Do you want your house built by rookies, or a few vets in addition to show them how to get things done properly? Building this house, with Reimer as the forman, isnt a great idea. He needs to be an apprentice to an experienced forman.
- noename09

You are going too deep into the analogy and incorrectly might I add. The house is the team. The players are the components of the house. The people building the house are the members of the front office, namely Burke. Burke is the Project Manager, Carlyle is the Foreman or Site Supervisor.

Bottom line here is that the Leafs need to attack the draft. Instead of extending guys like Grabovski and Lupul, they need to sell them when their value reaches it's peak and then turn those picks and prospects into the future of this team with shrewd drafting and player development.

few mistakes(Connolly/Komi), one salary dump(Lombo) and one guy who just hasnt worked here(Army). I think hell try harder next time...
- noename09

By try harder do you mean sign another overrated UFA to a contract he doesn't earn? Same story with different names.

Taking goalies in the first round is risky.

all first round Goalie picks from 1990-2005
I highlighted the best..the rest are meh so far

Kidd #11
Broduer #20
Thibault #10
Storr #7
Fichaud #16
Ryabchikov #21
Cloutier #26
Giguere #13
Biron #16
Boucher #22
Denis #25
Hillier #23
Luongo #4
Noronen #21
Damphousse #24
DesRochers #14
Choiinard #15
Finley #6
Oullet #22
Ahonen #27
DiPietro #1
Krahn #9
Leclaire #8
Blackburn #10
Bacashihua #26
Munro #29
Lehtonen #2
Cam Ward #25
Toivonen #29
Fleury #1
Montoya #6
Dubnyk #14
Schwarz #17
Schneider #26
Price #5
Rask#21

I have reservations about drafting Grigorenko, I just have a feeling about that guy, don't really want him.
- LeafMan

A feeling based on one guy on TSN?

I have reservations about drafting Grigorenko, I just have a feeling about that guy, don't really want him.
- LeafMan

Trade down with Washington for their two 1sts and take Faksa and Gaunce instead?

You are going too deep into the analogy and incorrectly might I add. The house is the team. The players are the components of the house. The people building the house are the members of the front office, namely Burke. Burke is the Project Manager, Carlyle is the Foreman or Site Supervisor.

Bottom line here is that the Leafs need to attack the draft. Instead of extending guys like Grabovski and Lupul, they need to sell them when their value reaches it's peak and then turn those picks and prospects into the future of this team with shrewd drafting and player development.
- Unholy_Goalie

it reaches a point where there has to be a balance.

this isn't nhl 12. you can't even an entire team of 21-23 year olds. it doesn't work that way. guys like grabovski and lupul will be 30-32 when the majority of these drafted kids hit age 23. there are certain players you want long term, to help the kids, and still be available in their prime when the young core becomes competitive.

So, you're saying that taking Ward,Fluery,Brodeur in the first round was a bad choice?

Because im sure their cup ring will do the talking.
- jbold

I have reservations about drafting Grigorenko, I just have a feeling about that guy, don't really want him.
- LeafMan

I read somewhere ...I think TSN (Bobby Mac) ...and he quoted a couple of scouts as saying they wouldn't touch him at all in the 1st round because of his attitude/effort. Sounds like another Yashin ... .......Burke has always professed that 'character' is at the top of his list at the draft.

- burn

Exactly. Boy, that was an easy argument.

You are going too deep into the analogy and incorrectly might I add. The house is the team. The players are the components of the house. The people building the house are the members of the front office, namely Burke. Burke is the Project Manager, Carlyle is the Foreman or Site Supervisor.

Bottom line here is that the Leafs need to attack the draft. Instead of extending guys like Grabovski and Lupul, they need to sell them when their value reaches it's peak and then turn those picks and prospects into the future of this team with shrewd drafting and player development.
- Unholy_Goalie

(was hoping you wouldnt catch on that...worked better)

Fine, do you want to build your house with unproven materials and hope it works, or try and fill your weaknesses with proven pieces that should strenghten the rest of the structure.

Yes its important to draft and im all for that...but if theres one thing Burke should address is goaltending. The team and Reimer need a proven vet goaltender. He needs to pry the best available, for the best price.

yes I have 2 acres... my dog never leaves my property... its big enough that he can crap anywhere he wants and I dont chase him with a bag.

I feel I have baited you a little bit
- senstroll

I figured it was coming

2 acres...and on your property...that's allllll you my friend. But on other people's property...well that's just not cool.

Taking goalies in the first round is risky.

all first round Goalie picks from 1990-2005
I highlighted the best..the rest are meh so far
- senstroll

You didn't highlight them all but there are 10 legit goalies out of 36 or roughly 28%.

Care to do all the other rounds and see how the 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounds etc. turn out?

A feelign based on one guy on TSN?
- AdamFrench

No, I assume you're talking about the idiot Button? It's just a feeling and some of it from what was written about him at the QMJHL playoffs.

No, I assume you're talking about the idiot Button? It's just a feeling and some of it from what was written about him at the QMJHL playoffs.
- LeafMan

He's back!

Trade down with Washington for their two 1sts and take Faksa and Gaunce instead?
- Unholy_Goalie

They may take one of those without dropping down, possibilities.

By try harder do you mean sign another overrated UFA to a contract he doesn't earn? Same story with different names.
- Unholy_Goalie

by try harder, I mean, do not repeat previous mistakes. If an option comes up that requires you to "roll the dice"...you pass. This team/club/org cant afford to take any more gambles...

The stupidity around here is incredible.
- burn

Thought i'd bump this, just to remind everyone.


According to Burn, Brodeur wasn't taken in the first round, and drafting Ward and Fleury in the first round was a bad choice.

it reaches a point where there has to be a balance.

this isn't nhl 12. you can't even an entire team of 21-23 year olds. it doesn't work that way. guys like grabovski and lupul will be 30-32 when the majority of these drafted kids hit age 23. there are certain players you want long term, to help the kids, and still be available in their prime when the young core becomes competitive.
- joel878

Grabovski and Lupul having career years be it last year or this year doesn't mean that when they are 32 they are going to be effective in winning. If you were talking about a 32 year old Spezza or Thornton or any other legit player, it would be a different story. But Lupul and Grabovski aren't those types of players. They are 2nd liners who have overachieved when given more ice time and reached their peak. Guys like that you trade away when they're worth the most.

At the end of the day, you think the Oilers are going to have problems with Hall, Eberle, RNH and whomever they take this year? Probably not.

He's back!
- Juice

Hey Juice, yeah, just part time for a bit. How ya doing?

Man, if you guys think about it, CBJ could have a very good future.


Yakupov
Jenner
Johanssen


They could trade Nash for a bunch of prospects and picks

If they get a 1st rounder in a Nash deal, they could draft Subban in the first round.

You didn't highlight them all but there are 10 legit goalies out of 36 or roughly 28%.

Care to do all the other rounds and see how the 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounds etc. turn out?
- Unholy_Goalie

Rask and Schnieder I wouldnt count, they might be fine goalies, but on cup contending teams its hard to say. If both were on the leafs this season, they would be average at best.

I am not doing the rest of the rounds, dont have time

Taking goalies in the first round is risky.

all first round Goalie picks from 1990-2005
I highlighted the best..the rest are meh so far

Kidd #11
Broduer #20
Thibault #10
Storr #7
Fichaud #16
Ryabchikov #21
Cloutier #26
Giguere #13
Biron #16
Boucher #22
Denis #25
Hillier #23
Luongo #4
Noronen #21
Damphousse #24
DesRochers #14
Choiinard #15
Finley #6
Oullet #22
Ahonen #27
DiPietro #1
Krahn #9
Leclaire #8
Blackburn #10
Bacashihua #26
Munro #29
Lehtonen #2
Cam Ward #25

Storr at 7, depietro #1, fichaud, finlay, khran,.. they don't count.

I don't think this list will drill it home enough, but more often than not they flop.

Further proof of what I was saying.... Can't wait for the excuse.




Toivonen #29
Fleury #1
Montoya #6
Dubnyk #14
Schwarz #17
Schneider #26
Price #5
Rask#21
- senstroll

(was hoping you wouldnt catch on that...worked better)

Fine, do you want to build your house with unproven materials and hope it works, or try and fill your weaknesses with proven pieces that should strenghten the rest of the structure.

Yes its important to draft and im all for that...but if theres one thing Burke should address is goaltending. The team and Reimer need a proven vet goaltender. He needs to pry the best available, for the best price.
- noename09

You can't build a house without a strong foundation. It doesn't matter how much patch work you try and do, if your footings and foundation walls are crumbling, you have to go back and do it again. You can spend time and money trying to avoid it but it's an inevitability.

The Leafs, once again, have a solid opportunity to do things right. They have some players that they could sell for picks and prospects and they can tank it again next year. Do they want to cut the corner again or do it right?

No, I assume you're talking about the idiot Button? It's just a feeling and some of it from what was written about him at the QMJHL playoffs.
- LeafMan

No some Montreal scout wrote a piece saying how he never scores when needed (12 GWG's not enough I guess) and how he only plays well against weak opponents and gets 80% of his points against them (Rather arbitrary number to put and not give any empirical evidence), he's lazy and has problems with the coach (That's why Roy invites him to his house all the time and he's always on the first line playing the most minutes). He's a rookie in NA playing on a new ice surface and in a new culture, the fact that he's kicked ass just shows what he's made of. I don't think any team will be sad to draft him, and that drunk scout saying he wouldn't pick him in the first should go apply for a new job.

No some Montreal scout wrote a piece saying how he never scores when needed (12 GWG's not enough I guess) and how he only plays well against weak opponents and gets 80% of his points against them (Rather arbitrary number to put and not give any empirical evidence), he's lazy and has problems with the coach (That's why Roy invites him to his house all the time and he's always on the first line playing the most minutes). He's a rookie in NA playing on a new ice surface and in a new culture, the fact that he's kicked ass just shows what he's made of. I don't think any team will be sad to draft him, and that drunk scout saying he wouldn't pick him in the first should go apply for a new job.
- AdamFrench

But he's really 21.