The only thing I hope to hear is: Tim Connolly to Columbus for a conditional 5th round pick. And that we don't move any 1st round picks.
- mykokes

honestly - it would be great to anything for him.. ... but I would also pay a modest admission price to watch him driving out of Toronto on the way back home Buffalo as his current deal expires... and truth be told likely no one would admit noticing.

what a waste of professional contract, and what a waste of talent.

"look at me" - I was drafted in the first round of the NHL draft... and haven't done a damn thing since.

Yandle is a lefty, Kulikov is a lefty, JBO is a lefty.
- Leafland

Phaneuf plays right side, Franson plays righty, kostka/blacker plays righty

So he's playing like a 3rd liner?

Great.
- Two_For_Truth

He is doing his job.... "if he had a better center".....

He is 3rd in points on the 4th highest scoring team in the NHL... I would say he is okay....

Lupul
- AdamFrench

Why do we need more offensive d-men? I don't understand that at all when we have Liles, Gardiner, Franson and Phaneuf with Percy and Rielly ready to compete at the NHL level as early as 2014.

oh for sure... but having another guy scoring will still get him points, and chances. JVR prime example - Kessel had a 10 game goalless start but still had 7 or 8 assists cause JVR was scoring.
- Big_Lightnin

Getting Kessel a playmaking center would probably allow him to score 80 points in a defensive system rather than needing a wide open offensive system to do so but it would have to be a legit 1st line center.

on JVR - wonder if it's just a coincidence he started slumping when Lupul came back (or was just about back).

wonder if he started worrying about losing the spot he thought he'd earned..

It's not a coincidence that van Riemsdyk is inconsistent. It's part of the reason why the Flyers traded him. Shouldn't be a surprise that he started scoring and then stopped because he's done that his entire career.

DON'T EVEN MENTION THAT YOU BLASPHEMOUS BASTARD!!!!
- lumlums

Coyotes wouldn't want a snow puff like Kessel, and Kadri isn't on the market. Stacked with D prospects.

Yandle won't be moved.

Pfft who cares about JVR, Lupul and Kadri are our new #1 line! WOOOOOO!
- mykokes

So if Kadri is dubbed Gilmour you might as well dub Lupul as Clark.

JVR will be a good second line guy on the wing, lupul and kessel has to reunite, put kadri between the both, automatically your best line
- Mapleleafs_91

and automatically way easier to play against.

So if Kadri is dubbed Gilmour you might as well dub Lupul as Clark.
- Two_For_Truth

Clark? No way, they say comparison is gary roberts

He is doing his job.... "if he had a better center".....

He is 3rd in points on the 4th highest scoring team in the NHL... I would say he is okay....
- jribout

You would say that because you are willfully ignoring his blatantly obvious inconsistency.

and automatically way easier to play against.
- Big_Lightnin

yeah i know, better to distribute the talent on seperate lines

Getting Kessel a playmaking center would probably allow him to score 80 points in a defensive system rather than needing a wide open offensive system to do so but it would have to be a legit 1st line center.



It's not a coincidence that van Riemsdyk is inconsistent. It's part of the reason why the Flyers traded him. Shouldn't be a surprise that he started scoring and then stopped because he's done that his entire career.
- Two_For_Truth

well exactly it. Maybe when he's confident in his ice-time he's solid. When he worries about it, he disappears...

Yandle is a lefty, Kulikov is a lefty, JBO is a lefty.
- Leafland

Nearly two thirds of NHL defenders are left handed.

Why do we need more offensive d-men? I don't understand that at all when we have Liles, Gardiner, Franson and Phaneuf with Percy and Rielly ready to compete at the NHL level as early as 2014.
- Unholy_Forward

Well far be it from me to toot the horn of a 26 year old All-Star two-way defenseman who's only issue is he can be soft and has had expert PKers saving him from that duty most of the time.

well exactly it. Maybe when he's confident in his ice-time he's solid. When he worries about it, he disappears...
- Big_Lightnin

He's played multiple games with 20-24 minutes of ice time with no results.

You would say that because you are willfully ignoring his blatantly obvious inconsistency.
- Two_For_Truth

But if you take his five best games and ignore the rest he's on pace for like 180 points.....

You would say that because you are willfully ignoring his blatantly obvious inconsistency.
- Two_For_Truth

A lot of players are inconsistent... he consistently battles on the boards and in front of the net, he works hard... his points are streaky....

Who cares as long as there is consistent effort and good results at the end of the season....

I guess we wouldn't want a 100 point scorer whose season splits were 70/30

Yeah, but gravity won't have done her any favours by then...
- lumlums

I'm sure Ovi would have that fixed before he spends his 100 million.

A lot of players are inconsistent... he consistently battles on the boards and in front of the net, he works hard... his points are streaky....
- jribout

No, the point is he has talent that he doesn't use. The Leafs wanted a power forward and he throws one big hit a year. What's the difference between an average size player and a big forward who rarely uses his size? Just "battling along the boards", which you are exaggerating greatly, isn't what his talent level is suppose to be able to produce.

Well far be it from me to toot the horn of a 26 year old All-Star two-way defenseman who's only issue is he can be soft and has had expert PKers saving him from that duty most of the time.
- AdamFrench

Why get Yandle when you can have Kostka at Cosco prices?

I'm sure Ovi would have that fixed before he spends his 100 million.
- Garnie

No, the point is he has talent that he doesn't use. The Leafs wanted a power forward and he throws one big hit a year. What's the difference between an average size player and a big forward who rarely uses his size? Just "battling along the boards", which you are exaggerating greatly, isn't what his talent level is suppose to be able to produce.
- Two_For_Truth

But he has time to figure it out. And what we're getting from him thus far is good enough.

He's played multiple games with 20-24 minutes of ice time with no results.
- Two_For_Truth

doesn't mean he's confident about his ice-time. Lupul's scored every game. Just cause JVR's still getting minutes doesn't mean he will be a couple games from now.

yeah i know, better to distribute the talent on seperate lines
- Mapleleafs_91

I think RC tried it for a few minutes in the CAR game on Thursday, but I would put Lupul back with Bozak and Kessel, instantly gives Kessel a little more space as defenders have to respect Lupul right now more than do JVR.

JVR can play with Kadri, might not be as good as Kadri with Lupul, but think Kadri can get him going again.

I think this is a minor tweak and a more effective spread of the talent.

Why get Yandle when you can have Kostka at Cosco prices?
- Two_For_Truth

Because stone cold said so