All quiet on the Leaf front. But why?

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Well, if a trade presents itself for a top line center, he'd most certainly have to be moved, if he is not a part of that deal. Where would he fit? I think he might have to play the wing already, we've got 5 centers.

 

[rdowdall]

Not sure.  If a team has a need to get to the cap floor, and they also need a 1b, 2a type centreman, maybe they bite and giveup a middling draft pick.

Honestly, I'd pass. I mean, unless there are immediate and pressing needs for the cap space I think the smart thing to do is keep Connolly around.

Best case scenario: Connolly plays really well, helps the team into the playoffs
Medium case scenario: Connolly plays well, Leafs suck, trade him at the deadline
Worst Case Scenario: Connolly doesn't play well/is injured, cap hit comes off the books

So, I mean, I'd much rather gamble on the first two. I think you could even argue that the medium case scenario would be for the best given the way teams overpay on deadline day.

Yeah, I hadn't thought of it that way, but that would be the way to go.  I would say scenario #2 would be the best case scenario.  He does have two cases of that as well, because they could do the same thing with Lombardi.

My only concern is that they don't really have the roster spots for these guys to play.  Someone has to move to the wing, or someone has to be moved out.  Right now they have Bozak, Grabovski, McClement, Steckel, Connolly, Lombardi that can play centre.

If Colborne makes a push this year, it would be nice to find a way to get him in to the lineup as well.

To me, the Leafs have depth, but it's the wrong kind of depth.  They have a lot of overlap in the 2nd line area.

 

[Kin]

Well, if a trade presents itself for a top line center, he'd most certainly have to be moved, if he is not a part of that deal. Where would he fit? I think he might have to play the wing already, we've got 5 centers.

Well, the way I see it is that the top 3 centres right now are Connolly, Bozak and Grabo. I don't think either McClement or Steckel add enough offense to be a #3 guy and both guys are ideal 4th liners.

So really the only odd-man out there is Lombardi who, I mean, I think is questionable to even be in the line-up let alone in the top 9.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Well, the way I see it is that the top 3 centres right now are Connolly, Bozak and Grabo. I don't think either McClement or Steckel add enough offense to be a #3 guy and both guys are ideal 4th liners.

So really the only odd-man out there is Lombardi who, I mean, I think is questionable to even be in the line-up let alone in the top 9.

That's one way to look at it, but Burke said that they believe McClement will play the 3rd role with Steckel on the bottom and Grabo is not leaving the 2nd. Maybe they let Connolly and Bozie battle it out for the top line, but I think we can say that Bozak has the line on that by virtue of his chemistry and history already.

But I do agree, that Lombardi is looking to lose his job.

 

[bustaheims]

Isn't that precisely what he did with Schenn though?  I'm very happy with the return but the move was a significant gamble considering the injury risk involved.

No. JvR is roughly the same age as Schenn and of roughly the same value, so, really, that was moving a long-term asset from the defence to the forwards.

With respect to your main point, I don't really see who, beyond Gardiner and their new D, would constitute a high-value long term asset.

Kadri, Colborne, next year's 1st round pick, etc - these are all high value long-term assets - as in, they're only assets that will only be moved to acquire other high value, long-term assets.

 

[caver]

Both Connolly and Lombardi have had good NHL seasons in the recent past. Last year they both sucked. Nobody can say without doubt that one or both of them can't have a comeback season this year. Training camp should be interesting.

 

[Kin]

Both Connolly and Lombardi have had good NHL seasons in the recent past. Last year they both sucked.

Yeah, but there's being bad the way Connolly was, which is fairly bad, and there's being bad the way Lombardi was, which is where he scored half as many points as Connolly in only 8 fewer games.

 

[caver]

True Nik. But whether it was BAD or REALLY BAD doesn't mean they could not rebound. Are the odds 10 to 1 or New York Powerball odds?

 

[Rebel_1812]

Both Connolly and Lombardi have had good NHL seasons in the recent past. Last year they both sucked.

Yeah, but there's being bad the way Connolly was, which is fairly bad, and there's being bad the way Lombardi was, which is where he scored half as many points as Connolly in only 8 fewer games.

who has more potential?  I would say Connolly has the potential to play as 1st line centre with kessel.  That was kind of the idea of signing him for so much. 

On an unrelated note, I think signing Doan would be a good move right now.  He is a UFA with size that can fit into the top 6.  Also then would could trade either of MacArthur or Kulemin for a goalie or a center.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

Outside of Parise, there really isn't a UFA that can help the Leafs.  The Leafs need help in net, down the middle, some size, grit and knows what it takes to win and would be willing to and be able to play for at least 3 seasons with the Leafs.  Simply put, the Leafs look like they will not be playoff bound for at least the next 2 years.  If another team is at or above the cap, maybe Burke can swing a deal for a player that can help the Leafs.

 

[Ronco]

Just wait till the trade deadline. Laughs aloud to himself.

I think that were not going anywhere again with this group.
2nd half is the key.

I could care less about how they come out of the gate anymore.
With this last years group almost intact. I'm left to wonder what Burke is seeing that i don't.
To thin up front. Down the middle. And the Twine will be a Twinging in the Leafs net this coming season.

Groan!!!

 

[Knobby]

Well put, I unhappily agree with your comments. I think that we will be major sellers at the deadline if we do not get a legitimate #1 goaltender. Defence could be a little worse without Schenn. Top 5 pick possibly coming. If they are not in a playoff position at trade deadline, Burke could be gone. Don't know if that would be a good thing though.

 

[freer]

Well put, I unhappily agree with your comments. I think that we will be major sellers at the deadline if we do not get a legitimate #1 goaltender. Defence could be a little worse without Schenn. Top 5 pick possibly coming. If they are not in a playoff position at trade deadline, Burke could be gone. Don't know if that would be a good thing though.

There will be no doubt about it. Burke will be gone if they dont make the playoffs. That was stated half through last season by Burke himself. He had better get something done, in the next couple or months or he will be looking for new work come Apr. That being said. If they can get rid of some of garbage prior to training camp I will still look forward to what some of younger talent can bring

 

[Corn Flake]

Well put, I unhappily agree with your comments. I think that we will be major sellers at the deadline if we do not get a legitimate #1 goaltender. Defence could be a little worse without Schenn. Top 5 pick possibly coming. If they are not in a playoff position at trade deadline, Burke could be gone. Don't know if that would be a good thing though.

There will be no doubt about it. Burke will be gone if they dont make the playoffs. That was stated half through last season by Burke himself. He had better get something done, in the next couple or months or he will be looking for new work come Apr. That being said. If they can get rid of some of garbage prior to training camp I will still look forward to what some of younger talent can bring

I know he said something to that effect and I know lots of people want his head but I don't believe it will happen.  In general, NHL teams have become much more patient with their GMs despite many teams having minimal or no success.  Teams have figured out that unless you have a complete incompetent running your team you can't just fire and revamp everything after a few years without success.  It just doesn't work that way. 

Look at what Ottawa did ... by all rights Murray should have been fired ages ago but maybe Melnyk learned after dumping Muckler (after losing in the freaking finals no less) that being quick on the trigger doesn't actually help matters.  It seems to have paid off for them even after he went through about 17 coaches in 2 years and made some pretty bad trades (Pascal Leclaire) in his own right and effectively dismantled a cup contender. 

Now for coaches, they still seem to take the fall for what may be GM mistakes, but you can change the fortunes of your team a lot quicker with a coaching change.  Change the GM and it's pretty much going to mean a major restructure of the entire organization.  Those rarely result in quick turnarounds.

The only way I see Burke getting canned is if he has some sort of major clash with the new ownership and board members, but with Larry T still running that show, not much is going to change.  Rogers has been quite patient in their sports ownership and seem to be generally supportive and don't meddle much.

 

[sampson]

It's quiet... a little tooooooo quiet.

 

[armche123]

TRADE TIME!  ;D

 

[jonlleafs]

It's quiet... a little tooooooo quiet.

*chirp chirp*

 

[Knobby]

Well put, I unhappily agree with your comments. I think that we will be major sellers at the deadline if we do not get a legitimate #1 goaltender. Defence could be a little worse without Schenn. Top 5 pick possibly coming. If they are not in a playoff position at trade deadline, Burke could be gone. Don't know if that would be a good thing though.

There will be no doubt about it. Burke will be gone if they dont make the playoffs. That was stated half through last season by Burke himself. He had better get something done, in the next couple or months or he will be looking for new work come Apr. That being said. If they can get rid of some of garbage prior to training camp I will still look forward to what some of younger talent can bring

I know he said something to that effect and I know lots of people want his head but I don't believe it will happen.  In general, NHL teams have become much more patient with their GMs despite many teams having minimal or no success.  Teams have figured out that unless you have a complete incompetent running your team you can't just fire and revamp everything after a few years without success.  It just doesn't work that way. 

Look at what Ottawa did ... by all rights Murray should have been fired ages ago but maybe Melnyk learned after dumping Muckler (after losing in the freaking finals no less) that being quick on the trigger doesn't actually help matters.  It seems to have paid off for them even after he went through about 17 coaches in 2 years and made some pretty bad trades (Pascal Leclaire) in his own right and effectively dismantled a cup contender. 

Now for coaches, they still seem to take the fall for what may be GM mistakes, but you can change the fortunes of your team a lot quicker with a coaching change.  Change the GM and it's pretty much going to mean a major restructure of the entire organization.  Those rarely result in quick turnarounds.

The only way I see Burke getting canned is if he has some sort of major clash with the new ownership and board members, but with Larry T still running that show, not much is going to change.  Rogers has been quite patient in their sports ownership and seem to be generally supportive and don't meddle much.

Personally, I like what Burke has done overall. We had no prospects before he came and I think that now we have some blue chippers. I just wish that he would keep his mouth shut about some stuff. Trade Deadline deadlines, Free Agency stupidity, and saying that the #5 pick in the draft was actually the #1 player.

 

[Kin]

We had no prospects before he came and I think that now we have some blue chippers.

Frattin, Kulemin, Gunnar, Reimer, Schenn...or, you know, basically every good young player who made an impact on the Leafs last year.

 

[L K]

We had no prospects before he came and I think that now we have some blue chippers.

Frattin, Kulemin, Gunnar, Reimer, Schenn...or, you know, basically every good young player who made an impact on the Leafs last year.

JFJ certainly was a bad GM, but he had essentially 4 years as GM of the Leafs.  Started in August of 2003 and had that season, then got held up by the lockout that killed what was left of the pre-lockout chances of winning a cup with the current team. 

He then bumbled around for 2005/6, 2006/7, and was fired half-way through the 2007/8 season. 

In that 4 year time period he/Fletcher drafted:

Frattin, Gunnarsson, Kulemin, Rask, Reimer, Schenn, Stalberg, Stralman, and Tlusty who have seen significant time in the NHL

Holzer, Komarov, Hayes are guys pushing at the door of NHL ice time too.

When Burke came in, all of those players except Rask were with the team.

The cupboard certainly wasn't full when Burke came in, but to call it complete devoid is a little unfair.

The flip side could be that in 4 years, Burke has had 1 draft pick play for the team.  It's just as unfair of a statement to make because so many of those guys are still in junior/college hockey.  Ferguson's better picks were European/college players who took time to come over to the NA pro game so they didn't make an immediate impact on the NHL roster.

We have prospects, but they are every bit a question mark for being a sign of future team success until they actually do something beyond the CHL.