And we currently have Rielly and Nylander, who have the potential to be top line, top pairing guys.

How many top 10 draft picks do you need?
- TheThrill

If you're going to hold Rielly and Nylander to the Toews and Kane standard, I just don't know what to tell you.

Yeah.

Kadri's on the clock now.

And I couldn't be happier.
- Atomic Wedgie

do i hate kadri? yup...do i want him to win me over and become a star? yup...

In today's NHL?

At 26, you're a veteran.
- Pecafan Fan

Not really. And definitely not in the case of a goalie.

In today's NHL?

At 26, you're a veteran.
- Pecafan Fan

I agree.

That's the point, at this point in time nobody can prove a damn thing, especially as this years draft hasn't even happened yet.

Today is a win. We got the best coach in the game, and the long-term contract suggests that he has bought into Shanny's plan. FFS just be happy about that...
- lumlums

I do see part of this guys concern, that the Leafs won't be bad enough to draft in the top 3 for a few years either because Bcock wants to hold on to one or a couple of these stiffs that should be traded or he'll just get players that are place holders to play above their heads when really it doesn't matter in the long run........... It's a valid concern for a fan.

He's going to take his superior coaching skills and try to turn chicken turd into chicken salad because that's what he feels he's good at doing. It's either that or he allows Shanahan to get rid of them all and sabotage himself by having little to no talent to work with. In the end, the firesale is less likely to happen now and he has an out after year 5 so if things do go as he planned, he's a UFA again.
- JohnFergusonJr

Do you think that Shanny and Babsie talked at all about a plan for moving forward, or did they just talk money?

pre-order his jersey right now!
- DDM-Coga

James Mirtle retweeted
Shawn Stepner ‏@StepnerWKBW 44m44 minutes ago
League source tells me #Sabres thought they had deal in principle w/ Babcock 2 days ago around same term/dollars as Leafs. Maybe even 9 yrs.

i missed the UG craze. saw HH in all his glory though
- clark_griswold

Lies bro lies. Just come out and admit you're him.

According to Dubas, it takes about 5 years in order to properly judge a draft. This clown is freaking out because Babs might actually instill a winning culture into this club.

This is the best news to happen in Leafland in a long time
- TheThrill

Maybe it's because he actually IS John Ferguson Jr....

He's going to take his superior coaching skills and try to turn chicken turd into chicken salad because that's what he feels he's good at doing. It's either that or he allows Shanahan to get rid of them all and sabotage himself by having little to no talent to work with. In the end, the firesale is less likely to happen now and he has an out after year 5 so if things do go as he planned, he's a UFA again.
- JohnFergusonJr

read the bolded
The re-read the bolded

You think "getting rid of them all" means getting nothing in return?

No. High picks, high end prospects are coming back if Phil or Dion move. All provide us with more depth in the organization

Just face it, you are freaking out about nothing and being a negative whiner. And you are completely wrong about it.

We have nothing more to discuss

Not really. And definitely not in the case of a goalie.
- Feeling Glucky?

Carey Price is a Rookie?

Crosby? Toews? Kane? Stamkos?

All rookies?

Sorry, no - this sets off the BS meter.

Hockey Canada doesn't bow to Leafs Nation.

That's simply not how it works.
- Atomic Wedgie

Okay, okay it's a stretch. I'm trying out lots of different 'Babcock isn't going to want to keep Phaneuf' arguments so I don't get all debbie downery about this like JFJ.

How's this one instead - 16 D were invited to Team Canada camp. Of course Phaneuf was one of them. So was Hamonic, Alzner, Green, Methot.

Do you think that Shanny and Babsie talked at all about a plan for moving forward, or did they just talk money?
- Atomic Wedgie

Plan. Shany probably said "how much and how long", and that's what they gave him.

This was all sorted out a year or so ago. Shanny timed it perfectly with firing Randy, so not to cause too much of a raucous. God bless Shanny.

In today's NHL?

At 26, you're a veteran.
- Pecafan Fan

exactly..that's why i laugh when ppl say kadri is young. he's not old, but he ain't a puppy. look around the league at the top players. young man's game

Not really. And definitely not in the case of a goalie.
- Feeling Glucky?

At 26, most players, including goaltenders, are entering their prime and are/should be part of your core of young veterans.

There are few exceptions but most players will not improve much more after this.

If you're going to hold Rielly and Nylander to the Toews and Kane standard, I just don't know what to tell you.
- JohnFergusonJr

But you brought up late rounders by Detroit a few posts ago...

And truth be told - I like his chances. A few improvements to his game in the neutral zone and an opportunity at top line/PP minutes and I think we'll like the results.
- The Law

Call me a blue Kool-aid chugger, but I still think Kadri can be a player.

He pisses me off for 99% of the game, and then I see him do one little thing and I think that he could be an elite.

Of course, I said the same thing about Alyn McCauley...

According to Dubas, it takes about 5 years in order to properly judge a draft. This clown is freaking out because Babs might actually instill a winning culture into this club.

This is the best news to happen in Leafland in a long time
- TheThrill

This.

On that note, Im off for now. Enjoy the day Leafers, this is as good a day as we've had in a LONG time!!!

So we bought Babcock. Idc how we did it. Good on the Leafs. Still make the trades though for gods sake.

explain
- clark_griswold

It's simple really. Do you really think Babcock wants to coach a bottom five team for the next two or three years by getting rid of all the talent he has on the team? Or do you think he's going to keep most of the core guys because he believes his coaching abilities can improve their play?

I'd love to see Kessel and Phaneuf and the rest of the guys get moved but I see the odds of that happening going down.

I do see part of this guys concern, that the Leafs won't be bad enough to draft in the top 3 for a few years either because Bcock wants to hold on to one or a couple of these stiffs that should be traded or he'll just get players that are place holders to play above their heads when really it doesn't matter in the long run........... It's a valid concern for a fan.
- Mr_Smokey

big (frank)ing deal. We have Rielly, Nylander, this year's 4th overall pick.

How (frank)ing many top 5 picks are necessary before you start to build depth in later rounds?

The whole tank = success argument is just (frank)ed

I do see part of this guys concern, that the Leafs won't be bad enough to draft in the top 3 for a few years either because Bcock wants to hold on to one or a couple of these stiffs that should be traded or he'll just get players that are place holders to play above their heads when really it doesn't matter in the long run........... It's a valid concern for a fan.
- Mr_Smokey

But you brought up late rounders by Detroit a few posts ago...
- aminnes

Yeah, to the teams that can find them. But have the Leafs been one of those teams that can find them? Do they have people on staff who have proven they can find them? I don't see any on the way, do you?

I do see part of this guys concern, that the Leafs won't be bad enough to draft in the top 3 for a few years either because Bcock wants to hold on to one or a couple of these stiffs that should be traded or he'll just get players that are place holders to play above their heads when really it doesn't matter in the long run........... It's a valid concern for a fan.
- Mr_Smokey

The key is drafting smart: good players come from lower places in the draft, good teams find them.