there's been some serious delusion on this thread from both sides, from Tampa fans under the impression that a single 100-point playoff season means they're now a top-notch franchise to Leaf fans thinking they aren't that far off and that Morgan Rielly is the best player from the 2012 draft (that's quickly becoming a favourite of mine on this site...). but the whole argument about a star coming to play for Toronto, in comparison to Lebron, it amazes me how not a single person, on this site or any other, has picked up on the single crucial difference between, say, a Stamkos going to Toronto and Lebron going back to Cleveland. because as far as i can tell, Stamkos wasn't drafted and developed by Toronto. nor did he play there for several year, lead them to a league final and then leave as a UFA. seems like people are automatically assuming Lebron would have signed with Cleveland had he not been drafted by the Cavs and spent his first 7 years there. he had a real attachment to the franchise. that's why he's going back.
- Gary_B.

Aren't you cute. I find it funny that your delusional enough to think that you or your (frank)ing team matters! Your team is an embarrassment to the NHL so why don't you go crawl back under the rock you came from!

Are roster before yzerman got here 2009-2010 season

Malone, Stamkos, St.louis
Tanguay, Vinny, dowine
Veilleux, Halpern, Purcell
Fedoruk, Thompson, Konopka

Hedman, Ohlund
Ranger, Krajicek
lundin, Walker

Smith
Niittymaki

Projected 2014-2015 roster with yzerman here since summer 2010 now! Much improved if you notice!

Killorn, Stamkos, Johnson
Palat, Filppula, Callahan
Jt Brown, Drouin, Connolly
Morrow, Boyle, Panik
extra Kucherov

Hedman, Stralman
Carle, Garrison
Brewer, Gudas

extras Barberio, Sustr

Bishop
Nabokov

Drouin - Stamkos - Callahan
Palat - Filppula - Morrow
Killorn - Johnson - Kucherov
Brown - Boyle - Connolly

Doing my part to help you reach 1000 comments Mike...

Didn't get past page 1 of the thread...what did I miss?
- uf1910

Too much comedy.

Drouin - Stamkos - Callahan
Palat - Filppula - Morrow
Killorn - Johnson - Kucherov
Brown - Boyle - Connolly
- GalacticStone

If Morrow plays top six minutes, we're in some serious trouble.

Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Killorn-Johnson-Brown/Brown
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

My dream.

If Morrow plays top six minutes, we're in some serious trouble.

Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Killorn-Johnson-Brown/Brown
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

My dream.
- Michael_Stuart

yes that could be the roster by the time the season ends

Almost half way to are 1000 goal

If Morrow plays top six minutes, we're in some serious trouble.

Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Killorn-Johnson-Brown/Brown
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

My dream.
- Michael_Stuart

Damn JT Brown is so good you listed him twice.. I think he is very versatile for a young player..

I think you meant Kucherov/Brown.

I still say Drouin will get limited top line minutes to start the year and will see more minutes on the third line to start the year. With that I hope by Christmas he has taken and ran with top line duties. It still would not surprise me one bit to see Johnson on Stamkos wing either to start the year.

As we all know Jon Cooper likes to change the lines a lot, I would call his style more flowing then rigid when making lines so with that said here is what I think.

Killorn/Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly/Brown/Kucherov
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Drouin/Killorn-Johnson-Kucherov/Brown/Connolly
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

Hedman-Stralman
Carle-Garrison (Stralman is better for Carle but I think the swede line wins out)
Brewer-Gudas
Sustr-Barberio

If Morrow plays top six minutes, we're in some serious trouble.

Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Killorn-Johnson-Brown/Brown
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

My dream.
- Michael_Stuart

This is pretty damn close to mine, but what about Kucherov?

Damn JT Brown is so good you listed him twice.. I think he is very versatile for a young player..

I think you meant Kucherov/Brown.

I still say Drouin will get limited top line minutes to start the year and will see more minutes on the third line to start the year. With that I hope by Christmas he has taken and ran with top line duties. It still would not surprise me one bit to see Johnson on Stamkos wing either to start the year.

As we all know Jon Cooper likes to change the lines a lot, I would call his style more flowing then rigid when making lines so with that said here is what I think.

Killorn/Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly/Brown/Kucherov
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Drouin/Killorn-Johnson-Kucherov/Brown/Connolly
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

Hedman-Stralman
Carle-Garrison (Stralman is better for Carle but I think the swede line wins out)
Brewer-Gudas
Sustr-Barberio
- stammerman

Yes Drouin will get limited top line minutes, BUT HE WON'T SPEND TIME ON THE THRID LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drouin Stamkos Connolly
Palat Filppula Callahan
Killorn Johnson Kucherov
Morrow Boyle Panik
(Brown)

Hedman Garrison
Carle Stralman
Brewer Gudas
(Barberio Sustr)

Bishop
Nabokov

Drouin Stamkos Connolly
Palat Filppula Callahan
Killorn Johnson Kucherov
Morrow Boyle Panik
(Brown)

Hedman Garrison
Carle Stralman
Brewer Gudas
(Barberio Sustr)

Bishop
Nabokov
- Artyukhin76

kucherov is better then Connolly

kucherov is better then Connolly
- todd1a

Perhaps, but Kucherov is smaller then Connolly and I think having a passer, a scorer and a little bit of both works better.
First line- absolute offense
Second line-aggressive offense/2-way play.
Third line- strong 2-way play w/ good scoring
Fourth line- strength, grit and oh poop!

If Stamkos has decided that he is playing for the leafs before he retires. (Something no one is going to know until July 2016 outside of people really close to him) money isn't really the issue. Many many teams will offer a 26 year old Stamkos an 8 year contract north of $10M including the leafs... One thing is sure the leafs will need to be better though... a solid result in 2015- 2016 would certainly help if he is contemplating it.

Can't help but ask a few questions on both sides though.. if he really wants to play for his hometown team why did he sign a 5 year extension? I figure it would have been shorther if that were the case.
Why would he favourite that tweet? Just why? He must have known what message it would send. Seems like a fairly sharp guy. Interesting way to send a message..

Interesting to speculate.. yes he was a huge leaf fan growing up.. fav player was Wendel.. he is a big Toronto guy..everyone knows that.. But he isnt a kid anymore with ties to another community that have been growing for years and have 2 more years to do just that..

If Stamkos has decided that he is playing for the leafs before he retires. (Something no one is going to know until July 2016 outside of people really close to him) money isn't really the issue. Many many teams will offer a 26 year old Stamkos an 8 year contract north of $10M including the leafs... One thing is sure the leafs will need to be better though... a solid result in 2015- 2016 would certainly help if he is contemplating it.

Can't help but ask a few questions on both sides though.. if he really wants to play for his hometown team why did he sign a 5 year extension? I figure it would have been shorther if that were the case.
Why would he favourite that tweet? Just why? He must have known what message it would send. Seems like a fairly sharp guy. Interesting way to send a message..

Intersting to speculate.. yes he was a huge leaf fan growing up.. fav player was Wendel.. he is a big Toronto guy..everyone knows that.. But he isnt a kid anymore with ties to another community that have been growing for years and have 2 more years to do just that..
- D.Lemieux

Very good post!

Very good post!

- Artyukhin76

Thanks !

Also interesting looking at his twitter account.. He no longer favourites that post. but also of note he has..
- 400 tweets
- he follows over 100 people
- and has over 300K followers

So he is fairly active on twitter.

Know how many tweets he has favourited right now?? 2 .. just 2 ..so what was this other one number 3?
Anyway safe to assume he doesn't just favourite any old post..Certainly adds to the speculation..

Thanks !

Also interesting looking at his twitter account.. He no longer favourites that post. but also of note he has..
- 400 tweets
- he follows over 100 people
- and has over 300K followers

So he is fairly active on twitter.

Know how many tweets he has favourited right now?? 2 .. just 2 ..so what was this other one number 3?
Anyway safe to assume he doesn't just favourite any old post..Certainly adds to the speculation..
- D.Lemieux

It really does, but it's two years away and if he wants to go then Toronto he will go. I jus hope he fulfills his abolgations to TBay first and doesn't pull a St. Louis!!!!

It really does, but it's two years away and if he wants to go then Toronto he will go. I jus hope he fulfills his abolgations to TBay first and doesn't pull a St. Louis!!!!
- Artyukhin76

Highly doubt he pulls anything. Seems like a stand up guy..

It really does, but it's two years away and if he wants to go then Toronto he will go. I jus hope he fulfills his abolgations to TBay first and doesn't pull a St. Louis!!!!
- Artyukhin76

I think he takes an 8 year 91 million extension with tampa. Then finishes his career in TO after winning 2-3 cups with TB!

Highly doubt he pulls anything. Seems like a stand up guy..
- D.Lemieux

True, but I thought the same about Meme St. Selfish and look where that got me!
He's a good guy and I not really sure he plans to leave Tampa bay. I pretty sure Yzerman has NO plans to move him or let him go.

Damn JT Brown is so good you listed him twice.. I think he is very versatile for a young player..

I think you meant Kucherov/Brown.

I still say Drouin will get limited top line minutes to start the year and will see more minutes on the third line to start the year. With that I hope by Christmas he has taken and ran with top line duties. It still would not surprise me one bit to see Johnson on Stamkos wing either to start the year.

As we all know Jon Cooper likes to change the lines a lot, I would call his style more flowing then rigid when making lines so with that said here is what I think.

Killorn/Drouin-Stamkos-Connolly/Brown/Kucherov
Palat-Filppula-Callahan
Drouin/Killorn-Johnson-Kucherov/Brown/Connolly
Morrow-Boyle-Panik/Brown

Hedman-Stralman
Carle-Garrison (Stralman is better for Carle but I think the swede line wins out)
Brewer-Gudas
Sustr-Barberio
- stammerman

My mistake. I meant Brown/Panik. I think Kucherov starts the season in the minors.

My mistake. I meant Brown/Panik. I think Kucherov starts the season in the minors.
- Michael_Stuart

I'm not sure how he would handle that blow to his confidence.

Yes Drouin will get limited top line minutes, BUT HE WON'T SPEND TIME ON THE THRID LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Artyukhin76

I look at the third line if centered by Johnson as a definite scoring line so why wouldn't he spend time on the third line. The second line is the two-way shutdown line with some capable scoring.

So to me really anywhere on the 1st or 3rd line is fine for him to play in my opinion because both are scoring lines, the 2nd line being the shutdown line and scoring line he doesn't need to be on that one. He needs minutes and getting some 1st line minutes only isn't going to cut it.

I'm not sure how he would handle that blow to his confidence.
- Artyukhin76

We agree here...

Too much comedy.
- Michael_Stuart

I ended up reading through the comments later on. What a mistake that was.