Assessing his re-build, when the leafs were in a playoff spot, may have been a bit premature.

The leafs didn't have a proven number one starter then, and they still don't.



And now, in typical leaf fashion, they bring in another Saviour, have a big press conference and voila, the kool aid drinkers are distracted from one of, if not the worse, complete crash and burn collapse in NHL history.


kool aid drinker being distracted by new President aka Saviour.
- Doppleganger

knob

Not really

Yet he got fired. Must be tough for him to watch right now.

The Leafs have one of the youngest teams, and are playing solid and are firmly in a playoff spot.

With ALL the crap he got for the Kessel trade, people ignored his terrific trades like getting Lupul.Gardiner for beauchemin, or FRanson for nothing, or JVR for Schenn.

His drafting of Kadri looks brilliant. The team has a very good future with a blue chipper in Rielly still not on the team.

Nonis did do some solid things that helped, like sending Conolly down and opening up a spot for Kadri. But Burke did indeed do a "Non-traditional" rebuild that's looking good right now.
- RogerRoeper

How do you feel about this now?

How do you feel about this now?
- TheTaoOfSemenko

I feel fine. How can I blame Burke for anything? He's been gone for 2 seasons. Nonis made some flaws, but given the talent level, this Leaf team had no business missing the playoffs.

I feel fine. How can I blame Burke for anything? He's been gone for 2 seasons. Nonis made some flaws, but given the talent level, this Leaf team had no business missing the playoffs.
- RogerRoeper

But they did and had no is not got bernier you would have been out by Christmas. Some good players but some big holes

But they did and had no is not got bernier you would have been out by Christmas. Some good players but some big holes
- jordan456789

Look at Tampa. They are exactly like the Leafs. they are nothing without top goaltending.

Look at Tampa. They are exactly like the Leafs. they are nothing without top goaltending.
- RogerRoeper

Except they actually made the playoffs

Except they actually made the playoffs
- TheTaoOfSemenko

And they are not in better shape headed into next season than the Leafs.

And they are not in better shape headed into next season than the Leafs.
- RogerRoeper

Nope leafs are the team to beat lol

Tampa's in a lot better shape. They are already better than Toronto on top of having far better prospect depth. They also don't have Nonis or Carlyle.

Tampa's in a lot better shape. They are already better than Toronto on top of having far better prospect depth. They also don't have Nonis or Carlyle.
- daeth

I know. I thought it was a ridiculous statement. Losing stamkos is nothing compared to losing bernier

And they are not in better shape headed into next season than the Leafs.
- RogerRoeper

younger, better prospect depth, better forwards, better defense, better goaltending, better coach, better gm, more cap space.

yeah, it's pretty close

Tampa's in a lot better shape. They are already better than Toronto on top of having far better prospect depth. They also don't have Nonis or Carlyle.
- daeth

They are screwed without top goaltending. Their team is not good. And who says Carlyle will be back?

It will be no surprise to see Tampa out of the playoffs next season.

younger, better prospect depth, better forwards, better defense, better goaltending, better coach, better gm, more cap space.

yeah, it's pretty close
- sensarmy_11

Not younger. Not better forwards(Tampa has Stamkos. That's it.) at all.Not better goaltending. Better GM? Eh, what has Yzerman done?

And cap space means zip if you don't spend it. Toronto is the NHL's richest team. Tampa is a budget team.

I know. I thought it was a ridiculous statement. Losing stamkos is nothing compared to losing bernier
- jordan456789

Ridiculous? Tampa looks so bad once they don't get quality goaltending.

You're kidding right?


Ben Bishop had 37 wins and a 2.23 GAA this season, that's eleven more wins than the unproven starter Jonathan Bernier had, and who also had a lower GAA of 2.68.


Please, take off the blue coloured glasses, your blinders and stop drinking the blue Kool Aid.


And having cap space, to make moves and trades when required is an advantage.

The leafs made zero moves at the trade deadline, becasue they had no cap room...............how is that an advantage?
- Doppleganger

I noticed you failed to post save %.

And Bishop is a proven star yet Bernier is not. Gotcha.

I noticed you failed to post save %.

And Bishop is a proven star yet Bernier is not. Gotcha.
- RogerRoeper

Have you lost your marbles?

Bishop is NOT a proven Star.

He was given the chance to be a starter this season, having been a career back up, at the NHL level, prior to this season.........just like Bernier.


Bishop looked goo this season, but until he can put a few seasons together as a Starter, he is nowhere near being a "proven star".

There were a few leaf fans here, a number of years ago that thought Reimer was a "starter" after his NHl debut season (2010-11) when he played 35 plus games.

I warned these leaf fans, that he's not a starter until he can play as well as he did in 2010-11, for a few more seasons..........and pointed out that there would now be a "book" on him, just as there will be on Bishop for next season.

So was Reimer a "proven star" back in 2010-11................no, and neither is Bishop.

Not younger. Not better forwards(Tampa has Stamkos. That's it.) at all.Not better goaltending. Better GM? Eh, what has Yzerman done?

And cap space means zip if you don't spend it. Toronto is the NHL's richest team. Tampa is a budget team.
- RogerRoeper

(frank) you're clueless.

the lightning have stamkos, callahan, fillpulla, purcell, and a slew of EXCELLENT young forwards....including two rookies likely to finish JUST behind mackinnon in the calder race.

if you want to speak of a team with no forward depth, perhaps you should look at your own team.

shut down kessel and jvr..........the leafs ABSOLUTELY suck. take stamkos out of the bolts lineup for over half the season, still finish 4th in teh conference.

not better goaltending..........yeah, that guy who's gonna win the vezina would probably disagree...........dumb ass

what has yzerman done..........hmm, taken his team to the postseason all but one season, nominated for GM of the year, put together two gold medal winning olympic teams...................what has nonis done again?

and the leafs have been the richest team in teh league for a long time, remind me again what it's gotten them. tampa has been a budget team, and have won a cup, gone to the conference finals twice, and have been a MUCH MORE successful franchise than the leafs over the last decade.

again, your (frank)ing clueless.

Not younger. Not better forwards(Tampa has Stamkos. That's it.) at all.Not better goaltending. Better GM? Eh, what has Yzerman done?

And cap space means zip if you don't spend it. Toronto is the NHL's richest team. Tampa is a budget team.
- RogerRoeper

They have some good young guys younger than the leafs. Forward is much better. Have you even looked at their team? Goaltending again better than the leafs. Without bernier the leafs are also screwed. How do you say a 12th place team is Better than a 3rd place team. One of the biggest homer statements I have ever heard

They have some good young guys younger than the leafs. Forward is much better. Have you even looked at their team? Goaltending again better than the leafs. Without bernier the leafs are also screwed. How do you say a 12th place team is Better than a 3rd place team. One of the biggest homer statements I have ever heard
- jordan456789

How? Have you looked at their forwards? The Leafs have better depth and more talent.

And LOL @ one of the biggest homer statements ever. The Leafs were 3rd place until the final 2 weeks. They were with Tampa the entire season. The difference between 3rd and teams like Columbus, Toronto, Washington is so small.

(frank) you're clueless.

the lightning have stamkos, callahan, fillpulla, purcell, and a slew of EXCELLENT young forwards....including two rookies likely to finish JUST behind mackinnon in the calder race.

if you want to speak of a team with no forward depth, perhaps you should look at your own team.

shut down kessel and jvr..........the leafs ABSOLUTELY suck. take stamkos out of the bolts lineup for over half the season, still finish 4th in teh conference.

not better goaltending..........yeah, that guy who's gonna win the vezina would probably disagree...........dumb ass

what has yzerman done..........hmm, taken his team to the postseason all but one season, nominated for GM of the year, put together two gold medal winning olympic teams...................what has nonis done again?

and the leafs have been the richest team in teh league for a long time, remind me again what it's gotten them. tampa has been a budget team, and have won a cup, gone to the conference finals twice, and have been a MUCH MORE successful franchise than the leafs over the last decade.

again, your (frank)ing clueless.
- sensarmy_11

So Fillpulla gets mentioned but Kadri, Bozak, Lupul don't? LOL.

It doesn't even matter if the Leafs were lucky enough to be near them in points for most of the year. They played like poop all year. Toronto is closer to Buffalo than they are to Tampa.

So Fillpulla gets mentioned but Kadri, Bozak, Lupul don't? LOL.
- RogerRoeper

fillpulla stepped up when stamkos went down.

when jvr and kessel stopped producing, the rest of the forwards folded. thats a pretty good indication of a serious lack of depth

How? Have you looked at their forwards? The Leafs have better depth and more talent.

And LOL @ one of the biggest homer statements ever. The Leafs were 3rd place until the final 2 weeks. They were with Tampa the entire season. The difference between 3rd and teams like Columbus, Toronto, Washington is so small.
- RogerRoeper

WTF are you on drugs? They have vets like Stamkos, Percell, Filppula and young guys like Palat (59 points as a rookie), Johnson (50 points as a rookie) Killorn (41 points as a rookie). The leafs have Kessel and JVR. Kadri is a good young player but other than that they are thin.

I don't give a crap about two weeks left in the season, i care about the end of the season. Last time i checked they determine who makes the playoffs and the seeding at the end of the season. Tampa had 17 more points than the leafs. That is huge not some small margin LMAO. Like one of the other posters said they are almost as close to the sabers than the lighting.

WTF are you on drugs? They have vets like Stamkos, Percell, Filppula and young guys like Palat (59 points as a rookie), Johnson (50 points as a rookie) Killorn (41 points as a rookie). The leafs have Kessel and JVR. Kadri is a good young player but other than that they are thin.

I don't give a crap about two weeks left in the season, i care about the end of the season. Last time i checked they determine who makes the playoffs and the seeding at the end of the season. Tampa had 17 more points than the leafs. That is huge not some small margin LMAO. Like one of the other posters said they are almost as close to the sabers than the lighting.
- jordan456789

You have to forgive him, as the leafs are only good enough (in the last decade) to make the playoffs in a 48 game season.



Funny how he forgets that the mightily leafs sat in 11th in the Conference on January 10th, below the Senators, and that is "close to" the Lightning who sat in 3rd in the Conferences on the same day.