I can't really see Doan forsaking his comfortable home life to pursue a championship. He just doesn't seem that competitive to me.
- Jeropotato

Puuuuuhhhlease, the man beat mantracker!

54 million tied up, 11 free agents to sign. There is your answer. Kadri and Franson are quite likely to be traded for pre-emptive moves, and Lupul, if there is a taker, will likely find a new home as well.
- jerseyleaf

If the Leafs do that, they deserve to be the most hated team in hockey. To solve their salary cap problems they should move Bozak, Reimer, Lupul, Robidas, Clarkson and Polak.

To lose out on players who are going to be as good as Franson and kadri will be just because Dave Nonis is woefully unqualified to be an NHL gm would be a shame.

If the Leafs do that, they deserve to be the most hated team in hockey. To solve their salary cap problems they should move Bozak, Reimer, Lupul, Robidas, Clarkson and Polak.

To lose out on players who are going to be as good as Franson and kadri will be just because Dave Nonis is woefully unqualified to be an NHL gm would be a shame.
- James_Tanner

Just stop.....ooohhhh, all the leafs have to do is trade clarkson, Reimer and robidas.....no problem they are very sought after players....maybe you should suggest solving the worlds hunger problem by.......just feeding them!

Yandle for Gardiner and Nylander

Just stop.....ooohhhh, all the leafs have to do is trade clarkson, Reimer and robidas.....no problem they are very sought after players....maybe you should suggest solving the words hunger problem by.......just feeding them!
- Kinggilmour

He makes a good point. Trading away players who don't fit in the future plans should always be a priority with the exception of gearing up for a cup run. I get the difficulty in doing so, but moving quality young players instead is a horrific mistake.

Because everyone is clamoring for a 6 million 4th line winger at 6 more terms..... Vinny can't be moved with eating half of it from Philly, and he was once one of the top players in the league. Get real.

As per Yandle, while offensively good - he's not exactly the shutdown #1 D man the Leafs need. Pass - ship him to Philly, maybe even Edmonton.

Because everyone is clamoring for a 6 million 4th line winger at 6 more terms..... Vinny can't be moved with eating half of it from Philly, and he was once one of the top players in the league. Get real.

As per Yandle, while offensively good - he's not exactly the shutdown #1 D man the Leafs need. Pass - ship him to Philly, maybe even Edmonton.
- jerseyleaf

I agree. He's kinda redundant on the leafs with Phaneuf there. We could use him tho. Justin Schultz and a sweetener?

He makes a good point. Trading away players who don't fit in the future plans should always be a priority with the exception of gearing up for a cup run. I get the difficulty in doing so, but moving quality young players instead is a horrific mistake.
- Jeropotato

Just stop dude. Come on. Common sense? Intelligent well thought out comments? That guys isn't interested in any of it.

Because everyone is clamoring for a 6 million 4th line winger at 6 more terms..... Vinny can't be moved with eating half of it from Philly, and he was once one of the top players in the league. Get real.

As per Yandle, while offensively good - he's not exactly the shutdown #1 D man the Leafs need. Pass - ship him to Philly, maybe even Edmonton.
- jerseyleaf

Shutdown #1 D's don't really exist. All #1 defenseman are primarily offensive puckmovers. Sure, you have your hybrids like Shane Weber and Zdeno Chara but in general, your #1 guy drives the play and moves the puck.

If advanced stats have taught us anything its that we have been undervaluing offensive defenseman and overrated stay-at-home guys. If you look deeper into what Yandle does, you'd see that he improves the play of every player he plays with and that despite playing on a bad team, he drives the play and the team is competitive when he's on the ice.

Shutdown #1 D's don't really exist. All #1 defenseman are primarily offensive puckmovers. Sure, you have your hybrids like Shane Weber and Zdeno Chara but in general, your #1 guy drives the play and moves the puck.

If advanced stats have taught us anything its that we have been undervaluing offensive defenseman and overrated stay-at-home guys. If you look deeper into what Yandle does, you'd see that he improves the play of every player he plays with and that despite playing on a bad team, he drives the play and the team is competitive when he's on the ice.
- James_Tanner

I believe Ken Holland once said he won't pay a defenseman $6M unless he is a 50+ point guy. So yes top D men have to produce offense.

Just stop.....ooohhhh, all the leafs have to do is trade clarkson, Reimer and robidas.....no problem they are very sought after players....maybe you should suggest solving the words hunger problem by.......just feeding them!
- Kinggilmour

Will using the underfed words help solve the problem?

hungry, starving, famished.

Just trying to do my part.

Well, in a league where counting stats are considered "advanced" you can't just go around assuming people can do basic multiplication.
- James_Tanner

I realize there are 60 top 2 Dmen spots. But there aren't 60 true 'top2' dmen playing. That's my point. Many 3-4 guys are forced into 1-2 spot. Guys like Phaneuf. Yandle. Etc

I realize there are 60 top 2 Dmen spots. But there aren't 60 true 'top2' dmen playing. That's my point. Many 3-4 guys are forced into 1-2 spot. Guys like Phaneuf. Yandle. Etc
- BodyCheckRadio

When there is a team that can skate Phaneuf or Yandle as their 3/4 then that team will win the Cup. I know there are teams where that would be the case, but I doubt those teams have interest in either of those two players.

I realize there are 60 top 2 Dmen spots. But there aren't 60 true 'top2' dmen playing. That's my point. Many 3-4 guys are forced into 1-2 spot. Guys like Phaneuf. Yandle. Etc
- BodyCheckRadio

There aren't 60 top 2 dmen? Wouldn't the top 60 dmen in the league be considered the 60 top 2 dmen?

James. I'm not opposed to trading with Arizona, also not opposed to sending Gardiner there(the next Yandle-I hope). But I wouldnt be looking to trade Gardiner for Yandle. Instead if you feel Gardiner has that much potential, then I would be more inclined to trade him for Gormley or H. Samuelsson or Perlini. A Gardiner trade would have to bring back a young (maybe 2) potential top 4 Def or top 6 Forward.

I realize there are 60 top 2 Dmen spots. But there aren't 60 true 'top2' dmen playing. That's my point. Many 3-4 guys are forced into 1-2 spot. Guys like Phaneuf. Yandle. Etc
- BodyCheckRadio

Stop.

Shutdown #1 D's don't really exist. All #1 defenseman are primarily offensive puckmovers. Sure, you have your hybrids like Shane Weber and Zdeno Chara but in general, your #1 guy drives the play and moves the puck.

If advanced stats have taught us anything its that we have been undervaluing offensive defenseman and overrated stay-at-home guys. If you look deeper into what Yandle does, you'd see that he improves the play of every player he plays with and that despite playing on a bad team, he drives the play and the team is competitive when he's on the ice.
- James_Tanner

No offense, but I'd rather keep Phaneuf at that point, and hope some of the homegrowns (Percy, Finn, MacWilliam, Granberg, Holzer, Gardiner, Reilly) develop into what we need. Give the Leafs 3 years, and the D core will be fine. The system is in place; they just need time to develop, and hopefully not in Leafs fashion, ruin them all. While the current core is atrocious, I have faith in the future

There aren't 60 top 2 dmen? Wouldn't the top 60 dmen in the league be considered the 60 top 2 dmen?
- Feds91Stammer

He's obviously talking fantasy hockey

Stop.
- Not_Yan

Why?
There's nothing more entertaining than people arguing about semantics.
Good times!

Yandle isn't a top pairing D-man. he's a 3-4.

Top pairing d-men:

Doughty
Weber
Keith
Seabrook
J-Bo
Peitrangelo
Subban
Karlsson
Ekblad (soon to be)
Chara
Vlasic
Giordano
Suter
O.E-L

I'm surely missing some too, but Yandle isn't one of them.


Sadly there aren't many true top pairing d-men out there, just a whole lot of pretenders. The rest are 3-4 guys forced into 1-2 guys
- BodyCheckRadio

Forgot hedman

No offense, but I'd rather keep Phaneuf at that point, and hope some of the homegrowns (Percy, Finn, MacWilliam, Granberg, Holzer, Gardiner, Reilly) develop into what we need. Give the Leafs 3 years, and the D core will be fine. The system is in place; they just need time to develop, and hopefully not in Leafs fashion, ruin them all. While the current core is atrocious, I have faith in the future
- jerseyleaf

Yeah.....the Oilers have been saying this for years

Yeah.....the Oilers have been saying this for years
- Jeropotato

The Oilers are a cannundrum however haha

The Oilers are a cannundrum however haha
- jerseyleaf

Yeah I wish we had a top pair guy to stabilize/teach/shelter while our young guys continue to develop. It makes a massive difference to a player's development . Just look at Josi( Weber) and Brolin (Suter) and even Subban ( Markov/George's).
It helps to have that veteran example to follow. The Oilers have all of Andrew Ferrence and Mark Fayne to look up to . Need more that that when you place your hopes and prayers on Justin Schultz, Marincin , Klefbom, and Nurse one day being your top 4.

Shutdown #1 D's don't really exist. All #1 defenseman are primarily offensive puckmovers. Sure, you have your hybrids like Shane Weber and Zdeno Chara but in general, your #1 guy drives the play and moves the puck.

If advanced stats have taught us anything its that we have been undervaluing offensive defenseman and overrated stay-at-home guys. If you look deeper into what Yandle does, you'd see that he improves the play of every player he plays with and that despite playing on a bad team, he drives the play and the team is competitive when he's on the ice.
- James_Tanner

Does he play with Heatey and Ponger?

Does he play with Heatey and Ponger?
- Aetherial

Tanner says enough over the top malarkey that it's kind of unnessesary to not pick his spelling. Still funny though.