I know I'm so far behind boys. trying to catch up to it all. I'm pretty sure I remember this story surfacing last year after JB failed to trade Vrbata. Forgive me if I'm wrong. But I'm 99% sure its correct.

Vrbata's wife was due to give birth last year somewhere between the TDL and end of season. Their last baby had complications during the pregnancy/birth. He did not wanna be away from Vancouver at that time. So, the teams he provided were all teams that wouldn't ever trade for him.

Altho if that were the case, you would think JB would just not ask him to waive in the first place. It is a business tho....

As for Hamhius, JB didn't wanna show other teams that he could be fleeced if they waited to the last minute to make an offer.

So far most of JB's trades have turned out pretty good. Almost all really... some still tbd. But this is the 1st time that the initial reaction has been so positive. Nice for a change

Love this deal btw!!!!

time to catch up! I'm so far behind.

- storm88

You are about 7 hours behind

Really now, name a team that's not LA/Pittsburg/Chicago that's won the Cup with a top 3 pick in the lineup. Answer? None, no team other than those 3 in the last 10 years has won a Cup with a top 3 (or multiple top 3 picks) in their lineup. Note that the teams that have had top 3 picks in the last 10 years all are still at or near the bottom of the league at this point with no hope in sight. It's not that easy to climb out of the bottom of the standings when you're so used to losing.
- DariusKnight

Good god man, those 3 teams share 7 cups between them.

Thats his entire bloody point.

You are about 7 hours behind

- CanuckDon

He's foreshadowing the next trade deal of the Nuck player you find useless. It's a winning formula

it starts with one and you build from there, of course it's about winning a Cup! That's what I'm saying, tear it down, grab a star and start building, how is that confusing?
- LeftCoaster

You are promoting an abbreviated rebuild in Toronto. Basically, they tear down, draft a top line in two seasons with luck in the lottery, and then start trading away picks to win now aiming for the playoffs.

I for one want nothing to do with the Shanahan plan seeing what it really is now. I'm not going to end the rebuild at being in a position to make the playoffs. They have been going against the rebuild since the summer. It lasted two seasons. They are not patient like the media has you believing. You should be embarrassed for promoting this over and over... or admit there are too many questions to praise what the (frank) Toronto is doing. Clearly, there is a public position and a private position on this in the Leafs organization and idiot me just accidently recognized it I guess.

What has my hackles up is how hypocritical you are about this all. At this point, I'm seeing Benning having a longer term plan than Shanahan.... mostly because he was left with unmovable parts... but also because of the moves the Leafs are making. So I'm being patient as I can... but the impatient fans who spin the poop out of everything so they can justify the disguised panic really does make it a challenge.

He's foreshadowing the next deal of the player you find useless. It's a winning formula
- Nuck4U

Burrows is close to useless. My stance hasn't changed. Ottawa is a joke

They traded for a goaltender because they could, so their young players would have a better chance to win. They drafted 20 times in the past two years out of a possible 14, including two 1st's, four 2nd's, four 3rd's and three 4th's. That's 13 times in the first four rounds. Despite trading for Andersen.

When you have a pick, amongst the many, that can help you with the most important position in hockey you spend it. But you keep hanging onto that notion that trading that one pick shouldn't have happened because you don't trade picks lol....you're so clueless!!

Bottom line....when you can afford to spend a 30th pick and still pick many many times, including the first overall, it's not really a bad business decision.
- LeftCoaster

Right. Let's get this straight....signing Miller to give our kids a chance to win like you just said about the Leafs,,, is a bad thing. Trading a 1st round pick because "you can" for Anderssen is a good thing because it gives your kids a chance to win. Interesting. You've said both these things in one way or another.

You keep calling me clueless but it's totally ironic because all I am doing is using your arguments to contradict your arguments. That's it... I've weaponized your flip flopping against yourself. Clueless arguments I'm posting about your defense of the Leafs... I agree. That's the point.

Good god man, those 3 teams share 7 cups between them.

Thats his entire bloody point.
- Whiskey-Tango

Also Boston had Seguin and Horton in their line up.

Detroit had Stuart

And Ducks had Pronger and Niedermayer.

All this teams had top 3 picks....

Burrows is close to useless. My stance hasn't changed. Ottawa is a joke
- CanuckDon

So who's next on that list of yours? I am rolling with that cause it's worked so far. Then you can make fun of the next team. It's like calling out a player who's not scoring and then he goes on a tear during that game. It's all relevant to the great balance of hockey justice and luck this team needs.

Burrows is close to useless. My stance hasn't changed. Ottawa is a joke
- CanuckDon

You should be ecstatic over the return since you were convinced he wouldn't get us poop. Anything should be a success...

Right. Let's get this straight....signing Miller to give our kids a chance to win like you just said about the Leafs,,, is a bad thing. Trading a 1st round pick because "you can" for Anderssen is a good thing because it gives your kids a chance to win. Interesting. You've said both these things in one way or another.

You keep calling me clueless but it's totally ironic because all I am doing is using your arguments to contradict your arguments. That's it... I've weaponized your flip flopping against yourself. Clueless arguments I'm posting about your defense of the Leafs... I agree. That's the point.
- boonerbuck

Well...it was a fun thread...for awhile

You should be ecstatic over the return since you were convinced he wouldn't get us poop. Anything should be a success...

- boonerbuck

I'm a happy lemming today I'm actually shocked. Pronman tweeted that he is our 3rd best prospect ahead of Demko.

Boeser
Juolevi
Dahlen
Demko
Gaudette

Add in a top 5 pick and we have one of the better prospect pools in the league. Top 10 for sure. Senator fans are furious

Well...it was a fun thread...for awhile
- Bullfrog77

It's funny because they're both right in some respects and just unwilling or unable to see each other's opinions.

I think i've said this on more than one occasion, but....






















it's going to be a loooooooong summer.

No, Burrows is no where near 'useless'. His reputation alone makes opposing coaches double think how to handle him. I think he is good for a small handful of points but he is not there for that... he will eat time, intimidate.... bite ... all the things we love him for --- but not be expected to play 20 minutes but instead do a great 12.

I'm a happy lemming today I'm actually shocked. Pronman tweeted that he is our 3rd best prospect ahead of Demko.

Boeser
Juolevi
Dahlen
Demko
Gaudette

Add in a top 5 pick and we have one of the better prospect pools in the league. Top 10 for sure. Senator fans are furious
- CanuckDon

I didnt know he was rated that highly Button didnt have him in his top 50 so i assumed he was behind gaudette.. Now we just need to send hansen to the wild for one of their top 5 prospects, top 3 pick in the draft plus two 2nds and things are looking good

Also Boston had Seguin and Horton in their line up.

Detroit had Stuart

And Ducks had Pronger and Niedermayer.

All this teams had top 3 picks....
- belcherbd

You need top talent to win, you need to draft said talent at the top of the draft.

You need top talent to win, you need to draft said talent at the top of the draft.
- Whiskey-Tango

Start with top talent whatever the draft position might be.
Control what u can & let the draft order sort itself.

You need top talent to win, you need to draft said talent at the top of the draft.
- Whiskey-Tango

Yup

When do we learn if we get Columbus's pick this year or next?

Looking at the present bottom 5 teams (we sit 4th) & assuming LVGK goes BPA ALL of the AV's Yotes Stars & Wings could use Liljgren. With the top end loaded with C's our final draft position could avail us the chance to trade up. Not an exact science but if a team really likes Liljgren for a key piece then our top need at C could be.....

How much can we sweeten the deal to get 1-2OA if worth it?

Yup

When do we learn if we get Columbus's pick this year or next?
- Beatle_john

i thought someone mentioned it during the frenzy earlier today that we do get it...

I'm a happy lemming today I'm actually shocked. Pronman tweeted that he is our 3rd best prospect ahead of Demko.

Boeser
Juolevi
Dahlen
Demko
Gaudette

Add in a top 5 pick and we have one of the better prospect pools in the league. Top 10 for sure. Senator fans are furious
- CanuckDon

Feels good for a change. Gives us a bit of optimism that more help will come in trades like this. Patience. I'm probably as surprised as you that they resigned him though.

Feels good for a change. Gives us a bit of optimism that more help will come in trades like this. Patience. I'm probably as surprised as you that they resigned him though.

- boonerbuck

The signing is bizarre...$2.5 MM per until he is 38

You need top talent to win, you need to draft said talent at the top of the draft.
- Whiskey-Tango

A few days ago I posted teams that had top 5 picks since 2007. The list contained 22 teams with at least 1 top 5 pick in the last 10 years. 9 teams had at least 3 top 5 picks and only 1 of those teams has any cups to their name.
So at least 70% of teams have at least 1 top 5 pick & 30 percent have had at least 3 top 5 picks.
Of those 22 teams since 2007 only 3 teams have cups so far.
Moral is most teams have at least 1 top5 pick these days and your odds of winning the cup because of top 5 picks are no different than any other team as a result.

The signing is bizarre...$2.5 MM per until he is 38
- CanuckDon

I KNOW RIGHT! --- Good for him though! At best, Benning would have been 1.5 to 1.75, 1 year, no trade clauses.

Did you realize of all the trades up until then (and maybe afterwards but I am not sure) this trade was the only one to include a top prospect and not draft picks.

Lastly ----- Burrows will have his number retired? Thoughts? He did as much or more for the Franchise than Smyl.

No, Burrows is no where near 'useless'. His reputation alone makes opposing coaches double think how to handle him. I think he is good for a small handful of points but he is not there for that... he will eat time, intimidate.... bite ... all the things we love him for --- but not be expected to play 20 minutes but instead do a great 12.
- Beatle_john

and kill penalties and provide screens

It's funny because they're both right in some respects and just unwilling or unable to see each other's opinions.

I think i've said this on more than one occasion, but....






















it's going to be a loooooooong summer.
- dbot

It's not like that all on my side. I agree with Lefty's template on rebuilding. He's never heard me say it doesn't work. Unfortunately, we had our own unique set of circumstances. Lefty and Nucker try and Trump every argument I've had with them by deflecting it into a position that is ridiculous. I don't believe in drafting.... or I don't believe in trading vets for picks... or believe drafting high helps... I don't see red flags blah blah blah... base what I'm saying on my posts, not Lefty's deflections. I'm for the long term re-build here... doing it right...patience. Lefty has claimed this position... but in reality... his position is more about countering Benning if he props up Toronto moving to Win Now and Play Off push and trading away picks etc... a two season rebuild ffs...

I thought Lefty by now would have said "I thought Toronto had a long term plan so what gives"... but instead, he digs in, starts throwing names around... doesn't care about the contradicting positions he has taken up... he's getting burned bad. His whole thing about him pushing for the rebuild in 2014 the other day.... then he had to face people remembering him pushing for keeping/re-signing the Sedins and Edler in 2013. Arguing against the people calling for moving on and thinking LONG TERM. He was against long term for win now... ... and big surprise,,, when he was faced with this recollection the other day... he was already calling the person putting up a valid argument names out of frustration. It's clear, Lefty gets bent out of shape when he can't dodge something...