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Tank Nation: Matthews Edition

RedLeaf said:
That's my point. The odds have diminished to the point where management would have to seriously question whether or not tanking is a viable enough approach. I mean, a team could purposely tank for 5 straight years, finish dead last and still end up with mediocre results. At what point do you say it isn't worth it? The sure thing was last year. This year, not so much.
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All anyone can do in any situation is maximize their chances at success. Tanking represents that short of an alternative that's more likely to yield results. If the team doesn't tank what represents the better option? Drafting 8th every year? Do what they did under Burke and desperately try for the bottom playoff seed with no appreciable road to becoming a contender?

Nothing is a sure thing. Even last year. We saw it with the Coyotes. They tanked as hard as they could and didn't land Eichel or McDavid. Whether you're aiming for the bottom or the top you don't get to control the situation around you.

The people running this team have a responsibility to treat it like a serious enterprise. They're not girls planning their sweet 16 birthday party. They're not going to pout and whine because things aren't exactly as they want them to be. Good players will be available even at #4 and they can afford to be patient until they find mix.
 
Where do you all think we are at with the cupboard?  Is it half full, overflowing or still relatively empty.
My view is after they draft 12 players this year the cupboard will be relatively full. 
They can only contract 50 guys, so even if 4 of this years draft look like they make the NHL (one day) you gotta keep em under contract until they develop.
 
In the middle, filling up.

It is really fun to watch a game again after the deadline call up, see guys like Nylander, Hyman, Soshnikov, Kapenen, Loov, Carrick and I dare to say the good adition in Laich playing is a lot more fun.

Sure, next year won't be good enough to earn a playoff spot, but they will pick this year in the 1 to 5 range, they have Manner, they will improove 20 points in the standings with the right management after this draft/free agency period.

Finally a rebuild that was did the right way all along, only 3 pieces they couldn't move (PAP, Boyes and Grabner) and if they resign any of then would be PAP (and he was the only one with real value)
 
Highlander said:
Where do you all think we are at with the cupboard?  Is it half full, overflowing or still relatively empty.
My view is after they draft 12 players this year the cupboard will be relatively full. 
They can only contract 50 guys, so even if 4 of this years draft look like they make the NHL (one day) you gotta keep em under contract until they develop.
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Some shelves are filling up nicely, some are still bare. Need more and/or better defense and goalie prospects.
 
RedLeaf said:
I like the fact that management is finally putting their noses to the grindstone and tanking for the cause.  My only question is, where the hell was this approach last year when the reward was a guarantee of either McDavid or Eichel?

With only a 20% chance of securing the top pick and only a 50% chance of landing a top 3 pick, I don't like the odds of having so many Leaf fans being crushed on lottery night. How many people really believe that when the lottery balls start to drop that luck will be on our side?
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If you pray to the hockeygods, it might just be.  ;D
 
Going slightly off topic, how will they announce the draft order? Do they draw the lots for the highest non playoff team pick right down to the number 1, or is it done in reverse so #1 comes first? And how much of it will the general public be able to watch?
 
Jolly good show chaps said:
Going slightly off topic, how will they announce the draft order? Do they draw the lots for the highest non playoff team pick right down to the number 1, or is it done in reverse so #1 comes first? And how much of it will the general public be able to watch?
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That's what they did last year.  They will just reveal the overall draft order counting down from 14 and we will hear about how close the Leafs were to getting Matthews after the fact.
 
L K said:
Jolly good show chaps said:
Going slightly off topic, how will they announce the draft order? Do they draw the lots for the highest non playoff team pick right down to the number 1, or is it done in reverse so #1 comes first? And how much of it will the general public be able to watch?
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That's what they did last year.  They will just reveal the overall draft order counting down from 14 and we will hear about how close the Leafs were to getting Matthews after the fact.
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Hopefully Edmonton won't win this thing again...
 
RedLeaf said:
I like the fact that management is finally putting their noses to the grindstone and tanking for the cause.  My only question is, where the hell was this approach last year when the reward was a guarantee of either McDavid or Eichel?

With only a 20% chance of securing the top pick and only a 50% chance of landing a top 3 pick, I don't like the odds of having so many Leaf fans being crushed on lottery night. How many people really believe that when the lottery balls start to drop that luck will be on our side?
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About 20% of us believe.
 
Mathews' team Zurich Lions swept by Bern in First Round playoff action in the Swiss Hockey League A (NLA).  Mathews was the best player in these playoffs games despite the losses, according to NHL Central Scouting's Thomas Roost:

?Matthews was the best player on the ice in both games, no question about it. He showed top-notch playmaking, excellent stick work, powerful plays along the wall and in the corners and was even double-shifted toward the end of both games."

The 18-year-old Matthews lit up the Swiss league in his professional rookie campaign, scoring 46 points in 36 games.

Steve Kournianos  ‎@TheDraftAnalyst
#NLA: For those keeping score at home, Auston Matthews finished 2nd in NLA MVP voting to former NHL'er Pierre-Marc Bouchard and was a 1st AS


http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/auston-matthews-swiss-season-comes-surprising-end
 
Good night tonight. Jets win, Flames win. Edmonton of course shows how it's done losing, but two out of three does help.
 
Highlander said:
Where do you all think we are at with the cupboard?  Is it half full, overflowing or still relatively empty.
My view is after they draft 12 players this year the cupboard will be relatively full. 
They can only contract 50 guys, so even if 4 of this years draft look like they make the NHL (one day) you gotta keep em under contract until they develop.
Click to expand...
I'd say right now about 30%,if they get Mathews and Pitts 1st this year,plus a good selection out of their remaining 10,they are well on their way.It's only up from there and the way Babcock is coaching them,they will not follow the Edmonton model of rescent years.
 
lamajama said:
Good night tonight. Jets win, Flames win. Edmonton of course shows how it's done losing, but two out of three does help.
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Watching the Oilers reminds me of playing video games as a kid.  Thinking I was really good cause I could beat my brother and a bunch of neighbourhood kids, but then seeing the real pros of video games just kick ass and realizing that I wasn't that great at video games.  That's the Oilers with losing, you think you can tank, but then they show you a whole other level of crap.
 
Deebo said:
A 6 game home stand, this could make or break the tank.
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Worst home record in the league. Also, games against TBay, Florida, Anaheim (some of the top teams in the league) & Boston (who they struggle against). The games against Buffalo and Calgary are a coin-flip.
 
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