well, I'd argue that we need a strong 2-way center like Staal, so somebody can play some friggin defence when Lupul and Kessel are out there racking up minuses
- Big_Lightnin

The problem isn't always that those two are always stuck back, but that usually one or both of Phaneuf/Gunnarsson/Schenn are back there with them.

dude.. luongo is 33.. he's on the downside
- Dozzer

yes....lol....but the Nucks are ready for the cup now...hence why I think its their best interet to keep him. Leafs could use him to merely help them compete and get their young goalies properly mentored etc, while getting the team playoff experience. Works for the Leafs for above reasons, but works better for the Nucks cause they are ready for someone of his ilk (now).

- A_Tree

wow. haven't seen that one before.

say what you want about his shortcomings, but when it's slowed down like that, you can really see just how gifted he is with the puck. (frank) he's good.

sorry, i just disagree here.. injuries, and poor years will up the price for him

simple equation.. the more teams interested the higher the price

and the backup stuff? i dont buy it.. there are 30 gms in the league that know precisely what luongo brings to the table
- Dozzer

What injuries and poor years? Are you making assumptions?

How are there more teams interested next year over this? Lou has a NTC.

You think Lou is worth more next year if he back up Schneider this year?

I'm not saying he has no value next year ...of course he would. But it's more likely that his value goes down with age, less play, etc ....

Vancity needs to strike if there's a market now. If they're getting crap offers ...sure wait ...but if it's reasonable why take the risk of CS leaving.

how come you are the only guy thats hasn't pissed that guy off and got blocked?
- bobbyisno1

Im blocked by him. I called him Asian and he got pissed.

Someone RT'd him in my timeline.

gillis is gonna set a price no one will be willing to match.. then, because gillis is no fool.. he will wait til the trade deadline and get a ransom for him from a team who thinks that an established goalie might put them over the top

seriously.. if you were gillis would you trade him now.. with almost no market?

no.. you wouldnt.

wait til the season starts, someone is bound to get hurt or come out of the gate slow driving the price up for luongo

for the nucks, moving him now would be dumb
- Dozzer

Freeing up the 5.6M in cap space may be an advantage moving forward with UFA's and planning for next year.
Its a cat and mouse game between Burke and Gillis right Now, It may drag out a little longer but I doubt Luongo is still a Canuck come September

At this point it's a game of chicken between BB and Gillis.

Whoever blinks first is out as BB is holding firm to the belief that he is dealing from a position of strength.

Gillis only has one legit suitor for Luongo, so basically, if he doesn't drop the price, he has to put up with Luongo next year.

In the end it's the best strategy by a mile.

Even if it means no deal til early Sept. that's fine, as long as the price drops

Macinnon ,Jones are pretty nice pieces to have and the leafs would probably be in the running .Sorry to say
- top shelf 15

no they wouldn't... Columbus is just too bad. Leafs would be right around where they were this year. Short of playoffs, but too far from Last to really make a difference

They play well. Shot at the playoffs. They play poorly, we pick up another top pick.

Besides, Scrivens has earned a true shot.
- Leafs43

rrrggh, honestly I hate when people say that!

Why is it that you guys only consider the Best or the Worst. Why is there no (realistic) middle...like they play good but end up around 9th/10th/11th and miss the playoffs and get nothing?

for christ sakes...the only reason we are picking top 5 this year is because of that HORRIBLE crash...I would hazzard to say that would be PRETTY hard to duplicate. (Not for the Leafs...ahahahaha.....yea, i get it).

What injuries and poor years? Are you making assumptions?

How are there more teams interested next year over this? Lou has a NTC.

You think Lou is worth more next year if he back up Schneider this year?

I'm not saying he has no value next year ...of course he would. But it's more likely that his value goes down with age, less play, etc ....

Vancity needs to strike if there's a market now. If they're getting crap offers ...sure wait ...but if it's reasonable why take the risk of CS leaving.
- The Law

Gillis' comments the other day suggest this is the case - so far nothing but salary dump trades...

But he hasn't done much yet except score 30 goals regularly (which is why I'm saying he's a star). He's missing the intangibles, "complete player", "proven winner", leader, etc. to be a superstar at this point and hasn't put up Stamkos numbers yet either.

I'm not saying he will never be a superstar, but not yet anyways.
- gravyface

The lines between "superstar" and "star" become more or less media terminology to sell products. Ovechkin and Crosby immediately come to mind. Maybe Stamkos, probably Giroux in the near future.

Dozzer, please don't ban me.........

If you are implying that the Leafs go into the season with Remier and Scrivens then are you are (frank)ING CRAZY
- faceto27

well. the last time they brought up a goalie who took their AHL team to the finals the leafs came one bad call away from the finals

... just sayin...

wow. haven't seen that one before.

say what you want about his shortcomings, but when it's slowed down like, you can really see just how gifted he is with the puck. (frank) he's good.
- Big_Lightnin

There are very few players in the league that can rush the puck like he can at top speed. It's a complement to his talent that teams like the Bruins have a game plan centered mainly around putting their Norris Trophy-winning defenseman on Kessel at all times throughout the game.

The problem isn't always that those two are always stuck back, but that usually one or both of Phaneuf/Gunnarsson/Schenn are back there with them.
- p_zub

This is true.

Lupul is usually consistently back-checking.

wow. haven't seen that one before.

say what you want about his shortcomings, but when it's slowed down like, you can really see just how gifted he is with the puck. (frank) he's good.
- Big_Lightnin

I know eh. Hope that Kessel remains a leaf for a few more years at least.

rrrggh, honestly I hate when people say that!

Why is it that you guys only consider the Best or the Worst. Why is there no (realistic) middle...like they play good but end up around 9th/10th/11th and miss the playoffs and get nothing?

for christ sakes...the only reason we are picking top 5 this year is because of that HORRIBLE crash...I would hazzard to say that would be PRETTY hard to duplicate. (Not for the Leafs...ahahahaha.....yea, i get it).
- noename09

this.

Leafs SHOULD have made the playoffs this year. Lot of things came together to make them the worst team in hockey for about a month, but at the beginning a lot of things came together to make them one of the best. They are a playoff cusp team right now without anything extreme happening one way or the other.

wow. haven't seen that one before.

say what you want about his shortcomings, but when it's slowed down like, you can really see just how gifted he is with the puck. (frank) he's good.
- Big_Lightnin

The lines between "superstar" and "star" become more or less media terminology to sell products. Ovechkin and Crosby immediately come to mind. Maybe Stamkos, probably Giroux in the near future.
- A_Tree

Oh, I totally agree: it's spin city and when I say consensus, well, it's as much of a consensus as it'll ever be. But forgetting labels for a second, I wouldn't put Kessel in the same category as Crosby, Malkin, or even Stamkos or Giroux (more so the former two than the latter two, at least at this point). I think that's truly a consensus.

rrrggh, honestly I hate when people say that!

Why is it that you guys only consider the Best or the Worst. Why is there no (realistic) middle...like they play good but end up around 9th/10th/11th and miss the playoffs and get nothing?

for christ sakes...the only reason we are picking top 5 this year is because of that HORRIBLE crash...I would hazzard to say that would be PRETTY hard to duplicate. (Not for the Leafs...ahahahaha.....yea, i get it).
- noename09

I don't appreciate that attitude around here, mister.

cut it out.

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
Bobby Ryan and Rick Nash linked. Same teams in on both, so, if one goes, the other may move soon after.

- Oilhab

dude I'm talking offensively. watch the vid and tell me you're not impressed with the puck skills.

There are very few players in the league that can rush the puck like he can at top speed. It's a complement to his talent that teams like the Bruins have a game plan centered mainly around putting their Norris Trophy-winning defenseman on Kessel at all times throughout the game.
- p_zub

So Shut down Kessel and you can outscore the leafs 60-3

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
Bobby Ryan and Rick Nash linked. Same teams in on both, so, if one goes, the other may move soon after.
- gravyface

SJ or NYR for Nash.

Can't think of where Ryan goes though

why does he need cap space? the cap is going up to 67million this year.. and if the new CBA rolls the cap back, salaries roll back with it

gillis is in no way in a tight spot right now.. he still has 12-15million left with only schneider and a couple of role players to sign.. he has more than enough cap space
- Dozzer

Tight spot or not -- $5.3M for a back-up? If he has other plans for that money, he moves him now.

dude I'm talking offensively.
- Big_Lightnin

Ya it's ok, i just like how you said it. It tickled my funny bone.