They've probably set a deadline for negotiations so BB can atleast threaten the trade.

Isn't Ruutu's deadline today? That may help set the bar for 2nd line scorers.
- The Law

Good call on Ruutu. I'm pretty sure I read that today is the deadline. Last week Dreger said that Burke was offered a 2nd and a top prospect for Grabovski and that if he held out he felt confident that he could secure a 1st and a top prospect.

Good call on Ruutu. I'm pretty sure I read that today is the deadline. Last week Dreger said that Burke was offered a 2nd and a top prospect for Grabovski and that if he held out he felt confident that he could secure a 1st and a top prospect.
- grim1911

Likely ending to this is that:

Grabo traded to CHI for Pick and Prospect
Carter traded to TOR for Pick from CHI, Prospect, Roster player

Forget about what that moron on Sportsnet says -- the fact of the matter is that Burke has repeatedly says he hates those long term contracts, he doesn't believe in them, feels they handcuff a team, and that they circumvent the cap. There's no way he takes Carter.
- mccraig

burke has said a lot of things since coming to toronto...

carter for another 10 years or colborne?

give the kid a chance
- bazookajo1

obviously if carter comes to toronto, grabovski exits.
that leaves the team with a one, two, three of:carter, colborne, bozak.
how is this not 'giving the kid a chance'?

good stuff ...Ive been sick myself. Drank a little too much while in Ottawa and was also out in the cold(-15 to -20) skating/playing hockey etc...got back and Ive been down/out for the past 4-5 days
- noename09

mine is all a head cold.. hate the stupid things.. rather have an upset stomach lol

no, i disagree.. if the defense and goaltending cant hold strong than it doesnt matter what the offense does.. in the end.. the team gets deflated

the leafs scored 3 goals.. it should of been enough.. if you took away all the weak goals (3 of them) the leafs win 3-1

firewagon hockey just doesnt work.. the leafs wont get very far winning games 5-3 or 5-4.... that only works for so long and then the opposition shuts down the attack and the leafs are left with nothing.. and then.. lose.
- Dozzer

Gus was at his alltime best (read worst) last night, he usually lets in 1 or 2... but not 3 very stoppable shots. Last night is not a great example, but someone else who can actually score would have helped get the win with average goaltending

Likely ending to this is that:

Grabo traded to CHI for Pick and Prospect
Carter traded to TOR for Pick from CHI, Prospect, Roster player
- mfreedman

Chicago would actually make a lot of sense. We have traded with them a few times before as well.

burke has said a lot of things since coming to toronto...
- clarkysduster

exactly....remember the one about building a team with truculence and pugnacity?
uhhh...yeah.

If Kaberle got a 1st and colborne .. Grabo should get a 1st and a prospect

Chicago would actually make a lot of sense. We have traded with them a few times before as well.
- grim1911

dunno why they'd be looking at a center though...

Officially jumping off this burning bandwagon, I ALWAYS LOVED THE WINGS!!!
- AdamFrench

same! my name is referring to when clark played for the wings, not leafs...

Gus was at his alltime best (read worst) last night, he usually lets in 1 or 2... but not 3 very stoppable shots. Last night is not a great example, but someone else who can actually score would have helped get the win with average goaltending
- senstroll

goaltending was the sole reason for the loss. period.

wait....theres benefits!?!
- noename09

there haven't been benefits since they stopped giving dowries.....

exactly....remember the one about building a team with truculence and pugnacity?
uhhh...yeah.
- Barx

well, he got a lot of tough guys, Wilson just doesn't play them

however, most of his draft picks aren't playing yet. Ross and Biggs will help in that regard, in about 3 years

Likely ending to this is that:

Grabo traded to CHI for Pick and Prospect
Carter traded to TOR for Pick from CHI, Prospect, Roster player
- mfreedman

If Carter is moved, they will need a centerman replacement.

- Grabo
- Colborne
- *Connolly

dunno why they'd be looking at a center though...
- Big_Lightnin

Because right now their 2nd line centre is Marcus Kruger

If Carter is moved, they will need a centerman replacement.

- Grabo
- Colborne
- *Connolly
- noename09

ya I'll be surprised if Leafs can get Carter AND keep Colborne, but sure soulb e nice to have size up the middle again in Carter and Colborne as 1-2 next year

If Carter is moved, they will need a centerman replacement.

- Grabo
- Colborne
- *Connolly
- noename09

I doubt Columbus is looking at it that way ....I think they're interested in the best pieces they can get ..regardless of position. They need everything.

how is Carter a good fit guys? He can't play with Kessel, they are both shoot-first kind of players!

Last year Kessel & Carter where 3rd & 4th in SOG for all of NHL!
The year before, they where 3rd & 7th in SOG for all of NHL and probably would have ended up 1st & 2nd if they didnt miss 10-12 games each.

You cant have two guys who each shoot 300+ SOG per year skating together, so that means one of them has to play the 2nd line. Carter as our #2 center does nothing for us, since we have several capable #2's in the mix. Kessel on the 2nd line means we would have to move Lupul down also? or reshuffle every line?

Not to mention that 10-year monster contract that we have to eat....I see no reason to deal assets for Carter since it would require us to blow up half our team to accommodate him fitting in and then have to pray for the next 8-10 years that he doesnt get injured and become a DiPietro of the Leafs.

No thanks...

Because right now their 2nd line centre is Marcus Kruger
- grim1911

meh, if it was playoffs Toews would be playing

Right now dudes, the only guys I hope Burke doesn't move are:

F: Kessel/Bozak/Lupul/Kulimen/Frattin/Kadri/McKegg/Grabo if he extends for under 5/Biggs/D'Amigo
D: Phaneuf/Schenn/Gardiner/Franson/Liles/Blacker
G: Reimer/Owuya

Everyone else and everything else can be moved (I expect to lose one of the 2012 and 2013 1sts if we do a deal for Carter).

The only piece worth adding before the deadline is Jeff Carter
Focus on the goalie in the offseason. I highly doubt for example Josh Harding will extend in Minnesota to play second fiddle to Backstrom, plus they have Hackett, so there's a good chance he'd fa unless some other team trades for him now.

That means I'd move: Komisarek (yes there is a market for him now), Connolly, MacArthur, Gunnarson, Percy, Armstrong, Lombardi, Gustavson, Scrivens, Mueller, Colborne, Steckel, Crabb, Brown and any other piece in the organization. And like I said Grabo if he wants more than 5M.

I'm willing to bet this team will actually thrive once the log jam is cleared and Wilson is forced to play players he normally wouldn't want to play.

If Carter is moved, they will need a centerman replacement.

- Grabo
- Colborne
- *Connolly
- noename09

Bozak??

Gus was at his alltime best (read worst) last night, he usually lets in 1 or 2... but not 3 very stoppable shots. Last night is not a great example, but someone else who can actually score would have helped get the win with average goaltending
- senstroll

1 good period doesnt make a good game

firewagon hockey doesnt work.. see this years leafs for example

the leafs need to shore up defense and goaltending somehow.. they score planty of goals.

If Kaberle got a 1st and colborne .. Grabo should get a 1st and a prospect
- senstroll

We got a steel with Kaberle, i wouldn't expect the same return for grabo.

how is Carter a good fit guys? He can't play with Kessel, they are both shoot-first kind of players!

Last year Kessel & Carter where 3rd & 4th in SOG for all of NHL!
The year before, they where 3rd & 7th in SOG for all of NHL and probably would have ended up 1st & 2nd if they didnt miss 10-12 games each.

You cant have two guys who each shoot 300+ SOG per year skating together, so that means one of them has to play the 2nd line. Carter as our #2 center does nothing for us, since we have several capable #2's in the mix. Kessel on the 2nd line means we would have to move Lupul down also? or reshuffle every line?

Not to mention that 10-year monster contract that we have to eat....I see no reason to deal assets for Carter since it would require us to blow up half our team to accommodate him fitting in and then have to pray for the next 8-10 years that he doesnt get injured and become a DiPietro of the Leafs.

No thanks...
- Ruski

Kessel game has actually grown a lot this year. You can see him making much better passes. I wouldn't mind seeing Kessel setting up Carter. Also with the contract situation.. Grabovski is wanting $5-5.5m and Carters hit is only $5.2m.. with the new CBA coming out those lengthy contracts would be phased out with the new amnesty clause