Leafs @ Ducks - Mar. 3rd, 10:00pm - TSN4, Fan 590

[Frank E]

So, what the hell are we supposed to do tonight???

Don't tell me I have to talk to my wife or something like that...ludicrous!

I feel your pain.

That CBC is going to make me watch a habs game...a F'ing habs game!!??

Opa is turning in his grave.

 

[skrackle]

The Leafs hopes of making the playoffs this season have always been a lofty one. This road trip has been a good reminder of where this team stands, and they are just not ready to compete in the playoffs yet. Honestly, another end-of-season tank job is what this club needs the most. I don't see that happening though. They will either a) slip into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth b) miss out by just a few points. I have to believe that neither outcome is ideal for the management team, and will just make the search for the final pieces needed that much more difficult.

The final pieces that the Leafs will need aren't going to be an easy find. I think they are going to need the kind of luck that the Blackhawks had when they drafted their Norris winning, all-star defenseman Duncan Keith in the 2nd round. Of course, the Hawks would tell you that it was organisational superiority that led them to draft Keith. Maybe it was. Whatever it was, the Leafs need some of that.

I think the Leafs may be able to solve a few issues through trades, but they aren't deep enough yet to give up significant pieces to fill the biggest holes, unless they capitilize on another team's mistake. UFAs will factor in, but moreso when the team is really good.

I think the easy part is over for Leafs management. The next phase is where they really need to show their chops.

 

[pnjunction]

The final pieces that the Leafs will need aren't going to be an easy find. I think they are going to need the kind of luck that the Blackhawks had when they drafted their Norris winning, all-star defenseman Duncan Keith in the 2nd round. Of course, the Hawks would tell you that it was organisational superiority that led them to draft Keith. Maybe it was. Whatever it was, the Leafs need some of that.

I think the Leafs may be able to solve a few issues through trades, but they aren't deep enough yet to give up significant pieces to fill the biggest holes, unless they capitilize on another team's mistake. UFAs will factor in, but moreso when the team is really good.

Seems to me a major challenge is that the timing is lining up wrong.  Chicago drafted Keith in 2002 and Toews and Kane in 2006 and 2007.  I look at other contenders like Tampa and Pittsburgh they drafted their big defenders (Hedman, Letang) at about the same time as their big forwards and early in the process.

It's common knowledge that D-men take longer to mature, especially at the defensive aspects of the game.  To be on Chicago's timeline we needed to draft our Keith 5 years ago which isn't happening...to be like Tampa/Pittsburgh it would need to happen very soon.

I guess one way out is a big UFA like Boston got with Chara but it seems like you need luck (or tax advantages that Toronto doesn't have) to pull that off.  For example Shattenkirk, whether he could be the guy or not doesn't even matter when by most accounts already has a very short list and Toronto isn't on it.

 

[skrackle]

The final pieces that the Leafs will need aren't going to be an easy find. I think they are going to need the kind of luck that the Blackhawks had when they drafted their Norris winning, all-star defenseman Duncan Keith in the 2nd round. Of course, the Hawks would tell you that it was organisational superiority that led them to draft Keith. Maybe it was. Whatever it was, the Leafs need some of that.

I think the Leafs may be able to solve a few issues through trades, but they aren't deep enough yet to give up significant pieces to fill the biggest holes, unless they capitilize on another team's mistake. UFAs will factor in, but moreso when the team is really good.

Seems to me a major challenge is that the timing is lining up wrong.  Chicago drafted Keith in 2002 and Toews and Kane in 2006 and 2007.  I look at other contenders like Tampa and Pittsburgh they drafted their big defenders (Hedman, Letang) at about the same time as their big forwards and early in the process.

It's common knowledge that D-men take longer to mature, especially at the defensive aspects of the game.  To be on Chicago's timeline we needed to draft our Keith 5 years ago which isn't happening...to be like Tampa/Pittsburgh it would need to happen very soon.

I guess one way out is a big UFA like Boston got with Chara but it seems like you need luck (or tax advantages that Toronto doesn't have) to pull that off.  For example Shattenkirk, whether he could be the guy or not doesn't even matter when by most accounts already has a very short list and Toronto isn't on it.

Yeah, the whole thing is wrought with complication. I have no idea how the Leafs will solve it, or if they will. If they do figure it out, it will be a tale told to many generations of Leaf fans.

 

[mr grieves]

Seems to me a major challenge is that the timing is lining up wrong.  Chicago drafted Keith in 2002 and Toews and Kane in 2006 and 2007.  I look at other contenders like Tampa and Pittsburgh they drafted their big defenders (Hedman, Letang) at about the same time as their big forwards and early in the process.

It's common knowledge that D-men take longer to mature, especially at the defensive aspects of the game.  To be on Chicago's timeline we needed to draft our Keith 5 years ago which isn't happening...to be like Tampa/Pittsburgh it would need to happen very soon.

Well, Pittsburgh drafted Letang the same year they took Crosby. We took no interesting defensemen last year, but, with Marner, they took Dermott... still, UFA would be my guess.