The Wester Conference is flush with some great young players right now. Trevor Linden & Jim Benning, along with the scouting staff, had better start drafting some great young players or they're gonna get left behind in a big big way!!

A couple top five picks would do wonders for the franchise going forward.
- LeftCoaster

If you can dupe another team into giving you theirs then yeah, that would be nice, but otherwise the level of suckage we would need to achieve to sink that low would mean there wouldn't be much of a team left by time those picks are ready to contribute.

We're fairly mediocre and none of the coaching staff, management or ownership seem to have any interest in getting worse for the hope that it might make them good down the road. For better or worse, Benning is going to have to figure out a way to turn mediocre and the draft picks that come with it into a contender.

I suggest daily sacrifices to the hockey gods and any other deities that might be hockey fans.

If you can dupe another team into giving you theirs then yeah, that would be nice, but otherwise the level of suckage we would need to achieve to sink that low would mean there wouldn't be much of a team left by time those picks are ready to contribute.

We're fairly mediocre and none of the coaching staff, management or ownership seem to have any interest in getting worse for the hope that it might make them good down the road. For better or worse, Benning is going to have to figure out a way to turn mediocre and the draft picks that come with it into a contender.
- CubanBuffet

Yup. At least until the Sedins retire. Those (frank)ers are too good when healthy to keep us from finishing too low.

Yup. At least until the Sedins retire. Those (frank)ers are too good when healthy to keep us from finishing too low.
- Nucker101

Good drafting and great luck should do the job.

Unless they change the players I don't see much change.
- LeftCoaster

As much as I hate to admit it, the Leafs are in a much better position than the Canucks are to turn their team around.

They have movable trade pieces ( Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri,) that can bring in more youth if they wish.

The have 2 really good prospects/young players to build around in Nylander and Reilly, as well as the opportunity to get another 4th over all this season.

They have a young goalie who most would agree is a legit starter in Bernier.

They also have a mgmt team that has publicly said they understand that it will take time to rebuild this team.

Nucks have 2nd tier movable assets ( Higgins, Hansen, Bieksa etc), they have a collection of decent prospects but none with elite potential and they are picking 19 spots behind the leafs this year.

They have a young goalie that some would agree is a legit starter but he likely will be traded or be backup because of Miller.

They have a mgmt team that has publicly said that they are not willing to take a step back (from making the playoffs) in order to facilitate a rebuild.

All that said, I won't be surprised if the leafs screw it up, but right now they are sitting in a pretty good position to make changes for the future.

Good drafting and great luck should do the job.
- CubanBuffet

Pretty much, yes it's possible to rebuild without top 5 picks. But it's so much more difficult and the odds of landing a legit top line forward/defensemen are so much lower.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Leafs are in a much better position than the Canucks are to turn their team around.

They have movable trade pieces ( Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri,) that can bring in more youth if they wish.

The have 2 really good prospects/young players to build around in Nylander and Reilly, as well as the opportunity to get another 4th over all this season.

They have a young goalie who most would agree is a legit starter in Bernier.

They also have a mgmt team that has publicly said they understand that it will take time to rebuild this team.

Nucks have 2nd tier movable assets ( Higgins, Hansen, Bieksa etc), they have a collection of decent prospects but none with elite potential and they are picking 19 spots behind the leafs this year.

They have a young goalie that some would agree is a legit starter but he likely will be traded or be backup because of Miller.

They have a mgmt team that has publicly said that they are not willing to take a step back (from making the playoffs) in order to facilitate a rebuild.

All that said, I won't be surprised if the leafs screw it up, but right now they are sitting in a pretty good position to make changes for the future.
- belcherbd

This is a pretty reasonable post, but you're going to get ripped to shreds for it.

This is a pretty reasonable post, but you're going to get ripped to shreds for it.
- Nucker101

Not from me.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Leafs are in a much better position than the Canucks are to turn their team around.

They have movable trade pieces ( Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri,) that can bring in more youth if they wish.

The have 2 really good prospects/young players to build around in Nylander and Reilly, as well as the opportunity to get another 4th over all this season.

They have a young goalie who most would agree is a legit starter in Bernier.

They also have a mgmt team that has publicly said they understand that it will take time to rebuild this team.

Nucks have 2nd tier movable assets ( Higgins, Hansen, Bieksa etc), they have a collection of decent prospects but none with elite potential and they are picking 19 spots behind the leafs this year.

They have a young goalie that some would agree is a legit starter but he likely will be traded or be backup because of Miller.

They have a mgmt team that has publicly said that they are not willing to take a step back (from making the playoffs) in order to facilitate a rebuild.

All that said, I won't be surprised if the leafs screw it up, but right now they are sitting in a pretty good position to make changes for the future.
- belcherbd

Can't really disagree, although I feel dirty saying it.

Can't really disagree, although I feel dirty saying it.
- CubanBuffet

Agree regretfully

Can't really disagree, although I feel dirty saying it.
- CubanBuffet

The truth hurts but I'm ok.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Leafs are in a much better position than the Canucks are to turn their team around.

They have movable trade pieces ( Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Kadri,) that can bring in more youth if they wish.

The have 2 really good prospects/young players to build around in Nylander and Reilly, as well as the opportunity to get another 4th over all this season.

They have a young goalie who most would agree is a legit starter in Bernier.

They also have a mgmt team that has publicly said they understand that it will take time to rebuild this team.

Nucks have 2nd tier movable assets ( Higgins, Hansen, Bieksa etc), they have a collection of decent prospects but none with elite potential and they are picking 19 spots behind the leafs this year.

They have a young goalie that some would agree is a legit starter but he likely will be traded or be backup because of Miller.

They have a mgmt team that has publicly said that they are not willing to take a step back (from making the playoffs) in order to facilitate a rebuild.

All that said, I won't be surprised if the leafs screw it up, but right now they are sitting in a pretty good position to make changes for the future.
- belcherbd

Yeah, trading their whole top line means they get the 1st overall next year...unless Oilers get it again. the leafs were barely watchable last year, take away the top line and it won't even be hockey, it'll be pond shinny. However they will still sell out...
And shouldn't Kadri be part of the rebuild? He's a young top gunner that's just developing bad habits in their system.

This is a pretty reasonable post, but you're going to get ripped to shreds for it.
- Nucker101

He does it without coming across as a whiney d!ck.

Vancouver would be on a list of teams that would interest Joel Ward when he hits market per News 1130 Sports on Twitter

Vancouver would be on a list of teams that would interest Joel Ward when he hits market per News 1130 Sports on Twitter
- VanHockeyGuy

I like Ward, I actually think he'd be money with the Sedins, he's great in the cycle and finishing around the net.

I'd trade Vrbata for a 1st then sign Ward to a similar Vrbata deal and then trade him after he scores 25+ with the Sedins too.


Basically the Sedin linemate is our ticket to quality draft picks

Pumping up Grenier and Markstrom and looking forward to YoungStars in today's new blog:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com...strom-Play-Hero/194/68801

Not from me.
- Marwood

Or me.

Aquilini should be the only one ripped apart