Thats dangerous. You guys have enough supporting pieces worth keeping to support Nylander, Rielly, your 2015 and 2016 first round prospects, and the prospects you get for Kessel and Phaneuf.

Identify the problems and eliminate them....but it cant be all 23 of them.
- Jeropotato

This guy's speaking from experience.

Not just the first overall. I'm talking top 3.

Where's Cam Barker?
- Aaron_85

I just looked at first overall and I don't think he was a first.

It's not true, hehehehe
- LeafMan

Is there nothing in the 'Code of Conduct' about manipulating the emotionally vulnerable for poops n' giggles?

That's were stockpiling picks, and having a bit more inside knowledge comes into play.
- Feeling Glucky?

That article mentioned that too. Hunter has extensive experience with the kids who will be coming into the league in this draft, next draft, the year after draft, etc.

I'm actually excited. I know MLSE are experts at manufacturing hope, but this time, the hope is in a long-term plan. I can buy into that!

Or listen more to Thommie and give him some early picks to play with.

Him and Hunter with all the picks.
- LeafMan

I expect a lot of Swedish and OHL picks in the coming years.

...I thought you weren't a big Nylander fan?

Why, they suck anyway and are rebuilding, or do you just want to wave the Bernier flag while the team sucks?...
- aminnes

I don't, but that's just terrible asset management.

Is there a chance Nonis will package Rielly and Kessel? My friend says He heard Rielly wants to play in the West

I don't, but that's just terrible asset management.
- Badge

You haven't explained why... I'm guessing you think by the end of next year he's a superstar worth more than the 5-6 he thinks he's worth now?...

I may be wrong but from the outside looking in: you have to trade Kessel here. He's the only one of the "bad" contracts that's actually worth close to it. Keeping Phanuef and Clarkson is almost a no choice because you need to hit the cap floor AND .... I don't see the work ethic / attitude / off ice discussions being an issue at all. In fact, keeping those players makes sense (atleast for a 2 years) while the team goes through a rebuild. Kessel could get the team wins while those players.....well, exactly.

I think if Phanuef can be moved then do it otherwise do the rebuild and keep the contracts there. Otherwise you can retain salary (even $1M of Phanuef's makes him much more tradeable. But I don't think you do more than that to keep that against the cap for that term)
- AlfieisKing

If Kessel's 8mill is a 'bad' contract, what's Pat Kane's 10.5?

the rebuild gets described as so easy by some..im planning on 5-7 years. hoping for less with our disaster (lack of prospects, undesireable vets to deal) is banking on more dissapointment.
- clark_griswold

The question I have with the rebuild is doing it the right way with great drafting. Unless things happened in the background and not news covered our scouting department has stayed the same. I hope we have the quality scouts that can obtain us some good kids with these draft choices. We don't need anymore trading up to get a Biggs etc. Hunter will be one guy I think who will really have a say on who we draft.

This guy's speaking from experience.
- Feeling Glucky?

It's true though. You don't want all your top picks to have to "go it alone" or you end up like Edmonton.

But on the other hand, guys like Clarkson and Leo aren't going anywhere. I'd imagine Polak is sticking around and who on earth is gonna take Robidas' contract for 2 more years?

There will be some supporting cast left over, just not the same supporting cast that has (frank)ed up 4 years running

I expect 5. Leafs have good scouts, just haven't had the picks to work with, or the patience to develop guys. Now they've got guys with insight to the CHL... That implies they'll be drafting a lot more local guys, too.
- Feeling Glucky?

we've had several bad picks. i have zero faith in the scouting department...hopefully that changes now.

Is there a chance Nonis will package Rielly and Kessel? My friend says He heard Rielly wants to play in the West
- woopstash

Lol

I expect a lot of Swedish and OHL picks in the coming years.

...I thought you weren't a big Nylander fan?
- Feeling Glucky?

I'm not sold on him yet as a centre, I never said once he was a bust, I said I don't see an elite talent in him. I also have said repeatably that I hope I'm wrong.

Lol
- Feeling Glucky?

Laugh all you want, my buddy is pretty tight with some of Rielly's buddy's. You guys will probbaly hear about this in the next couple of weeks.

Is there a chance Nonis will package Rielly and Kessel? My friend says He heard Rielly wants to play in the West
- woopstash

He must have heard that from EK, maybe a e4

That article mentioned that too. Hunter has extensive experience with the kids who will be coming into the league in this draft, next draft, the year after draft, etc.

I'm actually excited. I know MLSE are experts at manufacturing hope, but this time, the hope is in a long-term plan. I can buy into that!
- TheThrill

It makes it easier to buy into something you've been begging for for 10 years.

Thats dangerous. You guys have enough supporting pieces worth keeping to support Nylander, Rielly, your 2015 and 2016 first round prospects, and the prospects you get for Kessel and Phaneuf.

Identify the problems and eliminate them....but it cant be all 23 of them.
- Jeropotato

problem is the guys we want to keep are the same guys other teams want (jvr, kessel, etc). then there are the guys no one not named nonis would touch. It's a problem of our cap and lack of elite prospects that is the reason for a full teardown. Unfortunately our past is affecting our future in a BAD way

It makes it easier to buy into something you've been begging for for 10 years.
- 1979AD

Do you think the Blue Jays will make the playoffs this coming season?

Is there a chance Nonis will package Rielly and Kessel? My friend says He heard Rielly wants to play in the West
- woopstash

attention attention attention attention attention

is that enough?

I just looked at first overall and I don't think he was a first.
- Jeffmt

He was a third overall pick by Chicago. Highly touted.

My point is, take picks, draft where you are and hope a few turn into key players.

For recent history we can look to Burke moving a 1st round and 2nd round to move up a few spots for Biggs. Anaheim took Rakell and Gibson with those picks! I'm not saying Burke would have taken the same guys but it proves my point. Moving up is not always the best course of action. Multiple picks can work out well to fill out a roster.

Laugh all you want, my buddy is pretty tight with some of Rielly's buddy's. You guys will probbaly hear about this in the next couple of weeks.
- woopstash

Lol. You're the guy who was talking about his "player friends" in Ek's blog. Lol.

Laugh all you want, my buddy is pretty tight with some of Rielly's buddy's. You guys will probbaly hear about this in the next couple of weeks.
- woopstash

I think he's laughing at the idea of you having a 'buddy'

attention attention attention attention attention

is that enough?
- 1979AD

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha

You haven't explained why... I'm guessing you think by the end of next year he's a superstar worth more than the 5-6 he thinks he's worth now?...
- aminnes

no, I think he's an asset with great potential and letting him walk or moving him deadline with an expiring contract is a terrible waste of that asset.

goalies going UFA have very low trade value. Goalies signed to reasonable deals or RFA have decent value.

either trade him while he's still RFA, or sign him for 3 yrs at a reasonable rate (under $5M per) and reassess in a couple years.