You know he will be a Habs and it's killing you
- Symba007

Doubt it,

Your goaltending is good enough for you to finish 11th-9th in the east.

Hell, if Markov stays healthy you guys actually do have a playoff hope, with PK back

People who get all worked up about that deal, and are Leaf fans, are still crying that we traded Brad Boyes
- AngryWhiteMale

Owen Nolan was excellent in those 3.5 games he played for the Leafs

What if Kessel doesn't resign? Then what?
- PatC80

What if the Leafs draft a stud center with a 6th round draft pic? Then what?

Depends.

I know it's a stretch, but if a team like FLA or CBJ is desperate to put bums in the seats then they may take a flyer on it.

There is also the possiblity of 3-way trades in which we get the pick we want and the team losing their 1st overall gets what they want.

It's all hypothetical, and would be a big headache for Nonis, but it can be done
- AngryWhiteMale

In one word: no.

Kessel is simply not a guy you can build a marketing drive around. I'm not talking about his play - he's completely useless off the ice in terms of helping you sell tickets.

Kessel is an ideal guy to get if you are looking to put your team over the top.

By definition, that means he's only going to get you a pick in the 21-30 range.

You aren't going to get fair value for him.

Daigle was a bust because he was a pansy who played hockey because he was good at it, not because he had a true love for the game. The guy really wanted to be an actor.

As far as the Defence is concered, with Gardiner, Percy, Finn and Blacker all working their way through the system, and the prospect of Dion logging 28 minutes a night for the next half decade, it's lunacy to take a defenceman unless it's Bobby Orr.

We need a centre. And while Mackinnon's no Crosby, he'll fit into that no. 1 role. If we could somehow land Drouin as well, then we'd be set
- AngryWhiteMale

Percy should be a solid shut down guy, but i doubt Finn or Blacker will be regular NHL'ers. Jones would step in next year. I think you under-evaluate him. What i'm saying is that if he is that much better than MacKinnon then go for him and worry about all that other crap later.

looks like we have to include scrivens in the Komiserek deal then eh?
- billyberg10

What if the Leafs draft a stud center with a 6th round draft pic? Then what?
- faceto27

Then they'll trade him to Anaheim for Saku Koivu and a player to be named later.. Which turns out to be Teemu Selanne.

One of the newest changes will be the NHL draft lottery. Instead of just the four worst teams in the league getting a crack at the top pick, all non-playoff teams will receive a chance. The new lottery process will resemble the NBA’s.

In one word: no.

Kessel is simply not a guy you can build a marketing drive around. I'm not talking about his play - he's completely useless off the ice in terms of helping you sell tickets.

Kessel is an ideal guy to get if you are looking to put your team over the top.

By definition, that means he's only going to get you a pick in the 21-30 range.

You aren't going to get fair value for him.
- Atomic Wedgie

Phil Kessel = Alexander Semin

Depends.

I know it's a stretch, but if a team like FLA or CBJ is desperate to put bums in the seats then they may take a flyer on it.

There is also the possiblity of 3-way trades in which we get the pick we want and the team losing their 1st overall gets what they want.

It's all hypothetical, and would be a big headache for Nonis, but it can be done
- AngryWhiteMale

So, teams losing money hand over fist will trade a high profile 1st round pick, which could possibly be Seth Jones, an Elite American prospect who they could make the face of their franchise and who will make entry level money for 3 years... for Kessel, who can NOT be the face of the franchise due to lack of personality, and who will get no less than $6M per for the next 5 years?

Honestly, it would be a horrible business decision for CBJ, Florida, or any other bottom team.

You know he will be a Habs and it's killing you
- Symba007

EE says you guys are playoff bound

EE says you guys are playoff bound
- AdamFrench

LOL!

Percy should be a solid shut down guy, but i doubt Finn or Blacker will be regular NHL'ers. Jones would step in next year. I think you under-evaluate him. What i'm saying is that if he is that much better than MacKinnon then go for him and worry about all that other crap later.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

I don't have much reason to believe he'll be THAT much better than Mackinnon.

And considering how badly we need a centreman, it just doesn't make sense to take Jones.

Hell, we may end up being crap next year too, in which case we'll get Ekblad

Doubt it,

Your goaltending is good enough for you to finish 11th-9th in the east.

Hell, if Markov stays healthy you guys actually do have a playoff hope, with PK back
- AngryWhiteMale

same goaltending as last year...

just sayin

Depends.

I know it's a stretch, but if a team like FLA or CBJ is desperate to put bums in the seats then they may take a flyer on it.

There is also the possiblity of 3-way trades in which we get the pick we want and the team losing their 1st overall gets what they want.

It's all hypothetical, and would be a big headache for Nonis, but it can be done
- AngryWhiteMale

Florida won their division last year; they'll hardly be in top 3 range IMO.

Anyway, whatever, if the Leafs need to trade Kessel because he won't re-sign, they need blue chip prospect +, not draft picks.

I have always stood by Kessel as being the best individual in that trade with BOS. Doesn't mean he's worth the sum of what we gave up.

What we really need to do is look at what Kessel can contribute to this team. Over the previous 3 seasons, he has, on his own, produced enough points to vindicate his reputation. Nobody doubts he is one of the best snipers in the game. In fact I can only think of a few players with a quicker release.

The problem is that despite him doing as much as we could expect of him, we still have not made the playoffs. That leaves a lot of food for thought to Nonis, a guy who never made the deal to acquire him in the first place.

Nonis has stated he's willing to be patient. And with the situation BB left him(cap situation, drafting and getting Kadri to develop properly in the AHL), he perhaps won't have to go another 3-4 years without playoffs. That said, there are still a few things Nonis can do to ensure that this team has the depth needed to go far.

JVR, Grabs, Kadri and Loops can be the centre of our offence for the next while. In the meantime, I'd like to see this team get one last good kick at the draft can. Kessel alone should be enough to get us a top 3 pick in this year's draft. if we can trade for a top 3 pick and remove Kessel's ability to score our own pick out of the top 5, then I think we'd finally have things going in the right direction
- AngryWhiteMale

So what you are saying is that someone else would make the same mistake? Nobody is going to give up MacKinnon, Drouin or Jones for Kessel. Nor would Nonis make that trade straight up because they could turn out to be busts.

The best you are going to get in return is a good roster player, a prospect and a late first rounder from a playoff bound team. I would not trade a superstar for that. I want to stand behind our players, and wish the rest of the of the fan base and the media would do so.

Percy should be a solid shut down guy, but i doubt Finn or Blacker will be regular NHL'ers. Jones would step in next year. I think you under-evaluate him. What i'm saying is that if he is that much better than MacKinnon then go for him and worry about all that other crap later.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Percy is an offensive d-man. Not a shutdown guy. Finn is more likely to make the NHL than Percy.

I don't have much reason to believe he'll be THAT much better than Mackinnon.

And considering how badly we need a centreman, it just doesn't make sense to take Jones.

Hell, we may end up being crap next year too, in which case we'll get Ekblad
- AngryWhiteMale

Id love to see MacKinnon play for Toronto, but i live in Alberta so i never get to see him play so i tend to trust the Bob McKenzie's of the hockey world on this subject more than my own opinion. If history tells us anything we are cursed, and no matter who we draft they will suck

same goaltending as last year...

just sayin
- Big_Lightnin

Carey Price is looking to solidify a spot on the Olympic team(I think he's our starter)

He will also play fewer games than last year and with Markov back(for the time being) I think they have enough pieces through the lineup to ruffle feathers. That's particularily true when you consider all the underachievers so far

EE says you guys are playoff bound
- AdamFrench

He has San Jose missing too right? 9th was it? or lower? can;t remember

EE says you guys are playoff bound
- AdamFrench

So do the standings

As of now, 8th or 9th, its going to be close!

Percy is an offensive d-man. Not a shutdown guy. Finn is more likely to make the NHL than Percy.
- Big_Lightnin

Percy's more of a Gunnarsson type.

Not overly offensive, but just good hockey smarts. Very smooth first pass.

One thing they mentioned when he was drafted was that Stu wanted to improve his shot. If he can do that he'll earn a spot here for sure

Percy is an offensive d-man. Not a shutdown guy. Finn is more likely to make the NHL than Percy.
- Big_Lightnin

In an evaluation of some notable OHL players, Sportsnet’s Patrick King said of Percy “his numbers don't do him justice, but Percy is a rock on defense.”

I guess i interpreted this wrong.

In an evaluation of some notable OHL players, Sportsnet’s Patrick King said of Percy “his numbers don't do him justice, but Percy is a rock on defense.”

I guess i interpreted this wrong.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Who is Patrick King?

So do the standings

As of now, 8th or 9th, its going to be close!
- Gunslinger

Habs are 6th, but you know...Whatever.