Leafs' D is in Better Shape Than We Think?

[herman]

Nik... why do you under value our players so much?. you have done this for years and years.

You realize that every year you come around and say the Leafs will be significantly better than they end up being and I say "Nah, they won't be that good" and every year I've been right and you've been wrong.

I've said the team hasn't been good every year for the last ten years because the team hasn't been very good for the last ten years.

I don't just come around every year, I am hear all the time all year, every year since this site was a baby.
my point was under valuing players, not how good the team has been. I know they have sucked for most of the last ten years, and I will still say they should have been better in some of them years then they were. yes I was wrong and gave them more credit then they deserved. But I can see when we have players with talent, I guess the problem was we never had the right people in place to bring that talent along. Now we do.

One thing I will say is that that trend, of me being wrong and you being right  will change, and much sooner then we think. my wrong was more wishful thinking then anything. But this time all the right stuff is coming together, all the new buds are planted, now we just need this season for them to start to sprout. Oh ya... we have the right team of gardeners to help the buds grow into some awesome Leafs this time.

I think the dream is for both of you to be right at the same time.

 

[nutman]

Lololololol

 

[Al14]

Except team that could take on a Brassard for picks are probably in a good cap position to make a bid for Stamkos, or still above Brassard's level, Staal without having to give up picks.

Not necessarily. It's much easier to fit a 5 million cap hit than it is an 11 million dollar one. Not to mention there are probably going to be a lot of teams who will have the cap space for Stamkos but not the internal budget and could still use an upgrade at C. Think Winnipeg, Ottawa, the Coyotes.

Also, there are places free agents might just not want to go. Again, Winnipeg, Arizona, Columbus and so on. So if you're out of those sweepstakes and if NYR is willing to take a reasonable but not dirt cheap package of picks/prospects and you get a good C like Brassard it's a very appealing option if free agency isn't a route you can go. I mean, there's only one Stamkos and for all we know Staal essentially already has a deal to return to Carolina.

Either way, if NYR wants to trade Brassard they're not going to have a hard time of it. I mean you said the Leafs wouldn't have a hard time trading Bozak and Brassard's younger, better and only 750K more.

Nope.  They won't have a problem at all.  I suspect lots of trades and free agent signings happen after Stamkos decides where he wants to spend his next 7 or 8 years.

Stamkos is in the drivers seat.  Whatever team he chooses to sign with will have to find a way to make the necessary cap room happen.  I can see some very good players being traded for peanuts in order for a team to accommodate signing Stammer.

We won't have to wait too long to see how this plays out.

Not anymore anyway.  I've been waiting since Stamkos entered last season unsigned and licking my chops since Kopitar got his contact and Stammer still remained unsigned.

It's gonna be an exciting climax, that's for sure.

I hope that whomever signs Stamkos overpays, and therefor, hurts their ability to sign some of their up and comers.

Well, I hope it's not us!  Sign Stamkos for a reasonable contract, or, stay far away is all I can say!

I think we all want to see reasonable money for Stamkos that isn't crippling if he becomes a Leaf.

That's where the debate lies as far as Leafs fans are concerned.  The point at which you walk away.

More like run away.  As an organization, we don't need any more crippling contracts to get out of.