I still have no idea what you’re getting at. What does any of this have to do with other people being critical of him?
- 1970vintage

He’s saying that you guys criticizing JB lose credibility with your outrageous hyperbole.

Pump the brakes on him being dominant. The point is, we lack these dominant types and trade away our best capital for acquiring them for secondary players.
- golfingsince

Which players drafted since 2014 would you call dominant?

Smh. Guessing anyone who thinks 2020 is being overhyped hasn’t bothered watching tape yet.
- DrChristianTroy

I’m actually ahead this next draft of who is coming out. I like many players up at the top. Last draft the depth was good but taking Seider Broberg & Soderstrom as reaches made it unique & strange. Where i expect us to pick say 12-15 isn’t much different than the 2019 draft of what talent will be there. You pointed out Stranges whom i will watch closely. As for D not much excites me as if yet. Drysdale looks interesting but not a stud.

Which players drafted since 2014 would you call dominant?
- Nucker101

Jake Virtanen?

Ok, I have to go build the rest of my deck now. Wasted enough time here already today.

If you are saying "well done, Jim" Julien Brisebois is getting fired.

I didn't support anything other than you don't know the outcome of the trade but are calling it a loss. I'm not sure how you managed to see it that way but from the poll I see 2000 people that haven't rushed to "Jim lost the trade" and 1000 people that are living an EA sports world.
- manvanfan

You need to take a course, I didn’t say anything of the sort. I said that none of the responses were “Jim knocked this thing out of the park and absolutely stole Miller out from under TBs nose” or, to put it another way, “a first and a third is not nearly enough for Miller”.

So... when you have a percentage of people who think it was fair, and another who think it was too much, but none who think it wasn’t enough. Ah, Forget it.

Size is a reasonable concern to an extent, but the mentality matters much more. I don't see EP as a dude who backs down or gets scared despite being pretty thin for a NHL'er. Same with Hughes, these dudes have some swagger and are gamers. And a pack mentality will make every player feel 1 foot taller. The culture has to change starting from development camps, the AHL, and then by the time the homegrown talent reaches the NHL level, the pack mentality will just be second nature. That's what teams like the Bruins and Capitals preach. The entire organization has to be on the same page if they want to establish it.
- Nucker101

All true 👍

Utica is due to start producing & better develop prospects. It’s critical now that new additions JB has signed will help us now but inevitable injuries need talent from call ups to perform & just not be so so.

I still have no idea what you’re getting at. What does any of this have to do with other people being critical of him?
- 1970vintage

Criticism i get but those who can not give any credit whatsoever are stubborn. Yes we need more elite talent & those already here to take more of bigger role. It’s going ok

I still have no idea what you’re getting at. What does any of this have to do with other people being critical of him?
- 1970vintage

If you're critical of him you need to be labeled a whiner. However, you can't label anyone who defends him all the time. That's just unfair.

I’m actually ahead this next draft of who is coming out. I like many players up at the top. Last draft the depth was good but taking Seider Broberg & Soderstrom as reaches made it unique & strange. Where i expect us to pick say 12-15 isn’t much different than the 2019 draft of what talent will be there. You pointed out Stranges whom i will watch closely. As for D not much excites me as if yet. Drysdale looks interesting but not a stud.
- Nighthawk

Drysdale is absolutely a stud IMO. I pointed out Stranges as a guy who might fall in the area TB would be selecting with our pick. One of many, many options.

He’s saying that you guys criticizing JB lose credibility with your outrageous hyperbole.
- Nucker101

If you're critical of him you need to be labeled a whiner. However, you can't label anyone who defends him all the time. That's just unfair.
- golfingsince

I’d label whiners as those who want to ignore all that is good too readily. It’s not all doom n gloom nor is it cup contending real soon.

If you're critical of him you need to be labeled a whiner. However, you can't label anyone who defends him all the time. That's just unfair.
- golfingsince

It sounded more like no one else is allowed to be critical because “we”, the people who think he hasn’t won a trade, own it.

Drysdale is absolutely a stud IMO. I pointed out Stranges as a guy who might fall in the area TB would be selecting with our pick. One of many, many options.
- DrChristianTroy

From everything that i've read and seen, it's a very deep draft with some very high end talent at the top.

I think looking back at the 2020 draft you'll see it littered with 1st line talent.

It sounded more like no one else is allowed to be critical because “we”, the people who think he hasn’t won a trade, own it.
- 1970vintage

To be fair, I still don't like the Myers deal neither. I must be a double hater.

Yes it's better than reported, but it's still too long and rich for my liking. I know that's what you pay/get for dipping into the free agency market, doesn't mean I have to like it.
We're still a borderline team IMO, even with all of these additions.

My optimism lies on a few things...

Adding Miller & Ferland in the top 6 is a big thing pushing other players down to the level they should be. Eg Sven 3rd line

Revamping the D it is easily better than the crap we had last year & before. Hughes for a full season alone is exciting. Myers & Benn will further help us vs the plugs we had.

In goal we have a nice tandem imo

The PP needs to be much better & a healthy Brock will help along with Hughes & Myers etc. Brown has to get it done or bye bye.

Success in our division is there to be had. Vegas i give a PO spot to. The Flames don’t scare me but likely to get in. SJ just seems to have our number over the years but i can see that changing & the team to target to beat out to make the PO’s. Ducks & LA suck. The Oil are sad sack dysfunctional team. The Yotes owned us last year & could screw us again if we don’t prove we are better.

It sounded more like no one else is allowed to be critical because “we”, the people who think he hasn’t won a trade, own it.
- 1970vintage

Again the other side of the coin is saying he lost every trade. Is that your claim?
Clarify pls

From everything that i've read and seen, it's a very deep draft with some very high end talent at the top.

I think looking back at the 2020 draft you'll see it littered with 1st line talent.
- golfingsince

I do agree & see 1st line talent could be aplenty next draft. Not so sure any left where I’d project us picking. After the last draft anything could happen & we nab another scoop where we pick.

Again the other side of the coin is saying he lost every trade. Is that your claim?
Clarify pls
- Nighthawk

Yes, I believe he has come out in the wrong side of every trade with the exception of Leivo, which was a player the Leafs were going to lose on waivers anyway, and Pearson, though if you factor what it cost to get Gudbrandon in the first place can you really call that a win?

Jim is a stand up guy. That’s an honorable trait. But being the GM of an NHL team requires you to be a bit ruthless at times.

I do not believe there was a bidding war for Miller. I think Jim felt that was a fair price and paid it. I think he could have gotten his player for an unfair price if he pushed harder. He just doesn’t seem like a guy who is willing to walk away once his mind is made up.

Yes, I believe he has come out in the wrong side of every trade with the exception of Leivo, which was a player the Leafs were going to lose on waivers anyway, and Pearson, though if you factor what it cost to get Gudbrandon in the first place can you really call that a win?

Jim is a stand up guy. That’s an honorable trait. But being the GM of an NHL team requires you to be a bit ruthless at times.

I do not believe there was a bidding war for Miller. I think Jim felt that was a fair price and paid it. I think he could have gotten his player for an unfair price if he pushed harder. He just doesn’t seem like a guy who is willing to walk away once his mind is made up.
- 1970vintage

A good post mostly.

To be ruthless JB needs to deal from depth & strength. We were not there yet but it’s getting better.

On Miller TB had not much to offer up for cap space that could fetch a good return. Sure they were in a pickle but they had no reason to give Miller away & he was in demand i am sure of. A 1st & 3rd obviously was the best TB was offered. It came down to if another team would offer that & most likely we won the bid. Miller is better than a 2nd & 3rd that Shaw got i have no doubt about. 2-2nds won’t get it done imo. 2nds are not nearly as valuable as some would like to try persuading me of nor do i see them as likely to have better than a 10% chance of being better than 3rd liners. Miller is a 2nd liner imo given all the brings to the table.

Am i comfortable with trading a 1st? No
Am i scared it will bite our ass? No

Its risk/reward & i’m ok with it.

Without knowing what other offers TB received for Miller i saw a 1st as the key for them. So the 1st is ok & to be shrewd idk if the 3rd could've been say a 5th or 2-6ths instead. That i would think would be more palatable for most here. Idk if Brisebois would take that.

A good post mostly.

To be ruthless JB needs to deal from depth & strength. We were not there yet but it’s getting better.

On Miller TB had not much to offer up for cap space that could fetch a good return. Sure they were in a pickle but they had no reason to give Miller away & he was in demand i am sure of. A 1st & 3rd obviously was the best TB was offered. It came down to if another team would offer that & most likely we won the bid. Miller is better than a 2nd & 3rd that Shaw got i have no doubt about. 2-2nds won’t get it done imo. 2nds are not nearly as valuable as some would like to try persuading me of nor do i see them as likely to have better than a 10% chance of being better than 3rd liners. Miller is a 2nd liner imo given all the brings to the table.

Am i comfortable with trading a 1st? No
Am i scared it will bite our ass? No

Its risk/reward & i’m ok with it.
- Nighthawk

miller trade came before the shaw and burakovsky deals. so basically he set the value for the summer anfd (frank)ed everyone else over into overpaying for mediocre talent. stealthy moves jimbo

And the "nooooo" and the "barely a 2nd liner."

Lying is weak.
- RealityChecker

Wow. Solid investigative work.

Would you be able to track down someone who owes me money?

Wow. Solid investigative work.

Would you be able to track down someone who owes me money?
- bloatedmosquito

i know some friends.

you want i should introduce youse guys?

miller trade came before the shaw and burakovsky deals. so basically he set the value for the summer anfd (frank)ed everyone else over into overpaying for mediocre talent. stealthy moves jimbo
- johnnykarate

Habs also traded 2-2nds to get Shaw in the 1st place. Lol

I do agree & see 1st line talent could be aplenty next draft. Not so sure any left where I’d project us picking. After the last draft anything could happen & we nab another scoop where we pick.
- Nighthawk

The guy who had Stranges 31st has Noel Gunler 25th. Both elite skillset future first liners as far as I’m concerned. Either (IMO, based on tape) could’ve conceivably been in the top 5 (easy top 10) mix in 2019... Anyway, the 2020 hype is justified - who even knows if/when we’ll pick - focus on the players.