You guys an posting videos too large....sticking with Richards, it wasn't till LA his scoring took a huge tumble. In Philly he was a 60 point player for four straight seasons. Even his 2012/13 season wasn't that bad. He's 29, I think there's still something there.

game, practice or dressing room mishap?
- Rockhead_37

Bozak shot a puck in his face.

Babcock will be coach and GM...

game, practice or dressing room mishap?
- Rockhead_37

Hit with a puck in a game... Caps game, I think. Not sure what he must think when he looks down the bench and sees Polak with his mump face and no visor hahaha

Babcock will be coach and GM...
- aminnes

Excellent.

I think it would help, but I'm 100% sold on a long term solution to this dumpster fire as per the 5 point plan I posted above.
- 1979AD

my deals still managed to free up 11.25M in salary commitments and remove 3 members of this core. So your 5 point plan is still in place.

Why do you even bother if you know they have no chance then?
- LeftCoaster

huh?

It may have been legal, but it was dirty. Hockey players know when a guy is in a vulnerable position and doesn't see you and you have the choice to let up or kill the guy. When players like Richards choose the later option, it ruins peoples careers.
- Hockey_Reverend

yep, should have body checked him instead of coming "up" with his shoulder and jumping through the hit.

You guys an posting videos too large....sticking with Richards, it wasn't till LA his scoring took a huge tumble. In Philly he was a 60 point player for four straight seasons. Even his 2012/13 season wasn't that bad. He's 29, I think there's still something there.
- mykokes

Not between the ears, though...

Babcock will be coach and GM...
- aminnes

Maybe when he hits his prime

He actually had just dished the puck. Legal hit, by NHL rules:


- Atomic Wedgie

Thanks, clean hit IMO...

Not between the ears, though...
- lumlums

You think he's a dumb hockey player?

Wedgie, fix your stupid video!

Plus we'd be adding Kempe to play with Nylander!

McNabb could be McNasty at 1/6 the price of double dion.

Thanks, clean hit IMO...
- aminnes

I'm sure you'd love to be on the receiving end.

It may have been legal, but it was dirty. Hockey players know when a guy is in a vulnerable position and doesn't see you and you have the choice to let up or kill the guy. When players like Richards choose the later option, it ruins peoples careers.
- Hockey_Reverend

Richards probably doesn't make this hit pre instigator, unless he wants to get beat up a few times...

huh?
- burn

Well - you made it sound as though you know they won't rebuild, so, you're resigned to the fact they'll never win anything (because history supports that) and continue to float along as a middling team.

Babcock will be coach and GM...
- aminnes

That seems to be the belief amungust insiders. He's waiting for that dual role. If not, why would he leave Detroit?

All of you advanced stats fanatics, I hope your happy. Analytics are going to ruin the game. Everyone is going to start playing the trap and worrying about shot suppression as opposed to actually playing the game and trying to score goals. The last three games have probably been the best the leafs have played in regards to their advanced stats in years and yet its the most boring hockey I've ever seen. Would rather lose 7-5 and at least be entertained.
- HealthyScratch6

The advanced stats are not to blame for the trap. There are a lot of theories about where that came from.

Now, if you said they encourage people to take shots towards the net, from everywhere, then you might have a point.

I'm sure you'd love to be on the receiving end.
- Garnie

I have been utterly rocked by way worse than that... Imagine that hit but straight on where booth goes under and through Richards legs... When I played minor hockey we were still allowed to fight...

The advanced stats are not to blame for the trap. There are a lot of theories about where that came from.

Now, if you said they encourage people to take shots towards the net, from everywhere, then you might have a point.
- Aetherial

Lemaire in 95, absolutely smothered a stacked Detroit team in the worst and most boring SCF I'v ever seen... It worked, slowly others followed...

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 2m2 minutes ago

Sami Vatanen only fined for elbowing David Booth in the face.

I always love this argument.

The Leafs have played 3 home playoff games in...what is it now, 10 years?

We have the most expensive tickets in the league - and that isn't changing any time soon.

There's a 100 year wait list for season tickets.

TV ratings continue to climb upward.

LeafsSports is jammed packed after every pathetic Leafs 8-2 loss, as people pull any crap they can get off the shelves with a Leafs logo on it and throw cash and plastic at the cashiers.

But we constantly wonder if the Leafs' fan base would tolerate a proper rebuild.
- Atomic Wedgie

Exactly. There is probably not another fanbase in the NHL that would be more tolerant of a rebuild. We have tolerated it for almost 50 years and support for the Leafs isn't waning.

The advanced stats are not to blame for the trap. There are a lot of theories about where that came from.

Now, if you said they encourage people to take shots towards the net, from everywhere, then you might have a point.
- Aetherial

My response would have been I'm pretty sure analytics doesn't encourage players to do back hand dump ins or back hand chips to noone, and taking crappy shots from beyond the faceoff circles. they're playing a much safer game, but it means Richard all if they're not moving their feet and constantly attacking the puck, taking hits along the boards to move the puck up to the guy that has the best chance of moving the puck forward rather than simply chipping it to noman's land.

Well - you made it sound as though you know they won't rebuild, so, you're resigned to the fact they'll never win anything (because history supports that) and continue to float along as a middling team.
- LeftCoaster

I never said that, I said we've wanted it for a long time...... I never said I know they wont.


History shows that the Leafs will not suffer (financially, due to loss of revenue) while in a down turn during a rebuild. They've been spinning their tires for years and haven't lost a dime to people saying (frank) it, i'm not paying anymore.

That should be enough for the Management to say we have proof that the leafs can survive a teardown rebuild without losing $. IMO they may be the only team that can say that. The notion that the fan base will not stomach or support that type of rebuild holds no water.