Winnik traded to Washington

[herman]

Going from one last chance at a Cup to standings basement is a huge kick in the pants.

In related news,
[tweet]705089928653377536[/tweet]
[tweet]705090457135685632[/tweet]
[tweet]705090673175879681[/tweet]

Laich really thinks William Nylander is cute.

 

[Al14]

Well, I feel bad for Laich after reading the article on his reaction to the trade.  However, if Laich produces with us next season, just maybe, a contender will trade for him at the deadline and he'll get a chance once again.  I think the ball is in his court on this, so, he needs to keep his head up, work hard, and make things happen with our Leafs. 

Winnik deserves his chance at a cup too after all he has done to help our Leafs with the rebuild. 

 

[herman]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/14934686/nhl-toronto-maple-leafs-brooks-laich-want-your-pity

"I had obviously been in the building many times before but always as the opposition," Laich said Monday. "This time playing for the home team, I mean, I used to watch Hockey Night In Canada every Saturday like every kid in Canada. I wanted to play for the Leafs. I was a (Doug) Gilmour fan, a (Mats) Sundin fan. When we had the anthem and the Canadian flag was going down the one side in the crowd, the Maple Leafs flag was going down the other, and I was playing for the Leafs, people were rooting for me, that's when it really hit home. This was a dream come true. It really is. It's something very special.

"A lot of people might look at the situation that got me here and say, 'Oh he's disappointed, he must be upset.' No, I look at it like a tremendous opportunity, I'm very fortunate to be here."

[...]

Still, Leafs management has an open mind as far as Laich's future. After all, with the departures of Dion Phaneuf and Roman Polak, there's need for veteran leadership around this ever-younger Leafs roster.

But Laich will only have a future with the Leafs if his play on the ice warrants it. And he knows that.

"As of right now, the plan is day by day for myself. I'm trying to prove myself," Laich said.

"My job first and foremost is to rebuild my career, play the way I can. Be an effective, everyday consistent player. And then when doing so, the other intangibles come naturally. I love teammates, I love the team atmosphere of hockey, I love the enthusiasm of young kids, I remember being there 10 years ago, being one myself. But all those things come after me first playing well. I have to play well in order to have my voice carry any weight in the locker room."

 

[herman]

What the Feschuk?
http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2016/03/14/rebuilding-maple-leafs-attractive-to-free-agents-like-stamkos-feschuk.html

?This isn?t my place to say it, but I think the organization is in a great place to really take off next year,? said Brooks Laich, the long-time Washington Capitals forward who arrived in the February deal for Daniel Winnik. ?The players who are here, myself included, are all on an audition for next year, for who?s going to be a part of it. For outsiders ? if you?re a UFA or something ? you look at a tremendous coaching staff, a fabulous place to play hockey where you are treated like royalty by the organization, by the people in town from my experience, and you?re part of a young, energetic movement that?s going to push teams.
?To me, that?s a very attractive place to play.?

Certainly Laich could be a model pitchman to those considering Toronto as a destination. He left a Stanley Cup contender ? albeit not by choice ? and is still framing Leafland as an ideal landing spot.

?This is an amazing opportunity. Coming from D.C., I?m not dragging my lip,? Laich said in an interview Friday. ?I don?t think we?re as far away as everybody thinks. There are going to be growing pains, don?t get me wrong. There?s going to be pain. But I?ve seen us play very, very well. I?ve seen us control the territory game, the shots-on-net game, the possession game, the faceoffs. I?ve seen that growth in our game. Now if you can add in a dominant special teams, which takes you up another level, and you add more and more experience ? some of these (rookies) have played a half-dozen games, and they?re competitive with NHL playoff teams.?

 

[ZBBM]

What the Feschuk?
http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2016/03/14/rebuilding-maple-leafs-attractive-to-free-agents-like-stamkos-feschuk.html

?This isn?t my place to say it, but I think the organization is in a great place to really take off next year,? said Brooks Laich, the long-time Washington Capitals forward who arrived in the February deal for Daniel Winnik. ?The players who are here, myself included, are all on an audition for next year, for who?s going to be a part of it. For outsiders ? if you?re a UFA or something ? you look at a tremendous coaching staff, a fabulous place to play hockey where you are treated like royalty by the organization, by the people in town from my experience, and you?re part of a young, energetic movement that?s going to push teams.
?To me, that?s a very attractive place to play.?

Certainly Laich could be a model pitchman to those considering Toronto as a destination. He left a Stanley Cup contender ? albeit not by choice ? and is still framing Leafland as an ideal landing spot.

?This is an amazing opportunity. Coming from D.C., I?m not dragging my lip,? Laich said in an interview Friday. ?I don?t think we?re as far away as everybody thinks. There are going to be growing pains, don?t get me wrong. There?s going to be pain. But I?ve seen us play very, very well. I?ve seen us control the territory game, the shots-on-net game, the possession game, the faceoffs. I?ve seen that growth in our game. Now if you can add in a dominant special teams, which takes you up another level, and you add more and more experience ? some of these (rookies) have played a half-dozen games, and they?re competitive with NHL playoff teams.?

You gotta love Brooks Laich.  If he gets on Babcock's good side he could be back next year.

 

[herman]

You gotta love Brooks Laich.  If he gets on Babcock's good side he could be back next year.

I like him too. He's still under contract for next season, as are Greening and Michalek. Wouldn't be surprising to see them on the team next year as deadline bait, or veteran presence/player/character coaches playing out the string. On this team, they are still serviceable so long as they are able-bodied.

 

[rdowdall]

You gotta love Brooks Laich.  If he gets on Babcock's good side he could be back next year.

I like him too. He's still under contract for next season, as are Greening and Michalek. Wouldn't be surprising to see them on the team next year as deadline bait, or veteran presence/player/character coaches playing out the string. On this team, they are still serviceable so long as they are able-bodied.

Seems like the type of guy to coach after he is done playing.

 

[Britishbulldog]

You gotta love Brooks Laich.  If he gets on Babcock's good side he could be back next year.

I like him too. He's still under contract for next season, as are Greening and Michalek. Wouldn't be surprising to see them on the team next year as deadline bait, or veteran presence/player/character coaches playing out the string. On this team, they are still serviceable so long as they are able-bodied.

I am definitely hoping that they keep all these veterans in the lineup next year and leave as many top prospects in lower leagues to dominate.  I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

No amount of AHL seasoning would have been enough to make Nylander ready to dominate at Game 1 of his NHL career.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

No amount of AHL seasoning would have been enough to make Nylander ready to dominate at Game 1 of his NHL career.

Seriously.  It's only a small number of NHL players that I consider to "dominate with their play", and those are pretty much stars if not superstars, none of whom are in their first handful of games.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

No amount of AHL seasoning would have been enough to make Nylander ready to dominate at Game 1 of his NHL career.

Seriously.  It's only a small number of NHL players that I consider to "dominate with their play", and those are pretty much stars if not superstars, none of whom are in their first handful of games.

Well, there's that generational rookie that everyone's talking about: Dylan Larkin.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

No amount of AHL seasoning would have been enough to make Nylander ready to dominate at Game 1 of his NHL career.

Seriously.  It's only a small number of NHL players that I consider to "dominate with their play", and those are pretty much stars if not superstars, none of whom are in their first handful of games.

Well, there's that generational rookie that everyone's talking about: Dylan Larkin.

I was referring to humans, not demigods.

 

[ZBBM]

I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

No amount of AHL seasoning would have been enough to make Nylander ready to dominate at Game 1 of his NHL career.

Seriously.  It's only a small number of NHL players that I consider to "dominate with their play", and those are pretty much stars if not superstars, none of whom are in their first handful of games.

Well, there's that generational rookie that everyone's talking about: Dylan Larkin.

I was referring to humans, not demigods.

Right. We haven't seen one of those on the Leafs since Danny Markov.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I have only caught a bit of Leafs action since the young guys have been called up, but what I have seen, not even Nylander is dominating with his play.

No amount of AHL seasoning would have been enough to make Nylander ready to dominate at Game 1 of his NHL career.

Seriously.  It's only a small number of NHL players that I consider to "dominate with their play", and those are pretty much stars if not superstars, none of whom are in their first handful of games.

Well, there's that generational rookie that everyone's talking about: Dylan Larkin.

I was referring to humans, not demigods.

Right. We haven't seen one of those on the Leafs since Danny Markov.

Technically, Markov was a Titan.

 

[Frank E]

You know, there's hardly a human, or animal, on earth that didn't love Danny Markov and maybe wanted to have his children please. 

But it takes a special person to love and appreciate Randy Wood.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

But it takes a special person to love and appreciate Randy Wood.

I still love and appreciate his porn star name.

 

[Highlander]

Some of my son's friends say I look like Ron Jeremy which is an absolute insult, except for the lower extremities
of course. LOL

 

[herman]

This is still a magnificent trade.

 

[Al14]

This is still a magnificent trade.

Yes, it was a beauty.  That 2nd round draft pick alone makes this trade well worth losing Winnik.

From the few minutes I've tuned in to the Caps vs Flyers playoff series, Winnik appears to be contributing.