The Leafs were scoring at a way higher rate early in the season. When the team leveled off, so did Liles. Regardless of whether or not he had a concussion, he wasn't going to keep up the pace anyway.

Fact is, Liles is 30, overrated and overpaid. The Leafs wasted a 2nd round pick on him and Burke was really stupid to give him an extension before he was even back from injury. Liles should have been traded at the deadline.

As for Schultz, even though he's unproven, he's probably going to go where he will get the ice / PP time. As long as the Leafs have a 30 year old veteran taking up PP time, it's a lot harder to sell to Schultz that he's going to get the ice time he wants and needs to succeed.
- Unholy_Goalie

there has to be some vets on the team...and by vet I mean 30-35 range... I am not sure who is rating Liles so high like you say... but a 40-45 point defenseman makes about 4mil. Burke moves out Kaberle and brought in another PMD to replace him that was cheaper in cost (2nd) than what Kaberle brought the leafs back, a decent move for the same production.

I dont think anyone was calling for Liles to be traded at the deadline... its easy to say now after the fact.. There are others that should go before liles thats for sure

Any reason why leaf fans have to believe that every player in the world wants to, and just has to play for the leafs, when it rarely if ever works out, ever?
- shinebox

- Leafland

I'm not hating, I'm actually laughing. I just find it really amusing how every player will be a leaf, and then they sign/get traded elsewhere. Another crushing blow to Loser Nation. I can't hate, i do appreciate your efforts. At the very least, you amuse me...

I'm not hating, I'm actually laughing. I just find it really amusing how every player will be a leaf, and then they sign/get traded elsewhere. Another crushing blow to Loser Nation. I can't hate, i do appreciate your efforts. At the very least, you amuse me...
- shinebox

- Leafland

Puff, puff, give...

Puff, puff, give...
- shinebox

You'll get your frog lips on it.

5th overall + Lupul + Kadri + Reimer for Nash and 2nd rounder (30th overall)

Phaneuf + Bozak for Stastny

L Schenn + MacArthur for Voracek + B Kessel (family reunions everywhere)

Connolly for Chimera (fat chance, I know)

Lombardi + 3rd round pick for Steve Ott

Colby say hello to the Marlies


UFAs to target: Suter, B Stuart, Boyes, Semin, Vokoun, Harding

Nash Stastny Kessel
Abbott Grabovski Voracek
Colborne Ott Kulemin
Chimera Steckel Clutterback

Suter Schultz
Gardiner Gunnarsson
Liles Komisarek
Franson

Vokoun
Scrivens

Skilled and big top six (for the most part)
Big tough bottom six
Vet Ds lead from the bench and slow the game down with their icetime for the young top 4D
Give up on Reimer like Wilson, Scrivens has earned a shot and Vokoun is the Giguere Burke should have kept.

and yess im stoned.

and yess im stoned.
- khanlari

Glad to see you're honest about it.

there has to be some vets on the team...and by vet I mean 30-35 range... I am not sure who is rating Liles so high like you say... but a 40-45 point defenseman makes about 4mil. Burke moves out Kaberle and brought in another PMD to replace him that was cheaper in cost (2nd) than what Kaberle brought the leafs back, a decent move for the same production.

I dont think anyone was calling for Liles to be traded at the deadline... its easy to say now after the fact.. There are others that should go before liles thats for sure
- senstroll

The only veterans on this team should be guys who are playing reduced minutes and in reduced roles. Liles is just an obstacle to our young offensive defenders at this point and nowhere near worth his contract given the way he played in the second half of the season.

And yes, Liles should have been traded at the deadline. The only reason why it wasn't possible was because of that idiotic contract Burke gave him.

Any reason why leaf fans have to believe that every player in the world wants to, and just has to play for the leafs, when it rarely if ever works out, ever?
- shinebox

But...but...but...

Yeah, zero chance he wants to play for a team from the province he was born in or for a team that's actually in the playoffs. What a joke!


- Unholy_Goalie

Right and this same logic has never been applied to the Leafs by their fans

Right and this same logic has never been applied to the Leafs by their fans
- Mr_Smokey

Except you forget the fact that Toronto is an undesirable place to play in right now. Hometown President Trophy winners or 26th placed team? Practically the same thing right?

Except you forget the fact that Toronto is an undesirable place to play in right now. Hometown President Trophy winners or 26th placed team? Practically the same thing right?
- Unholy_Goalie

Whyd Hodgson ever want to leave such a wonderful place.

Except you forget the fact that Toronto is an undesirable place to play in right now. Hometown President Trophy winners or 26th placed team? Practically the same thing right?
- Unholy_Goalie

I don't think for a minute that the big boys on July 1 have any desire to come here... I also think the same about Vancouver

It's the same old story, to attract the big UFA gotta overpay on $ and term - Burke won't do this so why bother hoping.

Whyd Hodgson ever want to leave such a wonderful place.
- Leafland

Different situation.

Wrong. Staal has averaged 20 minutes per game almost every year of his career. He IS NOT getting 3rd line minutes. He is the 3rd best center but it doesn't mean he's playing "3rd line minutes". 3rd line minutes are 12 to 15 minutes a game. Staal averages way more than that.



He isn't. His offensive abilities aren't equal to his brother Eric. Because of that, he will never be able to give the Leafs the kind of offense they would need and expect from a 1st line center.

The only way Staal could be an effective #1 center in Toronto is if they completely changed the way they play. They would have to play like the Bruins or the Predators to have a 50-60 point, 1st line center and succeed.
- Unholy_Goalie

I actually disagree with this.. While he isn't the offensive threat that many people want, I dont think that's what our first line needs. Kessel and Lupul need a very defensively responsible player that can do some of the hard work for them and free up some room for them to focus on scoring. This is one of the reasons Bozak worked well with them this year, because he was able to cover for them.

Staal would be perfect for that, but I dont think we should get him regardless. HE will cost more than we should be giving up, and should instead try and draft a replacement... I think a guy like Couturier is someone that woulda been nice to draft.. Hopefully there is someone like that in this years draft that is like that and will be able to step in in a year or two.

I don't think for a minute that the big boys on July 1 have any desire to come here... I also think the same about Vancouver

It's the same old story, to attract the big UFA gotta overpay on $ and term - Burke won't do this so why bother hoping.
- Mr_Smokey

Look, the point is, he said it was a "joke" to consider Vancouver as a team that could try and successfully sign him. He's wrong.

Yeah, zero chance he wants to play for a team from the province he was born in or for a team that's actually in the playoffs. What a joke!


- Unholy_Goalie

the nucks are terrible

Look, the point is, he said it was a "joke" to consider Vancouver as a team that could try and successfully sign him. He's wrong.
- Unholy_Goalie

Hes 22 years old, he has the rest of his career to win a cup... vancouver is a joke and with the sedin sisters, just fold already. nucks suck, LA >

It's baseless to criticize someone's leadership abilities - really? It must also be baseless to laud players' leadership abilities: Messier must've just been lucky.
- 1979AD

It's really easy to point fingers when results are less than ideal. In a lot of cases the criticism is baseless, because it is not based on any inside knowledge (such as the dynamics of the locker room, the degree effort Dion puts in off the ice, etc.) but rather the few things that the fans can see.

It's really easy to point fingers when results are less than ideal. In a lot of cases the criticism is baseless, because it is not based on any inside knowledge (such as the dynamics of the locker room, the degree effort Dion puts in off the ice, etc.) but rather the few things that the fans can see.
- Nastradamus

phaneuf owns to have on the team, big poop hes overpayed who cares at this point.. hes still good to have

Holy Sh*t it's Loony Toons in here...

Hes 22 years old, he has the rest of his career to win a cup... vancouver is a joke and with the sedin sisters, just fold already. nucks suck, LA >
- Mapleleafs_91

Wow. You are a piece of work.

Van, Tor, and Edm all have good chances, and all are likely near the top of the list. Unfortunately the rest of the NHL will also have a chance if he becomes a UFA.

Edm has a bright future and he'll get almost-guaranteed top4 minutes. Tor also has a decent future and can offer minutes. Van is near his home, he grew up a Canucks fan, and they will also have 1 or 2 D spots up for grabs. I could also see Detroit taking a run at him if Lidstrom retires and they don't get Suter.

Don't compare Dion to a real defenseman captain like Nik Lidstrom. Hahahah way to contradict yourself. Maybe if the player isn't capable of such feats he shouldn't be captain. Besides, any D is as capable as any FWD in 'carrying a team on his back'. There's more to hockey than goals.

And how do you defend him on the end of year swoon or the Gionta/Reimer incident?
- 1979AD

I didn't... reread what I said, before you call me out like that, it just makes you look bad. I said Lidstrom's capable of doing this, but very few are. Lidstrom is arguably the greatest defenseman to play the game.

And I know there's more to hockey than goals, but goals win games last time I checked, and the quickest way to 'carry a team on your back' would be to score a goal.

For the record, I'm not even a fan of Phaneuf. I would trade him for a price that could contribute to the Leafs rebuild.