TB is the clear best of the best. no question. Might sound strange but I am glad the leafs are not going to win the presidents trophy. they can hang back and not go all Washington and crap out after being the top team.

i also dont want to play Boston again..tired of seeing them.. how about a Habs matchup...something different
- senstroll

I hate boston.
But we have to slay that little bear.

Everyone is saying Nylander will hit 20p by season's end. He certainly will have more in the next 16 than he did in the last..... I just wonder what happens if he finishes with something like 15-18 pt, and doesn't show up in the playoffs.

Again I would say it's more likely he has an average or above average finish
- AlfieisKing

We'll deal with it if and when it occurs.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't accept a 4th line winger for a 1st pairing defenseman. It might be the start of a deal, though.

That being said, Brown would work well in Edmonton and is the type of guy who would help them.

Put him with McJesus again and it could be a pretty decent pairing for them. He'd also be a Hitchcock type of guy.
- Monkeypunk

Just because he plays there for Edmonton doesn't actually make him a 1st pairing d-man.

Gardner is a pond hockey style player. For every great pass he makes, he make s a terrible coverage decision, or give away, or loses a battle. He is totally non-physical in front which I'm sure his goaltenders just love, and is too weak to tie guys up there as well. He does not have a great or powerful shot. He does every so often make an amazing pass and then everyone forgets how bad he has been. Jake Gardner is, and always has been a forward. He is a winger. And frankly, if he had remained a winger as he should have (he switched in college), he would be easily a 25 goal scorer on either Matthews or Tavares' wing. With his speed he would give teams absolute fits. But, instead he is wasted as a defensemen who 'sometimes' make mistakes.

Zeitsev is terrible. He would not make any playoff teams top 4 right now. Contenders would have him 7th.

Club's d needs to an overhaul or they are not beating Boston, or anyone else in the playoffs.

I hate boston.
But we have to slay that little bear.
- Fakepartofme

Everyone is saying Nylander will hit 20p by season's end. He certainly will have more in the next 16 than he did in the last..... I just wonder what happens if he finishes with something like 15-18 pt, and doesn't show up in the playoffs.

Again I would say it's more likely he has an average or above average finish
- AlfieisKing

The problem is that it wouldn't have mattered whether he produced or not, they didn't need him and are now paying a player they don't need at all, 7 a year. He should have been traded, or they should have let him sit. None of the other RFA's would have the balls to hold the team hostage like that if they had let him sit. Huge mistake.

Everyone is saying Nylander will hit 20p by season's end. He certainly will have more in the next 16 than he did in the last..... I just wonder what happens if he finishes with something like 15-18 pt, and doesn't show up in the playoffs.

Again I would say it's more likely he has an average or above average finish
- AlfieisKing

Who do you think Colorado is going to choose with your #1 pick?

Who do you think Colorado is going to choose with your #1 pick?
- TrashPanda

Laine.

Why would the Oilers continue to Let chiaguy run the team. He is awful
- senstroll

only after he trade Nurse to the Leafs.

Just because he plays there for Edmonton doesn't actually make him a 1st pairing d-man.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Completely different styles, but for a few years, Gardiner was probably our 1st pairing D-man - based on ice team allocated and so on.

Love him or hate him, Gardiner is worth more than Brown in a trade. So is Larsson.

mega trade rumour:

provorov + couturier + simmonds

for

nylander + gardiner + 1st

Who do you think Colorado is going to choose with your #1 pick?
- TrashPanda

A top 2 pick for the Avs is all but guaranteed. So Kakko/Hughes. I think the greater question is who does he think will sign Duchene as an UFA. Does he go back to the Avs?

The problem is that it wouldn't have mattered whether he produced or not, they didn't need him and are now paying a player they don't need at all, 7 a year. He should have been traded, or they should have let him sit. None of the other RFA's would have the balls to hold the team hostage like that if they had let him sit. Huge mistake.
- aminnes

thats just silly talk. The Leafs need him to try to win this season.
They have to push now, Willy makes the team better overall.

Every team needs top line players, as many as they can get. saying they dont need him is ridiculous. you need more good players not less

mega trade rumour Max's made up Bull crap:

provorov + couturier + simmonds

for

nylander + gardiner + 1st
- plantheparade

Fixed.

Philly wouldn't do that trade.

mega trade rumour:

provorov + couturier + simmonds

for

nylander + gardiner + 1st
- plantheparade

why would the flyers do this

Completely different styles, but for a few years, Gardiner was probably our 1st pairing D-man - based on ice team allocated and so on.

Love him or hate him, Gardiner is worth more than Brown in a trade. So is Larsson.
- Monkeypunk

Again, playing 1st pair =/= being a number 1 or 2 d-man. Larsson is a #4 at best. And Gardiner is better than him.

And no, I don't think Brown would be enough to get him. Just saying that Larsson isn't a #1 or anything.

The problem is that it wouldn't have mattered whether he produced or not, they didn't need him and are now paying a player they don't need at all, 7 a year. He should have been traded, or they should have let him sit. None of the other RFA's would have the balls to hold the team hostage like that if they had let him sit. Huge mistake.
- aminnes

Would the team have gained more from a top-2 D-man? Definitely, but I don't know that anyone was offering fair value for Nylander. I think Nylander is worth more than Pesce. Even with his poopty start to this year, he's still worth more than teams were offering - that we know of at any rate. But historically, unless Chiarelli is involved, GMs aren't lining up to make sweet deals when they sense weakness.

The Leafs had an annual price they were willing to accept for Nylander, and they got there with the help of the cap offset. Personally, I was also of the opinion that he had earned the right to sit and lose a year. But in all honesty, you can't run a sports franchise with vendettas and emotional reactions, so it was probably the right move.

Having 2-3 offensive lines that you can roll out is a real benefit, so it's not like having Nylander is a problem.

Everyone is saying Nylander will hit 20p by season's end. He certainly will have more in the next 16 than he did in the last..... I just wonder what happens if he finishes with something like 15-18 pt, and doesn't show up in the playoffs.

Again I would say it's more likely he has an average or above average finish
- AlfieisKing

he will get the Murphy treatment

mega trade rumour:

provorov + couturier + simmonds

for

nylander + gardiner + 1st
- plantheparade

Too bad we already traded that for Karlsson.

Again, playing 1st pair =/= being a number 1 or 2 d-man. Larsson is a #4 at best. And Gardiner is better than him.

And no, I don't think Brown would be enough to get him. Just saying that Larsson isn't a #1 or anything.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Well, he's not a #1 pairing guy EVERYWHERE, but he's a #1 guy on a few teams. We'd have found a reason to blame him for everything if he was on our team in 2014.

Realistically, yes, he's a top 4 guy. Who is somehow worth Taylor Hall.

thats just silly talk. The Leafs need him to try to win this season.
They have to push now, Willy makes the team better overall.

Every team needs top line players, as many as they can get. saying they dont need him is ridiculous. you need more good players not less
- senstroll

They didn't, and they don't. They won plenty without him and he looks like absolute poop right now. Floating around, only skates when it's an offensive chance. In a cap world you can't just sign and sign and sign while leaving one area (d) weak. Tampa traded Namestnikov after 20 goals and 44 points in 62 games. Very similar numbers to Nylander and got the defensemen they needed. They also traded Drouin away for a prospect. In a cap world these are the necessary moves teams must make to create a competitive balanced lineup. Willy was a total waste and is proving it every single game.

mega trade rumour:

provorov + couturier + simmonds

for

nylander + gardiner + 1st
- plantheparade

man it is getting closer to 420 isn't eh!

Everyone is saying Nylander will hit 20p by season's end. He certainly will have more in the next 16 than he did in the last..... I just wonder what happens if he finishes with something like 15-18 pt, and doesn't show up in the playoffs.

Again I would say it's more likely he has an average or above average finish
- AlfieisKing

Everyone is also saying that AlfieisKing should delete his account.

Everyone is also saying that AlfieisKing should delete his account.
- Atomic Wedgie

This is true.

man it is getting closer to 420 isn't eh!
- zazzle

He's 6 hours ahead of us, 420 was ages ago for him.