as far as gus is concerned if the hawks were much more defensively attuned with a solid top 4 blueline...you can keep a guy like gus and try to maximize his positives and try to hide his negatives.

yes I am being satirical...his body of work needs no defending from me...and if your going to make a long term decision on two week of play that ain't all on him...i would call that irresponsible...

If lehner is looking for 7 mil plus for 5 years plus...i can understand the stanbow bulking...but that's business not a hockey decision. But to justify not signing him on a tough two weeks like you and many on this board..NOPE.
- bogiedoc

Let me add, the most important two weeks of the season, and he laid an egg.

With the other team's injuries last night, ya gotta think the prices are better this morning if the 'Hawks are selling.
- 35Tony0

Canes WERE out on Lehner because they thought price was too high.

Gotta think they've changed their minds now.

You have to wonder, when the Leafs miss the playoffs by 1 point, with the insanity of Leaf fans, if he becomes Toronto's Bartman...persona non grata?

Oh the Irony
- TrueGrit

Don't think the Leafs fans have it out for Ayres. If anything, based on the Leafs board, they are ripping Shanahan, Dubas, Keefe and almost all the players a new a**h***.

You have to wonder, when the Leafs miss the playoffs by 1 point, with the insanity of Leaf fans, if he becomes Toronto's Bartman...persona non grata?

Oh the Irony
- TrueGrit

Roberto Luongo sent out a tweet last night "Ayres has more career wins in Toronto than I do".

And Craig Button gave a short speech on TSN to hockey fans about the Leafs: "dont believe anything the Maple Leafs ever say, they are pretenders, they are a cheap tent that folds up in a very small wind".

Thats hard hitting journalism.

From the Athletic this am...

Under the goalie gear he wore while living the dream for 28 minutes and 41 seconds on Saturday night, helping the Carolina Hurricanes to the unlikeliest of victories over the Toronto Maple Leafs, David Ayres wore, well, a Maple Leafs T-shirt.

The 42-year-old, who stopped eight of 10 shots directed at him by the Leafs in emergency duty between the pipes, was protected by a Toronto Marlies mask, and left Scotiabank Arena carrying a Marlies equipment bag.

The Hurricanes asked him to shed his usual blue pants for the third period. He still had on his white and blue pads.

The text message that lit up his phone, the one that told him he was going in after Petr Mrazek went down in the second period, came courtesy of Reid Mitchell, the Leafs director of hockey and scouting operations. And when he’s not working, as he has for the past five years, as the building operations manager at Mattamy Athletic Centre — known formerly as Maple Leaf Gardens — Ayres suits up as the third goaltender at Leafs practice.

He did the same for the Marlies, where he also once worked as the Zamboni driver, and crossed paths frequently with Sheldon Keefe, now the head coach of the Leafs.
Ayres also had a kidney transplant 15 years ago and wondered if he’d ever play hockey again.

You really can’t make up one of the craziest nights in NHL history.

And depending on which side you’re looking at it from, either one of the most inspiring wins in franchise history (Hurricanes), or one of the most embarrassing (Leafs).
- HawkintheD

Pretty cool story for this guy., I bet he already has his Canes sweater framed and on his man cave wall. But this shows the leafs that they are not built to win anything. Too many perimeter players interested only in scoring goals and not interested at all in working hard when the team doesn't have the puck. I expect the Leafs to make a huge change in the summer moving out on of their overpaid forwards.

Let me add, the most important two weeks of the season, and he laid an egg.
- Angotti

How are his bad 2 weeks any more importAnt than the bad stretch cc had or less important than his good stretches of play?

Pretty cool story for this guy., I bet he already has his Canes sweater framed and on his man cave wall. But this shows the leafs that they are not built to win anything. Too many perimeter players interested only in scoring goals and not interested at all in working hard when the team doesn't have the puck. I expect the Leafs to make a huge change in the summer moving out on of their overpaid forwards.
- paulr

Vs the team they played last night who was built around a good defense, has some offensive firepower but could use some help in goal.

Don’t the Canes also have multiple picks in each of the first three rounds?

Canes WERE out on Lehner because they thought price was too high.

Gotta think they've changed their minds now.
- BINGO!

That would make sense. While Lehner is the best trade option out there Stan needs to ensure he doesn’t get greedy and drive away other GMs.

I read that the Canes are also looking at signing Bogosian (instead of trading for Gus). This combined with the facts that the Hawks play this afternoon I wouldn’t expect any deal between Chicago and CAROLINA until tonight or more likely tomorrow.

Also, I hope your guys aren’t out too long. I’d hate to see the Canes miss the playoffs or have a shorter run due to injuries.

Vs the team they played last night who was built around a good defense, has some offensive firepower but could use some help in goal.

Don’t the Canes also have multiple picks in each of the first three rounds?
- HawkintheD

2 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 thirds in 2020, plus some solid prospects (ie Bean, Suzuki, Bokk).

Pretty cool story for this guy., I bet he already has his Canes sweater framed and on his man cave wall. But this shows the leafs that they are not built to win anything. Too many perimeter players interested only in scoring goals and not interested at all in working hard when the team doesn't have the puck. I expect the Leafs to make a huge change in the summer moving out on of their overpaid forwards.
- paulr

Moving out one of their overpaid forwards? Out of courtesy, their first call will go to Stan offering him Wee Willie Nylander straight up for Kirby Dach.

Roberto Luongo sent out a tweet last night "Ayres has more career wins in Toronto than I do".

And Craig Button gave a short speech on TSN to hockey fans about the Leafs: "dont believe anything the Maple Leafs ever say, they are pretenders, they are a cheap tent that folds up in a very small wind".

Thats hard hitting journalism.
- RickJ

Matthews is a big guy who plays like Mats Sundin. He can score he has some great moves but he's a total perimeter player who no stomach to get involved in the tough areas of the ice. Nylander should be nicknamed one way Willie. Tavares shhould never have been signed to that contract. And the guy who I think is the best Leaf hasn't played well at all this season.

I can't wait to hear what the Leaf appologists have to say about last night's mess.

Moving out one of their overpaid forwards? Out of courtesy, their first call will go to Stan offering him Wee Willie Nylander straight up for Kirby Dach.
- RickJ

Git ‘er done Blowman! Reunite the Nylavendar brothers. (Red Font)

Moving out one of their overpaid forwards? Out of courtesy, their first call will go to Stan offering him Wee Willie Nylander straight up for Kirby Dach.
- RickJ

One way Nylander to go with his brother no way Nylander.

Matthews is a big guy who plays like Mats Sundin. He can score he has some great moves but he's a total perimeter player who no stomach to get involved in the tough areas of the ice. Nylander should be nicknamed one way Willie. Tavares shhould never have been signed to that contract. And the guy who I think is the best Leaf hasn't played well at all this season.

I can't wait to hear what the Leaf appologists have to say about last night's mess.
- paulr

Some Leaf fan tweeted out "I'm still good with their 53 year rebuild, God willing I will still be alive when they complete it in 2030".

Hoping Carlsson is the best player to wear the number 46 for the Hawks. It’s a pretty low bar.

Some Leaf fan tweeted out "I'm still good with their 53 year rebuild, God willing I will still be alive when they complete it in 2030".
- RickJ

If there's a god I don't think it likes the Leafs.

It seems many here have not figured out the financial formula for "Binny" Wirtz family. They make more money on liquor sales to insane hawk fans, who take to the bottle, after buying into the story lines generated by McDonough et al...

Then, what happens on the ice....
- TrueGrit

Pretty ingenious business model if you think about it

Hoping Carlsson is the best player to wear the number 46 for the Hawks. It’s a pretty low bar.
- HawkintheD

It will be pretty hard to put perform Todd Gill.

Matthews is a big guy who plays like Mats Sundin. He can score he has some great moves but he's a total perimeter player who no stomach to get involved in the tough areas of the ice. Nylander should be nicknamed one way Willie. Tavares shhould never have been signed to that contract. And the guy who I think is the best Leaf hasn't played well at all this season.

I can't wait to hear what the Leaf appologists have to say about last night's mess.
- paulr

At least our overpaid guys won cups.

How'd you like to have Matthews, Nylander, Marner, Tavares signed to those contracts and probably miss the playoffs?

I'm gonna remove the perpetual cloud of doom that floats over me and recall some of Stanley's more positive moves.

-Brandon Bollig for a 3rd from Calgary.
-Ryan "fricking" Hartman for a 1st and pieces from the best GM in the game, David Poile.
-"The" Drake Caggiula for Brandon "Where the hell am I?" Manning.

29 hours to go Stanislav.

Canes WERE out on Lehner because they thought price was too high.

Gotta think they've changed their minds now.
- BINGO!

Hearing the same.

Lehner and the Hawks arent the only team though. Anderson, Miller and Dell are out there as well.

Stan has to be careful he doesn't price himself out of a deal with CAR as there arent many other teams out there are in need of a goalie of Lehner's level enough to pay a big return.

At least our overpaid guys won cups.

How'd you like to have Matthews, Nylander, Marner, Tavares signed to those contracts and probably miss the playoffs?
- vabeachbear

Exactly! And while I, like most Hawk fans, are upset the Hawks are paying guys who's best days are behind them, at least they earned the money. The Leaf players who did nothing to earn the big contracts, and who like you say may not make the playoffs, would be impossible to handle.

Let me add, the most important two weeks of the season, and he laid an egg.
- Angotti

most important two weeks my ass...this team would never be able to sustain a 20 games of winning...

if he laid an egg he had alot of other egg layers contributing...

craw laid a several when lehenr was keeping them in games...but those don't count...

Hearing the same.

Lehner and the Hawks arent the only team though. Anderson, Miller and Dell are out there as well.

Stan has to be careful he doesn't price himself out of a deal with CAR as there arent many other teams out there are in need of a goalie of Lehner's level enough to pay a big return.
- Tyler Cameron

don't worry tyler the all knowing ones here will be jumping down his throat if he can't get a deal done...