I refuse to give the media in this town much credit. This is more of a speculation site than a rumour site. and Vancouver media isn't much different. They are so quick to jump to conclusions and want a nice story more than reality.
- hillbillydeluxe

Agree totally👍🏻

from what I've seen/heard, he plays just like his dad. Physical, net-presence type winger. I like that and would take it all day long, I was more just saying taking Chychrun would be a good pick, might end up being the better pick. If there is one thing I trust JB to do it is draft.
- neem55

Not as big as his dad

Lots of people here disappointed today . Internet is frying ownership and mgmt. Radio station is going nuts. Everyone wants to know why nothing is being done. I think the biggest reason is we hung on too long and tried to sell crap. I am not going to give in to the excuse hindsight is 20/20 Vrbata Hamhuis Burrows Higgins Edler Hansen and the Twins. We try to sell too late.

You can look at teams like Leafs Buffalo Carolina and so on with multiple picks and be jealous, but the way to get that is by trading assets when they have value.

In two years we will be back here saying why didn't we do this.

We have 4 extremely valuable players that are 27 years or older that could get very nice returns and speed up the process. Seeing we can't even let go of Hamhuis I am not expecting much.

Leafs sold off some big contracts and now have a blank sheet to build with lots of money. IMO that is not a bad place to be with 12 plus picks this year
- VANTEL

Vantel, cmon, are you saying that Edm, Cal, Tor have more players with more value to the other teams in the nhl compared to us. Benning has had 2 trade deadlines now and I'm frying him he's done nothing with the UFA's while other teams have received picks, whether they're high or not at least it's assets coming back for having rental players.

Lots of people here disappointed today . Internet is frying ownership and mgmt. Radio station is going nuts. Everyone wants to know why nothing is being done. I think the biggest reason is we hung on too long and tried to sell crap. I am not going to give in to the excuse hindsight is 20/20 Vrbata Hamhuis Burrows Higgins Edler Hansen and the Twins. We try to sell too late.

You can look at teams like Leafs Buffalo Carolina and so on with multiple picks and be jealous, but the way to get that is by trading assets when they have value.

In two years we will be back here saying why didn't we do this.

We have 4 extremely valuable players that are 27 years or older that could get very nice returns and speed up the process. Seeing we can't even let go of Hamhuis I am not expecting much.

Leafs sold off some big contracts and now have a blank sheet to build with lots of money. IMO that is not a bad place to be with 12 plus picks this year
- VANTEL

Very good post. That sums things up for me too. But for me hamhuis had to move today. Even giving guys up for almost nothing would have been a benefit for the kids in utica to get time. I really hope this was a wake up call for all involved because we potentially could have missed out on a solid player today for hamhuis.

Actually I kinda feel like doing this...



I like Benning but he overpriced himself and got walked into a corner, he should have taken the last minute deal, but not from Dallas's.
After Dallas lowballed him he should have called Chicago and said what will you give me... I'll be over here benning over.

from what I've seen/heard, he plays just like his dad. Physical, net-presence type winger. I like that and would take it all day long, I was more just saying taking Chychrun would be a good pick, might end up being the better pick. If there is one thing I trust JB to do it is draft.
- neem55

Chychrun just seems safer to me, glad to see someone else feels the same. we're in the top 10 which is nice, a chance for Benning to shine, and to win me back :p reading on Tkachuk now, definitely liked his dad (my Dad was a HUGE st louis fan) I like Gauthier as well, the only one I think is overrated in that top 10 is Nylander sorry to say, I thought the same about his brother going to TO (but I finally get to watch nylander play this evening)

Horvat has the ability to play what some hockey people refer to as DEFENCE. I know you probably don't know much about it or have seen it, but it is something most teams covet.
- neem55

Defense is taboo in Oil land all ppl know.
Til they get some its status quo.

Without knowing the number of contracts Fla has, with the addition of Hudler, Purcell, and Kindl, maybe they were at the max of 50 and had to waive Pirri and would have lost him for nothing. That's asset management, Fla is going all in for the cup and know there are some sacrifices. Benning has had 2 trade deadlines to understand that and I don't think he does yet.
- allsports

two players give you a list of 8 teams (Vrbata) and a list of four(hamhuis). You try to make the deals happen, but due to the fact that you are limited and two of the four teams trade for other guys you fail to make it happen. The other has given you 8 teams that are not playoff teams and is UFA so they don't want him. While I am not happy JB didn't get something done, you have to be realistic.

Lots of people here disappointed today . Internet is frying ownership and mgmt. Radio station is going nuts. Everyone wants to know why nothing is being done. I think the biggest reason is we hung on too long and tried to sell crap. I am not going to give in to the excuse hindsight is 20/20 Vrbata Hamhuis Burrows Higgins Edler Hansen and the Twins. We try to sell too late.

You can look at teams like Leafs Buffalo Carolina and so on with multiple picks and be jealous, but the way to get that is by trading assets when they have value.

In two years we will be back here saying why didn't we do this.

We have 4 extremely valuable players that are 27 years or older that could get very nice returns and speed up the process. Seeing we can't even let go of Hamhuis I am not expecting much.

Leafs sold off some big contracts and now have a blank sheet to build with lots of money. IMO that is not a bad place to be with 12 plus picks this year
- VANTEL

1) We know your pain all too well, we call it the Tambellini / Crack-T era.

2) The Leafs re doing exactly what the Oilers did the year we drafted Taylor Hall and look how far that got us.

lol... just repaying the nice Vancouver fans that visit our threads daily
- ReveenV2

Idk there was anything nice to say on your thread.
Boring over there i take it?

Vantel, cmon, are you saying that Edm, Cal, Tor have more players with more value to the other teams in the nhl compared to us. Benning has had 2 trade deadlines now and I'm frying him he's done nothing with the UFA's while other teams have received picks, whether they're high or not at least it's assets coming back for having rental players.
- allsports

I didn't fry anyone. I said if you want top end picks you need to trade value players not Weber and Bartowski.

If you hang on to players like Burrows and Higgins in their mid 30 s with their five goals you will get laughed at

Hes good defensively just his line mates arent. Has more goals than yak and will probably have more than eberle playing against top lines and not playing away from them. 5 years younger too and already better
- mauryballstein

Eberle plays against tough comp every night. He has twice as many goals in less games and a way better plus / minus.

1) We know your pain all too well, we call it the Tambellini / Crack-T era.

2) The Leafs re doing exactly what the Oilers did the year we drafted Taylor Hall and look how far that got us.
- ReveenV2

What's that?

two players give you a list of 8 teams (Vrbata) and a list of four(hamhuis). You try to make the deals happen, but due to the fact that you are limited and two of the four teams trade for other guys you fail to make it happen. The other has given you 8 teams that are not playoff teams and is UFA so they don't want him. While I am not happy JB didn't get something done, you have to be realistic.
- neem55

I am being realistic, Vrbata is worthless to other teams today, fine. Hamhuis, he supposedly has a deal on the table with the Stars but didnt' say yes and Dal went with Russell. I would've taken that deal, 1 young dman who's like their #7 and a prospect with a 2nd round pick for Russell? I would have taken that deal. Benning has to be realistic sometimes the best deal is the first deal.

Else, regards to Pirri, a 6th rounder is a gamble but for a player who already scored over 20 in the NHL I'd give him a gamble.

I didn't fry anyone. I said if you want top end picks you need to trade value players not Weber and Bartowski.

If you hang on to players like Burrows and Higgins in their mid 30 s with their five goals you will get laughed at
- VANTEL

Ok

What's that?
- walshyleafsfan

A bad job at tanking

Very good post. That sums things up for me too. But for me hamhuis had to move today. Even giving guys up for almost nothing would have been a benefit for the kids in utica to get time. I really hope this was a wake up call for all involved because we potentially could have missed out on a solid player today for hamhuis.
- mauryballstein

Shouldn't we potentially be upset?

Media loves this. 1040 is going nuts. we just lost next year's cup. I can't get out the front door because the sky has fallen and clouds are blocking my way.

This was a must win game that we lost.

cue Pratt's rant, he has one every day.

cue Sid's rant on Tim and Sid.

Since Hamhuis had to move today, and didn't, where does that leave you?

I am betting the sun will rise tomorrow.

I am being realistic, Vrbata is worthless to other teams today, fine. Hamhuis, he supposedly has a deal on the table with the Stars but didnt' say yes and Dal went with Russell. I would've taken that deal, 1 young dman who's like their #7 and a prospect with a 2nd round pick for Russell? I would have taken that deal. Benning has to be realistic sometimes the best deal is the first deal.

Else, regards to Pirri, a 6th rounder is a gamble but for a player who already scored over 20 in the NHL I'd give him a gamble.
- allsports

Pirri is a UFA and we are a non-playoff team. I think we "gamble" when the UFA market opens.My undrstanding of the Dallas deal is that Dallas chose Russell over Hamhuis, which is not something JB can do much about.

two players give you a list of 8 teams (Vrbata) and a list of four(hamhuis). You try to make the deals happen, but due to the fact that you are limited and two of the four teams trade for other guys you fail to make it happen. The other has given you 8 teams that are not playoff teams and is UFA so they don't want him. While I am not happy JB didn't get something done, you have to be realistic.
- neem55

Today went how I thought it would go. Thought Hammer might move, but when I found out he only agreed to Chicago and Dallas, I knew it was over. Vrbata didn't have a lot of upside - thought you might seen a swap for Boedeker though until Colorado picked him up.

I'm one of the few that thinks Benning did OK given the circumstances. I'm glad he didn't sell low. If his aim was to get Shinkrauk out early in exchange for a roster player he got as he said "the best he could get". Doubt it would have got done today assuming that asset is bad. He got Larsen - so at least there's some D prospect in the system with upside for a weak asset...

Very good post. That sums things up for me too. But for me hamhuis had to move today. Even giving guys up for almost nothing would have been a benefit for the kids in utica to get time. I really hope this was a wake up call for all involved because we potentially could have missed out on a solid player today for hamhuis.
- mauryballstein

How do u presume this when only Dallas was serious?
Did u see JB's press conference?
He said no concrete offer from the Hawks n Dallas chose Russell over Hamhuis.
Game set n match.

A bad job at tanking
- annoyance__101

A bad job?

I am being realistic, Vrbata is worthless to other teams today, fine. Hamhuis, he supposedly has a deal on the table with the Stars but didnt' say yes and Dal went with Russell. I would've taken that deal, 1 young dman who's like their #7 and a prospect with a 2nd round pick for Russell? I would have taken that deal. Benning has to be realistic sometimes the best deal is the first deal.

Else, regards to Pirri, a 6th rounder is a gamble but for a player who already scored over 20 in the NHL I'd give him a gamble.
- allsports

Pirri is eligible for arbitration and is looking for 3 mil.

1) We know your pain all too well, we call it the Tambellini / Crack-T era.

2) The Leafs re doing exactly what the Oilers did the year we drafted Taylor Hall and look how far that got us.
- ReveenV2

Kevin Lowe is where all the trouble started n went downhill.

A bad job at tanking
- annoyance__101

The goal differential of the team is pretty awful, we don't score much and are pretty bad. His wingers were Vrbata and Burrows, and his assignment due to injury was to check the 1st line of every team we faced. While I understand you see plus/minus as a relevant stat, anyone with any real knowledge of stats does not. his corsi relative to competition is pretty good considering his age. His first half of the year was not very good though, no denying that. Been looking better since January with some new linemates.
- neem55

It was ridiculous to suggest Horvat is better than Eberle at this point time.