You know where he can play those minutes????

In Utica.
- classic321

You are stating the obvious,

That's only your obvious. Not mine
- Makita

Well no one ever accused you of being of sound mind and intelligence when it comes to the game of hockey

I said trades to make this a playoff team. If Tanev gets moved for a young forward that can score (landeskog) I'm all for it. That won't get this team into the playoffs. Well still be multiple players off, our defense will be a lot worse without our best defender on the left. Are we going to move Hutton up the lineup into his spot

- neem55

Stecher ?

I hope we are done with Kane to Van rumours, one season remaining after this one, little more than a rental and will cost too much.


We don't have much depth in any area. This little reno JB has started is taking too long for many, can't see how we could survive a full on tank and rebuild.

No Miller
No Vrbata
No Loui
No trading picks
Jettisoning anyone over the age of 30 when torts was fired
Play the crap you have in the system until you bank enough truly gifted prospects to develop a new core group of players.

Once that is done you...

Sign an experienced goalie like Miller
Sign a one dimensional player like Vrbata to create scoring depth
Sign a top six veteran winger like Loui
Trade for a big, young #1 Dman like Grabs
- bloatedmosquito

I see you're banned again, Leafs thread??

Stecher ?

I hope we are done with Kane to Van rumours, one season remaining after this one, little more than a rental and will cost too much.


We don't have much depth in any area. This little reno JB has started is taking too long for many, can't see how we could survive a full on tank and rebuild.
- hillbillydeluxe

This is a huge issue Mr. Benning inherited from Gillis, gonna take some time to address this!

I see you're banned again, Leafs thread??
- Makita

If he's banned how is he suppose to reply?

You can be banned for bumping a post and forcing people to read it all over again.
- Makita

Wrong. Many people knew they were crap but we couldn't be heard over the loud flapping sounds coming from the circle jerk gang.
- bloatedmosquito

(frank)ing Drama Queen

(frank)ing Drama Queen
- Makita

You're pulling a Booner and dissecting each post methodically....nice!

I'm gonna squash your comment right off the bat, because, I've not heard one person say we absolutely need a 1st overall pick or we're doomed. I have however heard we need a few top five picks when there's a player available that can be a difference maker.

You don't need to be the worst team in the league to draft well, however, the best players tend to come from the top of the first round, that's not even debatable!
- LeftCoaster

My post was mainly in response to a Leafs fan saying that the best way to build a winner is to draft 1 or 2.

And I'm not, at all, arguing that the best players tend to come from the top of the draft. That is, as you say, not even debatable. What I am saying, however, is that to build a winner, it is just as important to draft well throughout the draft and not just getting a potential star in the top 5. Does Chicago win their cups without guys like Duncan Keith or Nick Hjalmarsson, who were not first rounders?

There are more instances of teams having multiple top-5 picks and still being bad or mediocre than there are of teams with multiple top 5 picks that actually win the cup. That comes down to drafting and management.

My question then becomes, do we trust this management group enough to take the rights players further down the draft and surround them with high quality veterans via free agency?

Food for thought.

If the Canucks didn't come back and win their fist 4 games, they'd be 0-10.
- Scooby_Doo

Food for thought if they didn't lose the last 6 they'd be 10-0

I said trades to make this a playoff team. If Tanev gets moved for a young forward that can score (landeskog) I'm all for it. That won't get this team into the playoffs. Well still be multiple players off, our defense will be a lot worse without our best defender on the left. Are we going to move Hutton up the lineup into his spot

- neem55

First off Tanev plays right side and Hutton plays left side.

When Stecher was in against Ottawa we lost 3-0 . Last night with Tanev back we lost 3-0 . Does it really make a difference what player is in for the 3-0 loss or a 7-2 loss? A loss is a loss .

We are carrying 8 D and 2 of them have not played D for one minute yet this year. Both are quite capable of filling in for a 3-0 loss .

Stecher ?

I hope we are done with Kane to Van rumours, one season remaining after this one, little more than a rental and will cost too much.


We don't have much depth in any area. This little reno JB has started is taking too long for many, can't see how we could survive a full on tank and rebuild.
- hillbillydeluxe

I realize he's done well, but expecting it for 82 is a little much. I'm all for it, cause I think if it happens we will really bottom out as the best player (right now, anyway) on the left would be Sbisa... that would be funny.

I don't think JB gets enough credit, he inherited a sinking ship and has made some really solid moves IMO. I honestly am not sure about Kane, he's like that hot stripper you want to date: sexy attributes, but can they turn their lifestyle around?

My post was mainly in response to a Leafs fan saying that the best way to build a winner is to draft 1 or 2.

And I'm not, at all, arguing that the best players tend to come from the top of the draft. That is, as you say, not even debatable. What I am saying, however, is that to build a winner, it is just as important to draft well throughout the draft and not just getting a potential star in the top 5. Does Chicago win their cups without guys like Duncan Keith or Nick Hjalmarsson, who were not first rounders?

There are more instances of teams having multiple top-5 picks and still being bad or mediocre than there are of teams with multiple top 5 picks that actually win the cup. That comes down to drafting and management.

My question then becomes, do we trust this management group enough to take the rights players further down the draft and surround them with high quality veterans via free agency?
- nucks_94

First of all, good post, I agree with you 100%! It's about drafting well throughout the draft and having the good sense to properly manage your assets when you have them, which is part of the building process.

As for your second part, my answer is no, if you're speaking about Jim Benning, I want him to draft well but I'm hoping there's someone else to do the building.

First off Tanev plays right side and Hutton plays left side.

When Stecher was in against Ottawa we lost 3-0 . Last night with Tanev back we lost 3-0 . Does it really make a difference what player is in for the 3-0 loss or a 7-2 loss? A loss is a loss .

We are carrying 8 D and 2 of them have not played D for one minute yet this year. Both are quite capable of filling in for a 3-0 loss .


- VANTEL

As long as we're in agreement this team is not making the playoffs this year, but rather would be trading for the future, I can buy what you're selling.

First of all, good post, I agree with you 100%! It's about drafting well throughout the draft and having the good sense to properly manage your assets when you have them, which is part of the building process.

As for your second part, my answer is no, if you're speaking about Jim Benning, I want him to draft well but I'm hoping there's someone else to do the building.
- LeftCoaster

I agree, I don't think our current management group can do the job. Which is why I'm worried that even IF we happen to get a few good players at the top of the draft over the next couple seasons, we won't build around them well enough and we'll be doing this all over again in 5-10 years without ever having a sniff of postseason success (ala the Islanders, Florida, Columbus, Winnipeg, etc).

Gonna post a long one... sorry in advance

Over the last few years, we've talked a lot about the best way to build a championship team, and many people now are convinced that tanking and getting the first overall pick is required to win a cup because Chicago and Pittsburgh did it that way. I would argue that they are the exceptions... Since the NHL expanded to 30 teams in 2000, Chicago and Pittsburgh are the only two teams that have picked first overall and then gone on to win the Stanley Cup.

If we expand that and look at number of top 5 picks since 2000, we get the following list:
Florida: 7 times
Islanders: 7 times
Atlanta/Winnipeg: 6 times
Columbus: 6 times
Edmonton: 6 times
Carolina: 5 times
Pittsburgh: 5 times
Toronto: 4 times
Tampa: 4 times
Buffalo: 3 times
Arizona: 3 times
Colorado: 3 times
Los Angeles: 3 times (never first overall)
Chicago: 3 times
Washington: 3 times
Boston: 2 times (once because of Toronto...)
St. Louis: 2 times
Philadelphia: 2 times
Anaheim: 2 times
Minnesota: 2 times
Vancouver, Calgary, Nashville, Montreal, New Jersey (because they won the lottery), and Ottawa each only have 1 top-5 selection since 2000.

The Rangers, Detroit, San Jose, and Dallas have never picked in the top-5 since the NHL has been a 30 team league.

All this to say that while getting top draft picks obviously can help, relying on sucking for multiple seasons to stock up on top-5 draft picks is NOT a sure fire way to win a cup or even be a cup contender. More often that not, you end up like Florida or the Islanders who are still trying to put things together despite years of futility.
- nucks_94

Finally a post of reason and truth, but you know you're wrong because it doesn't fit into the drama queen mold

As long as we're in agreement this team is not making the playoffs this year, but rather would be trading for the future, I can buy what you're selling.
- neem55

I am still not there yet. If this team finds its scoring in the next few days or weeks.

I don't think Willie is a good coach . He is what is called a lame duck coach waiting to be fired.

The style that this team plays on O is horrible. Too much passing and not enough shooting and rebounding.

No hitting . no paying the price and a whole lot more of NO happening right now.

I agree don't trade to try and make the playoffs ,but if you can trade long term to improve then do it.

Man this Makita fella is a slow reader

I am still not there yet. If this team finds its scoring in the next few days or weeks.

I don't think Willie is a good coach . He is what is called a lame duck coach waiting to be fired.

The style that this team plays on O is horrible. Too much passing and not enough shooting and rebounding.

No hitting . no paying the price and a whole lot more of NO happening right now.

I agree don't trade to try and make the playoffs ,but if you can trade long term to improve then do it.
- VANTEL

Remember the good old days when we used to debate about trading the Sedins, I miss those days

Man this Makita fella is a slow
- LeftCoaster

Edit . Be nice he is getting old

I am still not there yet. If this team finds its scoring in the next few days or weeks.

I don't think Willie is a good coach . He is what is called a lame duck coach waiting to be fired.

The style that this team plays on O is horrible. Too much passing and not enough shooting and rebounding.

No hitting . no paying the price and a whole lot more of NO happening right now.

I agree don't trade to try and make the playoffs ,but if you can trade long term to improve then do it.
- VANTEL

My only problem with changing the coach now is, there's nobody out there. Maybe if Kruger can be pried from Europe?

Edit . Be nice he is getting old
- VANTEL

Remember the good old days when we used to debate about trading the Sedins, I miss those days
- LeftCoaster

I think we missed the opportunity . I don't see anyone taking them now and I still hate that Linden cares for the name on the back of the jersey more than the one one the front.

My only problem with changing the coach now is, there's nobody out there. Maybe if Kruger can be pried from Europe?
- neem55

If they were going to do it bring in a guy like Hartely to make some of these players let go of their NTCs .

Do you remember how much Edler hated Torts. Change would happen a hell of a lot quicker