I usually take BR with a grain of salt, but trading off Kolesar for texier is not the end of the world and Tarasov was out with injury all year ....
- Alexzanki

Ah ya that's a heaping load of 💩

What I was REALLY hoping for was that somehow we could package Ebs and next years first rounder or even this years for a top 4 dman but it never happened unfortunately.
- Leichs

Probably could have got Strome and Hamonic for Eberle and a first and a second. That would have been smarter than signing Russel for more than Hamonic makes.

I hate the Flyers with a red hot passion but even I can admit that they actually had the best draft not the Leafs. Getting Patrick, Frost, and Strome gives them their future top 3 canters all in one draft. And the Pens throw away their pick and best centre prospect for a goon and a dman they could have got in the fourth round.
- Dcoms

As it look now they are worse off in goal tending that A is so shallow in the big picture

Sean Day was said to be challenging Matthews for 1st overall before their draft year, and a lead-pipe lock for top 3. Look how that turned out. Chychrun too was a top 5 guy who fell to 16th. Liljegren's decision making is said to be not great, he also wasn't picked for Sweden U-20 WJC even after his bout with mono, and he only had 2 points in the U-18 for Sweden, so there's something else there.

I'm not saying he won't be a good player, I would've liked him on the Sabres, but there are legitimate reasons why players drop. Namely there's more tape on them.

Sean Day was said to be challenging Matthews for 1st overall before their draft year, and a lead-pipe lock for top 3. Look how that turned out. Chychrun too was a top 5 guy who fell to 16th. Liljegren's decision making is said to be not great, he also wasn't picked for Sweden U-20 WJC even after his bout with mono, and he only had 2 points in the U-18 for Sweden, so there's something else there.

I'm not saying he won't be a good player, I would've liked him on the Sabres, but there are legitimate reasons why players drop. Namely there's more tape on them.
- Wetbandit1

Yes there are legit reasons that players drop. However, almost every player that does miss significant time in their draft year drops like a rock, so obviously there is something to my theory about how risk averse gms are.

Doesn't mean Liljegren is a guaranteed star, but he's got a way, way higher ceiling than almost any player drafted, and it's just smart business to pick high ceiling players.

What are you getting with Cal Foote? An almost guaranteed NHL player, but baring a massive uptick in his game, he's doubtful to be star. Personally, I think you can get all the mid-tier talent you ever want in a bunch of different ways, so you should be swinging for the fences with every pick.

Sean Day was said to be challenging Matthews for 1st overall before their draft year, and a lead-pipe lock for top 3. Look how that turned out. Chychrun too was a top 5 guy who fell to 16th. Liljegren's decision making is said to be not great, he also wasn't picked for Sweden U-20 WJC even after his bout with mono, and he only had 2 points in the U-18 for Sweden, so there's something else there.

I'm not saying he won't be a good player, I would've liked him on the Sabres, but there are legitimate reasons why players drop. Namely there's more tape on them.
- Wetbandit1

Yes there are legit reasons that players drop. However, almost every player that does miss significant time in their draft year drops like a rock, so obviously there is something to my theory about how risk averse gms are.

Doesn't mean Liljegren is a guaranteed star, but he's got a way, way higher ceiling than almost any player drafted, and it's just smart business to pick high ceiling players.

What are you getting with Cal Foote? An almost guaranteed NHL player, but baring a massive uptick in his game, he's doubtful to be star. Personally, I think you can get all the mid-tier talent you ever want in a bunch of different ways, so you should be swinging for the fences with every pick.

Patrick fell because Hischier was the better choice. Period.

Nice drafting btw! I liked the choices!

Sean Day was said to be challenging Matthews for 1st overall before their draft year, and a lead-pipe lock for top 3. Look how that turned out. Chychrun too was a top 5 guy who fell to 16th. Liljegren's decision making is said to be not great, he also wasn't picked for Sweden U-20 WJC even after his bout with mono, and he only had 2 points in the U-18 for Sweden, so there's something else there.

I'm not saying he won't be a good player, I would've liked him on the Sabres, but there are legitimate reasons why players drop. Namely there's more tape on them.
- Wetbandit1

This is a bit of revisionist history. While Day was granted CHL exceptional player status and looked to be a lock for a 2016 Top 5 selection he quickly fell out of the top rated prospects list after his first couple of OHL seasons and was never truly projected to be anything more than a late first round pick by the time he was entering his draft year.

By comparison, Liljegren was legit ranked 2OA just prior to his draft season while Day was ranked 30th-ish.

Not saying Lil' Jegren is a "lock" to be an impact NHLer but I think the comparison isn't necessarily the best here.

Bonus: Lil' Tim wasn't picked for the U20 team precisely because he hadn't fully recovered from mono and was ping-ponging from club to club that season. Subtract the mono and he would have been a lock. Come on.

This is a bit of revisionist history. While Day was granted CHL exceptional player status and looked to be a lock for a 2016 Top 5 selection he quickly fell out of the top rated prospects list after his first couple of OHL seasons and was never truly projected to be anything more than a late first round pick by the time he was entering his draft year.

By comparison, Liljegren was legit ranked 2OA just prior to his draft season while Day was ranked 30th-ish.

Not saying Lil' Jegren is a "lock" to be an impact NHLer but I think the comparison isn't necessarily the best here.

Bonus: Lil' Tim wasn't picked for the U20 team precisely because he hadn't fully recovered from mono and was ping-ponging from club to club that season. Subtract the mono and he would have been a lock. Come on.
- mjones242

day was ranked as a top 5 pick by almost everyone going into his draft year....pretty easy to find on google

Yes there are legit reasons that players drop. However, almost every player that does miss significant time in their draft year drops like a rock, so obviously there is something to my theory about how risk averse gms are.

Doesn't mean Liljegren is a guaranteed star, but he's got a way, way higher ceiling than almost any player drafted, and it's just smart business to pick high ceiling players.

What are you getting with Cal Foote? An almost guaranteed NHL player, but baring a massive uptick in his game, he's doubtful to be star. Personally, I think you can get all the mid-tier talent you ever want in a bunch of different ways, so you should be swinging for the fences with every pick.
- james_tanner1

They definitely are, probably the worst in pro sports.

But it doesn't have to be black and white either.

I never mentioned Cal Foote, so I'm not sure what you're saying there. If you mean Chychrun I just meant another guy that was highly touted/top 5ish that dropped for some unknown reason. Other than that maybe they had more tape on him and he didn't continue to progress like they thought he would. And you're right, there is some recency bias, but taking kids before they're, mostly, halfway developed is a crap shoot and as humans are wont to do they have to try and assign some sort of reason for it instead of it being what it is, a crap shoot.

Aaron Rodgers, I know, different sport, fell an astonishing 22 spots after where he should've gone.

Players fall for all kinds of reasons, not just GMs being risk averse.

This is a bit of revisionist history. While Day was granted CHL exceptional player status and looked to be a lock for a 2016 Top 5 selection he quickly fell out of the top rated prospects list after his first couple of OHL seasons and was never truly projected to be anything more than a late first round pick by the time he was entering his draft year.

By comparison, Liljegren was legit ranked 2OA just prior to his draft season while Day was ranked 30th-ish.

Not saying Lil' Jegren is a "lock" to be an impact NHLer but I think the comparison isn't necessarily the best here.

Bonus: Lil' Tim wasn't picked for the U20 team precisely because he hadn't fully recovered from mono and was ping-ponging from club to club that season. Subtract the mono and he would have been a lock. Come on.
- mjones242

Ok. Take my team out of it, and I also said I wanted Liljegren for the Sabres.

I clearly remember reading the summer before the season started that Day was the name after Matthews, it wasn't until the season started that Puljujarvi's name came up and then Laine's soon after, and it wasn't until after the WJC that Laine pulled ahead and the Finnish playoffs that Laine was being whispered as a challenger(media driven) for Matthews, but it just shows that this is a variable thing we're talking about.

Even a 2nd overall still battling the remnants of mono should get selected, but from what I've read he was healthy at that time and they could've put him on the team and then said he wasn't healthy enough and put another guy in for him at the last minute.

I would've taken him at 8, but let's not kid ourselves, he slipped because of more than mono.

Ok. Take my team out of it, and I also said I wanted Liljegren for the Sabres.

I clearly remember reading the summer before the season started that Day was the name after Matthews, it wasn't until the season started that Puljujarvi's name came up and then Laine's soon after, and it wasn't until after the WJC that Laine pulled ahead and the Finnish playoffs that Laine was being whispered as a challenger(media driven) for Matthews, but it just shows that this is a variable thing we're talking about.

Even a 2nd overall still battling the remnants of mono should get selected, but from what I've read he was healthy at that time and they could've put him on the team and then said he wasn't healthy enough and put another guy in for him at the last minute.

I would've taken him at 8, but let's not kid ourselves, he slipped because of more than mono.
- Wetbandit1

Don't try to reason with us, we're Leafs fans and we're on a natural high for the first time in years. Anything negative is going right over our heads right now and in the foreseeable future. He's the next Karlsson and that's all there is to it. Cheers and good luck this season.

I blog for every team so that 1/31 of them is a cup winner and I can tell you so

Probably could have got Strome and Hamonic for Eberle and a first and a second. That would have been smarter than signing Russel for more than Hamonic makes.
- Dcoms

The cap hit for Hamonic and Russell are only $150k, so immaterial. So you are essentially saying Hamonic > Russell +1st + 2nd? I don't see it.

Chiarelli is terrible. The oft put narrative that "he had the balls to make big changes" is patently ridiculous - it doesn't take balls to make big moves - any idiot can do that (see: Snow, Garth).

Chiarelli seems to me to be the worst kind of GM -- the one that plays loose and fast with assets and puts his ego and "feelings" above intelligent, informed asset management. It's this type of style that was the prevailing GM wisdom for decades that some have not been able to shed (see also: Burke, Brian).

I've mentioned it before and it bears repeating: if you haven't watched the stupefying video where PC and fellow Boston upper management team discuss and then pull the trigger on ridding themselves of Tyler Seguin, you need to do yourself a favour and watch it. It should be required viewing for any Chiarelli-apologists.


Would love to agree with you, but this is drivel. I tend to believe the committee that nominated Chiarelli for GM of the year.

The Oilers should thank their lucky stars that they landed McDavid. Can you imagine what kind of (poop)show Edmonton would be in without landing that miracle pick? Yeesh.
- mjones242

Way off on the Chiarelli analysis, I agree with....everyone else that voted him top 3 for GM of the year. The Oilers are/were better off with Larsson and without Hall's attitude, and they will likely be better off without Eberle mailing it in every second shift.

"risk adverse"....nice one

Don't try to reason with us, we're Leafs fans and we're on a natural high for the first time in years. Anything negative is going right over our heads right now and in the foreseeable future. He's the next Karlsson and that's all there is to it. Cheers and good luck this season.
- shack67

But you must get that you probably go that far regardless. The Oilers didn't make the Playoffs because they had Adam Larsson, they had the HART TROPHY WINNER and it was his first full year with the team.

That is the difference. We can only imagine what Taylor Hall could have done to secondary defensive units.
- james_tanner1

Just curious James did you actually watch any Oiler games this season? Just wondering because if you actually did watch then you'd realize that Mcdavid wasn't the only reason they made it as far as they did. You wouldve realized that Talbot was just as big of a reason as Connor was. Talbot was a stud this year minus a hand full of games if that. That and you'd actually realize that minus a couple bone head moves by Chia were the bunch a good ones. Lucic, Talbot, Sekera, Benning, McClellan, Kassian, and Cagguila were all good moves. Oh yeah and signing Russell to a 1 year deal. All good moves. That

Don't try to reason with us, we're Leafs fans and we're on a natural high for the first time in years. Anything negative is going right over our heads right now and in the foreseeable future. He's the next Karlsson and that's all there is to it. Cheers and good luck this season.
- shack67

Fantastic post

Way off on the Chiarelli analysis, I agree with....everyone else that voted him top 3 for GM of the year. The Oilers are/were better off with Larsson and without Hall's attitude, and they will likely be better off without Eberle mailing it in every second shift.

"risk adverse"....nice one
- JLO961

Funny how Hall and Eberle were never thought of as stars,until they were traded... Then apparently we got fleeced in the deals.
They were both passed over for olympics, as in not even close...Injury after injury and they still picked Oreilly over them.. Not thought highly of from many other gms around the league,thus Larsson and Strome was the best we could get for them...

day was ranked as a top 5 pick by almost everyone going into his draft year....pretty easy to find on google
- sensarmy_11

Find me a single link that shows that he was a Top 5 pick going into his draft year. I double dog dare you.

Either you're wrong or my Googling skills just aren't up to snuff. (Spoiler alert: I think it's the former)

Don't try to reason with us, we're Leafs fans and we're on a natural high for the first time in years. Anything negative is going right over our heads right now and in the foreseeable future. He's the next Karlsson and that's all there is to it. Cheers and good luck this season.
- shack67

Speak for yourself, dude.

I'm not saying he's the next Karlsson and I don't see anyone else seriously proclaiming that either. We're excited that a d-man that was touted so highly at the beginning of the season landed at our feet at 17. He has a very high ceiling, battled through a very tough season with mono, and even if he doesn't live up to the initial hype it's pretty nice seeing a our defensive corps supplemented with another promising prospect.

Having said that, could it be that there are some Leafs naysayers out there who may wish to (poop) on anything Leaf related? Any kind of potential good fortune? Methinks yes.

People who say Calgary overpaid for Hamonic should see what Edmonton paid for Reinhart. It wasn't that much more.

Find me a single link that shows that he was a Top 5 pick going into his draft year. I double dog dare you.

Either you're wrong or my Googling skills just aren't up to snuff. (Spoiler alert: I think it's the former)
- mjones242

No, you're right. I saw rankings from the 2015 season pegging him as a top 5 in 2016. Going in to his draft year he was largely pegged as a fringe 1st rounder.

Having said that, could it be that there are some Leafs naysayers out there who may wish to (poop) on anything Leaf related? Any kind of potential good fortune? Methinks yes.
- mjones242

There are far more leaf fans who do that to other fans than other fans who do that to leafs fans. Go read some of the forums and see how many leafs fans trolled sens fans after Connor Brown was cut from team Canada after missing most of the first half with an injury......or how much they trolled Curtis lazar's slow start to last year after he missed a couple months of training with, you guessed it, mono.