Hampus Lindholm is not going anywhere. Cam Fowler is probably the odd man out. Bob Murray said he is looking to add a left shooting LW and some draft picks. I expect Fowler and Andersen to be gone before the end of the first round of the draft. And maybe Brandon Montour who is almost NHL ready but will have a hard time finding a spot in Anaheim.

The rebuild in Toronto is over if they add Stamkos.

Stamkos, Kadri, Matthews down the middle. Gardiner and Reilly on D, plus whoever they get for JVR. And Nylander, Marner, Kapenan, Brown, Komarov on the wings.

Just sign Reimer and cake-walk to the biggest single season point increase in NHL history.
- James_Tanner

Love Leaf summer talk. Just a wonderful mix of magical thinking sprinkled with fairy dust and triumphal celebration. But, this year we know for certain is different. We have Burke who put together a Stanley Cup winner in Anaheim and Kessel is a world class talent. Giving up two firsts for Kessel is a bargain. Picks don't need to be lottery protected because we are going to be a Cup contender.

Leafs have a better prospect pool than anybody. Who wants McDavid when you can have Matthews. The Winnipeg group is overrated and nobody needs so much balance between highly rated forward and defence prospects. And, we won't talk about Phoenix because...well they are Phoenix.

We are so glad we are going to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup parade will be better than Pittsburgh that gave far too much credit to dough boy. He could skate and score but just not a winner.

I am sure the Leafs will not get knocked out of the playoffs before Christmas again this year.

The reason Vatanen was signed first was because he was arbitration eligible (per Bob Murray). Saw Murray yesterday at an event and he talked about the team. Rakell and Lindholm were both given qualifying offers. If a team submits an offer sheet, "we'll match" was his response. Murray said don't look for either player to be signed until late summer. They're 23 and 22 years old. With the qualifying offers, they're under team control. There is zero need to sign them now.

Love Leaf summer talk. Just a wonderful mix of magical thinking sprinkled with fairy dust and triumphal celebration. But, this year we know for certain is different. We have Burke who put together a Stanley Cup winner in Anaheim and Kessel is a world class talent. Giving up two firsts for Kessel is a bargain. Picks don't need to be lottery protected because we are going to be a Cup contender.

Leafs have a better prospect pool than anybody. Who wants McDavid when you can have Matthews. The Winnipeg group is overrated and nobody needs so much balance between highly rated forward and defence prospects. And, we won't talk about Phoenix because...well they are Phoenix.

We are so glad we are going to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup parade will be better than Pittsburgh that gave far too much credit to dough boy. He could skate and score but just not a winner.

I am sure the Leafs will not get knocked out of the playoffs before Christmas again this year.
- spatso

What's past is prologue.

The rumour game is bs. And I even mean the tippy top of insiders like Mackenzie or Friedman.


I think it's not neccesarily just the "easy" choice to say stamkos resigns, but it als makes a ton of sense. I don't see how one could think it doesn't?

Still gonna get Gobs of money even if it's less than some will offer.
Still a top 6 option.
In a place where he can walk down the streets with his wife and kids and not get mobbed or told off for having a bad game the night before.
Weather.
On a team that in my opinion is probably set up better than any other team to be elite and have a chance at a cup every year for the foreseeable future
- HB77

I like to think that a guy born in Toronto, grew up cheering for them, won't be able to pass up the chance to lead the Leafs to the Cup. If he signs there and they win, he basically becomes one of the all-time most important players in NHL history.

Eventually someone is going to want to come home and try it. I have no inside information, I don't know Stamkos, I am not pretending to be objective. But I am really, really hoping it happens.

what if the leafs traded jvr for the number 6 and a bad contract from the flames?
- Mandree85

If the Leafs trade JVR, I can almost guarantee it will be for a defenseman and not a draft pick.

Pretty sure, regardless of the TT/breadman debate, the Black Hawks are the envy of 29 other teams in the league... and now one could say the Pens because you know, they just won? The only teams others are envious of is the one that just won the cup and those that are right on the cusp.
- mnhockeyguy

Hawks are locked into an aging Keith/Seabrook combo and pay Toews and Kane way too much money and Crawford is only going to help you win if you're already awesome. I don't think they start to suck or anything, but I think their days as a legit contender are done for now.

It's not like the Leafs just started building through the draft this year. They already have Rielly, Nylander, Marner, Kadri. JVR wasn't drafted by them, but he was acquired via trading a top 5 pick in L. Schenn. Drafting first overall multiplies all that. And there's the Babcock factor. Not saying they'll make the playoffs next year, because the new talent will be inexperienced, but years at the bottom from this point seems unlikely.
- Zezel

I'm just saying it's not as easy as just drafting and you'll be great, there's a lot more that goes into it, obviously, than that.

Colorado has MacKinnon 1st overall, Johnson 1st overall, Duchene 3rd overall, Landeskog 2nd overall, Barrie 24 yrs old 50 point young dman, Varlamov who's a really good goalie.....they just finished bottom ten.

Islanders, same thing, a lot of good young talent since they drafted Tavares seven years ago....just made it to the second round for the first time and only the second time they've made the playoffs.

I guess maybe because I'm a bit older I'm into golf, awesome tv if you understand and know how extremely difficult it is to do what they're doing. They don't take shifts off, their payday is directly proportional to their performance, I like that.

Five dollars says the Leafs finish bottom five without Stamkos! Bottom 6-10 with him.
- LeftCoaster

I like to play golf, I can't think of anything more boring than watching it..

I guess maybe because I'm a bit older I'm into golf, awesome tv if you understand and know how extremely difficult it is to do what they're doing. They don't take shifts off, their payday is directly proportional to their performance, I like that.

Five dollars says the Leafs finish bottom five without Stamkos! Bottom 6-10 with him.
- LeftCoaster

I like to play golf, I can't think of anything more boring than watching it..

I like to think that a guy born in Toronto, grew up cheering for them, won't be able to pass up the chance to lead the Leafs to the Cup. If he signs there and they win, he basically becomes one of the all-time most important players in NHL history.

Eventually someone is going to want to come home and try it. I have no inside information, I don't know Stamkos, I am not pretending to be objective. But I am really, really hoping it happens.
- James_Tanner

This is verbatim what my leaf fan bud said.
And fair enough.

I think it's a longshot, but certainly possible

Love Leaf summer talk. Just a wonderful mix of magical thinking sprinkled with fairy dust and triumphal celebration. But, this year we know for certain is different. We have Burke who put together a Stanley Cup winner in Anaheim and Kessel is a world class talent. Giving up two firsts for Kessel is a bargain. Picks don't need to be lottery protected because we are going to be a Cup contender.

Leafs have a better prospect pool than anybody. Who wants McDavid when you can have Matthews. The Winnipeg group is overrated and nobody needs so much balance between highly rated forward and defence prospects. And, we won't talk about Phoenix because...well they are Phoenix.

We are so glad we are going to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup parade will be better than Pittsburgh that gave far too much credit to dough boy. He could skate and score but just not a winner.

I am sure the Leafs will not get knocked out of the playoffs before Christmas again this year.
- spatso

I'd be grumpy too if I were a Sens fan. That whole situation is a dumpster fire. Enjoy your zero cups and salary cap limit!

I agree on Mario. GOAT

REM, however, is music for adults who still wet the bed

Hampus Lindholm is not going anywhere. Cam Fowler is probably the odd man out. Bob Murray said he is looking to add a left shooting LW and some draft picks. I expect Fowler and Andersen to be gone before the end of the first round of the draft. And maybe Brandon Montour who is almost NHL ready but will have a hard time finding a spot in Anaheim.
- hardenx

The thing is, will anyone give up anything all that good for Cam Fowler? Plus Bob Murray has a history of making really bad decisions. I don't think a good GM would trade Lindholm. I put the odds of the Ducks keeping him at 50/50, based entirely on my considering Bob Murray as a terrible GM.

Murray will sign 47 - or else .... Sami is solid signing wanted to stay in Ana and is coming into his own -
If Stamkos goes to the Leafs for the money that is being talked about .. it could leave them in the lurch when it comes to signing all the young guys couple of yrs from now -
- dozerD10

I agree. The thing with Stamkos is everyone is looking at his stats, his age etc. No one or hardly anyone is bringing up his health issues. The money he wants and the term he wants scares me because of his health. If he signs with someone other then Toronto it won't bother me at all.

If the Leafs trade JVR, I can almost guarantee it will be for a defenseman and not a draft pick.
- James_Tanner

But they can draft one of the three defensemen prospect at 9th.

The Leaf fans on this site are generally great. Makes me thankful for a fanboy as obnoxious as Tanner to restore order and let me point and laugh.

Love Leaf summer talk. Just a wonderful mix of magical thinking sprinkled with fairy dust and triumphal celebration. But, this year we know for certain is different. We have Burke who put together a Stanley Cup winner in Anaheim and Kessel is a world class talent. Giving up two firsts for Kessel is a bargain. Picks don't need to be lottery protected because we are going to be a Cup contender.

Leafs have a better prospect pool than anybody. Who wants McDavid when you can have Matthews. The Winnipeg group is overrated and nobody needs so much balance between highly rated forward and defence prospects. And, we won't talk about Phoenix because...well they are Phoenix.

We are so glad we are going to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup parade will be better than Pittsburgh that gave far too much credit to dough boy. He could skate and score but just not a winner.

I am sure the Leafs will not get knocked out of the playoffs before Christmas again this year.
- spatso

You're not wrong in that Leafs fans can be ridiculous. They aren't more ridiculous than anyone else's fans, there's just more of them.

But getting Auston Matthews can't be overrated. If you get Auston Mattews you have the second best player in the NHL for the next decade after Connor McDavid, so it's a pretty big deal, no matter how ridiculous we are as a group.

If you can find me another team that has ever had the #1 pick in the draft, the best player in the AHL and the best player in the OHL, then I'll take it back. But the Leafs also have Gardiner, Kadri and JVR (i.e excellent veterens) and a tonne of other good prospects they probably don't even have room for (Brown, Kapanen, Leivo, Bracco).

I think this one time we're allowed to be optimistic.

I agree on Mario. GOAT

REM, however, is music for adults who still wet the bed
- AxlRose91

Hahahaha come on. R.E.M is the best band of all time.

I'm just saying it's not as easy as just drafting and you'll be great, there's a lot more that goes into it, obviously, than that.

Colorado has MacKinnon 1st overall, Johnson 1st overall, Duchene 3rd overall, Landeskog 2nd overall, Barrie 24 yrs old 50 point young dman, Varlamov who's a really good goalie.....they just finished bottom ten.

Islanders, same thing, a lot of good young talent since they drafted Tavares seven years ago....just made it to the second round for the first time and only the second time they've made the playoffs.
- LeftCoaster

It's certainly possible they'll take much longer, as in these examples. Although there are counter examples as well of teams who have risen more quickly with high picks. I think it could help that the Leafs have a better coaching and management group in place than some of the teams that have taken longer, and more resources.

I agree. The thing with Stamkos is everyone is looking at his stats, his age etc. No one or hardly anyone is bringing up his health issues. The money he wants and the term he wants scares me because of his health. If he signs with someone other then Toronto it won't bother me at all.
- sparky

Oh there's huge downside, and for a while I tried to be very rational about this. But you know what? F - it. Stamkos / Matthews. You can win four cups before you have to worry about paying everyone.

You're not wrong in that Leafs fans can be ridiculous. They aren't more ridiculous than anyone else's fans, there's just more of them.

But getting Auston Matthews can't be overrated. If you get Auston Mattews you have the second best player in the NHL for the next decade after Connor McDavid, so it's a pretty big deal, no matter how ridiculous we are as a group.

If you can find me another team that has ever had the #1 pick in the draft, the best player in the AHL and the best player in the OHL, then I'll take it back. But the Leafs also have Gardiner, Kadri and JVR (i.e excellent veterens) and a tonne of other good prospects they probably don't even have room for (Brown, Kapanen, Leivo, Bracco).

I think this one time we're allowed to be optimistic.
- James_Tanner

Pretty quick to call Matthews the second best player in the NHL for the next decade.

Hahahaha come on. R.E.M is the best band of all time.
- James_Tanner

Honestly, I'm not entirely familiar with their full catalogue. So I'm being slightly unfair....

I would say Bowie is the greatest of all time

I remember when Alex Giroux was the best player in the AHL. 60 goal, 100 point seasons. It doesn't always translate to the big league.

Leafs are a playoff team just like the Oilers last year

I hope you're right, but I just bet my retirement on the Leafs missing.