JB won't:

Take toxic contracts back.
deal simply to deal.
hand out NMC/NTC easily
do long term deals unless the future core.
Panic n make rash moves.

JB will:

Sign players to show me contracts.
Will expect prospects to work on their entire game.
Give prospects an opportunity to make the roster.
Move any player if not panning out or not resign.
Draft his way forward n be patient

Miller- Modified NTC (can provide five-team trade list)

good luck with that
- Tumbleweed

By then Reimer will have tanked in SJ...we're good.

Off the books next year:
Vrbata
Prust
Bart
Weber
Prolly Hamhuis

Following year:
Burrows
Miller

Who replaces all the above?
Pretty obvious the kids already here slot in.
Some openings on D n in goal r leftover

JB stocking up on the lost gen makes sense. Eg Sutter
Drafting for the future is obvious eg Boesser Demko

By then benning will have signed reimer...we're good.
- LordHumungous

fixed

JB won't:

Take toxic contracts back.
deal simply to deal.
hand out NMC/NTC easily
do long term deals unless the future core.
Panic n make rash moves.

JB will:

Sign players to show me contracts.
Will expect prospects to work on their entire game.
Give prospects an opportunity to make the roster.
Move any player if not panning out or not resign.
Draft his way forward n be patient
- Nighthawk

is this supposed to be sarcastic?

fixed
- Tumbleweed

You really need to focus on your own team. You aren't in a better position just a different one. Rebuilding and retooling are completely different. Granted, the Leafs are finally headed in the right direction but stop being a troll for the sake of being a troll.

JB won't:

Take toxic contracts back.
deal simply to deal.
hand out NMC/NTC easily
do long term deals unless the future core.
Panic n make rash moves.

JB will:

Sign players to show me contracts.
Will expect prospects to work on their entire game.
Give prospects an opportunity to make the roster.
Move any player if not panning out or not resign.
Draft his way forward n be patient
- Nighthawk

I personally like JB. He works hard and has an eye for talent. I still feel he has a lot to prove but he isn't going to hand out stupid contracts that don't make sense and will continue to help us in the scouting department through the draft. I just think he needs more time to show us why he is the guy for the job.

I personally like JB. He works hard and has an eye for talent. I still feel he has a lot to prove but he isn't going to hand out stupid contracts that don't make sense and will continue to help us in the scouting department through the draft. I just think he needs more time to show us why he is the guy for the job.
- WhatTheNuck

Nobody is gonna out work JB.
Next year will be his 1st chance to show us where we r headin.
Once all the UFA's r gone its gonna be interesting.
Doesn't mean we will be a playoff team or not but is important we
see the kids making good progress. The D will take more time.
There will be the impatient goofs expecting miracles n posting trash
talk cuz thats usually all they do.

Off the books next year:
Vrbata
Prust
Bart
Weber
Prolly Hamhuis

Following year:
Burrows
Miller

Who replaces all the above?
Pretty obvious the kids already here slot in.
Some openings on D n in goal r leftover

JB stocking up on the lost gen makes sense. Eg Sutter
Drafting for the future is obvious eg Boesser Demko
- Nighthawk

The way things look in the next few years are promising for those exact reasons. Dont forget the Sedins are close to being potentially done too. I feel they will sign again but if Benning plays his cards right he is gonna have a lot of money over the next few years to find better solutions to our problems. The team dynamic is changing. The winning environment Benning continually speaks of is the desire the players have to win and I believe the attitude and motivation is there. Just need to start filling in the talent holes which can only be done through drafting. However, with the amount of money they have freed up in the next 2 years, he will have plenty of versatility to sign a few stop gaps like Miller was in goal. Sure it isn't a solution but if we had a better defense in front of him, he wouldn't look as bad as he does. I just hope Sutter plays a full season next year. We don't need another constantly injured player.

Nobody is gonna out work JB.
Next year will be his 1st chance to show us where we r headin.
Once all the UFA's r gone its gonna be interesting.
Doesn't mean we will be a playoff team or not but is important we
see the kids making good provress. The D will take more time.
- Nighthawk

Exactly, I'm really excited to see what he can do now going forward. Larsen will give us a good idea of what JB can provide. Not top talent but he will definitely have a full time role if he steps into the NHL with something to prove. I like how Baertschi panned out all things considered. The position JB has put the team in is good, good contracts so far and next year looks better with Burr and Miller off the books. ALmost another 10 million gone. My guess is 3 years and we will have a good young talented team with a more defined direction.

Having competent goalies like Miller/Markstrom allows the kids to grow.
Also lets JB better assess the team n do his tweaks n trades.
IMO WD is on board n gets marching orders handed down from JB.
Its natural n expected while this transition is going on.

Not that I think he fits the plan going forward, whats the consensus of Lucic signing with the Nucks? The hits and grit are badly needed on this team. With the young talent emerging, I cant slot him in anywhere unless he plays the right side which I don't know. You can call him what you want but he is the staple for something this team badly needs.

Curious....

Do we or JB want to go for STAMKOS?
Lots of upcoming space so what is likely our best options
now or the near future? Any RFA's to target?

Not that I think he fits the plan going forward, whats the consensus of Lucic signing with the Nucks? The hits and grit are badly needed on this team. With the young talent emerging, I cant slot him in anywhere unless he plays the right side which I don't know. You can call him what you want but he is the staple for something this team badly needs.
- WhatTheNuck

With us not contending soon n he being not exactly speedy idk if the timing is good.
Don't see it impacting us unless at a very good hometown discount.
We need top 2 D or a superstar IMO or draft n exercise patience.

JB won't:

Take toxic contracts back. no gm does. unless there's something in it for them
deal simply to deal. isn't that exactly what he's done with most of his meaningless deals
hand out NMC/NTC easily sutter, tanev, miller vrbata. all top players deserving of ntc's.
do long term deals unless the future core. tanev and sutter. quite the core developing
Panic n make rash moves. i guess

JB will:

Sign players to show me contracts. sure
Will expect prospects to work on their entire game. sure
Give prospects an opportunity to make the roster. i think you mean give prospects roster spots without earning them
Move any player if not panning out or not resign. false
Draft his way forward n be patient was really patient with shink
- Nighthawk

Vancouver was by far the biggest loser. Vrbata and Hamhuis both should've been dealt for the best deals available. Linden should fire his ass! And he should do it Vince Mcmahon style! Tanner how are you so clueless in every aspect of this game?
- Iloveeveryone

I've heard this thrown around by Vancouver and non-Vancouver fans alike, and must disagree. The reality is that the NHL is a community of 30 management teams, each of which have a personality, and also a reputation. If Benning just took "the best deal available", it might have also set a precedent and changed his reputation to one of desperation.

For example, if someone offered a 5th round pick for Hamhuis, should Benning really have taken that? I mean sure, a 5th is better than no pick at all (if Hamhuis walks), but what does that say to the other 29 GMs in the league? Benning doesn't want to paint a giant "lowball me" sign on his chest. Same deal with Lou and Parenteau; Lou set a price, and it wasn't matched. Some might think he should have just caved and taken less, but once you get into that business, you're in big trouble in the future.

You really need to focus on your own team. You aren't in a better position just a different one. Rebuilding and retooling are completely different. Granted, the Leafs are finally headed in the right direction but stop being a troll for the sake of being a troll.
- WhatTheNuck

i know the difference between retooling and rebuilding.

retooling is what the leafs did from 2004-2014.

that's what you guys have to look forward to.

I personally like JB. He works hard and has an eye for talent. I still feel he has a lot to prove but he isn't going to hand out stupid contracts that don't make sense and will continue to help us in the scouting department through the draft. I just think he needs more time to show us why he is the guy for the job.
- WhatTheNuck

Luca Spisa 3 years at $3.6 mil.
Ryan Miller 3 years at $6 mil.
And Dorsett 4 years at $2.5 mil.

Which of these deals makes sense to you?

i know the difference between retooling and rebuilding.

retooling is what the leafs did from 2004-2014.

that's what you guys have to look forward to.
- Tumbleweed

Correction: 1968 to present.
Charging top ducats for decades n now eating toxic contracts
tells fans their money is used n abused under the guise if a rebuild.
Their is no guarantee it will work. Next year won't be pretty with no
moveable assets for the TDL.

Correction: 1968 to present.
Charging top ducats for decades n now eating toxic contracts
tells fans their money is used n abused under the guise if a rebuild.
Their is no guarantee it will work. Next year won't be pretty with no
moveable assets for the TDL.
- Nighthawk

oh

Luca Spisa 3 years at $3.6 mil.
Ryan Miller 3 years at $6 mil.
And Dorsett 4 years at $2.5 mil.

Which of these deals makes sense to you?
- Vanoxy

Sbisa is good value
Miller is stop gap
Dorsett for character n toughness for these transition years.

What else was out there? Nothing was worth it that would make
any significant difference. We r not in Cup mode.

oh
- Tumbleweed

Do u think 12 picks in a weak draft is a huge step?

Do u think 12 picks in a weak draft is a huge step?
- Nighthawk

good point

they should just cancel the draft

good point

they should just cancel the draft
- Tumbleweed

That was an honest Q n no need to be a child.
If your purpose is to troll go fishing elsewhere.
IMO 12 picks r to get 2-3 good hits n package others in trades.
Idea is to keep parlaying the work done already.

Luca Spisa 3 years at $3.6 mil.
Ryan Miller 3 years at $6 mil.
And Dorsett 4 years at $2.5 mil.

Which of these deals makes sense to you?
- Vanoxy

All 3 do.

Spisa is younger than most people realize. Has size and plays with grit. Still makes some young mistakes, but overall is growing. Even though he is not great, he still has a higher ceiling that he could hit. 3.6 is still ball park for what he is worth.

Ryan Miller came in because they did not trust any of the previous goalies long term. I loved Lack and would have loved to have him the main guy.. but as a new GM, you need a goalie you trust. Lack wasnt it. They brought it a guy he trusted. Probably wasnt worth that contract, but I understand why he did it and can respect it.

Dorsett is undervalued. Not a huge point guy, but on a team of soft players he has been the one that stands up. He fights higher than his weight class and willing to do anything asked. He is a decent enough penalty killer and solid in the locker room.

None of those can really be considered horrible contracts. Could they be better? Yes, but they are all pretty close to the players value or potential when signed.