Hey let's talk about the Leafs

BubberMiley · July 7, 2013

While I'm not a jets fan because I find their RCAF logo repulsive, I think their GM has shown some genius with his pickup of Setoguchi and Frolik. You might be disturbed by the general agreement among Leafs Nation, however, that this was a boneheaded move they are doomed to regret. If you don't believe me, you might believe pretty much everybody else. :lol:

Shady · July 7, 2013

I guess we can agree to disagree. That's the beauty about sports. Anyways, hang in there, I'm sure the Jets will turn it around sometime soon.

BubberMiley · July 7, 2013

While it appears they make the playoffs once every ten years like the Leafs, I don't expect they'll so pathetically choke when they do. But if they do, I'll laugh along with you.

Shady · July 7, 2013

While it appears they make the playoffs once every ten years like the Leafs, I don't expect they'll so pathetically choke when they do. But if they do, I'll laugh along with you.

You gotta make the playoffs first before you can choke.

BubberMiley · July 7, 2013

Actually I'm a longtime Blackhawks fan, particularly since they've had local boy Jonathan Toews. But these days I'm kind of partial to the Flames, and I don't expect they'll make the playoffs for a while (though they probably will before the Leafs do again).

Shady · July 7, 2013

Actually I'm a longtime Blackhawks fan, particularly since they've had local boy Jonathan Toews. But these days I'm kind of partial to the Flames, and I don't expect they'll make the playoffs for a while (though they probably will before the Leafs do again).

I disagree. The Leafs will be making the playoffs again this year for sure. The Flames are at least a couple of years away though, but you never know.

Boges · July 8, 2013

The Leafs play in an interesting Division this year. It's an 8 team division with all the teams in the former Northeast teams plus Detroit and the Florida teams.

Top 4 teams make the playoffs so they don't have to worry about any cross-over competition. (What's old is new again).

Detroit added some talent this offseason but they really had to struggle to make the playoffs this past season. I don't believe they're the powerhouses they had been in the past.

Last season the Florida teams were doormats but the Florida Panthers made the playoffs a year before. Buffalo is rebuilding and I think Montreal's year was pretty flukish. They were a joke at the end of the season.

Ottawa and Toronto seem rather evenly matched. A healthy Senators team this year will be formidable. Boston is the defending conference champ so they're the clear favourite.

Toronto clearly played the B's them much better last year then they had in the past. Toronto has a more than fair chance at being the top 4 in that division.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Boges

Black Dog · July 16, 2013

I bet the Leafs miss the playoffs this year. They had a terrible offseason (Grabo buyout, Clarkson signing and Bozak contract are loser moves) and there's even talk of them trading away their #1 defenceman.

Oh and Boges, the top three teams in each division make the playoffs, with the other two spots going to the next highest finishers in the conference. IMO the Leafs will be hard pressed to beat out Boston, Ottawa, Detroit and Montreal for the top three and will have to contend with a much bigger pool for the last two spots. Tall order.

Shady · July 16, 2013

I bet the Leafs miss the playoffs this year. They had a terrible offseason (Grabo buyout, Clarkson signing and Bozak contract are loser moves) and there's even talk of them trading away their #1 defenceman.

Oh and Boges, the top three teams in each division make the playoffs, with the other two spots going to the next highest finishers in the conference. IMO the Leafs will be hard pressed to beat out Boston, Ottawa, Detroit and Montreal for the top three and will have to contend with a much bigger pool for the last two spots. Tall order.

I disagree. They had a very good offseason. Adding Bolland, Bernier, and Clsrkson is great. Resigning Bozak was smart, and even smarter was the Grabovski buyout. Saves them a lot of money going forward.

Black Dog · July 16, 2013

I disagree. They had a very good offseason. Adding Bolland, Bernier, and Clsrkson is great. Resigning Bozak was smart, and even smarter was the Grabovski buyout. Saves them a lot of money going forward.

Clarkson is the worst contract. That money and term for a "goal scorer" who has scored 30 goals once (playing Kovulchuk and Parise) and who is entering the stage of his career where production starts to drop. He'll be a boat anchor by year three of the deal.

Bozak: cheaper than Grabovski, yes, and you get what you pay for. He's an inferior player in every way.

Bernier: gave up assets to shore up the one area where they weren't all that weak to begin with (and then signed the new backup to NHL starter money)

Bolland: Meh. Had a underwhelming season and won't be playing with the likes of Kane and Sharp. Could be ok, I guess.

Other Leafs moves that definitely sucked: re-upping Orr and McLaren, letting Clarke MacArthur walk to a sweetheart deal with a division rival.

Boges · September 23, 2013

This is like a Porno Orgy of Fighting.

If I was Kessel I'd have used my stick as a Lousiville Slugger on that sasquatch too. Who tries to fight the other team's top forward in a pre-season game?

Way to make a debut in Toronto David Clarkson. :-/ Doing what he did apparently comes with an automatic 10-game suspension.

Edited September 23, 2013 by Boges

Mighty AC · September 23, 2013

Good for Phil! I don't like the guy but if that sasquatch said he was coming for me I'd have tried to chop him down too. Phil also did well against Brian Flynn. He deserves a game for the second slash and the spear but still good for him. I hope the Sabres coach is fined as well.

Mighty AC · September 23, 2013

Clarkson is the worst contract. That money and term for a "goal scorer" who has scored 30 goals once (playing Kovulchuk and Parise) and who is entering the stage of his career where production starts to drop. He'll be a boat anchor by year three of the deal.

Bozak: cheaper than Grabovski, yes, and you get what you pay for. He's an inferior player in every way.

Bernier: gave up assets to shore up the one area where they weren't all that weak to begin with (and then signed the new backup to NHL starter money)

Bolland: Meh. Had a underwhelming season and won't be playing with the likes of Kane and Sharp. Could be ok, I guess.

Other Leafs moves that definitely sucked: re-upping Orr and McLaren, letting Clarke MacArthur walk to a sweetheart deal with a division rival.

I agree with most of your points here. At a lower price Clarkson would have been a good addition to a team in need of grit, like Edmonton...not a team in need of talent. I don't think 2.4M, 3.4M paycheque for a solid backup is unreasonable, especially when he could very well be the starter on this team. Additionally, he is only signed for 2 seasons so with Reimer only making $1.6M their tandem is only $4M this season. That's not bad at all.

Black Dog · September 24, 2013

I like Kessel more after this. Hope he walks as a UFA next season for a team that isn't run by squirrels.

The_Squid · September 25, 2013

If I was Kessel, I'd act like a real hockey player, drop the gloves and kick his ass. But he's not... So he didn't.

After viewing the video, Kessel's a chicken$hit.

Edited September 25, 2013 by The_Squid

Boges · September 25, 2013

If I was Kessel, I'd act like a real hockey player, drop the gloves and kick his ass. But he's not... So he didn't.

After viewing the video, Kessel's a chicken$hit.

You're trolling right? Dude was 6'8. His only purpose on the Sabres roster is to fight. Kessel is maybe 6'0, it's the pre-season and he's the team's top scorer.

Would you say the same if some goon went after Gretzky or Crosby?

Once the Donneybrook had commenced Kessel did beat the bleep out of a Sabre more his size.

BTW Kessel doesn't miss a regular season game but Clarkson is out for 10.

Mighty AC · September 26, 2013

Phil probably deserved one regular season game for the late spear though.

Black Dog · September 26, 2013

Phil probably deserved one regular season game for the late spear though.

That wasn't a spear. I've been speared, I know.

cybercoma · September 26, 2013

AppleTV just got an MLS app. I noticed the Toronto FC seem to be about as good as the Leafs. What's up with that?

Boges · September 27, 2013

TFC has never made the playoffs.

At least the Leafs have done that.

TFC is a joke.

Black Dog · September 27, 2013

TFC has never made the playoffs.

At least the Leafs have done that.

TFC is a joke.

TFC is also way more of a sideshow than the Leafs. How many coaches and GMs have they had in seven years? 9? 10?

It kills me that the only semi-successful, competently-run Toronto sports franchise is the one no one gives a shit about.

(It's the Argos btw).

Shady · September 28, 2013

TFC is also way more of a sideshow than the Leafs. How many coaches and GMs have they had in seven years? 9? 10?

It kills me that the only semi-successful, competently-run Toronto sports franchise is the one no one gives a shit about.

(It's the Argos btw).

Nope. Maybe a while back, but the Leafs have been competently run for the last few years, and still are. Nonis is a very good GM.

The_Squid · September 28, 2013

No is has been on the job for a few short moths after Burke was fired in a bizarre move! lol

Boges · September 30, 2013

No is has been on the job for a few short moths after Burke was fired in a bizarre move! lol

Burke pissed off the suits. I guess Bell/Rogers don't think as kindly to hot-headed execs as the teachers did.

Black Dog · September 30, 2013

Nope. Maybe a while back, but the Leafs have been competently run for the last few years, and still are. Nonis is a very good GM.

Nonis hasn't been GM long enough to make that call. Last year's team was basically Burke's. And if Nonis's offseason moves turn out the way I expect, you're going to look as good on that prediction as you did with your Romney landslide one.