseat to football or the other major sports.

[jestrs 0]

The goaltending is a definite issue. Both are allowing over 3 goals a game and save percentage under .900. The defense corp is one of the weakest in the league.

It might not be fair, but Blake is not scoring goals like they had hoped.

[mack 44]

It's a good thing he doesn't have something to fight off the ice like cancer though.

[jestrs 0]

That is what I meant about it not being fair.

[kosydar 0]

Blake is frustrating. You can't fault him because of his health issues. At the same time he was brought in to score goals. He is top ten in the league in shots, and has two goals. He is a puckhog that isn't scoring. To be fair I did really the line he was on with Tucker and Welly. They were easily the best combo for the Leafs tonight, and hopefully they can start finishing off their chances.

I don't think you can fault the Leaf's goaltending. There have certainly been soft goals that go in, and each is guilty of having an off night. But the chances that are given up night in and night out are ridiculous.

[mack 44]

The only gave I've seen of theirs was against Carolina on Vs. Yeah, that pretty much will be the only game of theirs I see this year. Goaltenders can be held liable to a fault, even with the weak blueline they have, but nothing's happening till they can get some cap space. A lot of that team should be playing for free.

[DarkStar50 679]

Dialogue has resumed between Scotty Bowman and the board of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment aimed at working out a deal so the nine-time Cup-winning coach and one-time player personnel director would become the Toronto club's president and director of hockey operations, Slap Shots has been told.

This was from today's NY Post, Larry Brooks' column. This will only help if Scotty gets to clean house entirely. As long as the ACC sells out and the money train is moving, the fans will get the shaft. The Rangers did this to their fans for 7 years straight.

[mack 44]

If Bowman gets someone to take Kubina and/or McCabe I will get him saint status when I'm pope.

[Law Goalie 147]

Nothing's wrong. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is still making money.

Fixed. ;)

If Bowman comes it, it will only be because the owners give him carte blanche. He'll probably waive half the team. He can't waive McCabe, so he'll just have him kneecapped and send him to permanent IR.

[Eazy_b97 1]

By "next year" I mean June '08.

Kubina and McCabe should be moved but probably won't. They can talk about McCabe's no movement clause but no one's going to trade for him unless Toronto eats up most of that contract. As a Sundin fan, I'd like to see him Bourque'd off to some team for a shot.

I can see a market for McCabe. Jovo was traded (to NYI) this summer, but used his NTC. McCabe is a very similar D-man, with a better contract (hard to believe, but true).

I think the Sharks have a lot of cap room, too, but they're better off getting a defenseman. It'd be really interesting if he was traded at this point in the season, unless I'm mistaken the trading of a marquee player hasn't happened this far away from the deadline since the lockout.

One of the biggest reasons SJ wants a D-man is for Thornton on the PP. They need a big RH D-man to one-time from the point. Sundin may be able to do that for them. They are deep down the middle, maybe a return to the wing?

Toronto has all their picks this draft, except their 2nd rounder. They have an extra fifth though.

[Jordan 13]

I think that they lack talent overall. I don't really blame McCabe for his performance; the guy at best is a powerplay specialist that should be playing an aditional 4-5 minutes per game. He should NEVER be "the guy", but because of our lack of depth he is in over his head. It sort of reminds me of when everyone got on Larry Murphy in Toronto.

Murphy then goes to Detroit, wins the cuo, is surrounded by fantastic players and winds up in the HOF.

Sundin, got to trade him. Imagine if 10 years ago, we hadn't traded Wendle Clark as he got older ?? What would have the last 10 years in T.O. looked like without Sundin? YIKES!!!!!!!!!

[k-ody.m 0]

ok good that they have a first rounder cause i see a top 3 draft pick for us this year, and you guys do have very good ideas but for me i would like to see him go to chicago, they have an exceptional team khabibulin is fianlly returing to his Stanly cup form, and the add of sundin and some vetren leadership which they lack could be enogh to make them a true contender and what a story that would be in toews and kane could pull of a stanley cup in their rookie seasons, plus there wouldnt be to much pressure for them going in to playoff it could be quite a good finish for them with a guy like sundin. and we wouldnt have to see him very much or at all not to good with the schedy but i dont think we play chicago any time soon or at all.

[Eternal 0]

We've already played the Hawks this year and lost. I foget the score but i remember it being a typical leaf game 3rd period meltdown.