Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri, AND a 1st?

Sorry, are they trading for Jamie Benn, or Ryan Getzlaf?
- oniremosewa

Id take Benn over Getzlaf.

Id take Benn over Getzlaf.
- sanfordnson

More hair??

I love Toronto Fans...
- jimmc7722

I dont love Islander fans. You suck, but the other one is awesome. So I really only love half the Islanders fans.

Well BB is still the senior consultant
- top shelf 15

And?

Offer sheets are kinda redundant now with the new CBA rules.
- JamieS

Really? I musta missed something in the new cba..Care to enlighten me about the changes that affected the offer sheets.I just find it hard to believe when up to a couple days ago there was talk of other teams weighing their option's on offer sheeting Benn and/or Subban

Nonis likens it to a similar shift he employed in Vancouver, developing youth in the minors and eventually establishing it as the team's young core. Between 2005 and 2007, Nonis leaned on Vancouver's farm team in Manitoba and called up players that have grown into the foundation of the Canucks' winning teams of the past few years including Ryan Kesler, Alexandre Burrows, Mason Raymond, Alexander Edler, Kevin Bieksa and Cory Schneider.

"We made a decision at a certain point there too, that we had to get younger and bring certain youth into the lineup," he said. "A lot of those players that we started to look at are still playing there. You have to give those players a chance to develop and grow."

The Leafs' organizational depth could, of course, also be used to augment the NHL roster via trade. The Leafs have very publicly been linked to a possible pursuit of Canucks keeper Roberto Luongo, but the total cost to the team's future may deter any such move in the near future.

"I'm not going to give up youth for older players," he said. "We would trade a young player for a young player. We might trade from strength. But we're not going to trade a bunch of young players or first-round picks for short-term gain. You can't build a club that way.

"There's a point in time where you're good enough and deep enough where you can look at doing some of those things -- we're not there," he added. "And if we start to do that, we're going to end up being severely hampered in the development process of our club."

That said, Nonis did admit that goaltending is one area he would like to improve.

"We would upgrade our goaltending by the weekend if we could do it without taking away significant pieces," Nonis said. "It's not that we wouldn't upgrade. But for what's out there right now, we would set our team back, especially in the long term."

The Leafs have a goaltending tandem of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens penciled in to start this season and while Nonis would not undercut their abilities, he does acknowledge the risks associated with leaning on a pair of goaltenders who have played a combined total of 83 career NHL games.

"We believe we have two capable goaltenders," he told LeBrun. "Do we think they're NHL-caliber? The answer is yes, there's no question about that. The only question we have, and that people have, is the experience factor. And that's fair. You can't sit there and say we have two experience goaltenders because we don't. That's one area we would like to improve -- an experienced goalie that can play. At this point, there hasn't been a price reasonable enough for us to act on it."

Nonis did acknowledge that he's under pressure to perform.

He had an opportunity as the new man in charge to plead for patience as he puts together his blueprint for success, but instead admitted that he doesn't expect patience out of one of hockey's most rabid fan bases.

"Am I asking the fans to be more patient? Not really, because I understand what they've gone through," he said. "We've got fantastic fans. I don't think you ask the fans to be patient. But we have to be. We have to be. It's up to us to try to put together a team that can win and win for a long time. Our ownership group has made it clear what they want: a winning team that can win for a very long time."

Nonis had a message of hope for Leafs fans that the NHL's longest playoff drought could soon come to an end and that better times could be not so far ahead. But he refuses to take short cuts to get to that point.

"We have everything we need here to try and put together a winning team," he told LeBrun. "But we're going to take the time that we need to allow these players to grow. If we can make moves that will fast-track it, we will, but not at the expense of first-round picks and good, young players."

And?
- Gunslinger

Read the bolded and use your head man

I dont love Islander fans. You suck, but the other one is awesome. So I really only love half the Islanders fans.
- Gunslinger

Most Habs fans are funny... you're not!!!

Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri, AND a 1st?

Sorry, are they trading for Jamie Benn, or Ryan Getzlaf?
- oniremosewa

The 1st will be uncertain and unless its a top 3 unlikely to be as good as Benn, Kadri is meh and Gardiner, while good, still has only one good season under his belt.
Benn instantly makes the Leafs center situation far better. If that deal is offered, Nonis takes it and runs.

More hair??
- Fruitcakenipple

and less years and punishment.

Read the bolded and use your head man
- top shelf 15

Burke isn't a consultant to the Leafs....He's to have no involvement with the team...

Most Habs fans are funny... you're not!!!


- jimmc7722

He's a leafs fan using an alt account

The 1st will be uncertain and unless its a top 3 unlikely to be as good as Benn, Kadri is meh and Gardiner, while good, still has only one good season under his belt.
Benn instantly makes the Leafs center situation far better. If that deal is offered, Nonis takes it and runs.
- sanfordnson

i think benn is more natural on LW, but he can play C...

My sources tell me Ek is full of poop. No way Dallas gets rid of Benn. He will resign today

The 1st will be uncertain and unless its a top 3 unlikely to be as good as Benn, Kadri is meh and Gardiner, while good, still has only one good season under his belt.
Benn instantly makes the Leafs center situation far better. If that deal is offered, Nonis takes it and runs.
- sanfordnson

I dont think its that simple. That 1st could be a very solid pick/player for a Leafs team that should be in lottery range. Lesson was learned in the Kessel deal.

Burke isn't a consultant to the Leafs....He's to have no involvement with the team...
- Fruitcakenipple

I know he has that BS title as advisor or consultant.Nonis seems to be saying and doing the right things .The best thing about him is he seems to be more patiant and thats what Toronto needs from their GM

Most Habs fans are funny... you're not!!!


- jimmc7722

I agree. Most Hab fans are a pleasure to laugh at.

Only half the Islander fans are. The other guy is just grumpy all the time.

Lived at Kennedy/Eglinton 1970/74...awesome place...walked to Corvette public school.....went back 25 years later to check out my childhood area, and almost puked
- JIMI-JAMES

Too funny, same here. I lived in Scarberia from 73 to 75. Went back to the old haunts and was shocked to see what it has turned into. Lived to Thornhill from 75 to 07 and moved North. Brought back the kids for a visit to Thill a couple of years later and they thanked us for moving. What a Persian shyte hole Thill has turned into. Oh the memories.
Go Leafs Go !! 5-2 Leafs final book it.

He's a leafs fan using an alt account
- Symba007

No, this is the same account. Good try there though. Dont sic Pumba on me now.

Anyone stacking up beer for tomorrow? LA vs CHI, PEN vs PIT, TO vs MTL, etc...It's like Christmas tomorrow
- hooligoon

You drink at Christmas ?

I dont think its that simple. That 1st could be a very solid pick/player for a Leafs team that should be in lottery range. Lesson was learned in the Kessel deal.
- Gunslinger

We all got opinions and are entitled to such, and mine is that you get a proven all around type player in Benn that simply isnt available often. I would trade Yak + for him. Hes precisely what my team and the Leafs need in their top 6.

I know he has that BS title as advisor or consultant.Nonis seems to be saying and doing the right things .The best thing about him is he seems to be more patiant and thats what Toronto needs from their GM
- top shelf 15

Agreed....Burke was a blowhard...No team should want that as the face of there team

Who said NYI claimed Connolly??? I can't see it.
- burn

Mirtle is saying nothing official until noon

We all got opinions and are entitled to such, and mine is that you get a proven all around type player in Benn that simply isnt available often. I would trade Yak + for him. Hes precisely what my team and the Leafs need in their top 6.
- sanfordnson

The need isnt the issue, its the cost. I dont think its wise for Toronto to be giving up too many assets, especially 1st rounders, until they are competing for a playoff spot. Like you said, opinions and such.

Mirtle is saying nothing official until noon
- Canada Cup

isles is logical. still doubt any team wastes this years cap space on him...but he's a good veteran presence that could turn his career around on that team...low risk move since hes a ufa this summer. i hope he gets claimed...even more cap space for the leafs this season.