What you're describing is a more traditional way of doing things - it's the way things were done long before a cap system was in place.

What I am talking about is taking advantage of a system which most teams don't understand how to properly use.

It's not like we're talking about a marginal gain here. Marner, Mathews and Nylander will cost a minimum of $25 million dollars. Today they cost combined less than Komarov.

So you could get 3 more impact players in the next two years than you could otherwise.

The odds of getting an Auston Matthews in addition to a Marner and Nylander are essentially zero. This is a once in lifetime opportunity.
- James_Tanner

That's why the idea is intriguing, its just not very realistic.
I don't believe they should, nor that they could make any of those kinds of moves until next year. Once salary comes off the books, they will have the room to get creative in a big way. That is what will define the leafs for the next 5 years.

So what I would do? Is actually trade JVR (I was against this) for a defenseman.. I also don't feel like JVR provides any leadership.. his intensity is suspect ; we need hard working players. His contract is excellent though so you can get the most value out of him if you move him ASAP, or even closer to trade deadline..
The ducks look like the obvious trade partner but I'm not sold on Fowler as I believe we need a Steady dmen that makes smart decisions (weber like).

I wouldn't even mind trading Carrick in a package with JVR to get something really good in return (we have a few young dmen that can take his place, and enough draft picks to keep the prospect pool high.

A truly terrible blog
Your whole system relys on a bunch of 20 year olds being the nucleus of the team and then mortgaging the future to win with those young kids as your core. And if you fall short. As you mentioned. Even a cup final appearance will be forgotten. And then we suck again.
I also dislike how you claim nhl teams don't know how to manipulate the system. But you do. Pretty sure every team has multiple capologists. Which team do you work for?
Remember that pros vs joes show. Normal guys come on claiming they are better than pros and could have been all stars. Kinda reminds me of your blogs

English league soccer does this. Each team plays each other twice...once home and once away. Whoever has the most points is champ. You lose the drama and iconic moments of the playoffs and sometimes the ending can be anti-climactic, but this truly makes it that the "best team" wins. You'd opt for this system over playoffs?
- wolphnuts12

They also have the League Cup and Champion's League which are tournaments. Less importance is placed on the League Cup, but it's there.

A truly terrible blog
Your whole system relys on a bunch of 20 year olds being the nucleus of the team and then mortgaging the future to win with those young kids as your core. And if you fall short. As you mentioned. Even a cup final appearance will be forgotten. And then we suck again.
I also dislike how you claim nhl teams don't know how to manipulate the system. But you do. Pretty sure every team has multiple capologists. Which team do you work for?
Remember that pros vs joes show. Normal guys come on claiming they are better than pros and could have been all stars. Kinda reminds me of your blogs
- Trevrrrgavo

This.

you're actually pretty entertaining when you're not discussing advanced stats. You did lose me when you said trade 3-4 first round picks for Jake freaking Muzzin. Also, your music choices are steaming hot garbage.

A truly terrible blog
Your whole system relys on a bunch of 20 year olds being the nucleus of the team and then mortgaging the future to win with those young kids as your core. And if you fall short. As you mentioned. Even a cup final appearance will be forgotten. And then we suck again.
I also dislike how you claim nhl teams don't know how to manipulate the system. But you do. Pretty sure every team has multiple capologists. Which team do you work for?
Remember that pros vs joes show. Normal guys come on claiming they are better than pros and could have been all stars. Kinda reminds me of your blogs
- Trevrrrgavo

Oh calm down. It's fun to discuss. Doesn't have to be completely serious all of the time.

Remember that episode of Pros vs. Joes where they had all of those NFL players who had played college basketball compete with NBA players? That was awesome.

A truly terrible blog
Your whole system relys on a bunch of 20 year olds being the nucleus of the team and then mortgaging the future to win with those young kids as your core. And if you fall short. As you mentioned. Even a cup final appearance will be forgotten. And then we suck again.
I also dislike how you claim nhl teams don't know how to manipulate the system. But you do. Pretty sure every team has multiple capologists. Which team do you work for?
Remember that pros vs joes show. Normal guys come on claiming they are better than pros and could have been all stars. Kinda reminds me of your blogs
- Trevrrrgavo

It's really about playing the odds. If the luckiest team always wins, as per Tanner, then why on Earth would you gamble by mortgaging your entire future? Going "all in" means nothing since the luckiest team wins anyways.

Note: I don't believe the luckiest team always wins, but that really hurts his argument tremendously... The reality is that the chances of winning the cup are based on how good your team is, but the best team doesn't necessarily always win. Even if you go "all in" and have the best team, you might not. Then you suck again. The best odds are having a consistently good team year after year and make the playoffs every year.

No it applies to the year in which the bonus was attained. His cap hit is $3.775M.

So you're still saying trading Hall for Larsson was a bad trade when it's obvious the team is better?
- NugentHallberle

if you have room for performance bonuses, they count in the current year but only at the end of the year.

if performance bonuses put you over the cap, you can push up to $5.5M to the next year.

Yeah but that includes bonus money which I am pretty sure gets applied to next year's hit? But so what? We're still talking about a massive difference.
- James_Tanner

Nope.

So that means the whole concept of your blog doesn't work.

James Tanner: How the Leafs and Oilers Could Game the System for Instant Stanley Cups
- James_Tanner

didn't you say the oilers should have done something similar last year?

they would have thrown away pujularvi.

i don't think the leafs should trade their 1st until after the draft lottery. might be a smart bet for the oiiers to do it this year in the right trade.

They also have the League Cup and Champion's League which are tournaments. Less importance is placed on the League Cup, but it's there.
- SolidGoldBricks

Right...none of which are the English league (or any of the other domestic leagues). You're naming tournaments.

James Tanner: How the Leafs and Oilers Could Game the System for Instant Stanley Cups
- James_Tanner

Interesting concept James. One road block I see are the trading teams usually want to make a hockey trade. (Jones/Johansen-Hall/Larsson) Trouba is also an excellent example (if the rumours are true) of Winnipeg wanting a similar player who plays the left side. Draft picks are good, but trading away young / younger players for just picks.... I do not see that happening in most cases. (I guess cap issues may come into play)

Also, as a Hall fan, he came along way last year to round out his game and still has somethings to work on, but he will sort those things out. But, after seeing Larsson play, it was a good hockey trade as it filled needs for both teams. He is very good and like Hall, will only get better. If you can acquire a guy like Larsson for picks (age, contract, size, etc.) let me know who that is and I will get PC right on it. (lol)

- Cape Breton Bruins

Quote below:

"I believe I said they could "approximate another Larsson."

But couldn't we have had a nice amicable conversation? Wasn't it pretty immature to start off by calling me 'not very bright' ??

For the record, I am very comfortable with my current level of luminescence."

It's really really really tough to take your blogs seriously. You swing and miss and make things up and yarn it all out in a way you hope sounds legit.

If I was giving this article the credit it was worth name calling is exactly the way I would be going.

History has proven Larsson level players don't grow on trees and generally don't get traded period. There is no respectable logic to much of what you said in this blog.

Leafs may as well go all in to win a cup next year? I may as well win the grand prize of the next lotto max I enter. You may as well consider this the best blog ever. Reality should be staring you in the face by this point.

Nope.

So that means the whole concept of your blog doesn't work.
- WaterBoy

Since when has this become a problem?

And in 95% of Cup Finals, it's two evenly matched teams. I don't expect to people to understand the effect of luck, so I'm not even gonna argue about it. Lots of fun reading on the subject if you're interested.
- James_Tanner

my eyes rolled so far back that if i look down i can see my own ass crack. luck. the magic unicorn that shuts down any debate or difference of opinion. because if the results do not correlate with what the spreadsheet says should happen, it's luck. because the numbers are infallible.

Since when has this become a problem?
- Scabeh

Never.

"Your" really not very "Bright". New Jersey doesn't trade Larsson unless Hall is in the deal. Larsson is better in his own end "then" anyone that was available.

Pot, meet kettle.

Right...none of which are the English league (or any of the other domestic leagues). You're naming tournaments.
- wolphnuts12

The League Cup is part the British League. It just includes lower tiers as well as the top tier.

The playoffs in the NHL are also a tournament. I'm confused by your response.

Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I nod and agree (rarely), sometimes I just shake my head.....this would be one of the later.

Pittsburgh Penguins.

There are so many issues with this approach...namely that NHL teams are owned by people looking to make money in most cases and a really great source of money is playoff revenue.

Are you going to burn the next 10 years of playoff revenue to win one cup? Because once those players need a few new contracts you are completely boned. Or do you just suggest trading away your superstar players that you now cant afford for picks and try to do this all over?

From a winning one cup perspective, yes this plan is sound. From a business perspective its ludicrous.

The League Cup is part the British League. It just includes lower tiers as well as the top tier.

The playoffs in the NHL are also a tournament. I'm confused by your response.
- SolidGoldBricks

The League Cup is a tournament. And you're missing the point that Tanner said he didn't like the playoffs due to luck and implied that the President's Trophy was harder to win. Meaning that the President's Cup winner truly is the best team. So I compared that to what The English League does.I've got to get back to work now, but don't know what your comparisons to tournaments is adding.

well thats a terrible article.

The League Cup is a tournament. And you're missing the point that Tanner said he didn't like the playoffs due to luck and implied that the President's Trophy was harder to win. Meaning that the President's Cup winner truly is the best team. So I compared that to what The English League does.I've got to get back to work now, but don't know what your comparisons to tournaments is adding.
- wolphnuts12

Just that they exist in the BPL (your example) but have less importance. So that is exactly what Tanner was referring to. I wasn't disagreeing with you.