I don't know Humongous. I could easily see some injuries and sophomore slumps causing the Leafs to take a step back next season, but they are on the right track.
- Aetherial

They are on the right track for sure I'm just saying not quite as far along as many Leafs fans may think. If you look at the teams that make the 2nd and 3rd rounds consistently they have a lot of what the leafs just don't have right now. 3-4 line scoring plus a true top 4 D structure and dare I say it a true no 1 goalie. Don't think they are going to acquire all of those ingredients for next season. I think they will still contend for the WC spot in the east next year but no guarantees. Caps and Rangers will take a step back next year and a few other eastern teams will remain stagnant so that will help the Leafs along. But they have done some good things and or course tanking for Matthews didn't hurt that franchise at all.

I don't see the hype at all. Gardiner is a much better player than him and he plays for the leafs too.
- pker2theend

What are you basing that on?

How about look at the assignments etc....Gard's #'s are greater but he's not much better or maybe not even better at all.

1 guy faced all the crappy zone starts and the toughest comp...the other guy didnt.

But I'll take Tanev if he's available...and put him right on our top pairing.

If the Canucks are serious about trying to trade Tanev, Jim Benning should definitely give Lou Lamoriello a call and see if there's a deal to be made.

No thanks. But nice article.
- Matthews_Auston

Any reason why not?
Leafs need no top D help?
There is better out there & teams willing to trade them?
Top D grow on trees & easily acquired?
Patience & draft & develop D & hope they become top 2 D?

Simply curious why so quick to blow off Tanev is all.

I don't know Humongous. I could easily see some injuries and sophomore slumps causing the Leafs to take a step back next season, but they are on the right track.
- Aetherial

True very well could be! It affected buffalo

They are on the right track for sure I'm just saying not quite as far along as many Leafs fans may think. If you look at the teams that make the 2nd and 3rd rounds consistently they have a lot of what the leafs just don't have right now. 3-4 line scoring plus a true top 4 D structure and dare I say it a true no 1 goalie. Don't think they are going to acquire all of those ingredients for next season. I think they will still contend for the WC spot in the east next year but no guarantees. Caps and Rangers will take a step back next year and a few other eastern teams will remain stagnant so that will help the Leafs along. But they have done some good things and or course tanking for Matthews didn't hurt that franchise at all.
- LordHumungous

I think we need 2 good D and maybe another good forward and we could compete with any team in the league.

Leafs would benefit from Tanev to be sure. Crappy thing is they really don't have anything we need. Need to find a better trading partner for Tanev.

Reality is that Leafs aren't going to see a 2nd or 3rd round in the PO's for 4-5 years. They probably won't ever see a 4th round as it's completely alien to them. They need many many ingredients to get to the 2nd or 3rd rounds in the PO's and it will be awhile.
- LordHumungous

THE REALITY is that the Leafs took Washington to six one goal games, five of which went to OT, in the first year that everything has been plugged in i.e. Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Brown, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Hyman and Andersen.

See the pattern there? Outside of Andersen, every player named above were rookies and that's not even all of them that played this season. The Leafs' rookies shattered long standing records and the league hasn't seen a rookie group enter the league together like this since the Oilers of the early 80's. In fact, given the insane rookies that entered the league this season, in any other year all three of Matthews, Marner and Nylander would have been worthy of a Calder nomination after putting up 60+ points EACH.

Sorry my friend, deep playoff runs are on the horizon and the team has the young elite talent, prospects, picks, cap space, coach, money and one of the best management groups in the league to see that it happens.

As time goes on, guys like you are going to have less and less to say about Toronto and people like me will be sure you know all about all of the amazing things happening in Leafs Land. Enjoy it while it lasts.

is this a Leafs blog or a Canucks blog?

Anatomy of a Rebuild= getting lucky and landing McDavid/Matthews.

I rarely criticize blogs, but I didn't agree with any of this.
- Crazybagoham

I agree & it has nothing to do with a rebuild plan when all based on luck.
If either of those 2 players were on another team would we even be talkng about the Oilers & Leafs? Yes in 10 years maybe.

They are on the right track for sure I'm just saying not quite as far along as many Leafs fans may think. If you look at the teams that make the 2nd and 3rd rounds consistently they have a lot of what the leafs just don't have right now. 3-4 line scoring plus a true top 4 D structure and dare I say it a true no 1 goalie. Don't think they are going to acquire all of those ingredients for next season. I think they will still contend for the WC spot in the east next year but no guarantees. Caps and Rangers will take a step back next year and a few other eastern teams will remain stagnant so that will help the Leafs along. But they have done some good things and or course tanking for Matthews didn't hurt that franchise at all.
- LordHumungous

Thought Laine was the real prize? What's with the new found Matthews praise all of a sudden?

They are on the right track for sure I'm just saying not quite as far along as many Leafs fans may think. If you look at the teams that make the 2nd and 3rd rounds consistently they have a lot of what the leafs just don't have right now. 3-4 line scoring plus a true top 4 D structure and dare I say it a true no 1 goalie. Don't think they are going to acquire all of those ingredients for next season. I think they will still contend for the WC spot in the east next year but no guarantees. Caps and Rangers will take a step back next year and a few other eastern teams will remain stagnant so that will help the Leafs along. But they have done some good things and or course tanking for Matthews didn't hurt that franchise at all.
- LordHumungous

Our 3rd line was Kadri Komarov Brown. That is a pretty good 3rd line.

The defensive depth is abysmal. I think they honestly had 3 NHL dmen last year. Carrick was sometimes NHL caliber.

Andersen was just OK. I don't think he is going to steal you series. I think he is probably good enough IF you have a solid team in front of him. There is still room for him to improve but I am not a huge fan of his.

They are on the right track for sure I'm just saying not quite as far along as many Leafs fans may think. If you look at the teams that make the 2nd and 3rd rounds consistently they have a lot of what the leafs just don't have right now. 3-4 line scoring plus a true top 4 D structure and dare I say it a true no 1 goalie. Don't think they are going to acquire all of those ingredients for next season. I think they will still contend for the WC spot in the east next year but no guarantees. Caps and Rangers will take a step back next year and a few other eastern teams will remain stagnant so that will help the Leafs along. But they have done some good things and or course tanking for Matthews didn't hurt that franchise at all.
- LordHumungous

That I can agree with! So many tangibles that can take place

that is precisely my point though. +/- is such a ridic stat. Should never be used when comparing players from different teams.
- Codes1087

All stats work that way, they are little snapshots of what happened during a game etc. Relying on stats as a single evaluation process is for fools.
Remember David Booth.

Tanev is not worth anywhere near what you people think he's worth.

Teams DO NOT go out and pay ridiculous sums for defensive-minded players from the worst defensive teams. Like ever.

We are in for years of pain upcoming. We are about to pay the bill for 5 whole years of boneheaded decisions by ownership and management. And, it's going to be devastating.

If you thought we were bad the last couple years, just wait!...
- stringerbell

How bold u r to criticize & yet offer up nothing as to what Tanevs value is.
Hall for Larson proves what D value is.
Maybe try offering up your own opinion before knockng others.
Many words & very little substance. Typical fickle fan post complaining but providing no ideas. Chicken Little Syndrome........CLS

true, but stick any of the top 20 +/- defensemen, and put them on the Canucks for a season, they are no longer top 20 lol.
- Codes1087

Tanev had no problem being on the plus side for the canucks..

Any reason why not?
Leafs need no top D help?
There is better out there & teams willing to trade them?
Top D grow on trees & easily acquired?
Patience & draft & develop D & hope they become top 2 D?

Simply curious why so quick to blow off Tanev is all.
- Nighthawk

Well jim hopefully will get teams in a bidding war, and I don't think that the leafs can afford to pay the price? We're still rebuilding too! But ya he'd look good

Any reason why not?
Leafs need no top D help?
There is better out there & teams willing to trade them?
Top D grow on trees & easily acquired?
Patience & draft & develop D & hope they become top 2 D?

Simply curious why so quick to blow off Tanev is all.
- Nighthawk

I don't think Leafs fans are necessarily against Tanev, but the names mentioned are not something the Leafs fans want the team to part with.

You don't take a core that young, and under financial control for a few more years, and give up one of the central pieces for a 28 year old, solid, steady dman.

The finances, ages, and timing and even the talent from the trade ideas early in this thread don't work.

Do you think you can get Drouin for Tanev?

Tanev had no problem being on the plus side for the canucks..
- pker2theend

How bold u r to criticize & yet offer up nothing as to what Tanevs value is.
Hall for Larson proves what D value is.
Maybe try offering up your own opinion before knockng others.
Many words & very little substance. Typical fickle fan post complaining but providing no ideas. Chicken Little Syndrome........CLS
- Nighthawk

Does Forsberg for Erat prove what Czech wingers are worth?

AGAIN, what does Tanev's injury history look like?

Tanev had no problem being on the plus side for the canucks..
- pker2theend

Tanev played 53 games tho. I am not trying to discredit Tanev, I am just simply saying. Reilly is a much better player than Hutton. If we are offered a Hutton for Reilly trade, we take that 10 times out of 10.

How bold u r to criticize & yet offer up nothing as to what Tanevs value is.
Hall for Larson proves what D value is.
Maybe try offering up your own opinion before knockng others.
Many words & very little substance. Typical fickle fan post complaining but providing no ideas. Chicken Little Syndrome........CLS
- Nighthawk

That occurred during a period of very weak free agent class and was heavily criticized by nearly everyone in the hockey community, I think Tanev has high value but the market is not the same anymore

THE REALITY is that the Leafs took Washington to six one goal games, five of which went to OT, in the first year that everything has been plugged in i.e. Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Brown, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Hyman and Andersen.

See the pattern there? Outside of Andersen, every player named above were rookies and that's not even all of them that played this season. The Leafs' rookies shattered long standing records and the league hasn't seen a rookie group enter the league together like this since the Oilers of the early 80's. In fact, given the insane rookies that entered the league this season, in any other year all three of Matthews, Marner and Nylander would have been worthy of a Calder nomination after putting up 60+ points EACH.

Sorry my friend, deep playoff runs are on the horizon and the team has the young elite talent, prospects, picks, cap space, coach, money and one of the best management groups in the league to see that it happens.

As time goes on, guys like you are going to have less and less to say about Toronto and people like me will be sure you know all about all of the amazing things happening in Leafs Land. Enjoy it while it lasts.
- As_I_See_It

Ya maybe? But let's not get all high and mighty! their's a hell of a lot of teams trending up,including Vancouver! And the parity is very close

AGAIN, what does Tanev's injury history look like?
- As_I_See_It

Lupul's

TML overload.
I'll check back in later when they've gone to bed.

Good day gentlemen.

How bold u r to criticize & yet offer up nothing as to what Tanevs value is.
Hall for Larson proves what D value is.
Maybe try offering up your own opinion before knockng others.
Many words & very little substance. Typical fickle fan post complaining but providing no ideas. Chicken Little Syndrome........CLS
- Nighthawk

I guess Virtanen also proves what a 6th overall pick is worth too.

Flawed logic, bud.

I agree & it has nothing to do with a rebuild plan when all based on luck.
If either of those 2 players were on another team would we even be talkng about the Oilers & Leafs? Yes in 10 years maybe.
- Nighthawk

But you can say the same for pretty much all teams!