Yup....minus Connolly, Komisarek, Lombardi...
- p_zub

exactly

its a different team.. this "same group of guys" argument just isnt valid. period.

its not the same team at all.

fraser, mcclaren, kadri, kostka, JVR, O'Byrne, Komarov, Mcclement, Scrivens are all new this year

thats 8 guys.. 35% of the roster is different.
- Dozzer

Yeah, Carlyle doesn't deserve any credit, it's all the Marlies coach and the GM

why would he do that?

he can just sit and wait for the buyout

he isnt about to give away all that money
- Dozzer

What if Vancouver agrees to give him some sort of compensation, under the table.

oh i know

but they are between a rock and a hard place here. they HAVE to clear out the cap space.. so they need to move a goalie

and i really dont see any GM out there ready to do gillis a favour of that magnitude.

i honestly wouldnt be shocked if its schneider that gets moved. there will be a market for him.
- Dozzer

Will also be interesting to see what happens in Edmonton, where MacTavish talked about the need to do something "bold" asap.

nobody is going to offer him anything for luongo.. not a damn thing.

everyone knows he HAS to move a goalie and if it goes the trade route.. the only goalie gillis will be talking about is schneider.. otherwise.. the rest of the league will just wait for luongo to get bought out.

gillis is proving to be a very incompetent GM.. his team was basically built by Burke and Nonis and the more moves he has made.. the worse they have gotten.

he has mad a couple good moves.. but the success of that team didnt hinge on the moves he has made.. not at all.
- Dozzer

Luongo is still a top 5 goalie in the league - I'd probably put him at top 3, behind only Schneider and another goalie who isn't as good as Luongo.

His cap hit is quite reasonable, and he is practically guaranteed to play at an extremely high level until the age of 43.

You are kidding yourself if you don't believe that at least 20 teams would love to have the guy.

You stupid Leafs fans are going to have egg on your faces when he is traded at the draft for multiple 1st round picks, and the team that gets him goes to the Stanley Cup finals for the next 9 years, losing each time to the Canucks.

Jerks.

still.. he has kept his team in playoff contention without the best forward, their best d-man, and for long stints without their starting golaie.

you cant ignore that. no matter how you try and twist it.
- Dozzer

I do remember the last time Ott and TOR played that they were praising one of the latest OTT call-ups. One of the commentators said that he asked MacClean about that player, and Maclean replied that he had no idea who he was before being called up, just took Richardson's suggestion that he would be the best fit...

What if Vancouver agrees to give him some sort of compensation, under the table.
- Leafland

if luongo retires it would be investigated i am sure.

besides.. i doubt luongo is in any mood to do gillis that kind of favour anyways

Will also be interesting to see what happens in Edmonton, where MacTavish talked about the need to do something "bold" asap.
- fifty__missions

oh hell. he wouldnt

just what that team needs..

Luongo is still a top 5 goalie in the league - I'd probably put him at top 3, behind only Schneider and another goalie who isn't as good as Luongo.

His cap hit is quite reasonable, and he is practically guaranteed to play at an extremely high level until the age of 43.

You are kidding yourself if you don't believe that at least 20 teams would love to have the guy.

You stupid Leafs fans are going to have egg on your faces when he is traded at the draft for multiple 1st round picks, and the team that gets him goes to the Stanley Cup finals for the next 9 years, losing each time to the Canucks.

Jerks.
- Atomic Wedgie

I do remember the last time Ott and TOR played that they were praising one of the latest OTT call-ups. One of the commentators said that he asked MacClean about that player, and Maclean replied that he had no idea who he was before being called up, just took Richardson's suggestion that he would be the best fit...
- vermie22

which is fair.. but if thats the argument.. then Eakins should be considered for prepping frattin, gardiner, kadri, etc

you have to be fair. cant point at one guy and say "look at the success of your AHLer's, it must of been your AHL coach" and not do the same to the other.

oh hell. he wouldnt

just what that team needs..
- Dozzer

Haha. I wasn't really referring to Luongo, but it will be interesting to see who MacT is willing to move from his group of forwards.

Boom. Playoffs.

Luongo is still a top 5 goalie in the league - I'd probably put him at top 3, behind only Schneider and another goalie who isn't as good as Luongo.

His cap hit is quite reasonable, and he is practically guaranteed to play at an extremely high level until the age of 43.

You are kidding yourself if you don't believe that at least 20 teams would love to have the guy.

You stupid Leafs fans are going to have egg on your faces when he is traded at the draft for multiple 1st round picks, and the team that gets him goes to the Stanley Cup finals for the next 9 years, losing each time to the Canucks.

Jerks.
- Atomic Wedgie

This is all true, but you have to admit that the one major downside is that we can't sign him to a contract extension until the final year of his deal.

I don't want to trade assets for him, only to have him just walk away for nothing in 9 years.

After his current deal, do you think he'd do maybe 3 years/3 million per year? That's pretty cheap for a Vezina type goalie who will be playing high level hockey well into his 50's.

Boom. Playoffs.
- deerow84

GASP!

I still think Florida will have some interest in the summer. Their vets are bad and off contract. Markstrom can use some help. Big Lou wants to be there ....Florida can use him ....and Gillis will have to buckle at the price.

The crappy effects of 'early retirement' don't really impact the Panthers because they don't spend to the Cap. Really they only care about his salary and it gets better in about 5 years.

Theres a fit that makes sense.

The wildcard might be Philly ...if they were willing to eat Bryzgalov's contract.
- The Law

The Florida possibility may still exist... however, it will likely be known by the draft if Quebec is getting a new franchise or whether one of either Florida or Phoenix are moving. I wonder if Luongo puts the pooper to a move to Florida if he knows the franchise is relocating.

GASP!
- Leafland

I said it.

Note: Please don't kill me if that jinxed it.

Luongo is still a top 5 goalie in the league - I'd probably put him at top 3, behind only Schneider and another goalie who isn't as good as Luongo.

His cap hit is quite reasonable, and he is practically guaranteed to play at an extremely high level until the age of 43.

You are kidding yourself if you don't believe that at least 20 teams would love to have the guy.

You stupid Leafs fans are going to have egg on your faces when he is traded at the draft for multiple 1st round picks, and the team that gets him goes to the Stanley Cup finals for the next 9 years, losing each time to the Canucks.

Jerks.
- Atomic Wedgie

Wedgie... you are spending too much time in Canucklehead blogs... it is beginning to show.

which is fair.. but if thats the argument.. then Eakins should be considered for prepping frattin, gardiner, kadri, etc

you have to be fair. cant point at one guy and say "look at the success of your AHLer's, it must of been your AHL coach" and not do the same to the other.
- Dozzer

Exactly. Mike Babcock has never been a great coach, he was just lucky in that he coached an organization which had great development.

Exactly. Mike Babcock has never been a great coach, he was just lucky in that he coached an organization which had great development.
- Mr_Clean

Coaches are overrated.

which is fair.. but if thats the argument.. then Eakins should be considered for prepping frattin, gardiner, kadri, etc

you have to be fair. cant point at one guy and say "look at the success of your AHLer's, it must of been your AHL coach" and not do the same to the other.
- Dozzer

Totally agree. Think Eakins did, and is doing, a great job with our youth/prospects. I do think that MacLean is a good coach, but think RC has be talked about in the same conversations when discussing a coach who has taken a team to unexpected success.

Coaches are overrated.
- Leafland

Counterpoint: Ron Wilson.

Exactly. Mike Babcock has never been a great coach, he was just lucky in that he coached an organization which had great development.
- Mr_Clean

wtf?

babcock is a very good coach. you still need to know how to use the talent you've been given.

The Florida possibility may still exist... however, it will likely be known by the draft if Quebec is getting a new franchise or whether one of either Florida or Phoenix are moving. I wonder if Luongo puts the pooper to a move to Florida if he knows the franchise is relocating.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Luongo's wife is from Florida, and she still lives there full time.

So we all know how that goes.

Sigh.

Coaches are overrated.
- Leafland

They certainly can be. And yet we still have to give out the Jack Adams.

Totally agree. Think Eakins did, and is doing, a great job with our youth/prospects. I do think that MacLean is a good coach, but think RC has be talked about in the same conversations when discussing a coach who has taken a team to unexpected success.
- vermie22

its going to be interesting to see how the panel gauges things this year.. in this short season.

a few unexpected teams are in the running.. hell even the islanders are in a playoff spot right now