Nonis using depth to go shopping....

[Tigger]

Colby is a wimp and a dirty hitter? Didn't know that...

I still wish the Leafs had landed Talbot this year.

I have been biased against Armstrong since his Pittsburgh days... Letowski hit.  I could show some youtube videos of various hits and bore everyone but whatever. He also turtles which I won't waste time showing.

The guys an agitator, not a fighter but still he's had quite a few fights in his career, not sure I'd label him a 'turtle'. Also, in that role he often finds himself on the edge, sometimes he goes over like a lot of players, don't think he's really earned a 'dirty hitter' title either.

By all accounts his team mates love him and Wilson really likes him too.

 

[Britishbulldog]

For me, instead of trying to become the Bruins, I would study how the Flyers beat them 2 seasons ago and look for what my team might be missing to be able to do the same thing.

Also, Vancouver could have/should have beaten them but they beat themselves due to goalie and character issues.  Its not like a finesse team couldn't beat the big bad Bruins... just a finesse team with a little bit more gusto.

I know that the Flyers didn't do it with goaltening!!  ;D

A finesse team with gusto is what I see with Detroit.  I was amazed to see how strong their forwards are with and without the puck...

With Vancouver, I was hoping and expecting them to win the cup at first but was quite disappointed with their shenanigans and began to hope the Bruins could beat them.

 

[Kin]

Man...I guess I am a real middle of the road guy because I don't think that I could agree that there is a perfect blueprint but I also can't say that I agree that there is no common ingredients  between Cup winners.  :-\

I don't think anyone is arguing that there's nothing in common between cup winners just that A) nothing is universally common with cup winners and B) the things that seem the most common aren't Milan Lucic and Shawn Thornton types.

There's a certain reality about winning the Cup these days that a ton of it is just about having a team get hot at the right moments and getting a little lucky in their matchups as opposed to strict questions of quality. I don't know how many times post-lockout I've looked at a cup winning team and said with any certainty that they were the best team in the league. Pittsburgh, maybe.

Truth is, these days, all you can really do is put together a pretty good team and roll the dice. And there's lots of ways to put together a pretty good team.

 

[Corn Flake]

For me, instead of trying to become the Bruins, I would study how the Flyers beat them 2 seasons ago and look for what my team might be missing to be able to do the same thing.

Also, Vancouver could have/should have beaten them but they beat themselves due to goalie and character issues.  Its not like a finesse team couldn't beat the big bad Bruins... just a finesse team with a little bit more gusto.

I know that the Flyers didn't do it with goaltening!!  ;D

A finesse team with gusto is what I see with Detroit.  I was amazed to see how strong their forwards are with and without the puck...

With Vancouver, I was hoping and expecting them to win the cup at first but was quite disappointed with their shenanigans and began to hope the Bruins could beat them.

Van had all the tools - just lacked the character to finish it off.  I think the Leafs are building towards a similarly built squad, just remains to be seen if they can deliver as much high end talent... but they already have more character in spades compared to the 'Nucks.

Flyers ... I would need to go back and watch a few of those games. I don't remember what they did right, or if Boston just simply collapsed (for sure a big part of it all).  They did get good goaltending though (fluke) - but that ran out in the finals. 

 

[Boston Leaf]

Follow the Bruins path? Trade for Colin Campbells kid

 

[rdowdall]

There is no question he can be a force in front of the net and therefore "tough." I also considered Sundin "tough" but he didn't go around beating anyone up either. Or, maybe you thought Sundin to be a soft player too or maybe you're somehow just trying to have some fun here. Either way, I'm not sure it advances the conversation along any further.

1) I think Mats Sundin was a soft player
2) I'm just having fun here

or

3) I don't equate Dustin Penner with Mats Sundin

For those of you playing along at home, the answer is 3.

Dammit!!!!  I picked 1 :-(.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Man...I guess I am a real middle of the road guy because I don't think that I could agree that there is a perfect blueprint but I also can't say that I agree that there is no common ingredients  between Cup winners.  :-\

I don't think anyone is arguing that there's nothing in common between cup winners just that A) nothing is universally common with cup winners and B) the things that seem the most common aren't Milan Lucic and Shawn Thornton types.

There's a certain reality about winning the Cup these days that a ton of it is just about having a team get hot at the right moments and getting a little lucky in their matchups as opposed to strict questions of quality. I don't know how many times post-lockout I've looked at a cup winning team and said with any certainty that they were the best team in the league. Pittsburgh, maybe.

Truth is, these days, all you can really do is put together a pretty good team and roll the dice. And there's lots of ways to put together a pretty good team.

Well, I guess it boils down to taste as to which team a person would like to see the Leafs resemble. 

I must say that after watching Buffalo's diving, Vancouver's issues and some other good teams who have some dirty players I really found Boston a breath of fresh air.  Boston seemed to play skilled hockey with a hard-nosed but clean edge.

Pulling this thread back to the subject, I feel that Toronto has some decent skilled players as forwards and defense.  I think the Leafs basically need 1 or 2 forwards to add some grit at the forward position.

Besides that I would sit pat at adding players unless obviously it is to make an improvement for that particular position.

 

[pnjunction]

Reported asking price from #Canes for #Staal is #Kulemin, #Kadri and a pick. #NHL
http://twitter.com/NHLInsights

LOL saw this posted somewhere else.  Only puts us about 5.6 mil over the cap  :

 

[bustaheims]

Reported asking price from #Canes for #Staal is #Kulemin, #Kadri and a pick. #NHL
http://twitter.com/NHLInsights

LOL saw this posted somewhere else.  Only puts us about 5.6 mil over the cap  :

Sounds like pure BS. Kulemin, Kadri and a pick is the new Antropov, Colaiacovo and a 1st.

Also, that's a lot of give up for the hope that Staal can turn his game around. He was absolutely invisible last night, and has been that way pretty much all season.

 

[bustaheims]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Getting lots of questions about trade rumors of Eric Staal to Toronto Maple Leafs. Here's reaction to that from Carolina GM Jim Rutherford:

TSNBobMcKenzie: "I have no interest whatsoever in trading Eric Staal or Cam Ward. That's not going to happen." -- Jim Rutherford

 

[Madferret]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Getting lots of questions about trade rumors of Eric Staal to Toronto Maple Leafs. Here's reaction to that from Carolina GM Jim Rutherford:

TSNBobMcKenzie: "I have no interest whatsoever in trading Eric Staal or Cam Ward. That's not going to happen." -- Jim Rutherford

Clearly he's lying.

 

[bustaheims]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Getting lots of questions about trade rumors of Eric Staal to Toronto Maple Leafs. Here's reaction to that from Carolina GM Jim Rutherford:

TSNBobMcKenzie: "I have no interest whatsoever in trading Eric Staal or Cam Ward. That's not going to happen." -- Jim Rutherford

Clearly he's lying.

Not that I think it's going to happen, but, it certainly wouldn't be the first time a GM made that sort of comment then turned around and moved that player a few weeks later.

 

[cw]

Reported asking price from #Canes for #Staal is #Kulemin, #Kadri and a pick. #NHL
http://twitter.com/NHLInsights

LOL saw this posted somewhere else.  Only puts us about 5.6 mil over the cap  :

$3.7 mil by my calculation.

Rutherford would probably want a center back (assuming he accepts the Leafs notion Kadri is not a center). So some cap cash could be saved there

or

One of the following centers: Bozak, Lombardi, Connolly or Grabbo would have to go. And you'd get an asset back for one those guys though it would vary with the player.

I'm trying to figure out why Rutherford would do that deal. Rutherford did say just before the Canes game that Staal, Skinner, Ward and his two young D are his core for the future.

If Burke doesn't think he can sign Getzlaf in 2013 as a UFA that costs no assets, I'd be very tempted. I know Staal isn't playing well right now but I think a change of scenery to a lineup like the Leafs is likely to be good for him. He's no Mats Sundin but he is a #1 center and they're very hard to come by.

EDIT: Just saw this post:

TSNBobMcKenzie: Getting lots of questions about trade rumors of Eric Staal to Toronto Maple Leafs. Here's reaction to that from Carolina GM Jim Rutherford:

TSNBobMcKenzie: "I have no interest whatsoever in trading Eric Staal or Cam Ward. That's not going to happen." -- Jim Rutherford

Makes a ton of sense to me. I wouldn't do it if I were Rutherford either unless someone got really silly. If Kulemin, Kadri & a 1st is silly, I'd lean that it's silly in the respect that it isn't enough.

 

[Madferret]

TSNBobMcKenzie: Getting lots of questions about trade rumors of Eric Staal to Toronto Maple Leafs. Here's reaction to that from Carolina GM Jim Rutherford:

TSNBobMcKenzie: "I have no interest whatsoever in trading Eric Staal or Cam Ward. That's not going to happen." -- Jim Rutherford

Clearly he's lying.

Not that I think it's going to happen, but, it certainly wouldn't be the first time a GM made that sort of comment then turned around and moved that player a few weeks later.

Kiss of death?
Also - you really would hesitate to make that proposed deal?!? Staal for spare parts and what probably wouldn't be a high draft pick anyways...I'd rather have Staal / Kessel over anything Kulemin is going to bring to the table - he's really the only asset you're losing here.

 

[Kin]

Also - you really would hesitate to make that proposed deal?!? Staal for spare parts and what probably wouldn't be a high draft pick anyways...I'd rather have Staal / Kessel over anything Kulemin is going to bring to the table - he's really the only asset you're losing here.

While it's very cute that you don't count Kadri as an asset the issue here is really more with Staal and the cap than anything.

 

[bustaheims]

Also - you really would hesitate to make that proposed deal?!? Staal for spare parts and what probably wouldn't be a high draft pick anyways...I'd rather have Staal / Kessel over anything Kulemin is going to bring to the table - he's really the only asset you're losing here.

If Staal didn't come with an $8.25M cap hit, it might be different, but, that's a big chunk of the team's ability to have depth and improve other areas of need. And, truthfully, I'm not sure adding Staal really helps Kessel's game all that much - assuming Kessel can keep up the level of play we've seen for the past 2 months - and that's assuming Staal can get his game back in order any time soon. I just feel that, going forward, Kulemin and Kadri could provide more for the team's success as secondary scoring than Staal as a 1st line centre. I like Staal and all, but, he's not the guy the Leafs really need - and, definitely not at that price, both in terms of assets and cap hit.

 

[Madferret]

Also - you really would hesitate to make that proposed deal?!? Staal for spare parts and what probably wouldn't be a high draft pick anyways...I'd rather have Staal / Kessel over anything Kulemin is going to bring to the table - he's really the only asset you're losing here.

While it's very cute that you don't count Kadri as an asset the issue here is really more with Staal and the cap than anything.

Obviously I'm assuming we're all ignoring the fact that this Eklund wannabe can't even get rule #1 of making up trade rumors on the internet right.

 

[Madferret]

Also - you really would hesitate to make that proposed deal?!? Staal for spare parts and what probably wouldn't be a high draft pick anyways...I'd rather have Staal / Kessel over anything Kulemin is going to bring to the table - he's really the only asset you're losing here.

If Staal didn't come with an $8.25M cap hit, it might be different, but, that's a big chunk of the team's ability to have depth and improve other areas of need. And, truthfully, I'm not sure adding Staal really helps Kessel's game all that much - assuming Kessel can keep up the level of play we've seen for the past 2 months - and that's assuming Staal can get his game back in order any time soon. I just feel that, going forward, Kulemin and Kadri could provide more for the team's success as secondary scoring than Staal as a 1st line centre. I like Staal and all, but, he's not the guy the Leafs really need - and, definitely not at that price, both in terms of assets and cap hit.

Fair enough.

 

[cw]

https://twitter.com/#!/LeafsNews
LeafsNews Maple Leafs News
Brophy was on "powerplay tonight" & said the same thing about Staal to #leafs as Bill Watters. Watters still tight w Fletcher. #matlockson
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

LeafsNews Maple Leafs News
Make of this what you will: "Brophy - Burke turned dn a deal 4 Eric Staal 2day due 2 Burke's own self imposed holiday trade freeze." #leafs
1 hour ago

Did anyone see Mike Brophy on "Powerplay Tonight"?

(don't trust or know the tweeter)

Brophy isn't the second coming of Eklund.

 

[maplesyrup]

Brophy said Burke turned down a deal for Staal?