That's the dream right there..

I'm not saying they are terrible, I just think the Leafs have more talent than they are given credit for.
- RogerRoeper

Wow, blue and white coloured glasses much?
Hedman, Drouin, Johnson, Palat, Killorn, Koekkoek, Vasilevskiy, DeAngelo, Kucherov, Nesterov, Panik, Gudas, Paquette, Erne, Connolly, Barberio, Sustr, Korobov...

For young guns in the NHL or near future NHL upside in significant roles.

Leafs: Gardiner, Rielly.... uh.... Ashton (sort of).... yeah, that's about it.

nice try though

I want some of what that guy is smoking.

Everyone put down the Molsons and crackpipes for a minute.

Every team in the league wants Stamkos and why wouldn't they? It's safe to say that any owner or GM would mortgage the house to have him. Pure goal-scoring talent like that does not come along very often and Tampa was lucky to be in a position to draft him.

But let's look at a few facts that are not open to debate :

1) Tampa has a billionaire owner who is not afraid to drop Heisenberg-like barrels of cash to acquire or keep players. If Stamkos ends up leaving, it won't be because he didn't want to spend money.

2) Yzerman is a savvy GM - if he needs to free up cap space to keep Stammer, he will. He can unload players in lopsided deals like nobody's business. Just ask Glenn Sather.

3) Tampa is on the rise, Toronto is spinning their tires in the sand. For any player wanting the better shot at a Cup, Tampa offers that over Toronto - unless circumstances change in a major and unforseeable way between now and then.

4) For any player concerned about getting maximum money, Tampa has the edge again. Between Vinik's deep pockets and the lack of state income tax, it is easier for Tampa to offer a tempting contract. Throw in the fact that federal (non-state) taxes in Canada are higher than the US, the advantage becomes more pronounced.

5) For a player concerned with intangibles, Tampa has : gorgeous weather, gorgeous beaches, and gorgeous women in g-strings running around all over the place. Every winter I see tons of cars with Ontario license plates on them parked at the beaches here. There are reasons why Florida's tourism industry is one of the most lucrative in North America.

6) The "dance with who brought you" factor. Tampa drafted Stammer and he learned the professional craft here. He has already forged a lot of positive memories here and you cannot buy those.

7) Toronto has a reputation for being a fishbowl when it comes to hockey players and the players know that. Sure, everyone in Toronto worships the idea of Stammer coming home to stay, but the minute he commits his first turnover, those same fans will be calling for his head and tweeting death threats to his girlfriend. He won't be able to leave the house without wearing a disguise. Tampa has passionate fans, but he can walk the streets (and beaches) down here and not be recognized - there is value to normalcy in one's daily life outside of the rink.

8) Tampa's facility is state of the art and one of the nicest in the league. That's not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but it can't hurt.

Even if he leaves, it's not the end of the world. It's just a game. The world would still revolve around the Sun and life would go on.


- GalacticStone

I agree with a lot of these points. I don't agree with the money one - endorsements in Toronto would more than make up for the income tax thing. I also don't necessarily agree with the fish bowl thing - some people (see: St. Louis, Martin as an example) want that attention and feel that it can push them to greater heights.

Its asking for attention. This is all about getting hits.
- RogerRoeper

If I was looking for hits, I'd probably try blogging for a big market team.

I also don't necessarily agree with the fish bowl thing - some people (see: St. Louis, Martin as an example) want that attention and feel that it can push them to greater heights.

Good lordy, Stamkos to even greater heights? Does that mean a 150 goal season!? If that's the case, we need to start being a fishbowl here in Tampa.

Wow, blue and white coloured glasses much?
Hedman, Drouin, Johnson, Palat, Killorn, Koekkoek, Vasilevskiy, DeAngelo, Kucherov, Nesterov, Panik, Gudas, Paquette, Erne, Connolly, Barberio, Sustr, Korobov...

For young guns in the NHL or near future NHL upside in significant roles.

Leafs: Gardiner, Rielly.... uh.... Ashton (sort of).... yeah, that's about it.

nice try though
- OzBolts

Ok I wanted to agree with you that Tampa does have good young players but then you say the leafs don't have any good young players?

Rielly, Gardiner, Bernier, Nylander, Kadri, JVR, Brown, Loov, Nielson, Lievo, Holland, Finn, Percy, Johnson, Herzog.

Good lordy, Stamkos to even greater heights? Does that mean a 150 goal season!? If that's the case, we need to start being a fishbowl here in Tampa.
- GalacticStone

Whether it's true or not, some folks feel that they can thrive with the attention.

Ok I wanted to agree with you that Tampa does have good young players but then you say the leafs don't have any good young players?

Rielly, Gardiner, Bernier, Nylander, Kadri, JVR, Brown, Loov, Nielson, Lievo, Holland, Finn, Percy, Johnson, Herzog.
- JVR_42_PK81

Leafs have a solid crop of young players.

Tampa has a stellar crop of young players.

Both organizations have a lot to look forward to. Toronto could fast-track that process with a new coach.

How much cash could a Tim Horton's endorsement possibly bring in?

Endorsements are a wild card - probably a sure thing, but not written in stone in a contract. A contract in hand is worth two endorsements in the bush.

How much cash could a Tim Horton's endorsement possibly bring in?

Endorsements are a wild card - probably a sure thing, but not written in stone in a contract. A contract in hand is worth two endorsements in the bush.
- GalacticStone

He'd have to pull a Tiger Woods and seriously mess up for the endorsements in Toronto to dry up.

Come on boys,relax,as a Leaf fan we just fantisaze about having him!We love him and respect him but know we will never have him!We just like fkin with ya.

Wow, blue and white coloured glasses much?
Hedman, Drouin, Johnson, Palat, Killorn, Koekkoek, Vasilevskiy, DeAngelo, Kucherov, Nesterov, Panik, Gudas, Paquette, Erne, Connolly, Barberio, Sustr, Korobov...

For young guns in the NHL or near future NHL upside in significant roles.

Leafs: Gardiner, Rielly.... uh.... Ashton (sort of).... yeah, that's about it.

nice try though
- OzBolts

Leafs have a solid crop of young players.

Tampa has a stellar crop of young players.

Both organizations have a lot to look forward to. Toronto could fast-track that process with a new coach.
- Michael_Stuart

Both are good. There is no telling which will be better now.

Leafs have a solid crop of young players.

Tampa has a stellar crop of young players.

Both organizations have a lot to look forward to. Toronto could fast-track that process with a new coach.
- Michael_Stuart

yes

I believe you are are over-rating your prospects and underrating ours.

At least you didn't list an entire AHL roster as if they were household names and guaranteed superstars.

Both are good. There is no telling which will be better now.
- JVR_42_PK81

I think that most people would agree that Tampa's crop of young players is deeper/stronger than the Leafs'. Most prospect pool rankings show that. But, again, it's subjective.

Leafs have a solid crop of young players.

Tampa has a stellar crop of young players.

Both organizations have a lot to look forward to. Toronto could fast-track that process with a new coach.
- Michael_Stuart

I've been hearing that from Toronto fans for ages. X prospect, or X prospect.

And it's the same old malarkey. Look, I lived in Toronto for 10 years, as well, and heard every one of these new draft picks lauded as a great pick up. Then rushed or traded. Or played and given up on.

Steen, Coliacovo, Stralman, RASK <----- , Aulie, Stajan.... the list keeps going on.

And, need I remind you, Justin Pogge over Rask?

Yeah, that was a thing.

Nonis is behaving no differently than JFJ or Fletcher, and I will be happy to see Toronto fans get a management team that knows what they're doing, but this is NOT it.

Come on boys,relax,as a Leaf fan we just fantisaze about having him!We love him and respect him but know we will never have him!We just like fkin with ya.
- nbboy

Stamkos is not coming to Toronto.

The discussion is ridiculous.

I've been hearing that from Toronto fans for ages. X prospect, or X prospect.

And it's the same old malarkey. Look, I lived in Toronto for 10 years, as well, and heard every one of these new draft picks lauded as a great pick up. Then rushed or traded. Or played and given up on.

Steen, Coliacovo, Stralman, RASK <----- , Aulie, Stajan.... the list keeps going on.

And, need I remind you, Justin Pogge over Rask?

Yeah, that was a thing.

Nonis is behaving no differently than JFJ or Fletcher, and I will be happy to see Toronto fans get a management team that knows what they're doing, but this is NOT it.
- OzBolts

I agree with that last bit.

yes

I believe you are are over-rating your prospects and underrating ours.

At least you didn't list an entire AHL roster as if they were household names and guaranteed superstars.
- Aetherial

Nope, that takes following any team not in Canada.

You know, South of the border, where the cup lives.

The Leafs prospects aren't awful, but they'll screw it up like always.

I've been hearing that from Toronto fans for ages. X prospect, or X prospect.

And it's the same old malarkey. Look, I lived in Toronto for 10 years, as well, and heard every one of these new draft picks lauded as a great pick up. Then rushed or traded. Or played and given up on.

Steen, Coliacovo, Stralman, RASK <----- , Aulie, Stajan.... the list keeps going on.

And, need I remind you, Justin Pogge over Rask?

Yeah, that was a thing.

Nonis is behaving no differently than JFJ orFletcher, and I will be happy to see Toronto fans get a management team that knows what they're doing, but this is NOT it.
- OzBolts

I agree

I think that most people would agree that Tampa's crop of young players is deeper/stronger than the Leafs'. Most prospect pool rankings show that. But, again, it's subjective.
- Michael_Stuart

I'm talking young players.

I'm talking young players.
- JVR_42_PK81

Prospects aren't young players?

I've been hearing that from Toronto fans for ages. X prospect, or X prospect.

And it's the same old malarkey. Look, I lived in Toronto for 10 years, as well, and heard every one of these new draft picks lauded as a great pick up. Then rushed or traded. Or played and given up on.

Steen, Coliacovo, Stralman, RASK <----- , Aulie, Stajan.... the list keeps going on.

And, need I remind you, Justin Pogge over Rask?

Yeah, that was a thing.

Nonis is behaving no differently than JFJ or Fletcher, and I will be happy to see Toronto fans get a management team that knows what they're doing, but this is NOT it.
- OzBolts

Ya because the Vrbata trade, jokinen trade, dan boyle traders were all so good for you guys too right. Oh and thanks for tucker

Prospects aren't young players?
- Michael_Stuart

JVR isn't considered a prospect but is a young player.

JVR isn't considered a prospect but is a young player.
- JVR_42_PK81

Okay, but then so are Stamkos and Hedman. I don't think you'd find too many people who would take Toronto's whole system over Tampa's.