Matthews, Thornton and Spezza?
- Zezel

lol man just give it up already..

you know exactly who.

Leaf leader in takeaway give away differential?
- Canada Cup

probably 1st in giveaways.

"takeaways" what kind of bullpoop stat is that?

You can never win a Stanley Cup with Phil Kessel on your team. You can win 2 though.


- gergeswillems

Kessel battles man..

Theres a big difference.

Some team could benefit from Willy's services.

Its just not the Leafs.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

How and why?

Kessel battles man..

Theres a big difference.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Well this is some damn fine historical revisionism.

Some team could benefit from Willy's services.

Its just not the Leafs.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Lmfao

lol man just give it up already..

you know exactly who.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Thornton, Tavares and the giraffe

probably 1st in giveaways.

"takeaways" what kind of bullpoop stat is that?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

It's like that other meaningless stats for Willy, goals.

How and why?
- AdamFrench

A team that needs a PP specialist and has not 3-4 better FWs on the roster, and does not mind having a player on the roster that does not bring more than just offense.

e.g. Isles with Eberle - an exact same player like Nylander (fringe 1st liner who is not attrituting anything more than some offense).

Surely there are a few teams who could use a 60point PP specialist on a decent contract - if salary cap hadn't existed, there wouldn't be any issue having him on the Leafs either.


New Jersey, Nashville, Minnesota kind of make sense.

Well this is some damn fine historical revisionism.
- Leafs43

I remember it very well. Leafs Nation made Phil their daily scapegoat. Phaneuf as well. "The Leafs will never win a Stanley Cup as long as Phil Kessel is on the team because he's all about me me me."

I remember it very well. Leafs Nation made Phil their daily scapegoat. Phaneuf as well. "The Leafs will never win a Stanley Cup as long as Phil Kessel is on the team because he's all about me me me."
- gergeswillems

there weren't a lot of people saying this.

I remember it very well. Leafs Nation made Phil their daily scapegoat. Phaneuf as well. "The Leafs will never win a Stanley Cup as long as Phil Kessel is on the team because he's all about me me me."
- gergeswillems

Those were the days....

If the Leafs are gonna roll with Campbell and Demko then they're signaling they arent trying to win a cup.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Did you watch the playoffs last year?

Demko carried them to the final 8

I remember it very well. Leafs Nation made Phil their daily scapegoat. Phaneuf as well. "The Leafs will never win a Stanley Cup as long as Phil Kessel is on the team because he's all about me me me."
- gergeswillems

I remember as well.

Selfish Phil, Lazy Phil, Soft Phil.

He was described in nearly the exact same way as Nylander is now.

But now that he went somewhere else and won a couple cups he's a battler.

there weren't a lot of people saying this.
- MaximusAurelius

Yeah. Only 99%. My bad.

I remember as well.

Selfish Phil, Lazy Phil, Soft Phil.

He was described in nearly the exact same way as Nylander is now.

But now that he went somewhere else and won a couple cups he's a battler.
- Leafs43

Bingo.

probably 1st in giveaways.

"takeaways" what kind of bullpoop stat is that?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Takeaway is the bullpoop when the other team has the puck and you take it away from them. Nylander is second on the team to Muzzin and 11 in giveaways.

I guess it’s just kind of an inconvenient stat.

Yeah. Only 99%. My bad.
- gergeswillems

people called him one-dimensional - basically because he didn't defende and was a master in avoiding hits (can't think of one instance opponents were able to get a hit in on phil).
at the same time, most leafs fan recognised as well that phil carried the team on his back for several years, and without him would have been out of much more games.

Bingo.
- gergeswillems

Don't get him involved please.

A team that needs a PP specialist and has not 3-4 better FWs on the roster, and does not mind having a player on the roster that does not bring more than just offense.

e.g. Isles with Eberle - an exact same player like Nylander (fringe 1st liner who is not attrituting anything more than some offense).

Surely there are a few teams who could use a 60point PP specialist on a decent contract - if salary cap hadn't existed, there wouldn't be any issue having him on the Leafs either.


New Jersey, Nashville, Minnesota kind of make sense.
- MaximusAurelius

I know your answer Max, you always have a reason. I'm interested in his.

This! Surprised you didn’t mention Clarke. We need a few guys like this on this soft team. Do Leaf fans not remember those battles with the Sens? They were the more talented and flashy team. Great regular seasons but the Leafs always knocked them out in the first round. Why? Leafs were far less talented. But had more heart, grit, toughness and yes bloody hell hit every player in sight. I love our talent right now but we need to either start putting on big boy pants or start acquiring more heavy hardened players. Or we will continue to lose in the playoffs to lesser team like Columbus and likely the Habs this year. (If things don’t change)

I do like Nylander but he disappears when things get tough. He is soft. I wish he could change but I am starting to have my doubts. Imagine this team with Josh Anderson instead of Nylander. Montreal declines that trade now. Columbus likely would have given us Anderson and a 2nd for Willy. Hindsight.
- rSole

Did you just add an "e" to the end of Wendel Clark? ....

We'd all trade Willie for the 1990-93 version of Wendel Clark but that ain't happening. Stop (frank)ing blaming Willie for the teams lack of toughness. He's an elite offensive fwd who's actually putting up very good defensive numbers (see Athletic article today). He's never going to pump a guy after the whistle or knock a guy with an open ice hit.

That said Willie needs to get back to shooting the puck and banging loose pucks in from the net front like he did last year.

probably 1st in giveaways.

"takeaways" what kind of bullpoop stat is that?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Probably? Do you watch the games or even look at the stats?


Edit: why is take away bullpoop stat, but giveaway is vastly important?

Taking the puck away is kinda important? No?

Good times
- burn

Pretty sure it was “you can’t win with him as your best player” and they were right. So he went on with his $8m/yr to play on the 3rd line of a pretty good team.



If we can bump Nylander to the 3rd line because of better fits in the top 6 we too will probably win the cup.

*eats a crayon after drawing parade route*

Ps. Set your lineup before 4pm and Boston / NJ postponed.

Kessel battles man..

Theres a big difference.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Ok

idk im just throwing everything at him

He'll be traded.

It's coming.

Be prepared.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Nylander will almost certainly be traded...

... in the off-season.

I just can't see the Leafs keeping Willie when they have Hyman, Andersen (or his replacement), and Rielly in '22 to re-sign.

I actually really like BillNy, but there are more pressing needs for this team than continuing with an offensive-only complementary W.