Official Tank Nation Topic

[bustaheims]

I don't really see it this way.  I agree that in the past (2 years ago+) he has suggested the long road need not be taken and some of his early moves were much more immediate term, but the moves in the past few years have shown that this really isn't the case.  The acquisitions of Colborne, Franson, Gardiner.. additional picks like last year, etc., his more recent comments about how he doesn't want to make moves to put the team in the playoffs and get killed, and has been relatively consistent talking about long-term success and building with young players. 

So I'm not really getting where many think its some kind of foregone conclusion he is going to trade the pick.  I think he would have done it months ago if he was truly thinking shortcut to success.

That, and he's already on record saying that he's "inclined to keep the pick." I know that's not the strongest statement and, obviously, things could change or he may not be being entirely truthful, but, it certainly doesn't sound like he's shopping the team's 1st rounder.

 

[lamajama]

I don't really see it this way.  I agree that in the past (2 years ago+) he has suggested the long road need not be taken and some of his early moves were much more immediate term, but the moves in the past few years have shown that this really isn't the case.  The acquisitions of Colborne, Franson, Gardiner.. additional picks like last year, etc., his more recent comments about how he doesn't want to make moves to put the team in the playoffs and get killed, and has been relatively consistent talking about long-term success and building with young players. 

So I'm not really getting where many think its some kind of foregone conclusion he is going to trade the pick.  I think he would have done it months ago if he was truly thinking shortcut to success.

That, and he's already on record saying that he's "inclined to keep the pick." I know that's not the strongest statement and, obviously, things could change or he may not be being entirely truthful, but, it certainly doesn't sound like he's shopping the team's 1st rounder.

I know that Burke is supposed to have autonomy but if I were the new Leafs owners, I'd sit BB down and say NO trading of any 1st round picks - or perhaps no trading of any pick in the Top 10 - at least without getting my (owner) approval. I know that gets in the way of hockey knowledge etc of the owner but it seems people need to be protected from themselves.

 

[Kin]

I think, as always, people are sort of falling into unreasonable black and white positions here. Trading a first round pick should always be on the table.

The odds of the Leafs pick being a franchise player are pretty low and I don't get the sense from Burke that blowing things up and actually taking the long way around is on the table(and, if nothing else, I doubt his job would survive that) so if the potential is out there to add something immediate that fits into building around the current roster I think it's something that would have to be considered.

 

[wnc096]

I live in Calgary...and Flames are two points out of the playoffs.  My Flames rep just emailed me a promo for nosebleed tickets for $35 INCLUDING a $10 food voucher to any of the next 3 Flames home games.

Could you imagine if the leafs were 2 points out?  You'd have to sell your 1st born child to get tickets to those games...heck you probably have to do that now to see a 13th place team play.  lol

 

[showmethemoneyman]

yakupov seems a bit small and fragile , he has talent to spare but is he able to withstand NHL level hitting?
Grigorenko has the size and is a C.

 

[Corn Flake]

yakupov seems a bit small and fragile , he has talent to spare but is he able to withstand NHL level hitting?
Grigorenko has the size and is a C.

Grigorenko's problem is he doesn't put the effort in every night. I've heard as often as 4 of every 5 nights he is sleepwalking through the game. We all know how things can pan out when you pick an uber-talented young player with issues around work ethic.

The package of talent and size is pretty intriguing though.

Yakupov is already 190.  If he can add to that he should be as durable as any other player that size.

edit: Filip Forsberg could very well be the best of the 3 of them in the end.  Have a feeling he makes a late jump to the #2 spot, but that's just me.  I'd be all over picking him but unless the Leafs are top 3 I think they will miss the chance.

 

[maplesyrup]

No love for any of the top defensemen available here I see.

 

[bustaheims]

No love for any of the top defensemen available here I see.

More that they're less of a priority for the team and, if the ceiling is similar, the Leafs should take the forward.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

No love for any of the top defensemen available here I see.

More that they're less of a priority for the team and, if the ceiling is similar, the Leafs should take the forward.

Yeah I would lean towards a forward just because defencman take way too long to mature.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I live in Calgary...and Flames are two points out of the playoffs.  My Flames rep just emailed me a promo for nosebleed tickets for $35 INCLUDING a $10 food voucher to any of the next 3 Flames home games.

Could you imagine if the leafs were 2 points out?  You'd have to sell your 1st born child to get tickets to those games...heck you probably have to do that now to see a 13th place team play.  lol

Cool story, bro.

 

[Zee]

Could you imagine if the leafs were 2 points out? 

No, I haven't been able to imagine this for a long time now.

 

[maplesyrup]

No love for any of the top defensemen available here I see.

More that they're less of a priority for the team and, if the ceiling is similar, the Leafs should take the forward.

Yeah I would lean towards a forward just because defencman take way too long to mature.

Bah... If we hang on to the pick, I still take a defenseman if he's the best talent on the board. 

 

[wnc096]

I live in Calgary...and Flames are two points out of the playoffs.  My Flames rep just emailed me a promo for nosebleed tickets for $35 INCLUDING a $10 food voucher to any of the next 3 Flames home games.

Could you imagine if the leafs were 2 points out?  You'd have to sell your 1st born child to get tickets to those games...heck you probably have to do that now to see a 13th place team play.  lol

Cool story, bro.

Guess it shows that other team's fans won't put up with mediocrity....yet us leafs fans have learned to accept it (in the leafs case, wayyyy below mediocrity), myself included. 

Ahh well at least its good for my career, i haven't had to skip out on work to rush home for a leafs playoff game with a 5pm MT puck drop since I started working....7 years ago

 

[Kin]

Guess it shows that other team's fans won't put up with mediocrity....yet us leafs fans have learned to accept it (in the leafs case, wayyyy below mediocrity), myself included. 

Realistically it's a better reflection of the two cities in question than it is the two fanbases. The population of the Metro area in Calgary is 1.2 million. In Toronto it's 5.5 million and there's corporate money out the wazoo. That it's easier to sell tickets in Toronto is really just a numbers game.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Guess it shows that other team's fans won't put up with mediocrity....yet us leafs fans have learned to accept it (in the leafs case, wayyyy below mediocrity), myself included. 

Realistically it's a better reflection of the two cities in question than it is the two fanbases. The population of the Metro area in Calgary is 1.2 million. In Toronto it's 5.5 million and there's corporate money out the wazoo. That it's easier to sell tickets in Toronto is really just a numbers game.

And 65% of those 1.2 million are Leaf fans. 

 

[wnc096]

Guess it shows that other team's fans won't put up with mediocrity....yet us leafs fans have learned to accept it (in the leafs case, wayyyy below mediocrity), myself included. 

Realistically it's a better reflection of the two cities in question than it is the two fanbases. The population of the Metro area in Calgary is 1.2 million. In Toronto it's 5.5 million and there's corporate money out the wazoo. That it's easier to sell tickets in Toronto is really just a numbers game.

And 65% of those 1.2 million are Leaf fans. 

Fact

 

[bustaheims]

Bah... If we hang on to the pick, I still take a defenseman if he's the best talent on the board.

If that were the case, and there were no forwards that were arguably of similar talent to the defencemen available, given the state of the team, I'd be inclined to trade down a few spots to add a couple more assets and still add a higher ceiling forward. The Leafs need another above average top 6 forward much more than they need a defenceman.

 

[maplesyrup]

If that were the case, and there were no forwards that were arguably of similar talent to the defencemen available, given the state of the team, I'd be inclined to trade down a few spots to add a couple more assets and still add a higher ceiling forward. The Leafs need another above average top 6 forward much more than they need a defenceman.

Yeah but this isn't football where your picks play right away and you typically draft to cover your team's biggest holes. Sure, your organizational needs may come in to play but I don't think it's a good idea to draft based on what your big club needs are.   

 

[The Red Polar Bear]

@DarrenDreger: Leafs brass in Sarnia scouting Yakupov tonight.

If only.

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah but this isn't football where your picks play right away and you typically draft to cover your team's biggest holes. Sure, your organizational needs may come in to play but I don't think it's a good idea to draft based on what your big club needs are. 

I'm not thinking of only the big clubs needs. In terms of longer term progressions, the biggest area of need that can be addressed by this year's first round pick is still an above average top 6 forward.

And, let's be honest here, players drafted in the range the Leafs look to be drafting tend to be in the league within a season or so of being drafted.