General Leafs Talk

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

http://watch.tsn.ca/featured/#clip531532

What a heartfelt story. I have so much respect for James, this kid is unbelievable.

Posted this over in the Reimer thread, a few people talking about it over there.  A very moving story.

 

[Deebo]

I know this probably isn't even worth talking about: But how can you criticize the Connolly deal as one of the worst moves of the offseason? We did not have a player with his skillset, he's filling a need, does not have an NMC and while he is overpaid, its not extremely high and only two years. He's a stopgap solution, we're not married to him.

I don't know that I'd call it one of the worst moves of the off-season but I remember that when Connolly was mentioned as a possibility here pre-July 1st a lot of people reacted pretty negatively to taking a flyer on him even on a one year deal. In a summer where some pretty good #1 C's ended up getting moved, I think a lot of people saw him as a kind of crummy consolation prize.

Did the Leafs upgrade with him? Probably. If they hadn't signed him the #1 C spot would be filled with Bozak again and they'd be hoping he has a bounce back year. As it is it's filled by Connolly and they're hoping he's healthy. That's a better situation to be in but not by leaps and bounds.

I don't think anyone is anything other than it's wasn't the worst move.

As for the worst move, it's hard to say now for sure but I think the Varlamov trade has the potential to be very bad for Colorado. Colorado has some pretty good young talent, but I don't think it would take much to go wrong for them to end up very close to the bottom of the leauge. I don't think you can call Varlamov proven, this could end up being like Rask and Toskala deals. Giving up a 1st and not really getting better in the process, only this pick has a real shot at being very high.

I wonder what Varlamov's WAR would be if they kept that type of stat in hockey, or maybe it would be P(oints)AR.

 

[Jalili]

I don't think anyone is anything other than it's wasn't the worst move.

As for the worst move, it's hard to say now for sure but I think the Varlamov trade has the potential to be very bad for Colorado. Colorado has some pretty good young talent, but I don't think it would take much to go wrong for them to end up very close to the bottom of the leauge. I don't think you can call Varlamov proven, this could end up being like Rask and Toskala deals. Giving up a 1st and not really getting better in the process, only this pick has a real shot at being very high.

I wonder what Varlamov's WAR would be if they kept that type of stat in hockey, or maybe it would be P(oints)AR.

I would go with the Varlamov trade as well, just because of the risk involved.

I don't think they'll finish in the bottom 5 again for a few reasons, but it could certainly happen. When a team finishes as badly as Colorado did, that 1st rounder should be treated as a potential lifeline and not as a trading chip.

All in all, a very confusing move on Colorado's part.

 

[Madferret]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/HockeyBuzz-Hotstove/The-Hotstove-Ed-14-Worst-Offseason-Move/160/38023

I know this probably isn't even worth talking about: But how can you criticize the Connolly deal as one of the worst moves of the offseason? We did not have a player with his skillset, he's filling a need, does not have an NMC and while he is overpaid, its not extremely high and only two years. He's a stopgap solution, we're not married to him.

What grinds me up is that they reference health issues for Connolly (and Lupul)  but not for Fleischmann, who had a pulmonary embolism! Who has an NMC, absurd term and is primarily successful for playing alongside Matt Duchene or Alexander Semin. They're stuck with him if he bombs somewhere down the road.

I call balony on Connolly being the worst transaction of the offseason.

A - It's Hockeybuzz
B - Travis Yost is the Sens blogger there so there's a chance he is just hating
C - Signing Connollly isn't nearly as bad as trading for Lombardi 

 

[Crucialness Key]

Signing Connollly isn't nearly as bad as trading for Lombardi 

Haven't you heard? Word out of camp is that Lombardi will score a hat-trick on opening night on a line with Frattin & McKegg.

 

[Zee]

Alright, Cody Franson is now in the running as my new favorite Leaf after hearing his interview today.  There was a question for him as to who his favorite Leaf was while growing up.  His answer, and I quote:

I was die hard Wendel Clark my whole life.  He was my idol.  There's a video of him that my uncle got that's now on Youtube.  My uncle sent it to me when I was playing Junior B in Trail, it was the Wendel Clark All Heart video that's on the Internet. I used to watch that all the time and I still do.

 

[Tigger]

Alright, Cody Franson is now in the running as my new favorite Leaf after hearing his interview today.  There was a question for him as to who his favorite Leaf was while growing up.  His answer, and I quote:

I was die hard Wendel Clark my whole life.  He was my idol.  There's a video of him that my uncle got that's now on Youtube.  My uncle sent it to me when I was playing Junior B in Trail, it was the Wendel Clark All Heart video that's on the Internet. I used to watch that all the time and I still do.

That's a little bit of a allright!

 

[hockeyfan1]

So, the Leafs have Purolator as their sponsor/advertiser on their practice jerseys, joining the likes of the Canucks, Hawks, and a few others.  However, much talk has been made on whether the NHL will one day adopt the Euro-style advertisement on hockey jerseys. Doubtful that that will ever transpire.  Imagine our beloved Leafs logo awash in a sea of ads!  Unthinkable!  Never!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Impoverished-Maple-Leafs-place-advertising-on-pr?urn=nhl-wp12689

The controversy isn't about selling ad space on a practice jersey ? about as inconsequential a piece of hockey gear this side of a division champions hat ? but, obviously, where it all could lead.
Yes, the spectre of European hockey/NASCAR billboard jerseys in the NHL is raised again, this time by Toronto Star bloviater Cathal Kelly:
In order to reap maximum financial advantage, NHL teams would have to make room by getting rid of their team logos. Nobody in Raleigh is going to kick too hard if the stylized hurricane is bumped. Just try replacing the winged tire on Detroit's jersey with a Chrysler logo. In the current climate, it's impossible.
But, let's say the NHL left this up to clubs to decide. And let's imagine that a few of the fringe or nearly bankrupt outfits decided to try it out. As soon as the predictable backlash petered off, how long would the Original Six hold out?

The NHL policy to allow ads on practice jerseys is just a year old, and it's actually a little surprising the fad hasn't swept through the league quite yet. With regard to ads on game jerseys down the line, NHL VP Bill Daly said "who knows what the future holds" when asked last October:
"The whole business area of sports evolves over time. People in this room probably remember a time when there was no advertising on dasher boards, and now there is. So things change."

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I guess a twitter report I read of the Leafs possibly unveiling their 3rd jersey Monday was incorrect.

Hope we see it soon though!

 

[maplesyrup]

Probably better suited for the complaint thread but why is Kadri a bust among some Leaf fans because he hasn't been able to crack the line up yet as a top 10 pick? (Grrrrrrr  ) Just had a conversation with a guy here at work who claims if Kadri can't crack the line-up out of camp he's done for. I then mentioned that B. Schenn (who went 2 spots higher in the same draft) has actually accomplished less at the NHL level then Kadri has. I asked him if B. Schenn was a bust and after he said no, claimed that there was no way I was correct about my numbers. (Double Grrrrrr  )

 

[Kin]

Probably better suited for the complaint thread but why is Kadri a bust among some Leaf fans because he hasn't been able to crack the line up yet as a top 10 pick? (Grrrrrrr  ) Just had a conversation with a guy here at work who claims if Kadri can't crack the line-up out of camp he's done for. I then mentioned that B. Schenn (who went 2 spots higher in the same draft) has actually accomplished less at the NHL level then Kadri has. I asked him if B. Schenn was a bust and after he said no, claimed that there was no way I was correct about my numbers. (Double Grrrrrr  )

Well, not that I subscribe to the idea that Kadri is a bust but to play devil's advocate here:

1. Kadri is almost a full year older than Schenn.
2. Neither guy has really accomplished anything at the NHL level.
3. Kadri had ample opportunity to cement his status as a NHL'er last year and didn't.
4. Kadri has sort of a glaring issue that needs resolving

Like I said, it's premature by a couple hundred miles to call Kadri a bust but I don't think it's crazy to view the two guys differently. Schenn, let's not forget, was a significantly higher valued prospect coming out of the draft.

 

[maplesyrup]

Oh, I get all of that and would trade Kadri for Schenn in a heartbeat but I'm just frustrated by the mentality of some fans that top 10 forward picks (well, top 10 forward LEAF picks) need to come in and score 70+ points in their first or second season and if they don't, they're finished. 

 

[lamajama]

Oh, I get all of that and would trade Kadri for Schenn in a heartbeat but I'm just frustrated by the mentality of some fans that top 10 forward picks (well, top 10 forward LEAF picks) need to come in and score 70+ points in their first or second season and if they don't, they're finished.

Anyone who declares Kadri is a bust at this stage of his career is a buffoon. Your point is spot on.

 

[bustaheims]

Anyone who declares Kadri is a bust at this stage of his career is a buffoon. Your point is spot on.

Yeah, that pretty much covers it. He's at least a couple seasons away from being at risk of really being a bust.

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

Probably better suited for the complaint thread but why is Kadri a bust among some Leaf fans because he hasn't been able to crack the line up yet as a top 10 pick? (Grrrrrrr  ) Just had a conversation with a guy here at work who claims if Kadri can't crack the line-up out of camp he's done for. I then mentioned that B. Schenn (who went 2 spots higher in the same draft) has actually accomplished less at the NHL level then Kadri has. I asked him if B. Schenn was a bust and after he said no, claimed that there was no way I was correct about my numbers. (Double Grrrrrr  )

Well, not that I subscribe to the idea that Kadri is a bust but to play devil's advocate here:

1. Kadri is almost a full year older than Schenn.
2. Neither guy has really accomplished anything at the NHL level.
3. Kadri had ample opportunity to cement his status as a NHL'er last year and didn't.
4. Kadri has sort of a glaring issue that needs resolving

Like I said, it's premature by a couple hundred miles to call Kadri a bust but I don't think it's crazy to view the two guys differently. Schenn, let's not forget, was a significantly higher valued prospect coming out of the draft.

So what is Kadri's glaring issue?

 

[cw]

Grabovski's tenacity and never give up attitude though did it for me.

I've not been his biggest fan and that impressed me about him.

I hope this year you will be his biggest fan!

If the rest of the team played with as much of his 'never-say-die, knock-me-down and I'll get right back up again' attitude, they'd be a playoff club certainty. I truly respected him for that last season.  The challenge this season will be for him to repeat it against teams more prepared for his line. But nobody is pulling any harder for him to succeed in the blue and white than I am.

 

[Bender]

Anyone who declares Kadri is a bust at this stage of his career is a buffoon. Your point is spot on.

Yeah, that pretty much covers it. He's at least a couple seasons away from being at risk of really being a bust.

It's not like every talented player breaks into the league right away. Richards didn't amount to much until he was 23. Patrick Sharp didn't amount to much until he was 25 or so. Its hard to just write a player off this early in his career when he's trending toward improvement. You have to be able to see some key issues wrong with the player to do so, imo. Alex Steen isn't all that young anymore but he broke out last season and I think the team would be better off with him than without him.

We have had our fair share of busts but Leafs history is littered with players we gave up on only to have them breakout elsewhere.

 

[bustaheims]

I think a lot of people really over-estimate what a top 10 pick is. It's really rare that a player drafted outside the top 2 or 3 picks of the draft makes a significant impact within 2 seasons of being drafted. I mean, just look at Kadri's draft class - other than Kane and Pajaarvi, who have both only had moderate success so far, no one has really had much of an impact at the NHL level - there are no 20 goal seasons from this draft from guys not named Tavares or Duchene, there are no starting goalies, there's only 1 defenceman of note (Kulikov) and he hasn't exactly lit it up either. Heck, there are only a handful of players outside the top 3 that have even played full NHL seasons. Some people really need to re-adjust their expectations to get in line with reality. I don't know where Kadri will end up in the future, but, calling him a bust because he hasn't earned a full-time spot within 2 years of being drafted? That's just ridiculous.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Heck, there are only a handful of players outside the top 3 that have even played full NHL seasons. Some people really need to re-adjust their expectations to get in line with reality. I don't know where Kadri will end up in the future, but, calling him a bust because he hasn't earned a full-time spot within 2 years of being drafted? That's just ridiculous.

I lump these people that say this stuff, in with the comments on the TSN article's that are posted about the Leafs, they really only like to bash everything Leafs. Most of the time, they have absolutely no idea what they're saying anyway.

 

[Kin]

So what is Kadri's glaring issue?

I'd say size/strength.