i like the weber deal but phaneuf needs to go the other way. we dont have the capspace to afford weber.

I'd do Weber for Phaneuf, Bozak, and a 1st rd pick/Tyler Biggs.
- icecubz

You would wouldn't you. Toobad that the Nashville GM has a say in this and would never in a million years make that trade.

You would wouldn't you. Toobad that the Nashville GM has a say in this and would never in a million years make that trade.
- Ihatebrianburke

I'd do that as well if i was the Leafs, obviously.

Oh right, forgot about reider. Wasnt he traded?
Oh I know, I follow junior hockey, well at least the O, pretty closely. You can put up big numbers in junior and barely make the ECHL. The thing about Biggs, is he is huge, tough and plays a pro style game already. Dont know about your guys.

I agree with you saying "cause Biggs was nearly a PPG in junior, he will end up a top 6 forward, with a means streak" is not accurate.
But he still has decent trade value, as a lot of teams bank on those sort of guys, hoping they've found the new lucic.
- pbrsimps

I've learned my listen on big guys that look like they play the big game in Junior. They really have a tough time translating it simply because they now have to man handle men to be effective.

That's why it's so hard to find that next Lucic and why the current Lucic himself was quite a long shot.

Oh right, forgot about reider. Wasnt he traded?
Oh I know, I follow junior hockey, well at least the O, pretty closely. You can put up big numbers in junior and barely make the ECHL. The thing about Biggs, is he is huge, tough and plays a pro style game already. Dont know about your guys.

I agree with you saying "cause Biggs was nearly a PPG in junior, he will end up a top 6 forward, with a means streak" is not accurate.
But he still has decent trade value, as a lot of teams bank on those sort of guys, hoping they've found the new lucic.
- pbrsimps

Yeah, except being big, strong and playing an NHL game in junior gives you an advantage in junior, once you get those guys to the bigs that advantage is gone because every second guy is big and strong, and all NHLers play an NHL style game, coincidentally.

So you get a guy now completely exposed as lacking in skill, and down the depth chart he goes, from NHL to AHL to ECHL to washout.

I've learned my listen on big guys that look like they play the big game in Junior. They really have a tough time translating it simply because they now have to man handle men to be effective.

That's why it's so hard to find that next Lucic and why the current Lucic himself was quite a long shot.
- Lahey

Lucic is bigger than the average big guy at that, not to mention he's fast - that's what makes him the most effective, his speed is good so it's like dealing with a runaway train if you're a defenseman.

If Phaneuf is such an amazing defenseman like you Toronto fans make him out to be then why would he take a paycut?
- Ihatebrianburke

I've never heard a dman get so badly trashed, while still, in my eyes, being pretty good. There a lot of leaf fans who see him as a very valuable peice to our team, but a lot more who say stupid stuff like "trade him for a bag of pucks"

I agree though that he probably isnt taking a paycut. Maybe he would go to 6 per for the team. I doubt it though.

I've learned my listen on big guys that look like they play the big game in Junior. They really have a tough time translating it simply because they now have to man handle men to be effective.

That's why it's so hard to find that next Lucic and why the current Lucic himself was quite a long shot.
- Lahey

Lucic would not have been a second round pick if teams thought he would progress to the player he is now.

That Toronto Deal is a lights out win for them. And just when I thought you were turning the tide...

If Yost didn't take Johansen for Marchand, why the hell would he take Johansen for Krejci? Idiotic trade.
- BruinBeer

Cloutier deals with like 3 players on each team. Every time it's his turn, he just switches around the same players from previous blogs and submits those as offers. Too bad Yost couldn't get a second competent blogger to do Trade Wars with him. It's been fun, but could have been really awesome.

Former 1st round pick that just had a pretty fantastic year in junior.. He'll make the Marlies this season and he should help an NHL club within two seasons. Top line ceiling, bottom 6 floor. I'd like to think he has some value..
- Lipchitz

Again, like Yost said, Biggs was 40th in goals and 94th in assists in the OHL. That's not really "fantastic."

Clouts, can you introduce me to your drug dealer?

Lucic is bigger than the average big guy at that, not to mention he's fast - that's what makes him the most effective, his speed is good so it's like dealing with a runaway train if you're a defenseman.
- TommyDeVito

Lucic skates like he has lead weights tied to his a$$

I've learned my listen on big guys that look like they play the big game in Junior. They really have a tough time translating it simply because they now have to man handle men to be effective.

That's why it's so hard to find that next Lucic and why the current Lucic himself was quite a long shot.
- Lahey

yup, 100% agree. Looking at lucic juior stats, he didnt produce muc his draft year, and was more a goon with some skill that bruins took a chance on.
The next year he broke out for near ppg, next year did well on bruins.
Hopefully biggs becomes a lucic but i highly doubt it. More of a solid 3rd line winger probably.

If you ask me who has the best current chance of finding the next lucic, its the caps with Tom Wilson. Saw quite a bit of him this past season, and he one mean SOB who can put the puck in the net.

i like the weber deal but phaneuf needs to go the other way. we dont have the capspace to afford weber.

I'd do Weber for Phaneuf, Bozak, and a 1st rd pick/Tyler Biggs.
- icecubz

We know you'd do it, but Nashville would laugh in your face.

I've never heard a dman get so badly trashed, while still, in my eyes, being pretty good. There a lot of leaf fans who see him as a very valuable peice to our team, but a lot more who say stupid stuff like "trade him for a bag of pucks"

I agree though that he probably isnt taking a paycut. Maybe he would go to 6 per for the team. I doubt it though.
- pbrsimps

The NHLPA would freak out, lol. He could take a paycut i suppose but the amount of Leaf posters on here who think that it is more of a reality than a best case scenario was surprising to me. I don't think he is worth what he is being paid now, but I know he is getting a raise. I personally think he would be much much better as a 2 or high end 3 guy but with his price he is past that. Probably.

Chicago just won with 5 guys averaging roughly 6 mil. And another at 5.2ish
- hugefemale dog77

Phaneuf is at 6.5, Weber is at 7.85, Kessel is at 5.4, Lupul at 5.5, Clarkson at 5.25, JvR at 4.25, plus whatever Kadri and Franson get..

.

Yeah, except being big, strong and playing an NHL game in junior gives you an advantage in junior, once you get those guys to the bigs that advantage is gone because every second guy is big and strong, and all NHLers play an NHL style game, coincidentally.

So you get a guy now completely exposed as lacking in skill, and down the depth chart he goes, from NHL to AHL to ECHL to washout.
- TommyDeVito

Wow, I can tell youre optimistic for Biggs!
Being big really helps in junior i agree, but the whole NHL style, not as much imo.
Junior is more like the 80s, high scoring and less defense.
Biggs this past year was a really solid 2 way player, who was a big part of Osawa's pk. He played more North south and was real strong on the cycle game. (obviously because hes massive)

Its not just his size, but he was playing more pro style hockey. Thats why a guy like Seth Griffith is probably nothing more than a junior sniper. Pure perimeter player, good enough to snipe on junior goalies, but wont be able to do that in the NHL.

Wow, I can tell youre optimistic for Biggs!
Being big really helps in junior i agree, but the whole NHL style, not as much imo.
Junior is more like the 80s, high scoring and less defense.
Biggs this past year was a really solid 2 way player, who was a big part of Osawa's pk. He played more North south and was real strong on the cycle game. (obviously because hes massive)

Its not just his size, but he was playing more pro style hockey. Thats why a guy like Seth Griffith is probably nothing more than a junior sniper. Pure perimeter player, good enough to snipe on junior goalies, but wont be able to do that in the NHL.
- pbrsimps

Curtis Hamilton was a solid two way player for team Canada at the World Juniors and look at him now.

If he can do the same thing in the AHL then you should get excited.

As a Leaf fan I wouldn't have done the Kadri and Rielly for Jones, now you are adding Tyler Biggs. I am not sure I would do Rielly for Jones straight up. Craziness

The NHLPA would freak out, lol. He could take a paycut i suppose but the amount of Leaf posters on here who think that it is more of a reality than a best case scenario was surprising to me. I don't think he is worth what he is being paid now, but I know he is getting a raise. I personally think he would be much much better as a 2 or high end 3 guy but with his price he is past that. Probably.
- Marshalle

Ya, its weird though that players always assume they are getting a raise.
I think he is good as a number 1, only if you have a rock solid #2. Someone like seidenberg. I like Gunnarsson but he is a 2nd pairing dman. We need a gunnar, just better.
Or you have him just as top pairing. Putting him with a calming influence like Suter, and I actually believe you have one of the best pairings in the league.
Right now he has to do everything. Shut down top players, still provide big time offense, lead breakouts and make huge hits. I personally believe he is more a better dman than his best days in calgary. I'd rather have a top pairing, 2 way dman than 2nd pairing all out offense always pinching or getting out of position to make a big hit.

Curtis Hamilton was a solid two way player for team Canada at the World Juniors and look at him now.

If he can do the same thing in the AHL then you should get excited.
- Reveen

I dont really know much about your two guys other than theyre longshots.
If he puts up anything more than a .5 ppg pace in his first year pro, i will be excited.

They all just prospects and we need to remember most dont even sniff the nhl.

Lucic skates like he has lead weights in his his a$$
- Reveen

Fixed

yup, 100% agree. Looking at lucic juior stats, he didnt produce muc his draft year, and was more a goon with some skill that bruins took a chance on.
The next year he broke out for near ppg, next year did well on bruins.
Hopefully biggs becomes a lucic but i highly doubt it. More of a solid 3rd line winger probably.

If you ask me who has the best current chance of finding the next lucic, its the caps with Tom Wilson. Saw quite a bit of him this past season, and he one mean SOB who can put the puck in the net.
- pbrsimps

If you ask me it's guys like Lucic that drive me nuts on message boards. "well lucic sucked so why can't Cameron Abney be a superstar too".

Again, like Yost said, Biggs was 40th in goals and 94th in assists in the OHL. That's not really "fantastic."
- isles10289

Thats not his game, and its pretty good for 1st yr in OHL,you got his hits and blocked shots and fights and pk stats? this whole debate sounds like this,

Oh right, forgot about reider. Wasnt he traded?
Oh I know, I follow junior hockey, well at least the O, pretty closely. You can put up big numbers in junior and barely make the ECHL. The thing about Biggs, is he is huge, tough and plays a pro style game already. Dont know about your guys.

I agree with you saying "cause Biggs was nearly a PPG in junior, he will end up a top 6 forward, with a means streak" is not accurate.
But he still has decent trade value, as a lot of teams bank on those sort of guys, hoping they've found the new lucic.
- pbrsimps

Yes, ironically for a big guy who is definitely not as skilled as him and probably won't amount to more than Biggs anyway