Nonis using depth to go shopping....

[Zee]

This is going to be a tough offseason, I hope some of our prospects are ready for regular play.

Tough, full of opportunities and pitfalls... Burke has his work cut out for him.

I think Frattin will be there next year, I honestly thought Kadri would be there by now but he got some pretty no nonsense criticism from Burke on Saturday with Ron MacLean so not sure what to make out of that. Colborne is one that is hard to figure in too. Ashton?

On the back end, Holzer has been touted to make the leap, Blacker and Gysbers are making pretty good progress according to their coaches too.

It's a riddle but to me they have to look to successfully removing some of the over priced stopgaps to start with.

Get rid of the deadweights, hopefully some kids can crack the lineup next season. With Carlyle, if enough guys buy into the system and we play good TEAM defense, I think the team should do well.  We've seen other teams "buy into" a coach's system and be successful, I'm thinking specifically about Ottawa.

The Ottawa analogy is actually an interesting one when you look at how Carlyle has started.  Leafs are 1-2 under him, everyone keeps saying he has a lot of work to do.  I recall back when the Sens first started the season they looked HORRIBLE under MacLean, started off the season 1-5 but then through hard work they turned it around, people bought in and now they're a different overall team.

 

[Bender]

This is going to be a tough offseason, I hope some of our prospects are ready for regular play.

Tough, full of opportunities and pitfalls... Burke has his work cut out for him.

I think Frattin will be there next year, I honestly thought Kadri would be there by now but he got some pretty no nonsense criticism from Burke on Saturday with Ron MacLean so not sure what to make out of that. Colborne is one that is hard to figure in too. Ashton?

On the back end, Holzer has been touted to make the leap, Blacker and Gysbers are making pretty good progress according to their coaches too.

It's a riddle but to me they have to look to successfully removing some of the over priced stopgaps to start with.

Get rid of the deadweights, hopefully some kids can crack the lineup next season. With Carlyle, if enough guys buy into the system and we play good TEAM defense, I think the team should do well.  We've seen other teams "buy into" a coach's system and be successful, I'm thinking specifically about Ottawa.

The Ottawa analogy is actually an interesting one when you look at how Carlyle has started.  Leafs are 1-2 under him, everyone keeps saying he has a lot of work to do.  I recall back when the Sens first started the season they looked HORRIBLE under MacLean, started off the season 1-5 but then through hard work they turned it around, people bought in and now they're a different overall team.

Yeah but there's two variations here:

Karlsson is beyond amazing
Anderson is giving them half decent goaltending

 

[Bonsixx]

This is going to be a tough offseason, I hope some of our prospects are ready for regular play.

Tough, full of opportunities and pitfalls... Burke has his work cut out for him.

I think Frattin will be there next year, I honestly thought Kadri would be there by now but he got some pretty no nonsense criticism from Burke on Saturday with Ron MacLean so not sure what to make out of that. Colborne is one that is hard to figure in too. Ashton?

On the back end, Holzer has been touted to make the leap, Blacker and Gysbers are making pretty good progress according to their coaches too.

It's a riddle but to me they have to look to successfully removing some of the over priced stopgaps to start with.

Get rid of the deadweights, hopefully some kids can crack the lineup next season. With Carlyle, if enough guys buy into the system and we play good TEAM defense, I think the team should do well.  We've seen other teams "buy into" a coach's system and be successful, I'm thinking specifically about Ottawa.

The Ottawa analogy is actually an interesting one when you look at how Carlyle has started.  Leafs are 1-2 under him, everyone keeps saying he has a lot of work to do.  I recall back when the Sens first started the season they looked HORRIBLE under MacLean, started off the season 1-5 but then through hard work they turned it around, people bought in and now they're a different overall team.

Yeah but there's two variations here:

Karlsson is beyond amazing
Anderson is giving them half decent goaltending

Spezza has also been on fire this year.

 

[princedpw]

If that $20 hot dog came with a glass of champagne, that would one thing, but the reality of the situation is that buying the $20 hot dog more than likely leads to an extended period of surviving off of KD and ramen noodles. Better to use that $20 to stock the fridge, so that the team prepare a variety of delicious meals to feast on.

+1

 

[Sudafederov]

If that $20 hot dog came with a glass of champagne, that would one thing, but the reality of the situation is that buying the $20 hot dog more than likely leads to an extended period of surviving off of KD and ramen noodles. Better to use that $20 to stock the fridge, so that the team prepare a variety of delicious meals to feast on.

There's a point at which this analogy loses steam.

hotdogs + steam = Montreal Steamies

Hungry now 

 

[ZBBM]

I'm with Tig. If they could get Suter I'd absolutely do it and then work from there. I could stand pat with the forwards or insert Kadri etc. But I am sick sick sick of watching crappy defense.

 

[Bates]

Why would anyone think that Suter would leave Nashville to sign in Toronto?  What exactly do we have to entice him with?

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Why would anyone think that Suter would leave Nashville to sign in Toronto?  What exactly do we have to entice him with?

$20 Hot Dogs.

 

[ZBBM]

Why would anyone think that Suter would leave Nashville to sign in Toronto?  What exactly do we have to entice him with?

Oh I don't know.  How about unlimited money.  The chance for endorsements in a hockey market that's 100x more lucrative than Nashville.  24/7 adulation.

 

[Bates]

PHe can get all of that except 24/7 and do it in a market with a chance to win soon. Face reality, other than $$$ the Leafs don't really have much to sway a top end free agent to sign. And players like Suter will get all the money from whatever team he chooses. And for the record the endorsement market for NHL players is mainly for the very few and I doubt it moves Suter from Nashville to Toronto.

 

[bustaheims]

Oh I don't know.  How about unlimited money.  The chance for endorsements in a hockey market that's 100x more lucrative than Nashville.  24/7 adulation.

The whole endorsement thing gets brought up a lot, but, honestly, who was the last player who came to TO and suddenly saw any major increase in that area? It's a nice myth we like to cling to, but, really, that's all it is.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Oh I don't know.  How about unlimited money.  The chance for endorsements in a hockey market that's 100x more lucrative than Nashville.  24/7 adulation.

The whole endorsement thing gets brought up a lot, but, honestly, who was the last player who came to TO and suddenly saw any major increase in that area? It's a nice myth we like to cling to, but, really, that's all it is.

Kessel's rolling in the tuna money.

 

[Kin]

Why would anyone think that Suter would leave Nashville to sign in Toronto?  What exactly do we have to entice him with?

To think that Suter would come to Toronto, a real nutjob would have to believe that the following things might play into Suter's decision:

1) A desire to play in a location where hockey matters
2) A desire to play for a team that is capable of spending to the cap(something that seems to be an issue in Nashville)
3) A desire to live in a major, cosmopolitan metropolis.

And, contrary to your position, money is going to play a role. Suter is a good player but he's doesn't have a string of Norris trophies behind him. He's not just going to be able to name his price from anyone. If Suter comes out demanding an 8 year/64 million dollar deal most teams will pass on him.

Realistically Suter will sign a deal for between a 6.5 and 7.5 AAV at which point term and structure are going to determine how lucrative it is for him. Again, Suter isn't going to be able to just dictate those things. If he wants a ten year, 75 million dollar deal where he gets huge chunk of the money up front a lot of teams will have trouble with it.

So how many teams out there are there that really fit all of those criteria and are in a cap position to make the offer? Not many. I'm not going to sit here and say Toronto is a favourite or anything because nobody can handicap a race like that right now but none of those things are off the deep end. People have said that Detroit is a great fit and they may be but it shouldn't boggle anyone's mind to think of a player choosing Toronto over Detroit.

 

[Stebro]

Dion for Shea! Do it JFJ

 

[Boom Roasted]

I wonder if the fact that Toronto (and for that matter Detroit as mentioned in Suter's case) being in the Winter Classic, as well as possibly being featured on HBO's 24/7 could have any bearing on Toronto's ability to lure free agents. It seems like, for the most part, players want to be a part of this.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I wonder if the fact that Toronto (and for that matter Detroit as mentioned in Suter's case) being in the Winter Classic, as well as possibly being featured on HBO's 24/7 could have any bearing on Toronto's ability to lure free agents. It seems like, for the most part, players want to be a part of this.

It might work for mid-level free agents who are only looking for a 1 or 2 year deal. But a guy like Suter or Parise probably won't let it effect where they will play for the next 6-10 years. Especially since if they sign for any big market team there's a decent chance they'll get to participate in that event at some point.

 

[McPwnage]

I don't think we will be in the running for Suter unless we can get rid of some guys like Komisarek.  We don't have the cap room and our pressing concerns are on offence. 

 

[Optimus Reimer]

Why would anyone think that Suter would leave Nashville to sign in Toronto?  What exactly do we have to entice him with?

Brothels are coming.

 

[Corn Flake]

If that $20 hot dog came with a glass of champagne, that would one thing, but the reality of the situation is that buying the $20 hot dog more than likely leads to an extended period of surviving off of KD and ramen noodles. Better to use that $20 to stock the fridge, so that the team prepare a variety of delicious meals to feast on.

Delicious pancakes?

 

[the dingo ate my baby]

If that $20 hot dog came with a glass of champagne, that would one thing, but the reality of the situation is that buying the $20 hot dog more than likely leads to an extended period of surviving off of KD and ramen noodles. Better to use that $20 to stock the fridge, so that the team prepare a variety of delicious meals to feast on.

Delicious pancakes?

Waffles