At this point we have to hope Nylander or Juolevi last to us and we also trade for Cam Fowler and sign or trade for a top line winger Stamkos, Hall, Perry I don't care we can't let Toronto steal this spotlight. If we sign Stamkos it will be worth having Toronto win the lottery.
- bluengold12

Just need to keep in mind our plan doesn't change one bit because Toronto landed the one pick. GMTM is going to make some deals that's a given ............. and he's way better at it than anyone in Toronto is.

Funny the difference 4 days makes. If Matthews was 4 days older he likely would have gone 3rd overall last year. Instead he's 1st overall and the savior of an obnoxious franchise
- Khymlev13

This goes along with "Funny the difference 3 points in the standings makes".

Or ........... "if we don't put up 2 goals in the final minutes in one game versus the Jets late in the year we are now picking 3rd".

This goes along with "Funny the difference 3 points in the standings makes".

Or ........... "if we don't put up 2 goals in the final minutes in one game versus the Jets late in the year we are now picking 3rd".
- fastek

Right, winning a couple of meaningless games makes a huge deal in the end, not just in round one, but in every round your position is affected.

There's been talk that Vancouver and Edmonton said that if they didn't get in the top 3, they were definitely going defense. So lets just say that happens.

1. Matthews
2. Laine
3. Puljujarvi
4. Chychrun
5. Juolevi
6. Tkachuk
7. DuBois/Nylander
8. DuBois/Nylander/Sergachev

With Murray shipping out every Russian we had in the organization, I don't see him taking Sergachev even if the guy is solid. The next defenseman is Bean and the #8 pick is too high take him. I think were going offense and trading for Risto's partner. I bet we fill up on defense in rounds 2 and 3.
- sskkoo1

I don't want DuBois. Not a need at all. I know he can play the wing but I much prefer the quick skill of Nylander. Hopefully Arizona disagrees with me.

Right, winning a couple of meaningless games makes a huge deal in the end, not just in round one, but in every round your position is affected.
- sskkoo1

Which is why myself and a few others on here were not happy with the late Gionta/Bogosian led charge up the standings because we knew it would affect our draft stock...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpl5mOAXNl4

Which is why myself and a few others on here we're not happy with the late Gionta/Bogosian led charge up the standings because we knew it would affect our draft stock...
- bluengold12

Yeah, I wasn't happy at all either. Players won't tank, but management can set up situations where it's hard for the team to walk away with points while at the same time being able to evaluate prospects by bringing them up. I know some people will cry about ruining the integrity of the game, but the G.M.'s job is to do what's best for the long term growth of the team, and putting yourself in the highest position in the draft during a losing season should be a major priority. Every team does it, we did it last year, we should have done it again this year.

Right, winning a couple of meaningless games makes a huge deal in the end, not just in round one, but in every round your position is affected.
- sskkoo1

I was so pissed when this was happening the last month of the year .......... I just knew it was going to hose us.

Maybe in your world..
- mhp

I was making a joke .. I don't think it's a big deal

Funny the difference 4 days makes. If Matthews was 4 days older he likely would have gone 3rd overall last year. Instead he's 1st overall and the savior of an obnoxious franchise
- Khymlev13

Which is why myself and a few others on here were not happy with the late Gionta/Bogosian led charge up the standings because we knew it would affect our draft stock...
- bluengold12

The bright side is all this could go away with a few deft moves by our Dear Leader in the next few months.

A couple mock drafts done post lottery...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...-lottery-results-edition/
Sportsnet has us taking Chychrun (Oilers took Jolevi at 4)


http://www.tsn.ca/tsn-hoc...-lottery-edition-1.481511
TSN has Jolevi falling to us at 8, first defenseman taken


I think I'd prefer Jolevi,
But I'd be VERY happy with either

No way in hell .............
- fastek

He is some what .. But it's a win for both teams

Which is why myself and a few others on here were not happy with the late Gionta/Bogosian led charge up the standings because we knew it would affect our draft stock...
- bluengold12

We could've still finished 2nd last instead of Edmonton & got burned...
What can ya do?

What the late season run showed me, is that we're a team moving in the right direction

Hopefully guys like Stamkos, Vesey & Caggiula agree

Add 1 or 2 of those guys (or all 3!)...
Our top9 look pretty awesome for years to come

We draft Risto's future partner here,
Most likely Jolevi or Chychrun

That takes the pressure off us to overpay for a defenseman this year

But if a team gets desperate bc of the Cap,
Or decides next year to trade a good young dman so they don't lose him in the expansion draft...
Then we still have the option to strike in one of those ways, strengthening our defense & putting us in shape to contend for years to come

oh thats rich, a leafs fan trying to tell me Kadri is just as good as ROR. ohhh man, i needed a good laugh.

He is some what .. But it's a win for both teams
- GERBE!!!75PTS

check your dm

check your dm
- bluengold12

There's nothing there ?

If mcdavid to the oilers isn't enough evidence to quell any conspiracy theories, you fundamentally misunderstand the business of the nhl
- HB77

Thanks for trying, but I fear it won't get through. He's/she's determined to see little green men.

Still shouldn't be openly cheering for a team to win a hockey game. TSN is the ESPN of hockey. I know we don't get it here in the states but majority of hockey fans I'm sure follow it and I can't imagine being a fan of another hockey team in Canada like Calgary or Vancouver who lost spots in the draft see their national sports station openly cheer for a 3rd party sports team... At least when ESPN is bias they don't come right out and cheer for a team...
- bluengold12

That's just it, it's not really a third party, they're part of the company that owns the Leafs. So, Bell Canada and Rogers both own 37.5% of MLSE and the other 25% is owned by Kilmer Sports who is owned by Larry Tanenbaum.

It's not really a perfect comparison either, but it's the closest thing I can think of. If it was MSG, and RJ and Rob were doing the coverage you don't think they'd be openly cheering if the Sabres won? Ray Ferraro calls Leafs games and is also an analyst for TSN. I'm not saying he was part of it, I haven't seen it, but the relationship is there.

I agree there should at least be some decorum and not jumping up and down. Like I said I haven't actually seen the reaction, so it could be totally blown out of proportion like a lot of stuff has been today.

Actually ESPN is part of the same umbrella as the Leafs. They(ESPN) own 20% of TSN; the other 80% is owned by Bell Media which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Canada, and as seen above Bell Canada owns 37.5% of MLSE.

It's all very convoluted, and I even confused myself a bit there, but the bottom line is TSN and the Leafs are very closely related. So it's not like say ESPN and the Bruins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpl5mOAXNl4
- feetontheair22

This is fantastic.

I've always said it must be awesome to be a cat/dog. Unless you are owned by a bastard, but if you're married/with a bastard I guess it's not much different. Before I get too off track... a) no work, b) fresh food and water is delivered to you on a regular basis with no work whatsoever, c) you get to poop in a box/in the yard, and the other guy has to pick it up, d) you spend half the day licking your balls and the other half sleeping, e) you can get pets/attention anytime you want, f) catnip, and g) if there's another cat or dog, you get to hang out with your best friend all day.

I think a lot of people are forgetting about Guhle. I'm not saying he's going to be a number 1 or even number 2, but I see second pairing in his future if he continues development from what we saw in camp/preseason where he looked really good until he got wrecked by Princess Phaneuf.

He is some what .. But it's a win for both teams
- GERBE!!!75PTS

They're different players. Reinhart is a much more cerebral player that's "the guy behind the guy", while Marner is a flashy point getter and "the guy".

They're different players. Reinhart is a much more cerebral player that's "the guy behind the guy", while Marner is a flashy point getter and "the guy".
- Wetbandit1

So basically we have the (guy) in Eichel and the (guy behind the guy) in Reinhart while the Leafs have

Marner (the guy) and Matthews (the guy)....

greaaaaaattt....

There's nothing there ?
- GERBE!!!75PTS

Check it again

Toronto spends 1 season "losing with dignity" and they magically win the lottery....

...(frank)ing fixed.
- feetontheair22

If it were rigged the leafs would have landed mcdavid

If it were rigged Arizona would have got Mathews.

Edmonton winning again last year proves it's not rigged.

Don't be sour. The team with the best chance won.