Ya because the Vrbata trade, jokinen trade, dan boyle traders were all so good for you guys too right. Oh and thanks for tucker
- JVR_42_PK81

Hangover from 2004 lasted a little while longer than we would have hoped. But it's hard to complain when you land Stamkos and Hedman in back-to-back drafts.

Back in 1989, a friend of mine showed me hockey. He was a Toronto native and his family moved to Florida. He was a big TO fan and I cut my hockey teeth (or lack of, so to speak) on Dougie Gilmour, Wendel Clark, CuJo, Mats Sundin, and the other players from that era. I still have a soft spot for TO and I think it's a damn shame to watch them get their hopes up every year and then turn into the proverbial tire fire by the All-Star break. I'd really like to see TO succeed, but not at Tampa's expense by losing Stamkos. But, truth be told, *IF* Stamkos were to leave, I'd rather see him go to Toronto than LA, Philly, or Boston. But, this is all farts in the wind - Vinik is a superb businessman and hockey is a business. He knows Stamkos fills seats and Stamkos is his ticket to big post-season revenues. He will not let Stammer go without a fight. There is a better chance of Rob Ford becoming a Mormon than Stamkos becoming a Leaf.

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.
- Michael_Stuart

That's just two players.

Back in 1989, a friend of mine showed me hockey. He was a Toronto native and his family moved to Florida. He was a big TO fan and I cut my hockey teeth (or lack of, so to speak) on Dougie Gilmour, Wendel Clark, CuJo, Mats Sundin, and the other players from that era. I still have a soft spot for TO and I think it's a damn shame to watch them get their hopes up every year and then turn into the proverbial tire fire by the All-Star break. I'd really like to see TO succeed, but not at Tampa's expense by losing Stamkos. But, truth be told, *IF* Stamkos were to leave, I'd rather see him go to Toronto than LA, Philly, or Boston. But, this is all farts in the wind - Vinik is a superb businessman and hockey is a business. He knows Stamkos fills seats and Stamkos is his ticket to big post-season revenues. He will not let Stammer go without a fight. There is a better chance of Rob Ford becoming a Mormon than Stamkos becoming a Leaf.
- GalacticStone

He's either going to be a leaf or a bolt. I can't see him on any other teams.

He's either going to be a leaf or a bolt. I can't see him on any other teams.
- JVR_42_PK81

I can dare say Steve will be a Bolt for life,if not 80-90%.

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

Leafs haven't traded any firsts under his watch. So yea, he is behaving a bit differently.

He's either going to be a leaf or a bolt. I can't see him on any other teams.

Agreed.

I can dare say Steve will be a Bolt for life,if not 80-90%.

Agree. I could see him playing here in Tampa until he's about 35 or 36 and then going home to Toronto to finish out his career.

Agreed.
- GalacticStone

We will have to wait and see. Still 2 years until then so save the arguments until then.

That's just two players.
- JVR_42_PK81

Tampa has many more NHL players and impact players under 25 than Toronto. The majority of the team is under 25 and 4 players on the roster in total are over 30 and 3 of them aren't signed after this season. If you wanna talk prospects even with all the ones that graduated this season tampa can match or come close to Toronto. Toronto has some good players for the future for sure but I can't believe people on here think they are better set up for the future than tampa. Not to mention that Toronto would have to ship out key pieces just to afford Stamkos while tampa won't have the same kind of issue there. Stamkos would make any team better and a playoff contender but the supporting cast is definitely built better in Tampa than in Toronto. They'd have a better top line but no depth no d and I see a few good prospects in the pipeline for Toronto but nothing to compete with the current wave tampa has

Back in the 1990's, I never thought we'd see Tampa being talked about the way we are now. We've come a long way baby.

If Stamkos imakes it to being a UFA come 2016, there will be 28 other teams along with Toronto offering full term and salary.

If Stamkos imakes it to being a UFA come 2016, there will be 28 other teams along with Toronto offering full term and salary.
- JSC

Yeah but if he wants to go to Toronto then he will go and Toronto will still pay max dollar for him, Yzerman doesn't have to just let him walk, he can make one of the biggest trades of the decade and TRADE stamkos to the Toronto for some other players. I would much rather just sign him as UFA but it could be done...

Yeah but if he wants to go to Toronto then he will go and Toronto will still pay max dollar for him, Yzerman doesn't have to just let him walk, he can make one of the biggest trades of the decade and TRADE stamkos to the Toronto for some other players. I would much rather just sign him as UFA but it could be done...
- Mushton89

When's the last time one of the top 3 players in the league actually left a competitive team in free agency to sign with his hometown team?

Agree. I could see him playing here in Tampa until he's about 35 or 36 and then going home to Toronto to finish out his career.
- GalacticStone

This seems way more likely.

Yeah but if he wants to go to Toronto then he will go and Toronto will still pay max dollar for him, Yzerman doesn't have to just let him walk, he can make one of the biggest trades of the decade and TRADE stamkos to the Toronto for some other players. I would much rather just sign him as UFA but it could be done...
- Mushton89

If we're talking about the fact he wants to play in Toronto that badly, Leafs will wait and gather other assets for such a player to see worth while being there.

Sure, a line involving Kessel + Stamkos might even be better than Stamkos + St. Louis. And it doesn't even matter whose on a line with them, that would be depth for days. The entire system would be pushed down a notch because of that kind of potential. JVR/Bozak down a line or two plus prospects coming up?

It's a fun thought, it likely won't happen.

#freestamkos

I doubt it gets anywhere close to that.
- Michael_Stuart

We got you over 500 a couple months back.

Michael Stuart: On Steven Stamkos, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and 2016
- Michael_Stuart

Where there is smoke, there is fire. If he wants to go home then so be it. It will REALLY suck, but as you said there is NOTHING Yzerman can do about it. I guess we wait see.

That's just two players.
- JVR_42_PK81

And JVR is only one player.

Again, I'm not sure you'd find many people who would take Toronto's system of players over TB's.

We got you over 500 a couple months back.
- Artyukhin76

That you did, my friend. That you did.

Yeah but if he wants to go to Toronto then he will go and Toronto will still pay max dollar for him, Yzerman doesn't have to just let him walk, he can make one of the biggest trades of the decade and TRADE stamkos to the Toronto for some other players. I would much rather just sign him as UFA but it could be done...
- Mushton89

this is the same story i heard always vinny will leave the lightning to play for montreal ? and he never did! Why would stamkos leave ? Vinik will spend to the salary cap! the lightning have many great prospects coming up in the next 3 years. No state taxes In florida! only way I see him going is if we don't make the playoffs the next two years and really stink.

this is the same story i heard always vinny will leave the lightning to play for montreal ? and he never did! Why would stamkos leave ? Vinik will spend to the salary cap! the lightning have many great prospects coming up in the next 3 years. No state taxes In florida! only way I see him going is if we don't make the playoffs the next two years and really stink.
- todd1a

Why would he leave? Because he might want to go to Toronto. There are more factors in play than the ones you listed. Like the blog says, plenty of reasons to stay in TB. But plenty of reasons to like Toronto too. It comes down to priorities.

And JVR is only one player.

Again, I'm not sure you'd find many people who would take Toronto's system of players over TB's.
- Michael_Stuart

Yeah we can ask any fan in the league, except Toronto fans, they will tell you the same thing, Tampa's system is better than Toronto's!

Why would he leave? Because he might want to go to Toronto. There are more factors in play than the ones you listed. Like the blog says, plenty of reasons to stay in TB. But plenty of reasons to like Toronto too. It comes down to priorities.
- Michael_Stuart

If he is that stupid to leave for the leafs then see ya later we will still win a cup without him.