Hey let's talk about the Leafs

overthere · April 8, 2014

Clarkson is a poster boy for the extreme weirdness of free agency.

He was a decent two way guy for the Devils, but not worth anywhere near what he's getting paid. There was no indication before that he'd be a dominant player, nothing in his stats to support monster bucks.

But... I dont blame the Leafs, they did what several other teams were willing to do for Clarkson. It seems the only way to sign even journeyman guys on free agency is to overpay.

Black Dog · April 8, 2014

I'd be surprised if either of them were still employed 24 hours after the Nucks go golfing after Game 82.

Didn't even take that long. Gillis is out as of now.

Black Dog · April 8, 2014

Dion was going to get that money anyway. Also the cap is going up. I'm more upset about Clarkson because he was a huge bust. Nonis should be fired simply for that move.

And now he can be replaced by Gillis. Time is a flat circle.

guyser · April 8, 2014

Didn't even take that long. Gillis is out as of now.

Wow, didnt even wait for the end of season.

4 straight top finishes and what have ya done for me lately...?....nuttin! Youre fired.

But yeah, his hand on the goalie fiasco should have been enough.

Black Dog · April 8, 2014

Wow, didnt even wait for the end of season.

4 straight top finishes and what have ya done for me lately...?....nuttin! Youre fired.

But yeah, his hand on the goalie fiasco should have been enough.

I'm convinced that ownership was meddling in the goalie thing. Gillis would have traded Lou last year, but mgmt forced his hand on Schneider. That's my story anyway.

Mighty AC · April 8, 2014

Dion was going to get that money anyway. Also the cap is going up. I'm more upset about Clarkson because he was a huge bust. Nonis should be fired simply for that move.

If I'm being optimistic about this, the Leafs are still a very young team, they don't need to demolished a rebuilt like the Nucks. Improvement in the D is clearly a must.

If Dion was going to get that money from another club, then I would have let him walk. Him not being the captain and having an additional 8M per season to spend on other players would have been a big win. I don't think Clarkson can play up to the ridiculous money he was given, but he should rebound next year.

guyser · April 8, 2014

I'm convinced that ownership was meddling in the goalie thing. Gillis would have traded Lou last year, but mgmt forced his hand on Schneider. That's my story anyway.

I am inclined to believe you to a certain point.

Gillis not sqwaking is point. Time may tell

overthere · April 9, 2014

Didn't even take that long. Gillis is out as of now.

Tortorella is a different case. No doubt at all he should get fired and may be soon, but even a rich guy like the Nucks Owner will gag on a $8 million payout for the 4 years remaining. If the rumours that the owner hired Torts over the wishes of GM Gillis, he may have to stick with him for at least a couple months next season just to save face.

But... Tortorella lost the support of his players in New York and it appears he never really had the confidence of his players in Vancouver. His position with a new GM can only get more tenuous unless the Nucks win early next season.

And that looks unlikely at this point.

Even without Kesler they have a decent team, but it could easily all get worse fast.

Speaking of Kesler, it is really ominous when a good player wants out because he hates the coach. New coaches are much easier to find than players of Keslers quality.

WestCoastRunner · April 10, 2014

And Trevor Linden is now the president of the canucks. The fans will love this move.

The_Squid · April 10, 2014

And Trevor Linden is now the president of the canucks. The fans will love this move.

The fans are idiots.... No hockey management experience whatsoever.... 6 years away from the game and only as a player....

Be prepared for futility for a long time.... Until they fire him and hire an actual team manager.

kimmy · April 10, 2014

Mike Gillis was out of the playoffs for 1 day and got fired. Kevin Lowe has been out of the playoffs for 8 years and still has a job.

-k

Black Dog · April 10, 2014

Mike Gillis was out of the playoffs for 1 day and got fired. Kevin Lowe has been out of the playoffs for 8 years and still has a job.

-k

Don't forget four out of past five in the bottom three of the league. You down with OBC?

Michael Hardner · April 10, 2014

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2014/04/09/21593826.html

Brendan Shanahan greets Maple Leafs' forward David Clarkson before a a game in November. Shanahan is being wooed by the Leafs to join upper management, a move that would cast doubt over the future of GM Dave Nonis.

No results ? Time to blow up and start over and over and over...

kimmy · April 10, 2014

Don't forget four out of past five in the bottom three of the league. You down with OBC?

OBC?

-k

Black Dog · April 10, 2014

OBC?

-k

Old Boys Club

WestCoastRunner · April 10, 2014

The fans are idiots.... No hockey management experience whatsoever.... 6 years away from the game and only as a player....

Be prepared for futility for a long time.... Until they fire him and hire an actual team manager.

We shall see who the idiots are in the next few years. A quote from Quinn who has no doubt Linden will succeed:

“He has developed a great reputation in this city,” Quinn said. “He’s sharp, he has got all kinds of good tools, and he cares about people and that is the bottom line for me. People trust him. I think those are the ingredients that are going to help him be successful.”

http://www.vancouversun.com/mobile/sports/news/Trevor+Linden+advised+surround+himself/9720913/story.html

WestCoastRunner · April 10, 2014

Mike Gillis was out of the playoffs for 1 day and got fired. Kevin Lowe has been out of the playoffs for 8 years and still has a job.

-k

With Linden's and Gillis' issues during the lockout, there was no way Linden would come and work with the Canucks in any capacity while Gillis was on board. The organization knew they had to do something drastic to move the team forward and I suppose getting rid of Gillis so Linden could come on board was the answer.

kimmy · April 11, 2014

Don't forget four out of past five in the bottom three of the league. You down with OBC?

I hate it. I wish Kevin Lowe would just go away and not come back. He's not just bad at his job, he's so incompetent that he doesn't even realize what a crappy job he's doing. He thinks he's a brilliant hockey mind. He's a perfect example of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

I would be hoping for them to fire Dallas Eakins, except I'm afraid they might replace him with Dave Lumley or Lee Fogalin or Daryl Katz's kid or something. The nepotism is out of control. Like, if Dallas Eakins could choose his own assistants, he'd have picked Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger? The head coaches other teams get to choose their own assistants, don't they?

It bugs me that the Calgary Flames have been rebuilding for 13 months and they're already farther along than we are after 5 years. I hate what a disgrace the Oilers are and it infuriates me that the guy who corkscrewed them into the ground is the same guy is still in charge. Its horrible. I can't stand it.

-k

Black Dog · April 11, 2014

I hate it. I wish Kevin Lowe would just go away and not come back. He's not just bad at his job, he's so incompetent that he doesn't even realize what a crappy job he's doing. He thinks he's a brilliant hockey mind. He's a perfect example of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

I would be hoping for them to fire Dallas Eakins, except I'm afraid they might replace him with Dave Lumley or Lee Fogalin or Daryl Katz's kid or something. The nepotism is out of control. Like, if Dallas Eakins could choose his own assistants, he'd have picked Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger? The head coaches other teams get to choose their own assistants, don't they?

It bugs me that the Calgary Flames have been rebuilding for 13 months and they're already farther along than we are after 5 years. I hate what a disgrace the Oilers are and it infuriates me that the guy who corkscrewed them into the ground is the same guy is still in charge. Its horrible. I can't stand it.

-k

I expect Eakins gets another look next year. Might be end of the line for Smith and Bucky, and rightly so. Less coaches than cockroaches who've survived every plague. Lowe stepping down or getting pushed out wouldn't surprise me much either.

I like MacT and think he's said the right things and made more good moves in his first year than Tambo did in five. He's got a tough row to hoe, though.

As for Calgary, let's not be too quick to make pronouncements about their rebuild. They're still second last in the west and a bottom five team without any real high end talent to build on (Monhan's good, but he's not in the same class as Taylor Hall). They remind me of the 2008-09 Oilers and we all know what happened next.

overthere · April 11, 2014

Bob Hartley has done a great job in Calgary. They have worked really hard for him.Contrast the effort level of the OPilers last night (none at all) vs what Clagary does every night.

Eakins will be back next year but if they have anything like the start they had this year he'll be gone by about Halloween. He is a McTavish hire and has three more years, so MacT will be reluctant to flush him.

There are 2000 to 3000 empty seats in 'soldout' Rexall Place every game now. Last night they were booed hard and often.

It won't get better soon.

Many are starting to wonder just how skilled our skilled players really are, shouldn't it be shown once in a while.

Colrado finished 29th last year and have 40 more points than the Oilers this year.

Duchesne/Landeskog/McKinnon vs Hall/RNH/Yakupov? No contest.

kimmy · April 12, 2014

I expect Eakins gets another look next year. Might be end of the line for Smith and Bucky, and rightly so. Less coaches than cockroaches who've survived every plague. Lowe stepping down or getting pushed out wouldn't surprise me much either.

I like MacT and think he's said the right things and made more good moves in his first year than Tambo did in five. He's got a tough row to hoe, though.

I like MacTavish too. He's the only one of the bunch who I don't think is an idiot. I like many of the things he did this year, like bringing in larger tougher guys and David Peron and Boyd Gordon and the goalie situation. I am sure that Tambellini was not really running the show while he was here. I think that Lowe was part of every decision Tambo made, and that worries me because I don't think that is going to change. You can't have a guy who has screwed up this much for so many years continue to be an authority figure in the organization.

Anyway, whatever nice things MacT did this year, we're 29th in the league. Last year we were 24th. This year our winning percentage is .401, last year it was .469. This year we're bottom 10 in special teams. Last year we were top 10 in special teams. Last year the goals against were 19th in the league, this year they're 30th. Last year the goals for were 20th, this year they're 26th. It seems like they're worse in every area. Why did they get worse? The lineup looks better on paper, the YoungStarz are more experienced... the team should have gotten better, shouldn't it?

It kind of makes me sad that we got all those #1 draft picks and Taylor Hall seems like the only guy who is going to become a star caliber player. I know it is too soon to really know what RNH or Yakupov are going to be but they don't seem that great to be honest. RNH is a twig. Yakupov is a short little one dimensional guy. If you could go back in time, would you pick Seguin and Landeskog instead of Hall and RNH with those two #1 picks? Right now it seems like it would have been better... and RNH is supposed to be the franchise center. It seems like every rebuilding team has a better center to build around.

Honestly I am just depressed about the whole thing.

-k

Black Dog · April 12, 2014

Colrado finished 29th last year and have 40 more points than the Oilers this year.

Duchesne/Landeskog/McKinnon vs Hall/RNH/Yakupov? No contest.

Meh. Colorado is fraud this year. If the Oilers had their goaltending and vice versa to start the year everyone would be gushing over how the Oilers have finally turned a corner, would maybe even be talking about playoffs. Avs looked primed for a first round exit.

Anyway, whatever nice things MacT did this year, we're 29th in the league. Last year we were 24th. This year our winning percentage is .401, last year it was .469. This year we're bottom 10 in special teams. Last year we were top 10 in special teams. Last year the goals against were 19th in the league, this year they're 30th. Last year the goals for were 20th, this year they're 26th. It seems like they're worse in every area. Why did they get worse? The lineup looks better on paper, the YoungStarz are more experienced... the team should have gotten better, shouldn't it?

They had beer league goaltending out of the gate. Missed Gagner and RNH and had Hall at centre to start the year. Then you have a rookie coach, who frankly looked out of his depth. I think they dug a hole in that first month and it just killed their confidence. If you watch the Leafs game in Toronto, you can pretty much see the moment hope dies.

It kind of makes me sad that we got all those #1 draft picks and Taylor Hall seems like the only guy who is going to become a star caliber player. I know it is too soon to really know what RNH or Yakupov are going to be but they don't seem that great to be honest. RNH is a twig. Yakupov is a short little one dimensional guy.

Both are just 20 years old. Nuge played with a bum shoulder pretty much from day one which has limited his ability to train in the off season. I've seen enough from both these guys to know they'll be fine. Not all top picks explode out of the gate: look at guys like Joe Thornton or Vincent Lacavalier or the Sedins. Plenty of blacktop left in these kid's careers.

If you could go back in time, would you pick Seguin and Landeskog instead of Hall and RNH with those two #1 picks? Right now it seems like it would have been better... and RNH is supposed to be the franchise center. It seems like every rebuilding team has a better center to build around.

Landeskog has exactly four more points on his career than Nuge despite playing in around a dozen more games. And I'd still take Hall over Seguin any day of the week.

The kids are the least of the Oilers' problems. Next year the kids should be healthy and have a summer of actual training. Goaltending looks stabilized. Marincin has already shown flashes of being the real deal, add a vet D and a couple vet options up front (guys like Kulemin and Grabovski) and I think they'll be better.

overthere · April 13, 2014

Meh. Colorado is fraud this year. If the Oilers had their goaltending and vice versa to start the year everyone would be gushing over how the Oilers have finally turned a corner, would maybe even be talking about playoffs. Avs looked primed for a first round exit.

Nope. The realtiy is they went from 29th to a playoff berth and did it against a great division, and made it look easy.

Ever see them play? They are big, fast and strong- all the thing the Oilers are not. When they play Edmonton, the Oilers rarely have the puck.

You're delusional if you think any goalie could have done anything with the Oilers defencemen in front of them, and half the forwards goalsucking on any given shift.

I think they'll be better.

Its hard to imagine them being worse.

Mighty AC · April 13, 2014

It kind of makes me sad that we got all those #1 draft picks and Taylor Hall seems like the only guy who is going to become a star caliber player. I know it is too soon to really know what RNH or Yakupov are going to be but they don't seem that great to be honest. RNH is a twig. Yakupov is a short little one dimensional guy. If you could go back in time, would you pick Seguin and Landeskog instead of Hall and RNH with those two #1 picks? Right now it seems like it would have been better... and RNH is supposed to be the franchise center. It seems like every rebuilding team has a better center to build around.

Honestly I am just depressed about the whole thing.

-k

As an avid OHL fan I was really hoping the Oil would pick up Landeskog. The guy is solid player and a leader. However, I'm still fine Nuge; he's a very good centreman. Yakupov on the other hand... He was dazzling to watch in the O, but was (and is) so lazy without the puck. From what I understand Edmonton scouts wanted Murray, but Mr. Katz interfered.

Boges · April 14, 2014

The Raptors have won their division and the Blue Jays, for the moment, have a winning record.

Yet Toronto is obsessed with Brenden Shanahan being named Leafs president, WHO CARES!!!! Unless he can play, or is going to start firing people. Why is this news?

Edited April 14, 2014 by Boges