It seems like MacT wants to hold onto every player, in fear of what if..what if..
Well, everyone laughed at Burke, criticized him,called him every name in the book when he traded 2 firsts and a second for Kessel..5 years later, he is looking like a genius!! MacT needs to take a chance, trade a pick and a high end prospect to address what he needs now..a goalie..not all first overall picks will come too fruition and become superstars, as we all know..trade yakupov now while value is high, get what you need..you don't need him.
- nascarguy

Burke got lucky. If he had kept those picks he could of gotten seguin which is arguably just as good as having Kessel. It would of worked out both ways.

Go to NHL.com, bring up the boxscore of the Leafs v Oilers game and click on the video of the third goal (the second by Kessel). Watch it a few times, focussing on #64. Yakupov is either clueless or the most selfish player I've seen in years....or both. He can't be on an NHL team with that kind of play.

Upon further review, he was on the ice for ALL four goals and was flat footed and caught out of position for all of them.

I think he needs to either go to OKC or to another team.
- JLO961

I see Eberle and Gagner both get caught too high and Gagner is too late to recover. I see Yakupov floating around the other side of the ice. Floating for sure, but it's tough to blame him for that goal.

Burke got lucky. If he had kept those picks he could of gotten seguin which is arguably just as good as having Kessel. It would of worked out both ways.
- jaumiller

who's to say they would've finished bad enough to get the #2 pick that year though? by theory you'd think that they would've finished even worse without kessel playing that year but you really never know.

who's to say they would've finished bad enough to get the #2 pick that year though? by theory you'd think that they would've finished even worse without kessel playing that year but you really never know.
- rangerdanger94

True

Burke got lucky. If he had kept those picks he could of gotten seguin which is arguably just as good as having Kessel. It would of worked out both ways.
- jaumiller

Working out both ways is fine.

After all, you're not trying to win trades, you're trying to win hockey games.

Burke got lucky. If he had kept those picks he could of gotten seguin which is arguably just as good as having Kessel. It would of worked out both ways.
- jaumiller

Wel, this is a new one.

Burke got lucky. If he had kept those picks he could of gotten seguin which is arguably just as good as having Kessel. It would of worked out both ways.
- jaumiller

Like I said, take a chance.. couldn't be any worse than it is..

Working out both ways is fine.

After all, you're not trying to win trades, you're trying to win hockey games.
- Morris

Again, another good point. I think in a market like Toronto though your even more under the microscope when it comes to what deals you make.

No other team would want him, he's such a flight risk at this point. I'm kind of glad miller won't go to Edmonton because I know Darcy would try and get yakapov. Send him to the ahl and let him work his way up. He sounds and looks like an over confident teenager that doesn't know how to play with a team.
- jaumiller

I dunno if it's time to trade Yakupov.

I do think it's time to trade any draft pick, any prospect outside Nurse and a bevy or roster players.

but only for a superstar defenseman like subban or karlsson or OEL right?

and the other team's 1st obviously.
- rangerdanger94

stupid comments from little pissants like you are getting tiring. I'm discussing my hockey team with my other Oilers friends. What is your purpose here? What is your motivation for making this comment? Find a mirror...look in it.

it's always darkest before dawn...Your top end youngsters are but two to three years into their careers, your GM and coach are only months into the task. The whipping boy hasn't even played an 82 game stretch.

What is your problem???????Rebuilding isn't a straight incline into the stratospheric 5 Stanley Cup wet dream. Let the stuff age a bit before you drink it or decide to throw it out because it sucks.

I swear you are F U C K I N G spoiled over there in the city of Champions(?)...

Relax.

MacT will not draft another small scoring forward. The guy was a tough as nails player, he will get some much needed grit into your ice creamy soft line-up.

Chill out because this season will be another tough one, but you are almost there!!!!!

I dunno if it's time to trade Yakupov.

I do think it's time to trade any draft pick, any prospect outside Nurse and a bevy or roster players.
- Morris

Agreed trade might not be the best option, but letting him just stay where he is won't help him or the team. He needs an attitude adjustment.

Again, another good point. I think in a market like Toronto though your even more under the microscope when it comes to what deals you make.
- jaumiller

True. And when all is said and done, it may be that Seguin and Hamilton are a statistically better "haul" than Kessel.

But whether it's placebo or Post Hoc fallacy, Kessel has played great and the leafs have improved since they got him. So the trade was good from Toronto's perspective.

Part of that is that in every respect Burke won pretty much every other deal he made.

stupid comments from little pissants like you are getting tiring. I'm discussing my hockey team with my other Oilers friends. What is your purpose here? What is your motivation for making this comment? Find a mirror...look in it.
- JLO961

i found a mirror and currently see a reflection of myself...not sure what else i'm supposed to be seeing. what am i missing?

anyway, that was a joke buddy relax. i'm just poking fun since a lot of you guys one minute demand the moon and stars for yakupov and then the next say that he shouldn't even be in the NHL. can't have it both ways.

i found a mirror and currently see a reflection of myself...not sure what else i'm supposed to be seeing. what am i missing?

anyway, that was a joke buddy relax. i'm just poking fun since a lot of you guys one minute demand the moon and stars for yakupov and then the next say that he shouldn't even be in the NHL. can't have it both ways.
- rangerdanger94

I trade 8figs in the bond market daily...I know what fk..n value is kid. Keep looking...you haven't found it yet.

Agreed trade might not be the best option, but letting him just stay where he is won't help him or the team. He needs an attitude adjustment.
- jaumiller

Hall-Gagner-Yakupov. Hall and Yakupov was a good pairing before. I think Yak has just lost his mojo. A real belief he can score gets his motor going

When Yak plays with players like that who ALWAYS have their motor going, hopefully he can refocus.

True. And when all is said and done, it may be that Seguin and Hamilton are a statistically better "haul" than Kessel.

But whether it's placebo or Post Hoc fallacy, Kessel has played great and the leafs have improved since they got him. So the trade was good from Toronto's perspective.

Part of that is that in every respect Burke won pretty much every other deal he made.
- Morris

Yeah Burke really set the leafs up nice. Other than signing Connolly which yes he was a good player, but that concussion really messed with him, he pulled off some nice deals.

i found a mirror and currently see a reflection of myself...not sure what else i'm supposed to be seeing. what am i missing?anyway, that was a joke buddy relax. i'm just poking fun since a lot of you guys one minute demand the moon and stars for yakupov and then the next say that he shouldn't even be in the NHL. can't have it both ways.
- rangerdanger94

This is nice.


Unfortunately the team sucks balls.
- robin_steele264

Even THAT is a fail. What good is sucking balls?

Hall-Gagner-Yakupov. Hall and Yakupov was a good pairing before. I think Yak has just lost his mojo. A real belief he can score gets his motor going

When Yak plays with players like that who ALWAYS have their motor going, hopefully he can refocus.
- Morris

True. I think part of it is the new coach. Eakins like his players to check and play physical, yak really doesn't seem to want to do that. I think if Edmonton wants to be a contender it needs to have a consistent coach. Every time you get rid of someone you just put your self further and further away from a successful season.

Even THAT is a fail. What good is sucking balls?
- Aetherial

It's bad, that's the point. They don't even know they're supposed to lick balls.

Burke got lucky. If he had kept those picks he could of gotten seguin which is arguably just as good as having Kessel. It would of worked out both ways.
- jaumiller

Yeah, I will believe that if and when it happens.

The Leafs got the best player. If it was any other team than Toronto, they would be regarded as having won the trade.

So far... the Leafs won the trade. That may change and the trade swings in Boston's favor, but it is FAR from the worst trade in history as so many people made it out to be.

I trade 8figs in the bond market daily...I know what fk..n value is kid. Keep looking...you haven't found it yet.
- JLO961

excellent. you have sheets of paper from your clients that tell you exactly the number of bonds and which bonds they want you to sell or buy for them. that doesn't mean you know what bonds to sell or buy yourself.

It's bad, that's the point. They don't even know they're supposed to lick balls.
- Morris

gently, but with enthusiasm

True. I think part of it is the new coach. Eakins like his players to check and play physical, yak really doesn't seem to want to do that. I think if Edmonton wants to be a contender it needs to have a consistent coach. Every time you get rid of someone you just put your self further and further away from a successful season.
- jaumiller

Yeah I wasn't really a fan of getting rid of Krueger. Frankly, if your team has been similar over the past couple of years and you've had the same GM, the same sort of leadership group and already gone through 4 coaches, it's probably not the coaches' fault. For several years, it was purely an issue of talent.

MacT's allowed to come in and clean house, but I sincerely hope they give Eakins a good 3 year ride or so to give people a chance to buy in.