It's possible without. Easier with. I would consider Kane just barely below. If the caps beat us they would have been the favorite and have one. It can be done. Definitely 3-4 guys who are top 15 players. Boston was probably weakest recent winner with chara in prime and a few other pretty good players. Kings had dought and kopitar. Red wings teams were loaded lidstrom datsyuk and zetterberg who were all top 15/20 players that year. Bottom line Toronto has 3-4 guys who could be superstars but need to hit on a bunch of them.
- sditulli

I have a lot of faith in Matthews, Nylander, and Marner. I think they're all going to be elite players. Toronto's absolutely fine forward wise. Their defense is very questionable.

Its funny, in poll of blogger's a few days ago not one had Malkin in the top 5 centers. He does not get the credit he deserves as the 2nd best center in the NHL (injuries and Crosby being the primary reasons)... Ill take him over Toews, Kopitar and Bergeron any day of the week!!!!
- Brianandr1

He's been hurt too much. Hasn't had a full season since 2008. Hasn't been healthy for close to a full season in 5 years. When healthy he's close to a ppg player but there are other guys hitting that mark who have been healthy though not many.

Granted been a while since he had elite line mates and he still puts up points. You can argue he's the third best center in the game when healthy but hasn't been enough.

Didn't see Thornton listed much either and he was 4th in pts this year. Letang and Malkin just haven't been healthy enough to maintain those rankings but when you have both healthy for a series you are essentially getting that level of performance.

I have a lot of faith in Matthews, Nylander, and Marner. I think they're all going to be elite players. Toronto's absolutely fine forward wise. Their defense is very questionable.
- Victoro311

Capitals don't have anything close to a guy in the conversation for a top dman, but they were by all accounts the best team the first half of the year and the second best for the rest of the year. But do have a lot of good players. But then again they haven't actually won a cup which might be an indicator of how tough it is to win if you don't quite have the generational or multiple top 15 guys

Capitals don't have anything close to a guy in the conversation for a top dman, but they were by all accounts the best team the first half of the year and the second best for the rest of the year. But do have a lot of good players. But then again they haven't actually won a cup which might be an indicator of how tough it is to win if you don't quite have the generational or multiple top 15 guys
- sditulli

Carlson is a 1D. I don't care what anyone says that guy might be the most underrated top pairing defenseman in the league.

Carlson is a 1D. I don't care what anyone says that guy might be the most underrated top pairing defenseman in the league.
- Victoro311

He's a 1d but a 1d by definition counts the 15th to 30th best defenseman in the league. Same complaint you have with Toronto since I think Gardner and Reilly both have a shot at bing a 15-30 dmen.

But when you are talking about cup teams your talking about 1d who are in the conversation for the Norris trophy. Look at both teams this year burns was a finalist and I thought Letang was deserving of being a finalist.

Go back thru the last decade and I'd argue the worst 1d to win a cup was gonchar.

Guys who have won lidstrom, Keith, doughty, pronger, neidermeyer, chara

Putting Yakupov on the list is fine and dandy, but he's a free agent at seasons end and if LV select him they need to sign him. Yakupov won't be the asset lost in expansion. Free agency maybe, but not in the expansion draft.

Putting Yakupov on the list is fine and dandy, but he's a free agent at seasons end and if LV select him they need to sign him. Yakupov won't be the asset lost in expansion. Free agency maybe, but not in the expansion draft.
- wreckage

He's an RFA, not a UFA

So, he's an asset that LV can take if he's left unprotected

You all realize he missed Edmonton protecting McDavid, right?

You all realize he missed Edmonton protecting McDavid, right?
- WhatstheMaatta

Or does he fall under the ELC rule?

Or does he fall under the ELC rule?
- WhatstheMaatta

McDavid isn't eligible because he'll only have been in the league for two years at the time of expansion.

He's a 1d but a 1d by definition counts the 15th to 30th best defenseman in the league. Same complaint you have with Toronto since I think Gardner and Reilly both have a shot at bing a 15-30 dmen.

But when you are talking about cup teams your talking about 1d who are in the conversation for the Norris trophy. Look at both teams this year burns was a finalist and I thought Letang was deserving of being a finalist.

Go back thru the last decade and I'd argue the worst 1d to win a cup was gonchar.

Guys who have won lidstrom, Keith, doughty, pronger, neidermeyer, chara
- sditulli

Well I can't really argue with that logic. I'm pretty high on Carlson but he's not in the same weight class as those guys besides Gonchar

Better Coach. Better GM. Richer ownership(doesn't matter who owns TML though, they can afford to do things like trade CLarkson for Horton and then pay Horton the $30 million without it taking up cap space.

Easily the best(loyal and $$$) fan base and I'd say our prospect pool is deeper than Buffalo's but I don't know their B grade prospects? I mean we just have a guy like Connor Brown who won the OHL MVP and the next season was the leading rookie scorer in the AHL. That's our B grade guy that should be unknown to other fan bases. Does Buffalo have that? maybe?

At the end of the day, the article isn't "Who will win the cup in 2017?" It is what is the best organization in hockey. I'd put the Leafs up in the top 5 for sure.

Oh yeah, I was forgot about Mark Hunter and our future GM Kyle Dubas. Things are looking real good. But the could easily be ranked in there with a bunch of other teams. It's subjective. TO try and be accurate they best way would just be to bunch teams in groups of 5.
- Njuice

Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment has a total equity is 1.66B, Terry Pegula's net worth is 4B so not only does Buffalo in fact have the richer owner he's more than twice as rich as the Leaf's ownership.

Capitals don't have anything close to a guy in the conversation for a top dman, but they were by all accounts the best team the first half of the year and the second best for the rest of the year. But do have a lot of good players. But then again they haven't actually won a cup which might be an indicator of how tough it is to win if you don't quite have the generational or multiple top 15 guys
- sditulli

Those Niskanen and Orpik contracts gonna look so bad. Lets hope they leave Brooksie exposed.

Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment has a total equity is 1.66B, Terry Pegula's net worth is 4B so not only does Buffalo in fact have the richer owner he's more than twice as rich as the Leaf's ownership.
- jaydogg1974

From different sources, I've heard Katz's network is upwards of $4b USD

EDIT: Phil Anschutz (LA Kings) takes the cake. >$10-12B

It does look like we are one of the teams most likely to lose a significant asset.

Going to be forced to sell low on Fleury because of expansion - though may be right decision based on cap issues to.

If Pouliot has a breakout year we are in a huge bind. Lets not debate whether Pouliot will do this, I certainly think he has top 4 D talent. If he becomes a must protect then we lose a good 2nd line/mid-9 guy. Hagelin/Hornqvist. If pouliot simply has a respectable year solid 3rd pairing guy then it becomes a toss-up on protecting him. And we lose a costs-controlled 3rd pairing guy who has a fairly high ceiling.

If pouliot blows and is worthless. Then we get to protect all of the current core. If Fehr is the guy we lose then its no-big loss. Clear some cap, but lose a solid contributor with only 1 year of term. Or we lose the worst player out of Rust, Wilson, Kuhnakl. I guess that is fine too.

I guess I just wrote a ton to say if Pouliot has a good year we lose fairly big. And we are forced to make a goalie move under-time pressure. Sometimes its better to make a move earlier than later so could be decent to have pressure.
- sditulli

I don't understand all the freaking out about the possibility of losing Hornqvist in expansion. I get that he brings an element the team doesn't really have anywhere else but he'll also be 30yo when the draft comes around and will only have 1 year left on his contract, if they don't plan on extended him long term(which I would recommend with his age and style of play) then his benefit to the team is greatly diminished. It won't be the popular opinion but I'm not protecting Hornqvist under any circumstance and would prefer protecting younger players with more long term viability like Rust or Wilson(can't remember who is eligible). I see losing 1 year of Hornqvist as much more manageable than losing 5+ years of players like Wilson or Rust.

Also with the think group of fowards available exposing Hornqvist may be a way to protect Murray from getting selected while being left unprotected. It would take some serious backroom dealings from GMJR but I could see it being feasible because there will be a few good goalies available but very few good forwards available.

From different sources, I've heard Katz's network is upwards of $4b USD

EDIT: Phil Anschutz (LA Kings) takes the cake. >$10-12B
- DeflatedPucks

It's very possible. I just looked at the 1st source I found for each. Either way it disproves the notion that Toronto has any type of advantage over Buffalo because of the wealth of the ownership.

If you think losing King or Clifford is anything resembling a serious step backwards and anything more than just an unpleasant stumble, the only asshat here is you. Its not even on par with us losing Sheary or Rust which in all seriousness wouldn't be the biggest deal in the world.
- Victoro311

I would trade rust or sheary for king anyday.

I don't understand all the freaking out about the possibility of losing Hornqvist in expansion. I get that he brings an element the team doesn't really have anywhere else but he'll also be 30yo when the draft comes around and will only have 1 year left on his contract, if they don't plan on extended him long term(which I would recommend with his age and style of play) then his benefit to the team is greatly diminished. It won't be the popular opinion but I'm not protecting Hornqvist under any circumstance and would prefer protecting younger players with more long term viability like Rust or Wilson(can't remember who is eligible). I see losing 1 year of Hornqvist as much more manageable than losing 5+ years of players like Wilson or Rust.

Also with the think group of fowards available exposing Hornqvist may be a way to protect Murray from getting selected while being left unprotected. It would take some serious backroom dealings from GMJR but I could see it being feasible because there will be a few good goalies available but very few good forwards available.
- jaydogg1974

Hornqvist wouldn't be a disaster, but we are short on true top 6 forwards. I'm not sure in the short-term that we would find another guy to give his salary to another top 6 guy. I mean look at UFA this year and not many cost effective options. Basically longer term losing hornqvist isn't a problem. But when your cup window is the next 3-4 years then losing a key piece has its problems.

Hornqvist wouldn't be a disaster, but we are short on true top 6 forwards. I'm not sure in the short-term that we would find another guy to give his salary to another top 6 guy. I mean look at UFA this year and not many cost effective options. Basically longer term losing hornqvist isn't a problem. But when your cup window is the next 3-4 years then losing a key piece has its problems.
- sditulli

Yup. That's the problem. The window is open for at least a few years longer and the team isn't exactly stocked with "sure thing" wing prospects. Players like Wilson, Rust and Sheary are still basically "unknowns". Sure they look somewhat promising, but I wouldn't bet on them all occupying top 6 slots. Frankly, I'd be more inclined to bet maybe only one of them produces enough to earn a steady job in the top 6.

The only player in the organization that I'm convinced will be a top 6 regular is Sprong....and he's likely two years away. Finding a player that plays like Hornqvist is not easy and they virtually have nobody to take his place.

I would trade rust or sheary for king anyday.
- Grinder47

I would only do that on Mondays when im drunk

The only player in the organization that I'm convinced will be a top 6 regular is Sprong....and he's likely two years away. Finding a player that plays like Hornqvist is not easy and they virtually have nobody to take his place.
- madmike71

Guentzel?

I don't understand all the freaking out about the possibility of losing Hornqvist in expansion. I get that he brings an element the team doesn't really have anywhere else but he'll also be 30yo when the draft comes around and will only have 1 year left on his contract, if they don't plan on extended him long term(which I would recommend with his age and style of play) then his benefit to the team is greatly diminished. It won't be the popular opinion but I'm not protecting Hornqvist under any circumstance and would prefer protecting younger players with more long term viability like Rust or Wilson(can't remember who is eligible). I see losing 1 year of Hornqvist as much more manageable than losing 5+ years of players like Wilson or Rust.

Also with the think group of fowards available exposing Hornqvist may be a way to protect Murray from getting selected while being left unprotected. It would take some serious backroom dealings from GMJR but I could see it being feasible because there will be a few good goalies available but very few good forwards available.
- jaydogg1974

FWIW we need to move Murray or Fleury next offseason. Murray will likely get paid and $10 million is a little much to tie up in the goalie position.

Hornqvist wouldn't be a disaster, but we are short on true top 6 forwards. I'm not sure in the short-term that we would find another guy to give his salary to another top 6 guy. I mean look at UFA this year and not many cost effective options. Basically longer term losing hornqvist isn't a problem. But when your cup window is the next 3-4 years then losing a key piece has its problems.
- sditulli

I agree it may be hard replacing Hornqvist for that 1 year, it would take a lot of faith in either a player like Sprong or Wilson being able to fill that role or striking gold in a thin UFA market but I still see the short term hit being better for the team than the potential longer term hit of losing a cost effective top 9 player. Having players like Crosby & Malkin in the top 6 makes it much easier to find plug & play wingers to pair with them that may not be traditional top 6 players but excel in that role by complementing Crosby & Malkin well. We've seen it with player like Dupuis, Comeau and Rust over the last few seasons.

I agree it may be hard replacing Hornqvist for that 1 year, it would take a lot of faith in either a player like Sprong or Wilson being able to fill that role or striking gold in a thin UFA market but I still see the short term hit being better for the team than the potential longer term hit of losing a cost effective top 9 player. Having players like Crosby & Malkin in the top 6 makes it much easier to find plug & play wingers to pair with them that may not be traditional top 6 players but excel in that role by complementing Crosby & Malkin well. We've seen it with player like Dupuis, Comeau and Rust over the last few seasons.
- jaydogg1974

Who knows tiops is reporting Fleury has full chance to win back his job this year (though you kind of have to say that if you couldn't find a workable deal). Could still trade Murray for a top 6 guy.

I would only do that on Mondays when im drunk
- DeflatedPucks

You are also part of the mindless sheep that is the nhl fanbase these days. "He hits? He fights? He cant be good at hockey! " I would bet the farm Rust nor Sheary ever score 15 playing in a complete bottom six role. Dwight King on Crosbys line would be awesome.