I was kidding! Obviously all Canadians are better. I hope the Oilers select Tom Wilson with our #1 pick.

Boston must be so proud they didn't get to pick Ovechkin in the 04 draft... No way they would have won the cup last year if they had him on their roster.
- laughs2907

Not sure if you are trying to be sarcastic there or serious.

I'm assuming serious since Ovie plays for the most poisoned locker room in the NHL. A team who wouldn't offer a teammate a drink of water if the other was dying of thirst... Not saying Ovie has a terrible ego that may be effecting the overall team........ actually between him and semin, thats exactly what I'm saying

its pretty cool that Don Cherry has a hockeybuzz account
- stonie21

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggghhhhhhtttttttt
- laughs2907

How does one over value a 5th overall pick, when we don't know who we will draft? Or a 2013 draft pick, when we don't know where we'll land?

It's easy to overvalue a 1st overall pick when you know you get to draft whoever the (frank) you want.

Coming from a Leafs fan... Hilarious! We all know if you guys got the #1 pick, you guys wouldn't shut up about how Yakupov is the second coming of Christ.
- laughs2907

You should warn me before making a comment like this. Had a mouthful of pop and nearly choked to death. Hilariousness.

Although Gardiner looked great this year so did Schenn in his rookie year. I'd take Yakupov even if it's will cost a lot. It's been a while since a #1 was a bust.
- imgeorge

Schenn plays an entirely different game, he's a solid shutdown guy. Schenn's never looked the way Gardiner did this year. If I'm not mistaken Gardiner put up 25ish points in the 2nd half of his season, that's more points then Schenn has ever put up.

its pretty cool that Don Cherry has a hockeybuzz account
- stonie21

and who just won you the the first game of the series and played incredibly strong the second game along with Brown. Kopitar...........? No I believe his name is Mike Richards.

SO shush

Holy Crapload of Awful Deals, Batman!

Deal one makes absolutely no sense. Subban is a top-pairing blueliner and Yakupov isn't so far beyond Galchenyuk, Grigorenko and Forsberg that he warrants that kind of overpayment.

Deal two is interesting - but, again - heavily weighted towards Edmonton.

Deal three is similarly interesting but even more weighted towards the Oil. Even if Yakupov were already a thirty-goal scorer, I wouldn't do this deal if I were Nashville unless I was absolutely certain of Weber's departure - and then demand the Oilers add a huge plus to the deal...

Deal four is ludicrous. Toronto could be lottery-bound again next year (Yakupov or not) and losing Gardiner won't exactly help that cause. Gardiner alone makes sense. Asking for the first is overkill.

Finally, deal five has merit. Didn't fill me with incredulity, at least. Not sure Ottawa gives up their best forward and best goaltending prospect - plus what will likely be the fifteenth overall pick. Both fanbases a bit grumpy at the end - a good gauge of a decent deal.

I guess that means you were one for five. If you keep batting at or below the Mendoza line, I'm afraid we'll have to send you to the blogging minors.

nail for doughty

You should warn me before making a comment like this. Had a mouthful of pop and nearly choked to death. Hilariousness.
- Maxbone

I think you quoted the wrong person/quote lol...

No, I just like to go with the people who generally lead teams to stanley cups aka Canadian captains like Crosby, Towes, Getzlaf, Staal.

ALthough I do have much love for ovie and kovelchuk. Talk about reg season dynamo's. Reg season is where it's at!

P.S I forgot Lecav and Richards and St Louis for tampa....... than I guess scott stevens, joe newyindyk, steve yzerman. But I didn't wanna overdo it
- Sheppy99

Yeah who needs guy like Malkin and Datsyuk?

Yeah who needs guy like Malkin and Datsyuk?
- Oil Tycoon

I'll take the 16 Canadian Conn Smythe Winners over the last 17 years. Who needs them though right as well?

I'm sure I can find a few reliable kia's. doesn't make em a good car brand.

You should warn me before making a comment like this. Had a mouthful of pop and nearly choked to death. Hilariousness.
- Maxbone

How about replying to direct posts that actually validly question your suggestions, rather than condescendingly taking jabs at your blog's provocations.

Schenn plays an entirely different game, he's a solid shutdown guy. Schenn's never looked the way Gardiner did this year. If I'm not mistaken Gardiner put up 25ish points in the 2nd half of his season, that's more points then Schenn has ever put up.
- Nastradamus

I wasn't putting value on Schenn for his offense. Which I realize isn't his role. The problem has been his defense which has been spotty at best. It only started to stabilize when the new coach showed up.

nail for doughty
- airos5

I wouldn't mind that one... I wonder if Hall and Doughty would kiss and make up though?

All this trade 1st pick is making me sick, only deal I would consider is one that would guarantee us drafting that Mackinnon kid next year, but that's impossible so no, I hate all of you proposals including the S.Weber one..Weber was drafted in the 2nd round, half of all very good defensemen are drafted late or outside of the first round, how many Stamkos level snipers are drafted after the top five? Whens the next time we draft that high? Defencemen can be had through other means..
Sure Weber would immediately turn this team into a playoff contender..but I dont care, this team lacks the character that a guy like Yakupov is on offense(outside of hall), on D..character can be found through free agency, trades involving 013 first round pick plus prospects and or Gagner or Hemsky..maybe not Weber type defencemen though..so what..
Just draft the superstar..a guy like Weber would be a huge disapointment for this teams fans when they watch Yakupov put up 40-50 goal seasons year after year..

Tambs sayin that Yakupov isnt at the level that Hall was in junior? Wtf? This is our GM, clueless..same guy that thought Osullivan was a better option than J.Williams or E.Cole

I'm not sure why you, as a Leafs fan, wouldn't want Yakupov. He's like Kessel, but without a uterus.
- Maxbone

Remember the last time we traded two first round picks for a player that would turn this franchise around?

The last time the player had actually done something in this league - it's that player you claim has no uterus.

Yeah who needs guy like Malkin and Datsyuk?
- Oil Tycoon

Those guys are sh1t!

I'll take the 16 Canadian Conn Smythe Winners over the last 17 years. Who needs them though right as well?

I'm sure I can find a few reliable kia's. doesn't make em a good car brand.
- Sheppy99

What in the world are you talking about?

Nail. Yakupov. Look him up. You do know what this guy's MO is, right? Compared to Pavel Bure. Could be a 50 goal guy. Might be 5' 11" but he's already 190lbs and he hits everything in site. Intense player. Has Hall-like passion, Hall-like speed, and perhaps better hands? I mean, you have seen him play, right? Leafs have no one, and I mean no one, on their roster now in the same class.

I wasn't putting value on Schenn for his offense. Which I realize isn't his role. The problem has been his defense which has been spotty at best. It only started to stabilize when the new coach showed up.
- imgeorge

I agree, he was a mid-first round pick, he's going to take more time to put himself together, but the raw talent is there. He's not someone I would give up on, the Leafs have a bad habit of giving up good prospects, even if it's for Nail Yakupov.

Remember the last time we traded two first round picks for a player that would turn this franchise around?

The last time the player had actually done something in this league - it's that player you claim has no uterus.
- Nastradamus

The only people who thought Kessel would turn the franchise around were Leafs fans. The rest of us were laughing till we cried.

All this trade 1st pick is making me sick, only deal I would consider is one that would guarantee us drafting that Mackinnon kid next year, but that's impossible so no, I hate all of you proposals including the S.Weber one..Weber was drafted in the 2nd round, half of all very good defensemen are drafted late or outside of the first round, how many Stamkos level snipers are drafted after the top five? Whens the next time we draft that high? Defencemen can be had through other means..
Sure Weber would immediately turn this team into a playoff contender..but I dont care, this team lacks the character that a guy like Yakupov is on offense(outside of hall), on D..character can be found through free agency, trades involving 013 first round pick plus prospects and or Gagner or Hemsky..maybe not Weber type defencemen though..so what..
Just draft the superstar..a guy like Weber would be a huge disapointment for this teams fans when they watch Yakupov put up 40-50 goal seasons year after year..

Tambs sayin that Yakupov isnt at the level that Hall was in junior? Wtf? This is our GM, clueless..same guy that thought Osullivan was a better option than J.Williams or E.Cole
- oilers2k12

Yeah, after watching that interview, I've come to the realization that there's definitely something wrong with Tambs. It doesn't take a genius to do what he has done the last few seasons... I'm pretty certain any poster on this site could do what he has done. Although I did like the Schultz deal.

The only people who thought Kessel would turn the franchise around were Leafs fans. The rest of us were laughing till we cried.
- Maxbone

I didn't expect him to be a franchise player, and I never said he was. Phil was also supposed to go first overall at one point, health complications and drama later he's drafted at 5th. Still an elite goal scorer, but difference between Nail and Phil? Nail's a Russian that hasn't proven poop.

But you're right it's funny how fans of a team tend to overvalue players before they even play for their team, eh?

What in the world are you talking about?

Nail. Yakupov. Look him up. You do know what this guy's MO is, right? Compared to Pavel Bure. Could be a 50 goal guy. Might be 5' 11" but he's already 190lbs and he hits everything in site. Intense player. Has Hall-like passion, Hall-like speed, and perhaps better hands? I mean, you have seen him play, right? Leafs have no one, and I mean no one, on their roster now in the same class.
- Maxbone

I don't know what being 5'11 is an issue... The best player in the game is 5'11

What in the world are you talking about?

Nail. Yakupov. Look him up. You do know what this guy's MO is, right? Compared to Pavel Bure. Could be a 50 goal guy. Might be 5' 11" but he's already 190lbs and he hits everything in site. Intense player. Has Hall-like passion, Hall-like speed, and perhaps better hands? I mean, you have seen him play, right? Leafs have no one, and I mean no one, on their roster now in the same class.
- Maxbone

I'm not saying he's going to be a bad player who does nothing or is the next alexandre daigle.

If the leafs won the lottery, obviously I'd be happy to have him. Whether it be to keep or trade for someone who is capable of being a franchise player that will lead us deep into the playoffs (Please jokes about toronto making it are not needed, i realize we haven't made it in 20 years) Anyways. What I'm saying is I will bet you a million dollars this guy doens't turn out to be a franchise player who can lead a team. Will he be a strong player who can consistently score 80 points a year 5 years down the road? Possibly but how many of these russian players on avg turn into franchise players that lead their teams to stanley cups? Not too damn many. If you want to rely on two examples of Datysuk and Malkin who plays on the same team as CROSBY than be my guest.

Nail will be a player similar to Kessel. A great complimentary player for a team that already has a franchise player in place but never someone you put the team on his back and say lets go. And thats the type of player Toronto needs right now so giving up a boat load for a person who isn't going to be that guy? No thanks

Weber is an absolute BEAST with no weaknesses in his game. Strong defensively, TOUGH, offensively gifted with a ridiculous shot and he's young

Yeah I'd definitely trade that for a small unproven Russian. Good d-men gifted in both zones are so easy to come by.


I as well almost puked when I read that.

I will give RIchard, the Tyler Myers one isn't THAT bad but even then I still wouldn't do it.
- Sheppy99

Agreed dude.