Imagine the Canada wide support we'd get if we ever get to the finals.
- walshyleafsfan

Everybody would love it. The potential emergence of the Leafs as a perennial powerhouse is just something that every hockey fan from coast to coast has to be feeling fantastic about today.

Firing Boudreau was asinine, I agree! At least he's still getting paid the rest of his contract, fired or not. Ottawa should do every thing in their power to get him on board.
- LeftCoaster

Most teams in hockey should fire the coach they currently have to hire him. Unless your coach is Mike Babcock, you have to consider it.

and the Jays have a great team


- westcoastleaf

Most teams in hockey should fire the coach they currently have to hire him. Unless your coach is Mike Babcock, you have to consider it.
- James_Tanner

Love to have him in Vancouver, but no, dumb & dumber are sticking with Willie Desjardins

i like what the Leafs are doing. they are finally doing it the right way. but all these blogs read like Oiler copy from 4 years ago. The idea that the Leafs are on the verge of contending is ludicrous. Still 5 to 6 years away.
- spatso

Five or six years? If you're 18 today, you're likely going to have your best NHL season in five or six years. So 6 years out is Matthews absolute peak, but Marner, Rielly, Nylander etc will all peak well before that, so I think you could be five years from being the Cup favorite, but likely a Playoff team next year and a contender in two.

To be fair I've been hearing he's above Echiel before the leafs won the lottery. You are just hearing it now that there's much more hype.
- Santo_44

I've never heard a non-Sabres fan say Eichel is better.

One correction.

Kapanen is not an NHL player, nevermind a surefire NHL player. He is invisible 90% of the time, except when he makes a horrendous mistake in his own end.

One correction.

Kapanen is not an NHL player, nevermind a surefire NHL player. He is invisible 90% of the time, except when he makes a horrendous mistake in his own end.
- Aetherial

You'll be shunned for this, prepare for the outfall

One correction.

Kapanen is not an NHL player, nevermind a surefire NHL player. He is invisible 90% of the time, except when he makes a horrendous mistake in his own end.
- Aetherial

That's ridiculous. He's guaranteed to be an NHL regular. His speed and defense alone will keep him in the show. Should develop into a Lehtonen type guy, I hope.

Five or six years? If you're 18 today, you're likely going to have your best NHL season in five or six years. So 6 years out is Matthews absolute peak, but Marner, Rielly, Nylander etc will all peak well before that, so I think you could be five years from being the Cup favorite, but likely a Playoff team next year and a contender in two.
- James_Tanner

Gotta say, disappointed seeing REM in your blog today. Love my Sunday morning Tanner music memories. I guess that's the north American in you.

You ever listen to any newer British stuff? Things like the Vaccines, Courteeners, Kasabian, Dogs (disbanded ) the Rifles, the Maccabees etc. ?

One correction.

Kapanen is not an NHL player, nevermind a surefire NHL player. He is invisible 90% of the time, except when he makes a horrendous mistake in his own end.
- Aetherial

Agreed. Still early in his career, but Meh. Oh well, that's why they went with quantity of picks last year, this year and next year

Gotta say, disappointed seeing REM in your blog today. Love my Sunday morning Tanner music memories. I guess that's the north American in you.

You ever listen to any newer British stuff? Things like the Vaccines, Courteeners, Kasabian, Dogs (disbanded ) the Rifles, the Maccabees etc. ?
- walshyleafsfan

Hey man, appreciate your appreciating my musical selections.

R.E.M is my #1 all-time favorite band.

(Along with Talking Heads, Nirvana and the Cure)

I have not heard any of those bands - except Kasabian, I have one of their CDs and don't even play it - but I'll give them a listen. Thanks for the tips.

Hey man, appreciate your appreciating my musical selections.

R.E.M is my #1 all-time favorite band.

(Along with Talking Heads, Nirvana and the Cure)

I have not heard any of those bands - except Kasabian, I have one of their CDs and don't even play it - but I'll give them a listen. Thanks for the tips.
- James_Tanner

No worries. Love your late late 80's/90's stuff. And, maybe it's the lottery win talking, but I enjoy your blogs. Lots of food for thought as they say.

I don't think Leafs fans give two schnitzels who is better between Eichel or Matthews. As long as Matthews is the best player in THIS draft, it's all gravy.

Kapanen is no sure fire NHLer. He's definitely got a package of skills that are NHL calibre but his head isn't. He isn't even a gimme for the Marlies Calder cup roster every game. Although there are some good young players who can't squeeze into that line up, Kap's exclusion is pretty indicative of his current place within the organization. Nice problem to have though.

mr tanner who do you feel abut garfs trade proposal below?

#1overall for Arizona's 1st, OEL, Strome, domi, and additional picks?

Just look at the Lindros to Flyers trade: The Avalanche ended up the better overall team for over a decade because the Flyers paid a ridiculous price to get him.

Any Gm in the league would have made that deal, because as good as Forsberg turned out to be, Lindros was the superior player by a considerable margin. The equivalent today would be a 6'7" 260 lb player who moves and scores like McDavid. In the last 30 years, only Gretzky and Lemieux would come into the same conversation, that's how good he was.

You're right though, Arizona would never make that deal, and I don't see the Leafs trading Matthews.

That isn't a popular opinion. It's a virtual guarantee that Matthews would have went over Eichel.

"Eichel couldn't carry Matthews skates to the rink,"

- anonymous scout.
- James_Tanner

Hyperbole isn't a solid counterpoint


Eichel is amazing and claiming he can't carry Matthews skates is ridiculous

There will be almost no one in the game eichel is vastly inferior to going forward imo. Mcdavid included

mr tanner who do you feel abut garfs trade proposal below?

#1overall for Arizona's 1st, OEL, Strome, domi, and additional picks?
- rinaldo

Do you mean Garth? If he said that he must have been joking.

Hyperbole isn't a solid counterpoint


Eichel is amazing and claiming he can't carry Matthews skates is ridiculous

There will be almost no one in the game eichel is vastly inferior to going forward imo. Mcdavid included
- HB77

Of course you're right

Do you mean Garth? If he said that he must have been joking.
- James_Tanner

why do you think he was joking and yes he said it.

Is there any player drafted 1st overall whose team & fans didn't say he was a generational talent at the time?

Is there any player drafted 1st overall whose team & fans didn't say he was a generational talent at the time?
- Antilles

Matthews doesn't project to be a generational talent, great young center and I'd have loved to draft him, James is just excited with a new toy.

Leafs will finally draft someone with size to go with their crop of garden gnomes.

No worries. Love your late late 80's/90's stuff. And, maybe it's the lottery win talking, but I enjoy your blogs. Lots of food for thought as they say.
- walshyleafsfan

Thanks. Are you from Wales? if so, how did you end up a hockey fan. Are their any cool Welsh bands?

My dad used to have a couple tapes of the Alarm when I was a kid, who I think are Welsh, but other than that I can't think of any...guess I could use Google.

why do you think he was joking and yes he said it.
- rinaldo

Because no one could seriously think that would be a realistic proposal. Four top-ten picks for one player, essentially? I have to believe if he said that he wasn't serious.

Because no one could seriously think that would be a realistic proposal. Four top-ten picks for one player, essentially? I have to believe if he said that he wasn't serious.
- James_Tanner

no it isnt realistic at all i agree. no way he was kidding though.