when danny cleary was the next wayne gretzky...50g as a 16 year old
- clark_griswold

And drunk with the coach every night

LEAFS! Holzer






- Big_Lightnin

thank you for correctly identifying the problem lol

Bollands or McClement or Kadri ??
- Garnie

2 of those guys aren't in the top 6 now

ideally one of them is not in the top 6 in a couple years.

give ya 3 guesses who I mean. and he's a not a winger.
- Big_Lightnin

matt stajan? i think bozak is serviceable, not to repeat myself for the 1000th time, but he is a very serviceable hockey player. Just because he doesn't get 80pts. He does things that no one else in that top 6 does. It's a big reason why he leads our forwards in icetime every game. But that's just me.

2 of those guys aren't in the top 6 now
- Big_Lightnin

I know too bad for Kadri

And drunk with the coach every night
- Garnie

that's what ruined him. Cleary was a booze show by age 15. Sad really. Nice story though, he completely changed his game like no one i have ever seen. i actually have a game used sign cleary stick from then, he used to use the shiny gretzky easton. The thing weighs 100 lbs i swear

i dont think you can ever look 5 years ahead in this league. Maybe 3

players like Lupul, Clarkson will be broken down by then will need to be replaced..sometimes you need young forwards on elc to make the team. bump the old farts down the ladder
- senstroll

Tell that to the Red Wings lol. This is the new era of the Leafs. We actually have a core that will be stable over the next few years. A lot similar to Boston actually.

Looking past this season:

Kessel, 26 - 8 years
Clarkson, 29 - 6 years
Lupul, 30 - 4 years
JVR, 25 - 4 years
Bozak, 27 - 4 years
Kadri, 23 - 1 year, RFA
Bernier, 26 - 1 year, RFA
Rielly, 19 - 2 years, RFA

Phaneuf, Bolland, Franson and Gardiner all have a good chance of being resigned to multi years and tossed in there as well

It comes down to building a team around them. We are and will continue to do that.

matt stajan? i think bozak is serviceable, not to repeat myself for the 1000th time, but he is a very serviceable hockey player. Just because he doesn't get 80pts. He does things that no one else in that top 6 does. It's a big reason why he leads our forwards in icetime every game. But that's just me.
- clark_griswold

I played with McCarty after his last year on the Bulls. I was on the bench wondering to myself how the hell this guy was going to play in the NHL. He skated like he forgot to tie up his skates, then he cruises over the red line a lets a slapper go, funny when my mouth dropped open, (frank)ing almost broke the glass

He must have taken some skating lessons that summer

matt stajan? i think bozak is serviceable, not to repeat myself for the 1000th time, but he is a very serviceable hockey player. Just because he doesn't get 80pts. He does things that no one else in that top 6 does. It's a big reason why he leads our forwards in icetime every game. But that's just me.
- clark_griswold

so you're fine with "serviceable" as the #1 C for 5 more years?

he's paid $1M more than he should be based on his talents, and he got that extra Million cause he's the #1 C by default.

Christ Bolland's career stats are better than Bozak's, and he's been a 3rd liner his entire career.

Tell that to the Red Wings lol. This is the new era of the Leafs. We actually have a core that will be stable over the next few years. A lot similar to Boston actually.

Looking past this season:

Kessel - 8 years
Clarkson - 6 years
Lupul - 4 years
JVR - 4 years
Bozak - 4 years
Kadri - 1 year, RFA

It comes down to building a team around them. We are and will continue to do that.
- t_leafs21

- Dozzer

that's what ruined him. Cleary was a booze show by age 15. Sad really. Nice story though, he completely changed his game like no one i have ever seen. i actually have a game used sign cleary stick from then, he used to use the shiny gretzky easton. The thing weighs 100 lbs i swear
- clark_griswold

I remember those sticks, the tourney I played with McCarty - Gretz was supposed to play but ended up having to go out of town

Gretz little bro not Wayne

- Dozzer

Gardener should not be traded

We have the extreme luxury of have not one but 2 exceptional skating offensive D

And to trade him for a prospect??? make me laugh

Gardener should not be traded

We have the extreme luxury of have not one but 2 exceptional skating offensive D

And to trade him for a prospect??? make me laugh
- sarasotamike

I wouldn't trade him unless we are getting back something nice, even if we have to save him for a package deal..

He's gonna have a tuff time with Carlyle's system/expectations IMHO

Gardener should not be traded

We have the extreme luxury of have not one but 2 exceptional skating offensive D

And to trade him for a prospect??? make me laugh
- sarasotamike

problem is we also have 2 other not so exceptionally skating offensive dmen.

so you're fine with "serviceable" as the #1 C for 5 more years?

he's paid $1M more than he should be based on his talents, and he got that extra Million cause he's the #1 C by default.

Christ Bolland's career stats are better than Bozak's, and he's been a 3rd liner his entire career.
- Big_Lightnin

The wings offered bozak the same amount. I'd say they know a good player when they see one. Look, on the LEAFS, bozak is very important. Faceoffs, PK, PP, shootout, defense, hockey sense.....it's why we took him over grabo. On say Florida, yeah grabo is more important. My theory is, bozak is a piss poor patrice bergeron. There's a reason carlyle plays him so much. But people look at stats all day, and yeah, that's wear bozak suffers. Our team does not need offense, but the rest of the top 6 is terrible defensively. That's why bozak fits nicely. Do i wish he was 6'1 like Bergeron? yes.

Gardiner for Evgeny Kuznetsov?

Great young prospect, who is likely to be a year or 2 away.

what is Gardiner's deal? thought he looked awful in the opener against Montreal. he obviously has the tools but he seems to be all over the place.

so you're fine with "serviceable" as the #1 C for 5 more years?

he's paid $1M more than he should be based on his talents, and he got that extra Million cause he's the #1 C by default.

Christ Bolland's career stats are better than Bozak's, and he's been a 3rd liner his entire career.
- Big_Lightnin

it's DAVE Bolland

what is Gardiner's deal? thought he looked awful in the opener against Montreal. he obviously has the tools but he seems to be all over the place.
- DoubleDown

young player learning. Has the tools, but he's rattled now that he's back in the doghouse. Trying to do too much is his problem.

The wings offered bozak the same amount. I'd say they know a good player when they see one. Look, on the LEAFS, bozak is very important. Faceoffs, PK, PP, shootout, defense, hockey sense.....it's why we took him over grabo. On say Florida, yeah grabo is more important. My theory is, bozak is a piss poor patrice bergeron. There's a reason carlyle plays him so much. But people look at stats all day, and yeah, that's wear bozak suffers. Our team does not need offense, but the rest of the top 6 is terrible defensively. That's why bozak fits nicely. Do i wish he was 6'1 like Bergeron? yes.
- clark_griswold

Bozak said he didn't take a single offer from another team.

so you're fine with "serviceable" as the #1 C for 5 more years?

he's paid $1M more than he should be based on his talents, and he got that extra Million cause he's the #1 C by default.

Christ Bolland's career stats are better than Bozak's, and he's been a 3rd liner his entire career.
- Big_Lightnin

Everybody is hung up on 1c and 2c etc, who cares if we need to juggle guys from 1 line to another depending who's rolling WHO CARES as long as we win. Bozak has played fine so far 3-0

Some games he might be #2 or #3

Kadri/Bolland/Bozak is not that bad if you think about it.

Let's roll until we start losing 3 or 4 in a row then we might have a problem. Really don't see that happening this year especially if our D start to improve and they will with some time.

Sure thing, just add Kadri, Riemer, Gunnarson and this years first.
- Artyukhin76

Deal!!

it's DAVE Bolland
- DoubleDown