Who knew you can get a new car for less than $13 grand..
- bixll

In cash

i view it pretty simply - Dion is a pretty good defensemen - but he's not viewed as being a good captain in Toronto. He's paid too much for what he brings to Toronto - and he's paid too much if he's not the Captain. Moving him clears up a "philosophical logjam" ... nothing more.

I don't dislike the guy nearly as much as some on here... but his salary sets a precident much like Komisarek's did prior to having to sign Schenn. Too much money

Clear out his 7M on defense, and you'll not have to pay any d-man more than 5m per.

replace his minutes by committee.
- BorjeFan4Ever

I think you take away his C and it helps a lot of his, and the team's problems. The guy is playing pretty close to that contract, despite the hate he gets from everywhere, especially here.

Pietrangelo
Hedman
OEL
Suter
Gio
Shattenkirk
Beauchemin
Hell, I'd happily take Vlasic given the pickle that we're in...
- lumlums

He's the #1 over in Duckland eh?

So riddle me this, the Ducks are a playoff team, and I'm not sure anyone would argue that.

Is it just that overall their D is better than ours? Because their best guy (Beauch) is not IMO better than our best guy (Phaneuf) and Franson is only slightly behind Vatanen in points.

Is it that their forward corps plays better defensively? I know Kesler won a Selke and Getzlaf is pretty well-rounded.

Or is it just that they have a legit #1 C to play alongside their elite goal scorer?

his best days are way behind it.

WAY behind him.
- Lee Denault

he just frankin turned 30...WTF?

Ya, but they had to do something. My first McDavid sweater will be the away colours...
- bixll

I'd have a perma-boner from June 26th until September..then it would get bigger. Can't imagine what he and Phil could accomplish in 3 years time. That $8M contract would be one of the most sound decisions the Leafs have made (outside of tanking).

I didn't think I would ever type this, but Jesus, Kessel doesn't have the worst hair on the team.

Is Gardiner wearing a rug?
- Atomic Wedgie

its like a young Donald Trumps hair, wonder what kind of straw he uses

Awwww, Daniel son, but he is not the core, he was brought in to augment an already solid lineup, if he decides to (frank) the dog in LA, he would be an out cast, in Columbus/NY, guys were coming onto his team, it's the other way around now...
- aminnes

we might have discovered a problem... management built a bad team... they havent surrounded Kessel with the right mix...

Better trade Kessel to fix this problem

Bernier trade was good.

Everything else was either obvious, or was simply bad.
- Aetherial

I was simply trying to point out that Nonis did make some good moves as well.. and he did take some risks - such as Bolland.

Obviously he has also done some really dumb things.

I am not real sure we are much better off with Hall or Seguin + Hamilton + Knight(?)

Yeah, maybe today we are a little better off, but we won that trade for the first 5 years.
- Aetherial

you build through the back end and up the middle.

and yet we make the playoffs once and lose to the team that was part of the trade.

He's the #1 over in Duckland eh?

So riddle me this, the Ducks are a playoff team, and I'm not sure anyone would argue that.

Is it just that overall their D is better than ours? Because their best guy (Beauch) is not IMO better than our best guy (Phaneuf) and Franson is only slightly behind Vatanen in points.

Is it that their forward corps plays better defensively? I know Kesler won a Selke and Getzlaf is pretty well-rounded.

Or is it just that they have a legit #1 C to play alongside their elite goal scorer?
- TheThrill

All of those things, and a whole team that works hard and is on the same page; like Montreal.

You've been advocating him... this is his chance.

The bar isnt high? you maybe right.

still the #1C on the toronto maple leafs. and the vultures are hungry.
- Lee Denault

He just needs Cherry to rip him in the media once and awhile to get him all fired up!!! As soon as Don ripped him, his game picked up.

Something that I've been mulling over for a few years:

The last time a Canadian team won a cup was 1993.

Statistically speaking, that's a huge anomaly.

It's fun for other fan bases to crap on the Leafs and their horrendous drought, but the Habs haven't been back to the finals since '93, the Oilers have been back once, the Flames once, the Canucks once, the Jets never and the Sens once.

And there's no way in hell the 0 for Canada streak is ending this year.

There's something fundamentally wrong with Canadian teams. And I can't put my finger on what it is, but my closest guess is that it has to do with the negativity that permeates the teams when things are going badly.

I have been saying this for a while now. I don't see a Canadian team winning a cup in the next 20 odd years. Until Canadian players will waive their NTC for more than NYR/Boston/LA/Chi/Ana or until the press stop being wienerheads or taxes change or somehow winters are not poop in Canada. Until those things happen, it'll be U.S teams lead by Canadians all the way

The press and the fans.

I'm open to further theories.
- Atomic Wedgie

... and then signed Robidas to 3 years.
- magmoo

might of just been better to keep Gleason

he just frankin turned 30...WTF?
- the_eye

He's not the force he once was.

He was once arguably 1st line center on team Canada.

He'll never be to that level again.

I think you take away his C and it helps a lot of his, and the team's problems. The guy is playing pretty close to that contract, despite the hate he gets from everywhere, especially here.
- Aetherial

i don't think the ego/bentley/wife would allow him to accept not being the Captain.... particularly if the new Captain is someone he doesn't get along with.

you build through the back end and up the middle.

and yet we make the playoffs once and lose to the team that was part of the trade.
- Lee Denault

That's Burke's biggest blunder was thinking we were a trigger man away from contention

you build through the back end and up the middle.

and yet we make the playoffs once and lose to the team that was part of the trade.
- Lee Denault

Would we have made the playoffs more without making that trade? Do you think that trade is the reason Boston beat us?

I didn't and don't like the trade either. The fact is, it was not horrible, it is debateable that it was even a bad trade.

I'd have a perma-boner from June 26th until September..then it would get bigger. Can't imagine what he and Phil could accomplish in 3 years time. That $8M contract would be one of the most sound decisions the Leafs have made (outside of tanking).
- Woderwick

No friggin kidding.

That's Burke's biggest blunder was thinking we were a trigger man away from contention
- TheThrill

yeah that trade looks fantastic if Burke was right.

in typical Leafs fashion though, he was wrong.

- senstroll

nice

You've been advocating him... this is his chance.

The bar isnt high? you maybe right.

still the #1C on the toronto maple leafs. and the vultures are hungry.
- Lee Denault

Naz may just have the corleone's and moxy for the job. I truly see Kadri as a solid #2 center, but unfortunately he just happens to be the best center on the Leafs right now.

I'd still prefer to not designate the top 6 as a #1 or #2, but the disparity between those two lines on this Leafs team have made that impossible.

- senstroll

No Feschuk?

Fail.

He's the #1 over in Duckland eh?

So riddle me this, the Ducks are a playoff team, and I'm not sure anyone would argue that.

?
- TheThrill

Cam fowler is their number 1.

Beauch has been hurt most of the year and had mumps.

You put way too much stock in Staal. Outside of the shortened season, he hasn't been PPG since 07/08... And it's not like he's a defensive beast.
- Feeling Glucky?

he's a (frank) ton of a lot better than bozak

also, who has his linemates been these last few years? as a defense.. you slam JVR Staal and Kessel out there who in hell do you focus on covering?