Leafs 08/09

[KryptOng 9]

I agree K9, the jersey is just bland without the double stripes on the bottom

i'd like to see them bring back some oldschool jerseys like these either in home/away:

And let's hope the Leafs draft Brayden Schenn, but from where they're at in the standings they may end up with Kadri unless they move up from the lottery.

how about Chris Neil in a Leafs jersey next year? He seems to fit the BB mould. But i have a feeling he could turn out to be a Darcy Tucker, gritty game will fade.

[mrusse01 0]

I'll throw up if they sign that cry baby Chris Neil.

I agree about the jersey changes though, for god sake put a stripe or two on the bottom of the jersey at least...the home blues look especially terrible in my opinion without them because they just blend into the same colour of the pants.

My hope for the off-season is they move Kaberle for a first round pick and sign Gilroy. If the team can get Hanson, Bozak, Gilroy, plus two first rounders in this draft, that would be amazing for the future of the franchise. You have to figure sooner or later we hit a home run with one of these kids, lord knows it's been long enough!

[RadioGaGa 162]

I'll throw up if they sign that cry baby Chris Neil.

I agree about the jersey changes though, for god sake put a stripe or two on the bottom of the jersey at least...the home blues look especially terrible in my opinion without them because they just blend into the same colour of the pants.

My hope for the off-season is they move Kaberle for a first round pick and sign Gilroy. If the team can get Hanson, Bozak, Gilroy, plus two first rounders in this draft, that would be amazing for the future of the franchise. You have to figure sooner or later we hit a home run with one of these kids, lord knows it's been long enough!

The thing about moving Kaberle is...the same reason anyone would want him...is the same reason the Leafs should keep him.

Puck mover, runs a PP...not a defensive liability and he only make 4.5...under contract for, what 2 more years?

[mrusse01 0]

I'll throw up if they sign that cry baby Chris Neil.

I agree about the jersey changes though, for god sake put a stripe or two on the bottom of the jersey at least...the home blues look especially terrible in my opinion without them because they just blend into the same colour of the pants.

My hope for the off-season is they move Kaberle for a first round pick and sign Gilroy. If the team can get Hanson, Bozak, Gilroy, plus two first rounders in this draft, that would be amazing for the future of the franchise. You have to figure sooner or later we hit a home run with one of these kids, lord knows it's been long enough!

The thing about moving Kaberle is...the same reason anyone would want him...is the same reason the Leafs should keep him.

Puck mover, runs a PP...not a defensive liability and he only make 4.5...under contract for, what 2 more years?

Yeah, but are the Leafs going to be a contending team in 2 years? I get the idea that you don't want to totally gut your franchise because there are still season ticket holders, sponsers, and you want some semblance of a winning attitiude with your young players....but I don't think Kaberle is really a locker room guy at all, and he is by far the biggest 'short term' impact player on the roster. I'd rather move a player that might help us sneak into the 7th or 8th spot in the next couple of years if it means a chance at getting someone who might contribute to a championship team 3 or 4 years down the line.

Interesting article in the Star today:

Maple Leafs Target Tavares

Looks like Burke plans to make a serious run at the top 1st or 2nd pick!

[KryptOng 9]

any team would love to have tavares so i'm not surprised by this article.

i'm partial to the leafs moving out kabby, but given his production and importance on the team has gone down since the lock out, i rather trade him now and get some high pick(s) in return before his importance on the leafs becomes less. yeaa he's a puck moving, pp quarterback, but he's got no shot and if we move him, it will give the younger guys a chance to step up and take on a "puck-moving D" roll, i.e. ian white or stralman.

if burke wants tavares, kabby/kubina will be offered in a trade, more so kabby.

[furlanitalia 1]

Interesting. That would turn some leaf haters around that's for sure.

[Law Goalie 147]

The funny thing is, I got ragged on for even suggesting this a couple of pages back.

Like I said before, Burke will consider any trade reasonable trade to move up in the draft. Someone once asked him if Luke Schenn was "untouchable" - he said, "Sure, until somebody offers me five first-round draft picks for him, then he's gone in a heartbeat." He'd be an idiot if he didn't.

There are teams near the top that will be mighty interested in Kabele's services. The Lightning, in particular, might think he'd make an ideal partner for Meszaros or Paul Ranger when they recover.

I'm not saying "Kaberle for Tavares", but I'm sure that'll be part of at least one proposed package.

I also wouldn't rule out a three-way with a team to whom Kaberle would be even more enticing.

[mrusse01 0]

You gotta think Burke wants TB to win the lottery....do they really even need Tavares with Vinny and Stamkos already there (both C I believe)? I would think Tampa would almost prefer Hedman, so if Burke can wheel a deal for the second pick, flip that to TB for #1, that is probably his ideal scenario.

Berger suggested Leafs 1st round pick, Schenn, a 2nd rounder, and take back a bad contract for the #1 pick.

I'd hate to give up Schenn, but you'd have to think any deal for the #1 would almost have to include him. It would be a gigantic feat if Burke could come away with Tavares without giving up Schenn somehow.

[K9 Unit 1]

i think the stupid management in TB would take kabby...i mean they were ready to win the stanley cup this year...pretty sure they will feel the same way

if they draft hedman and get kabby plus vinny and st. loius thats one big PP

[Leafsrule16 5]

I'll throw up if they sign that cry baby Chris Neil.

I agree about the jersey changes though, for god sake put a stripe or two on the bottom of the jersey at least...the home blues look especially terrible in my opinion without them because they just blend into the same colour of the pants.

My hope for the off-season is they move Kaberle for a first round pick and sign Gilroy. If the team can get Hanson, Bozak, Gilroy, plus two first rounders in this draft, that would be amazing for the future of the franchise. You have to figure sooner or later we hit a home run with one of these kids, lord knows it's been long enough!

The thing about moving Kaberle is...the same reason anyone would want him...is the same reason the Leafs should keep him.

Puck mover, runs a PP...not a defensive liability and he only make 4.5...under contract for, what 2 more years?

Yeah, but are the Leafs going to be a contending team in 2 years? I get the idea that you don't want to totally gut your franchise because there are still season ticket holders, sponsers, and you want some semblance of a winning attitiude with your young players....but I don't think Kaberle is really a locker room guy at all, and he is by far the biggest 'short term' impact player on the roster. I'd rather move a player that might help us sneak into the 7th or 8th spot in the next couple of years if it means a chance at getting someone who might contribute to a championship team 3 or 4 years down the line.

Interesting article in the Star today:

Maple Leafs Target Tavares

Looks like Burke plans to make a serious run at the top 1st or 2nd pick!

The 09 leafs? Funny joke.

Seriously though its good to see them take the hint that there a horrible hockey team, im a die hard leafs fan but nothing angers me more then the Jeff Finger deal for example. Sign washed up players or players who never were anything, give them a big contract and trade off your draft picks for more useless players smart move. Pogge is a bust.

[KryptOng 9]

i do agree the Finger signing was mind blowing for that kind of money, but i think reaching the cap minimum was one of the leafs motives in signing him at that amount and also after kabby and kubina, they have no real shut down guy in the back end. kubina takes penalties like no tomorrow so he's out of the PK question and Kabby is as soft as Poni on forward. If it wasn't for the amount of money Finger signed for, he'd be a "pretty good" signing by the leafs.

and i can actually see TB flipping the second pick to the Leafs for Kaberle and possibly some prospects/picks. There'd be no way the Leafs would send arguably their two best Defencemen to TB for the 2nd pick. TB desperately missed Boyle's puck moving game and the forwards suffered from that.

i say:

Tampa Bay - Kaberle, Toronto's 7th Pick, 2nd Round pick, Buffalo's 2nd Round Pick, a Prospect

Toronto - Tampa's 2nd Pick, possibly a salary absorbing player

this is only if NYI chooses Hedman over Tavares! call me crazy! lol

[Leafsrule16 5]

I coudlnt have said it better kryp, finger is a solid stay at home defenceman, nothing flashy, average skater average everything and works hard to be where he is, hes a core player and a quality guy but hes no go to guy or anything, a solid and responsible 4th or 5th defenceman with an inflated contract. I've never been a Kubina fan either honestly, the guys big and hes not a bad player but he takes stupid penalty that cost the team, half the leafs blue line looks as if they belong in the minor leagues. A perfect example would be the 3-1 loss to buffalo, Joseph played a fantastic game in my opinion considering he is pushing 41? He made some key saves and the defence blew it, both the goals within 1 minute were because of a defense's lack of the balls to block a shot or the aggresion to play the puck, instead allowing buffalo to jump on the lose puck on the rebound as Toronto players watched.

Overall the leafs really need to step up there rebuilding process, i see few players in the system that i know will be go to guys in the future, Christian Hanson should be a decent second line forward, hes big and hes got fairly good skills but hes still raw, i really just feel as if the way the leafs have ran there origination is a parallel to successful clubs like Detroit or San Jose and they need to focus on the young and upcoming players. On a sidenote, hows Jeremy Williams doing?

[mrusse01 0]

I could see Burke nabbing the 2nd overall pick, question is...can he get the Isles to trade down one spot so he can take Tavares? Going to be extremely tough in my opinion just because Tavares is the face of a franchise type player that they desperately need.

[Leafsrule16 5]

Trading Kaberle to get Taveres is stupid, trade one of the leafs few solid defenceman for a forward that MIGHT become good some day, its a huge gamble with little reward, sure he will likely end up an elite foreward but then that would leave the toronto blue line looking like an atom house blueline. They should drop Kubina or White, maybe Kolzig or Gerber before they drop Kaberle, the only thing going right for them now.

[Law Goalie 147]

But what good will Kaberle do the Leafs in the next two years? They're going to be a marginal team for at least another season. Even if Kaberle put up world-class, Mike Greene numbers, he wouldn't turn the Leafs into a contender. As it is, he's a very talented hockey player but not a good fit for the team Burke is building: he's too soft, and his contract, while good value for money, is in the wrong time-frame for the rebuilding process.

Kolzig is a salary dump/aspiring goalie coach, Gerber's a UFA now, White has almost no market value (despite being a decent and inexpensive player) and Kubina's less valuable (more money & less production). Kaberle is hands-down the most valuable veteran asset the Leafs have.

I'm not saying they should give him away, but that Burke would have to be nuts not to try to leverage him.

Ditto Pogge, who still could fetch a surprising price. If the Leafs sign Gustavsson out of the SEL, don't be too surprised if the Leafs add Pogge to part of a package to make it look like overpayment for the pick.

edit: Put it this way... if you take Tavares out of the equation, for the sake of argument, would anyone in Leaf Nation NOT take Hedman for Kaberle + additives? Would anyone really prefer to have two years of Kaberle than Hedman's entry contract? What's a better top D pair a year from now: Kaberle--Schenn or Hedmann--Schenn?

[kosydar 0]

I believe Burke said someone offered a 2nd for White at the deadline, but he turned it down. He does have value, especially with a cheap contract. I agree that Kaberle helps a contending team much more than our rebuild, but there is no way that he can become the centerpiece in a deal for Tavares. In my opinion any deal for Tavares starts with the Leafs first, probably both seconds and any combination of Tlusty, Stralman, Stalberg, and Stefanovich. For once the Leafs have some sort of semblance of depth at forward, and I'm not too eager for them to get rid of it. The Islanders have Streit, so they don't want Kaberle anyway. Tampa might want Kaberle, so I understand the Kaberle for Hedman idea. To me it really comes down to what they have to get rid of. If its just the Leafs pick+Kaberle+a mid level prospect or 3rd rounder I do that in a heartbeat. But if it is the Leafs first+both seconds+a couple prospects, I bow out. I think Kaberle and Kubina could both get a mid first rounder on their own, and I'd love it if the Leafs got a guy like Zach Kassian.

Pogge stays, regardless of what happens with Gus. He is still young and can develop. Another year in the AHL will hopefully help him.

[Law Goalie 147]

I meant that White's market value (the offered mid-range 2nd) is lower than his value as a player to the Leafs; nobody's going to give up a 1st for him, but he's worth more than a 2nd to the Leafs as a cheap, capable, and fan-friendly roster player.

I really don't know that Pogge's future is going to be with the Leafs. His development suffered in the last year, and the Leafs don't want to be dithering over an RFA offersheet.

[kosydar 0]

I would just hate for the Leafs to give up on Pogge when he is still young and the potential is there. Rollheiser is a long term project, and I don't even know his potential. It seems like Reimer hasn't been given a great shot, so I doubt he is a long term solution. I really hope that Gus signs with the Leafs, but I really want to hang on to Pogge. Then again if a team puts forth a serious offer sheet, I'd gladly take a 1st for him. That won't happen though. Ideally I'd like to pry Harding out of Minnesota, but I don't know if that can happen or not.

[vek 0]

I guess that I'm one of the few that thinks Taveres is extremely overrated as a franchise player type, or even a first line NHLer. If Burke trades up at a high cost, it could be a big mistake.

I'd love to see Brayden Schenn or someone with some size/strength as the Leafs pick. I've seen the Leafs get pushed around way too much since the lockout.

[k13 0]

I guess that I'm one of the few that thinks Taveres is extremely overrated as a franchise player type, or even a first line NHLer. If Burke trades up at a high cost, it could be a big mistake.

I'd love to see Brayden Schenn or someone with some size/strength as the Leafs pick. I've seen the Leafs get pushed around way too much since the lockout.

I'm with you 100%.

I'd like to see them trade up to nab Matt Duchene, or possibly Magnus Svensson-Paarjavi. Personally, I don't think it matters who we take, we haven't been able to develop top end talent in over 20 years (Since Clark, Damphousse, etc).

Just look at all the 1st Round busts we've accumulated (Steen, Colaiacovo, Cereda*, Antropov, Jeff Ware, Brandon Convery, Grant Marshall, Drake Berehowsky, Scott Thornton**, Rob Pearson**, Steve Bancroft**, Scott Pearson, Luke Richardson***).

Jury is still out on Tlusty. Boyes was developed elsewhere. Fichaud was traded to the Isles, so he's not our bust. Landon Wilson was traded in the Sundin deal before he hit our minor league system. The only anomolly in the last 20 years was Kenny Jonsson, who turned out to be a solid defenseman for us before we traded him to the Isles.

*Luca Cereda retired due to a heart problem, if I remember correctly.

** You'd think that drafting 3 Belleville Bulls in the first round of the same year would at least net you one winner?

*** Read an article a long time ago about how at this particular draft, it was down to a smallish centre or big Luke Richardson, in which the GM favored Luke. The Nordiques grabbed that centre - Joe Sakic.