woulda been a bust in Toronto anyways...
- noename09

okay....I guess that was your preloaded answer for any response....The question was who would anyone have drafted ahead of him without knowing their play since the draft.

I was very surprise Eberle slipped as low as he did (22nd). I wasn't against signing Schenn mind you, and understood the need to build from the net out. Hodgson and Myers were the only 2 others I was hoping for that weren't already gone at the 5th pick.

You make some valid points, but I think it was the SJ players that made Wilson look like a good coach, but he still could never win the big prize. 1,400 regular season games coached, 1 finals appearance, 0 cups.
- 1979AD

Wilson has to go. It's obvious the team isn't rallying behind him anymore. There was an old saying football that you can't fire 40 players, but you can fire 1 coach. Well, Burke has given Wilson an entirely different team from 2 years ago, and there still hasn't been any improvement.

If by interesting you mean sucky, then yes, you're 100% correct
- PTVinnyMac

ian white

I still remember Burke telling the media he was going to trade the islanders for the 1rst overall pick to draft Taveras before the drat took place lol................

Snow was like WTF who is this guy.......

Burke likes to hear himself talk repeating the same garbage all the time.
- duckyjets

I think this was Burke trying to make it clear to JT how much interest he had in getting him in a way that wouldn't be considered tampering incase he was looking to get out of NYI at the end of his entry level deal...

lol touche.. but some guys are very quick at going post to post..

some guys you beat with traffic.. some guys you beat my getting them moving

there is no one almighty weak spot
- Dozzer

I think you can beat any goalie if you can get him moving...

Wilson has to go. It's obvious the team isn't rallying behind him anymore. There was an old saying football that you can't fire 40 players, but you can fire 1 coach. Well, Burke has given Wilson an entirely different team from 2 years ago, and there still hasn't been any improvement.
- p_zub

this.

Unfortunately isn't going to happen for several reasons...one of the being that the fans want this to happen. Burke will never make a move that makes it look like he bowed to the pressure of the fans.

The fans should start chanting "Wilson is the best!" Then Burke and his stubborn arse might be more willing to go find a new coach...

what the hell is a 'burke player'...lombardi? connolly?
everyone has this misconception that a 'burke player' is big and tough....where the hell are these players in the leaf line-up?
no 'truculence' whatsoever.
softest team in the nhl.
- Barx

A "Burke Player" refers to the type of player Brian covets. Not the ones he has been able to sign (in Toronto at least).

Just for fun I made a line up of the players he has traded away/let go (obviously not all the positions work, but this was just for fun):

Forwards:
Poni/Antropov/Versteeg
Blake/Stajan/Stempniak
Steen/Tlusty/Stalberg
Mayers/Moore/Hagman


Beauchemin/Kubina
Aulie/White
Kaberle/Stralman

Lebda
Caputi

Giguere
Toskala

interesting lineup....
- vermie22

You spelled 'garbage' wrong...

I think you can beat any goalie if you can get him moving...
- B-Leaf

butterfly maybe.. some goalies who dont use that style arent as susceptible to the the dangers of moving

brodeur, hasek are a couple who come to mind

but overall.. yes you are right.. the goaltending style of today allows for holes when moving left to right and vice versa

I don't think Armstrong or Lombardi were ever brought in to play in the top 6.

When we acquired Army, I guess he was a top sixer here at times, but only because of an incredibly shallow top 6 at the time.

When we acquired Lombardi, he wasn't even expected to play most of this year. We brought him and his salary in to "buy" Franson.

Bozak, Kessel, Lupul, Grabovski, Kulemin, Macarthur, and Connolly were all on the team before he arrived. There were no plans to have him in the top 6 at any point.
- Leeman4Gilmour

I don't think the plan was for Bozie to stay in the top 6, and I don't think the plan was for Lombardi to get more than a couple games at the end of this season.

that right there is yet another statement which supports the fact he is worse than the fans at overvaluing his team.
he does this repeatedly, whether it's the kessel deal or using two unproven tenders, he doesn't seem to have a grasp on reality anymore.
- Barx

why dont you think he sold off players?

a: they are more likely to keep losing thus leaving the leafs in a better drafting position

b: the new CBA will likely allow buyouts so it will be far easier to shed guys who under-perform

c: bringing up the kids would hurt the marlies playoff hopes while simultaneously deflating the positive vibe the kids are getting by succeeding

burke sees the current squad as one that will completely bomb or one that will get its poop together and make the post season.. both end positively for burke

Wilson has to go. It's obvious the team isn't rallying behind him anymore. There was an old saying football that you can't fire 40 players, but you can fire 1 coach. Well, Burke has given Wilson an entirely different team from 2 years ago, and there still hasn't been any improvement.
- p_zub

Yeah, what the hell! How come the players that Wilson has been coaching for the past 4 years haven't been helping the team get any better?....oh, yeah....they're not on the team anymore!!!!!

why dont you think he sold off players?

a: they are more likely to keep losing thus leaving the leafs in a better drafting position

b: the new CBA will likely allow buyouts so it will be far easier to shed guys who under-perform

c: bringing up the kids would hurt the marlies playoff hopes while simultaneously deflating the positive vibe the kids are getting by succeeding

burke sees the current squad as one that will completely bomb or one that will get its poop together and make the post season.. both end positively for burke
- Dozzer

d) He did not have the opportunity to make this team any better

d) He did not have the opportunity to make this team any better
- B-Leaf

not for a reasonable price no

no playoff bound team wants connolly, armstrong, komisarek or any of the other overpaid underachievers on the leafs

and no rebuilding team wants injury prone veterans... they are shedding salary.

so the only assets the leafs have that anybody would want is the youth.. burke was right to hold them

Our fourth line is fine. Our 3rd line is horrible, and they were all brought in to play on the 1st or 2nd line (Connolly, Lombardi, Armstrong)
- B-Leaf

Only Connolly was brought in to be on the top line. Lombardi and Armstrong have always been projected to play 3rd line on this team.

You spelled 'garbage' wrong...
- B-Leaf

very ture.

but I would take Steen/Moore over Crabb/Lombardi (I know Steen was Fletcher's move, but still would love him on our third line).

I would also take Kubina or White over Komi...

I would then send Gardiner down to the AHL. I know he is good, but 1 season in the AHL would not hurt. He is a great skater/ puck mover, and decent down low along the boards, but is a complete mess in front of the net.

First, "European" is not a race. It's not even a nationality.

Secondly, I think what passes for a "power forward" in the European style of game is inferior to what we'd call a power forward in the NHL. I fail to see how pointing out that most of the top power forawrds are North American is "racist".

The notion that Europeans are less motivated to play here is backed by some evidence. And a power forward needs to be very motivated all the time.

I won't even address Kulemin. Using Kulemin as an example only proves my point more.

Nothing wrong with Franzen, but I'd take his North American counterpart anyday. The vast majority of effective power forwards are Canadian (with some Americans now emerging).

Lucic, Hartnell, Brown, Neal, Perry, Getzlaf, Nash, Backes, Iginla, to scrape the surface.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Yes, but Galchenyuk is American. He's about as European as Milan Lucic...a very Canadian kid right, parents not from Canada and all...

Yes, but Galchenyuk is American. He's about as European as Milan Lucic...a very Canadian kid right, parents not from Canada and all...
- AdamFrench

You just sunk his battleship.

Yes, but Galchenyuk is American. He's about as European as Milan Lucic...a very Canadian kid right, parents not from Canada and all...
- AdamFrench

I love the "Europeans don't care" debate.
Aren't the red wings the proof that this myth is completely ridiculous?

very ture.

but I would take Steen/Moore over Crabb/Lombardi (I know Steen was Fletcher's move, but still would love him on our third line).

I would also take Kubina or White over Komi...

I would then send Gardiner down to the AHL. I know he is good, but 1 season in the AHL would not hurt. He is a great skater/ puck mover, and decent down low along the boards, but is a complete mess in front of the net.
- vermie22

I'm not against AHL seasoning (especially guys like Kadri who need to build size) but think it would have been wrong to send Gardiner down.

He got in trouble a few times early in the season (I remember Kassian picking his pocket and scoring a goal) by making slightly lazy plays. I think he was already getting used to being able to skate his way out of trouble and I think he could make that a habit playing against AHL players. He needs to learn a complete game and to used his speed/skating to his advantage, not to just save him from disadvantage.

I love the "Europeans don't care" debate.
Aren't the red wings the proof that this myth is completely ridiculous?
- Pecafan Fan

Yea and just look at their team....filled with Euros, the won the cup ONCE in ten years....WInning the cup ONCE in ten years is good enough for Euros....pft...what a failure of a team....tsk tsk

Yea and just look at their team....filled with Euros, the won the cup ONCE in ten years....WInning the cup ONCE in ten years is good enough for Euros....pft...what a failure of a team....tsk tsk

- noename09

Who wants a Franzen who's put up 72pts (37 goals) in 83 playoff games?

No team needs that kind of lazy (frank).

Who wants a Franzen who's put up 72pts (37 goals) in 83 playoff games?

No team needs that kind of lazy (frank).
- Pecafan Fan

Not I....not I

very ture.

but I would take Steen/Moore over Crabb/Lombardi (I know Steen was Fletcher's move, but still would love him on our third line).

I would also take Kubina or White over Komi...

I would then send Gardiner down to the AHL. I know he is good, but 1 season in the AHL would not hurt. He is a great skater/ puck mover, and decent down low along the boards, but is a complete mess in front of the net.
- vermie22

holy crap i have been chasing down the assets that came over in the steen deal

stempniak who was traded to pheonix for matt jones and a couple picks (a 4th and a 7th).. both picks were traded for other picks..

so ultimately the leafs ended up with matt jones, petter granberg, daniel broden, and david broll for steen and coliacovo

Yes, but Galchenyuk is American. He's about as European as Milan Lucic...a very Canadian kid right, parents not from Canada and all...
- AdamFrench