Yes.
- triggermartin

In all honesty though, Fleury stole last night's game and that happens from time to time.

Gustavsson looks good right now, but the ability to steal a game when being badly outplayed and outshot is not quite there yet.

If it does, there will probably be at least one of the following:

- limited window for buyout of existing contracts, with no cap penalty (same as 2005). Say goodbye to Lombardi, Komisarek. There's your Grabbo cap space right there

- roll-back of salaries (same as 2005).

As every day goes by, it becomes harder for me to imagine the Leafs not retaining Grabbo.

The exception, of course, being if you can trade him for a #1 centre.

If you can't, he is - by far - the Leafs' best option for #1 centre next year.

- Atomic Wedgie

Finger's contract is off the books come end of June. Komisarek, if not moved previously will be the captain of the Marlies. Lombardi likely bought out of the last year... or effectively option to another team for a 7th rounder or underachieving minor league contract. To date BB hasn't had to make these type of decisions... he would have had he not made the Phaneuf trade. Now unless he can move some of the overpriced talent... he'll have to.

Not signing Grabovski for something in the range of 4.5 per year would be just unfair. THe guy seems to want to stay, seems to be liked by the teammates, works hard most if not all nights... heck... take Connolly's money and give it to Grabo. Tell TimC to have a career ending injury IR time out.

How much did they roll back salaries after the lockout?

Or the one foot pass to the open guy.
- HipHopisDead

You clearly haven't played much hockey.

That's true. Getting your already tiny fan base to come back afterwards might be a little harder, though.

Especially when lock-outs become a quinquennial tradition.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Wouldn't it be octennial?

If you haven't already, take a read of Berger's latest blog on Darcy Tucker.

Very interesting bit about how after the bad injury, Tucker just couldn't play effectively anymore. He just didn't have the mental game.

And yeah, I wouldn't give up assets for JVR.
- Atomic Wedgie

Honestly, I don't know if I would even sign him as a free agent. Unless he proves over the next few years that it won't affect him and then he hits the FA market, maybe. But if he were to hit free agency this off season, I wouldn't want Burke to get him.

The safe play with the lead in the last half of the 3rd period is glass and out. You learn that in Pee Wee.
- triggermartin

Off the glass or high in the air ...he was on his forehand too. Shoulda been a pretty simple play.

Finger's contract is off the books come end of June. Komisarek, if not moved previously will be the captain of the Marlies. Lombardi likely bought out of the last year... or effectively option to another team for a 7th rounder or underachieving minor league contract. To date BB hasn't had to make these type of decisions... he would have had he not made the Phaneuf trade. Now unless he can move some of the overpriced talent... he'll have to.
- BorjeFan4Ever

FWIW, Komisarek can't be sent down to the Marlies. He has a NMC and can't be waived to go to the AHL.

http://www.didgomezscore.com/
- Brian Huddle

So good.

Man, he's awful.

Kessel situation was a bit different. The shot got redirected and he was caught very off guard and the puck didn't come to him perfectly for it to work.

Lombo had time, space and a freaking wide open net. Then he took a penatly 10 seconds later when there was not threat which really changed the momentum.
- HipHopisDead

Kessel's a lot more skilled than Lombardi. And Lombo was kinda falling. Looked like he healed it a bit.

It was a pretty (frank)ing soft penalty call, and the Leafs killed it. Lombardi isn't to blame for this loss.

Bottom line from last night: 3rd period. This was the big -Ish last season and I hope it doesn't make a resurgence. Gus was pretty solid, gave up a goal that I thought he should have had. That argument about a goalie stealing us a game become so much more blaring after a game like this... Wilsons choice of shoot out guys was ugly. I love Kessel, he's just terrible in the shootout. Put in Lupul or Bozak and we would have had a better chance. "3rd line" = invisible last night. Grabo + Kuli + Mac look like they can do it again in the final half...
Overall we were killing Pits for the better half of the game. Tonight we should be able to win.

2 of the goals Gus should have had. The slapper and the one he should have covered. The other 2 he had no chance on. And there was only 1 I saw that Fleury should have saved, so it should have been 3-2...although, some of the saves Fleury made were great and it could have been 6 for the Leafs.
- Domaju

Gus needs to stop going to play the puck, he scares me lately for some reason, it's always like awkward timing or something.

I'm so sick of sending Kadri down!

You clearly haven't played much hockey.
- triggermartin

If Schenn is in trouble carrying the puck, a one foot pass won't do anybody any good.

Flip it out to center. You see Komi do it all the time and I like watching guys like Grabo and Kessel fly in on the defenceman hoping for the bouncing puck to go their way.

I don;t have a problem with that goal. He hadn't faced a shot (or many) in quite a while and guy takes a clapper on a breakaway. That's all guessing and reaction time. Gus missed.
- Big_Lightnin

True. But it's still a goal that he could have made. It wasn't a great goal to give up. The good thing was that Fleury went and gave up almost exactly the same on on Bozak. But I still think it was one that Gus could have stopped.

In all honesty though, Fleury stole last night's game and that happens from time to time.

Gustavsson looks good right now, but the ability to steal a game when being badly outplayed and outshot is not quite there yet.
- leafs93

I disagree. Fleury did not steal the game. The Leafs beat Fleury enough to win the game. The Leafs gave the game away through their own mistakes, including Gus spitting the bit big time.

FWIW, Komisarek can't be sent down to the Marlies. He has a NMC and can't be waived to go to the AHL.
- Brian Huddle

I know... stop pissing on my dreams.

http://www.celebrations-gomez.com/en/
- Juice

Greatest thing ever.

Finger's contract is off the books come end of June. Komisarek, if not moved previously will be the captain of the Marlies. Lombardi likely bought out of the last year... or effectively option to another team for a 7th rounder or underachieving minor league contract. To date BB hasn't had to make these type of decisions... he would have had he not made the Phaneuf trade. Now unless he can move some of the overpriced talent... he'll have to.

Not signing Grabovski for something in the range of 4.5 per year would be just unfair. THe guy seems to want to stay, seems to be liked by the teammates, works hard most if not all nights... heck... take Connolly's money and give it to Grabo. Tell TimC to have a career ending injury IR time out.

How much did they roll back salaries after the lockout?
- BorjeFan4Ever

This isn't logical.

I'm so sick of sending Kadri down!
- wolfos412

I'm actually 100% in agreement with this one.

He's too easy to knock over and to knock off the puck. He needs to learn to use his body better and protect the puck. Bring him up when he's added strength in his legs and can handle getting pushed around.

I'm so sick of sending Kadri down!
- wolfos412

For me, if we are going to get a front line center from somebody then Kadri and Schenn can go in a package.

We still have Colborne and other D-men who can fill the void.

We won't miss those two if we are getting a good piece in return.

Greatest thing ever.
- Domaju

Yup, love it.

Worst contract in the league by a mile.

?? for NOT scoring? That's a bit of a stretch. Might as well add Kessel and Bozak and Schenn to that one as they all missed empty nets too. Oh and don't forget the Refs.
- Big_Lightnin

Lombos situation was so much more obvious than Kessel's in that you're thinking "what the F*ck was that." With Kessel you're thinking, "so close, just a little off." I don't recall Bozie or Schenn having a empty net during the game with a few seconds to settle down and shot the puck like a professional hockey player should.
Also that hook with 5min left up by two, with no threat to score is another reason.

Bottom line from last night: 3rd period. This was the big -Ish last season and I hope it doesn't make a resurgence. Gus was pretty solid, gave up a goal that I thought he should have had. That argument about a goalie stealing us a game become so much more blaring after a game like this... Wilsons choice of shoot out guys was ugly. I love Kessel, he's just terrible in the shootout. Put in Lupul or Bozak and we would have had a better chance. "3rd line" = invisible last night. Grabo + Kuli + Mac look like they can do it again in the final half...
Overall we were killing Pits for the better half of the game. Tonight we should be able to win.
- A_Tree

What do you mean by this?

Finger's contract is off the books come end of June. Komisarek, if not moved previously will be the captain of the Marlies. Lombardi likely bought out of the last year... or effectively option to another team for a 7th rounder or underachieving minor league contract. To date BB hasn't had to make these type of decisions... he would have had he not made the Phaneuf trade. Now unless he can move some of the overpriced talent... he'll have to.

Not signing Grabovski for something in the range of 4.5 per year would be just unfair. THe guy seems to want to stay, seems to be liked by the teammates, works hard most if not all nights... heck... take Connolly's money and give it to Grabo. Tell TimC to have a career ending injury IR time out.

How much did they roll back salaries after the lockout?
- BorjeFan4Ever

Finger's contract is moot - it doesn't affect the cap.

Last lockout, all existing contracts were rolled by 24%.

I don't think Lombardi has a NMC, so he'd be "Marlie'd" before being bought out.

Finger's contract is off the books come end of June. Komisarek, if not moved previously will be the captain of the Marlies. Lombardi likely bought out of the last year... or effectively option to another team for a 7th rounder or underachieving minor league contract. To date BB hasn't had to make these type of decisions... he would have had he not made the Phaneuf trade. Now unless he can move some of the overpriced talent... he'll have to.

Not signing Grabovski for something in the range of 4.5 per year would be just unfair. THe guy seems to want to stay, seems to be liked by the teammates, works hard most if not all nights... heck... take Connolly's money and give it to Grabo. Tell TimC to have a career ending injury IR time out.

How much did they roll back salaries after the lockout?
- BorjeFan4Ever

24% I believe.

I'd like to see Grabo at $4M per for 3-5 yrs. Closer it gets to $5M, the more difficult filling out the team properly becomes.