I disagree.
Zaitsev was really good in the playoffs.

But anyways, I am aware a lot of people didn't like him.
Apart from the salary, the fact that he's Russian contributed to that quite a bit imo.
(there is a lot of anti-Russian sentiment around in Canada/US apparently).
- MaximusAurelius

Once again you personalize everything. There's a lot of anti-Putin sentiment and negativity to your Putin love which you try to use to defend your dumb hockey takes.

Lots of people were enthusiastic about Zaitsev but became much less enthusiastic about his contract. You can agree or disagree but to turn that into an anti-Russian thing is stupid.

So please pick out a Russian Leaf from the last 5 years on my list, and explain how they got a rough time.

Want to expand it to Soviet players? You telling me Komarov was given a hard time?

He was completely franking useless, and fans here loved him, because he could swear in five languages.

Go ahead, point to a name or two. I'll wait.
- Atomic Wedgie

In the past 10 years I can't think of any Russian born player on the Leafs that was not liked. Maybe Gardinerov?

For the 100th time, Marner's camp said they were in no way whatsoever gonna sign before either Nylander OR Matthews.

(frank) sake, Max.
- GreatGigInTheSky

this is factual untrue.
Marner's camp was willing to sign before start training camp 2018/2019.
their ask was 8-9mln AAV on a long term deal (5y+).
Dubas didn't want to do that.

Only after that option was removed from the table, Marner's camp indicated they would not be interested in signing before Nylander & Matthews.

Russia, one of the biggest hockey-playing countries in the world, provides only 4.3 percent of the NHL’s skaters (26 out of 610) and 7.2 percent of its goalies (five out of 69).

(I'm unable to post link to the Hockey News - weird)

Yet they are 4 of the top 15 in jersey sales:

https://www.nhl.com/news/...jersey-in-nhl/c-298136872
- Atomic Wedgie

May I leave a copy of our publication, the Watchtower with you?

Once again you personalize everything. There's a lot of anti-Putin sentiment and negativity to your Putin love which you try to use to defend your dumb hockey takes.

Lots of people were enthusiastic about Zaitsev but became much less enthusiastic about his contract. You can agree or disagree but to turn that into an anti-Russian thing is stupid.
- Canada Cup

I have no 'love for Putin'.

Only thing I ever said is that when comparing the level (intellectual, general education, strategic mind, consistency etc.) Putin is way ahead of most other global political leaders.

On Zaitsev - as Roger says, Babcock was using him completely differently 2nd season than his good first season. That was due to the fact that Babcock had no other options. Zaitsev eventually was the victim of that - receiving lots of bad criticism by Leafs fans. Last games this season obviously makes it clear that Zaitsev is 5 times the player that Ceci is.

this is factual untrue.
Marner's camp was willing to sign before start training camp 2018/2019.
their ask was 8-9mln AAV on a long term deal (5y+).
Dubas didn't want to do that.

Only after that option was removed from the table, Marner's camp indicated they would not be interested in signing before Nylander & Matthews.
- MaximusAurelius

You're getting all these from a Steve Simmons story LOL.

I disagree.
Zaitsev was really good in the playoffs.

But anyways, I am aware a lot of people didn't like him.
Apart from the salary, the fact that he's Russian contributed to that quite a bit imo.
(there is a lot of anti-Russian sentiment around in Canada/US apparently).
- MaximusAurelius

Probably the lingering effects of those Soviet Red Army teams that were run out of the Kremlin for the purpose of proving the superiority of communist organization over free-wheeling decadent capitalism.

In the past 10 years I can't think of any Russian born player on the Leafs that was not liked. Maybe Gardinerov?
- PatC80

I had to check - Korolev was in the past 10 years.

He never put up enough points for Leafs fans to fall in love with him.

RIP

Russia, one of the biggest hockey-playing countries in the world, provides only 4.3 percent of the NHL’s skaters (26 out of 610) and 7.2 percent of its goalies (five out of 69).

(I'm unable to post link to the Hockey News - weird)

Yet they are 4 of the top 15 in jersey sales:

https://www.nhl.com/news/...jersey-in-nhl/c-298136872
- Atomic Wedgie

Russian players in general only come to the NHL if they are top players - enough 3rd and 4th liners available in Canada and the US.
Not strange that fans love to buy their star players' jerseys (Tarasenko, Panarin, Ovechkin etc.).

Don't tell me that some Americans/Canadians (e.g. Cherry) aren't / weren't very harsh on Russians (compared to the 'home town boys') when speaking about them publicly.

You're getting all these from a Steve Simmons story LOL.
- RogerRoeper

actually not - it was in a 'the full 60' podcast (Craig Custance).
Same podcast where the Kessel trade was discussed - and Dubas wasn't keen on taking on Matt Murray in a deal in exchange for Kessel. (obviously that could be caused as well because of the other parts in the deal)

You're getting all these from a Steve Simmons story LOL.
- RogerRoeper

The least trustworthy and least likeable person. Clearly, he's a good source for Max.
Everyone hates Steve Simmons more than Gardinerov

I had to check - Korolev was in the past 10 years.

He never put up enough points for Leafs fans to fall in love with him.

RIP
- Atomic Wedgie

I liked Korolev. I recall he wanted to be a Canadian citizen

actually not - it was in a 'the full 60' podcast (Craig Custance).
Same podcast where the Kessel trade was discussed - and Dubas wasn't keen on taking on Matt Murray in a deal in exchange for Kessel. (obviously that could be caused as well because of the other parts in the deal)
- MaximusAurelius

Other people claim Dubas ASKED for Murray, so why does that take mean you believe it more?

Other people claim Dubas ASKED for Murray, so why does that take mean you believe it more?
- RogerRoeper

Cause 1 person saying something is more accurate than 100 people saying the opposite thing. 100 liars, you know.

Dubas signed his entier core when people laughed and said it could never be done. He traded for Muzzin and people said he wouldn't stay and sign an extension. He traded down to draft SAndin. He signed Lehtonen when he wasn't even in the running apparentkly. Signed Mikeyev. Signed the biggest UFA in year in TAvares.

What am I missing here? What more do you want? He's been GM 2 years.

Russian players in general only come to the NHL if they are top players - enough 3rd and 4th liners available in Canada and the US.
Not strange that fans love to buy their star players' jerseys (Tarasenko, Panarin, Ovechkin etc.).

Don't tell me that some Americans/Canadians (e.g. Cherry) aren't / weren't very harsh on Russians (compared to the 'home town boys') when speaking about them publicly.
- MaximusAurelius

So much to unpack here.

The Russian hockey system is a shell of its former self - with the various communist party entities no longer funding the grassroots, numbers have declined to a great extent. While they made some interesting reforms about four years ago, it's still too early to determine if they will have any effects. I sincerely doubt it.

While money gets concentrated on a few elites, the base of the pyramid is much, much smaller than it was 30 years ago.

And if you want to dig up anti-Russian sentiment from the 1990s, go ahead, knock yourself out. Yeah, we hated teams wearing the CCCP. That kinda ended with Mogilny, Bure and Fedorov. Did we hate them? Hells yes - because they played for other teams.

Dubas signed his entier core when people laughed and said it could never be done. He traded for Muzzin and people said he wouldn't stay and sign an extension. He traded down to draft SAndin. He signed Lehtonen when he wasn't even in the running apparentkly. Signed Mikeyev. Signed the biggest UFA in year in TAvares.

What am I missing here? What more do you want? He's been GM 2 years.
- RogerRoeper

Yeah but he didn't force St. Louis to trade Pietrangelo.
Fire Dubas.

Cause 1 person saying something is more accurate than 100 people saying the opposite thing. 100 liars, you know.
- PatC80

Justin Bourne was working for the Leafs organization (Marlies if I remember well) at the time.
It was him that made that comment on the podcast.
Quite sure he's more reliable than a lot of other 'unidentified' people - he would be stupid to go on the record on this if it weren't true.

Need more of this.

https://twitter.com/navyv.../1267601410599923720?s=19

Justin Bourne was working for the Leafs organization (Marlies if I remember well) at the time.
It was him that made that comment on the podcast.
Quite sure he's more reliable than a lot of other 'unidentified' people - he would be stupid to go on the record on this if it weren't true.
- MaximusAurelius

Wasn't Kessel traded in July 2015.? Bourne was hired by the Marlies in November 2015, if I recall correctly

Good Morning my Leafy knobgoblins,

Jennifer Garner voted out yesterday

Here is Today's Matchup, A or B

Here is Today's Matchup, A or B


- Aetherial

A

Wasn't Kessel traded in July 2015.? Bourne was hired by the Marlies in November 2015, if I recall correctly
- PatC80

Seems you are right on the timelines.
If I remember well though - Bourne commented in the same podcast that before joining the Marlies as an assistant coach, he worked as a video analyst for Leafs organization in the months/year before that.

Seems you are right on the timelines.
If I remember well though - Bourne commented in the same podcast that before joining the Marlies as an assistant coach, he worked as a video analyst for Leafs organization in the months/year before that.
- MaximusAurelius

No, he worked at the Score. Not with the Leafs.