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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 9, 2007
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If I was Cliffy Boy here is what I would do.
First of I would bring back Sundin, I don't care about the cap right now, with the deletions I make later on the 7 million will be fesible. Sundin really helped Antropov develop last year, and with one more year of Sundin's tutalige I think Antropov can peak at about 65 points.
Second. Find a taker for McCabe's outrageous salary or buy him out. People are saying McCabe or Kubina, the choise for me is clear. Kubina, younger, smarter defensively, same offensive potential, and a minute muncher. Kubina has the shot to get Kaberle's feeds and pot McCabe like goals.
Third. Draft Kyle Beach, this kid is a playmaker who gets into the rough stuff and is a + player.
Fourth. Keep Mark Bell. Strange isn't it to hear that after this season, but he showed a bit late in the season and he could be a good checking line LW to go along with Moore and Devereaux. He has the potential to put up numbers, and we can't just have a checking line of brand new kids right away.
Five. Bring up Greg Gilbert to coach the club. He turned the Marlies around in a big way this year, and he knows all about Pogge and his tendencies, along with Kronwall, Tlusty, Earl and Williams, all of whom should be with the Big Club next year.
Six. Trade Raycroft if possible, if not, buy him out. He is still a good goalie and we have been way to hard on him, but its Toskala's team next year and Pogge should be our back-up next year.
Seven. Sign a guy like Brian Rolston to a 2 year, 8 million deal (NO NO-TRADE CLAUSE), a class act and a great center.
Eight, Trade Kyle Wellwood for a 4th or 5th round pick.
With all that Said, here's what the Leafs would look like next year.
LW
Blake
Ponikarovsky
Bell
Earl
C
Sundin
Rolston
Moore
Stajan
RW
Antropov
Tlusty
Devereaux
Williams
D
Kaberle
White
Kubina
Stralman
Kronwall
Colaiacovo
G
Toskala
Pogge
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Reputation:82
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 25, 2008
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I like your ideas dude. Not sure about the Rolston bit just because of the cap...would we be able to handle that?
Sundin is very important to re-sign in my opinion because if we're going to bring in a youth movement (which is really the only option here) they need leaders. Why not develop in the company of the best scorer in Leafs history?
I remember hearing rumblings on Islanders being interested in McCabe's contract for some bizzare reason...and I think he would want to go wherever he can to get away from the Toronto media. If we could trade him for a bag of pucks just to get rid of the cap hit that would be good. I like him and I think the T.O. fans are way too hard on him, but that salary has got to go. That no trade clause is another reminder of the Fergie days.
I'm not too draft educated this year, but I know it is deep, so the 7th pick isn't too shabby. I personally would like a stay at home d-man to develop, but in hockey drafts positional need isn't as important as just taking the best player available. Whoever that is I just hope it isn't a bust. We can't afford to have a pick that high be a waste.
I'm not sure what Mark Bell's price tag will be like, but if it's cheap I wouldn't mind having him as a checking line guy. Always nice to have some sand paper, especially when you have a stable of young guys on the roster like we should next year.
With Raycroft I feel the same as my bit on McCabe. Too much criticism, too much pressure, he needs a fresh start somewhere. I already said my bit on Rolston as well, and Wellwood was really a non-factor this year, so I wouldn't miss him. I really liked him last year on the PP, but he struggled this year. He may deserve another shot, but he needs to produce like he did on '06-07.
One positive to take from this train wreck of a season is we saw that there is some young guys who might be able to play. I really thought Stralman and Kronwall showed that they can play a bit at this level, which is encouraging. Williams and Tlusty both showed a bit of scoring touch so that was good. I think we have some solid young guys who can develop into 2nd and 3rd line guys to provide secondary scoring in Williams, Earl, and Tlusty. The future is looking brighter than it once did after seeing some of those guys look like they belong in the NHL this season.
Just one question. Where is Alex Steen?
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 9, 2007
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Yikes.. how could I forget him... damnit.. i knew i missed someone. I guess either Earl or Williams gets bumped then, most likely Earl so he gets more seasoning
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Reputation:82
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 25, 2008
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Competition for the last couple roster spots is certainly not a bad thing. It's also good to have a guy in the A who can come up and belong when called upon. Keeps the 3rd and 4th liners on a short leash because they can be replaced at the drop of a hat.
Good thread. Lets hope management reads a takes a couple tips.
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Dec 10, 2006
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love the ideas ddriver. also love the analogy of the bag pf pucks from nyg-tml, LMAO! i would definitely like to see sundin return. other ideas also sound good, and not to hard to execute. about Brian Rolston, i think hed be a great signing just because minnys youth seems to be stepping up and they probably wont want to take on his salary again. also with rolston, it brings up the question about other free agents. i know iggy was coming up to free agency, but calgary signed him with good reason. so who else is out there? anyone know?
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Dec 10, 2006
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well heres the link to a page that answers my question.
p.s. im liking Kristian Huselius, simply because hes been in the dog house recently and with iginla and kipper harnassing big time salaries next season, they will probably also want to keep Craig Conroy who is a older, but also more well rounded player. what do you guys think?
here is the link: http://hockeyworld.wordpress.com/2008-nhl-free-agents/
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Reputation:82
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 25, 2008
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Well if we're putting together a wish list I would put Ryan Malone on mine. I really like the way that guy plays. Too bad though, because he will almost certainly take a home-town discount in Pittsburgh. I could be wrong, but considering he grew up there and his dad was a Penguin, he will likely want to stay there.
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Reputation:82
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 25, 2008
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You know what, I changed my mind, I like the Huselius idea. We have guys like Malone who can grind and score the odd goal...what we don't have is a playmaker like Huselius who could fit in on the top 2 lines.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 12, 2008
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Heh DD,
I disagree with you almost completely.
The goal for any NHL hockey team is to win the Stanley Cup. If you are going to manage a team, you have to be thinking about the moves you make in order to build a Stanley Cup team. Otherwise you never get there and you end up constantly in the middle.
I have lived in Toronto since 89 and I only have two good memories of hockey in this city. I am a hockey nut. The two good memories are 93 with Gilmore and Clark and (((about))) 2002 with Roberts. I have a total of zero good memories that have been generated by Mats Sundin. This is because he has never led a good play off run.
When I consider managing a hockey team I consider stocking my team with players that can help win a stanley cup. This is what a stanley cup team needs. Only those players that can fill these parts should be kept.
1 - A top scoring line that has at least one total quality player. By total quality player I mean someone who gets very energetic come play off time and literally demands victories from his team mates. (Trottier, Lafleur, Gretzky, Gilmore, Igilnia, Crosby, Thorton??, Messier, Lemieux, Modano (in his primie), Sakic, Brind' amour Clarke, Lecavalier, Forsberg). The line also needs one wrecker for the corners. The top line is usually a sniper, an all rounder and a corner man. 2 of the three must be top NHLer's and the third must be top in the given roll. 2 of the 3 must be good defensively.
2 - A second scoring line that is also a good plus minus line. These guys have to be very good defensively but also score some goals. I mean very good defensively.
3 - A great checking line usually with a shut down center.
4 - Some character spare parts that play roles and often create a lot of intensity and problems. These guys need to be character guys. Guys that play 4 or 5 minutes of intense scrappy hockey. One of these guys should be a good fighter.
5 - A defensive horse. (Pronger, Stevens, Phaneuf, Robinson, Potvin, Chelios, Lindstrom, Langway). Big minutes, big hits, mean, great defensively but also able to move the puck. (Neidermeyer qualifies because he is so great all around but he is rare for this class)
6 - A solid defensive defensemen to play with the horse.
7 - A second defensive pairing that can play very good defense. I mean very solid defense.
8 - a defensemen that can lead the powerplay (hopefully one of the top four defenders but not required to be so.
9 - A top 5 goalie in the NHL or a young buck who suddenly has a freak run for one playoff run.
Issues:
Sundin would actually be ok if he had all the other parts around him. Now the problem is that leafs will not get many of the required parts around him before he is retired. I think that Sundin will be gone before the team does anything so we might as well let him go now. If we had a chance to win the cup next year I would be ok with him staying. Plus the Leafs record tends to be better when he is not playing with the team.
McCabe: everyone here knocks McCabe, but they are all wrong. When McCabe is absent they lose all the time. When he plays they do better. I do not know why this happens but it just does. His salary is dropping over the next three years and he will be great value in 2 years and 3 years time (5 million). He is also young, he chews up minutes, he can master the powerplay. He just needs a good defensive style defensmen to play with him. McCabe could still be here for a cup run. But he needs to be supported with several solid defensive defensemen.
LW
Blake (get rid of him if you can, he is too much money for a sniper)
Ponikarovsky (must go he is to slow, especially if you keep Antropov)
Bell (Most go, 2 million for him is crazy, he was a player the Sharks wanted rid of for zero) (however, if we knew he would sign for 600$ in two years then keep him, but make the deal now)
Earl (sorry but no opinion)
C
Sundin (must go)
Rolston (get him, perfect with Stajan and Antropov, but do not overpay)
Moore (i do not see the value but you never know if he stayed fine, i certainly do not think he is a problem to keep)
Stajan (love him , he is prototypical 2nd line guy as per above)
RW
Antropov (same as stajan - but should play with stajan and should not be thought off as a first line forward)
Tlusty (i do not seem him as a stanley cup caliber forward, I know he has skills but he does not fill any roll at all on a cup team)
Devereaux (awful come play offs - get him out, love his speed but no play off value)
Williams (he is an ok spare part for line 4, i would keep him and teach him to try for the role on line three)
D
Kaberle (most go - cannot have him and McCabe does not work, but no rush to see him go because he is also good value for now)
White (most go, better at O than D, that to me is McCabes job, get him out fast)
Kubina (Too expensive for a defensive style player but I do not mind him, but he takes up cap space that he does not warrant)
Stralman (love him, the best asset on the team other than the goalies)
Kronwall (keep him)
Colaiacovo (I do not mind him but he is paid too much)
G
Toskala (love him)
Pogge (love him)
So, accepting the notes above what do we have?
we have the two goalies that we need
we have two parts of line 2
we have one part of line 4
we have zero parts of a checking line and these guys are not that expensive so it is really foolish not to have a checking line.
We have zero parts of line 1 unless we keep Sundin. There are no bruising corner bangers, the sniper (Blake) is just too much money for his production. Again if the other, harder to get pieces, were in place, I would not mind Blake. But he is not a well rounded forward and should be a guy that teams like Minnesota, Calgary, Washington need. I would just as soon fill other more character based positions before the sniper rolls. The sniper seems to always be available come free agent time.
We have 3 good defensemen but we really lack in those basic steady defensemen that fill position 4 through 6. These are usually not expensive, to not have them is very stupid.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 9, 2007
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Hail, i'll have to disagree with your assertion about Ian White. Ian White has steadly improved defensively and was probably the leafs second best defensive D man last year. The leafs need to rebuild, we can't just go about the ways we used to. we have to use the draft better and not sign over the hill free-agents
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 9, 2007
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Also Hail, when it came to what you said about the checking line, Devereaux and Moore are great checking line players
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Dec 10, 2006
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hail, if you don't know moore's value, i don't blame you, but he definitely needs to stay. as for kaberle, i don't see how we need to get rid of him. he and mccabe don't work together, we know, but he is chaeper, quicker, better on the power play and also has a cannon. on top of that he is younger and i think we should keep em both. he didn't play that much with mccabe after mccabe's injury, because he and kubs had great chemistry. i see this team much better without sundin even though i love the guy. the reason you're looking for as to why they play better without sundin is simple in my mind. IMO, with sundin playing, everyone looks at the game like "o we need to get mats the puck to create a chance, because he will score", and without mats, the attitude changes and everyone realizes there is no one man to give the puck to, and the leafs turn into a more complete team. with that said, it will be interesting to see how the draft goes without jfj this season, although i must say jfj did stumble upon some good players in stralman and tlusty (sorry hail, but i love this kid. he skates, scores, and uses his body well. he is a good fore-checker and i think in a few years, he will be that corner banger and all round offensive player you're talking about for the first line). sorry for the run-on sentences there, love to keep the thread alive, so keep posting :)!
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 25, 2007
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For the most part, I agree with you hail64. However, you are expecting the team that is guaranteed to win the cup. Nobody ever has the perfect team. I think that the only way the leafs will improve is if they tank the team and trade everybody worth anything for youth and draft picks. If they suck it up for a year or 2, draft really well, t | |
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