Well Philly want defencemen. Why not send them a few, like Holzer, and Franson +
- acresd

They could use Franson's shot on the point for the PP.

I'd be willing to give up him and next year's first, but that wouldn't be near enough

I agree that I have questioned some of his drafts. But he is listening to his scouts right now. Burke is in a Dammed if you do, and dammed if you don;t situation in Toronto. But let;s see what the team looks like in 2-3 years. I know he has had 4.5. But look what he got from JFJ. that alone would take 4 years to just start to do something. JFJ, and the teachers pension has ruined the leafs for 5 years after JFJ was fired.
- acresd

Don't confuse me as a JFJ supporter, but let's look at where Burke would be without inheriting Scheen, Reimer, Gunnarson, Kulemin, Grabovski (Fletch, but still inherited).

I agree. gotta hope for the best. On luongo i hated it until i found out that he doesn't have a nmc. He can be buried at anytime. You bury him when he's making 3 mil 4 years from now, i'm sure he retires.
- Shteven

I'm not the biggest advocate of acquiring Luongo, but if it happens, which is a very real possibility, then I will support it and hope for the best. It's not like I have any say in the matter.

Having said that, if I had a preference, I would rather Burke make a play for Ondrej Pavelec, if WPG can't agree to terms with him. I think he is a great young underrated goalie in this league and I would take a chance on him. But that's only if Burke truly doesn't think Reimer will be our definite #1 moving forward. Dangle Manitoba-boy Reimer and maybe Gunnarsson or a young forward in front of Cheveldayoff and see if we can get a deal done.

You think the russians would be truculent or have pugnacity?
- Shteven

I think some Russians do, yes, but that's not my point there.

I hate to say it, but there's not a GM in the league who would trade Seguin straight up for Kessel right now. That leaves the CHL's best defenseman and a promising F prospect as bonuses.

How can you Burke apologists remember quotes like - "I don't need a 5 year plan", "I build my teams from net out," "I value truculence, pugnacity, belligerance...", and "I'm going to eradicate Blue and White Disease" - look at this team 4.5 years later and still have any faith in his plan whatsoever?
- 1979AD

Easy. Because we have nothing else. We can only hope. This is not 1827 where we can publicly lynch the guy. It's not like he's not trying to improve the club.

He of 10 goals? I know he's great and a great upgrade. I just don't think any of the anaheim guys want to play for carlisle.

But who does he play with? You think him and kessel mesh? I think stastny is the best guy to get. although leafs were 10th in scoring. 29th in goals against. What do we need to work on?
- Shteven

They played 3/4 of the year under a run and gun system. That skewed the goal totals quite a bit. How many GPG under Carlyle?

Easy. Because we have nothing else. We can only hope. This is not 1827 where we can publicly lynch the guy. It's not like he's not trying to improve the club.
- Phenom

Your logic is we have to have faith in someone who has proven himself to be a failure because he's all we have. Ridiculous. You do realize GMs are capable of being replaced, right?

I think we'll see a tougher, and fitter team under RC. The team already does have some tough guys with Brown, Schenn, Phaneuf, and I would also add Lupul, Grabbo and Kulemin as guys who play physical and can win battles. Frattin and even Kadri may add jam. I defended Ron Wilson but I was stunned to hear the stories after RC came in of the Leafs being bagged from a hard skating practice. Then I recalled Gary Roberts saying he disagreed with the Leafs training philosophy. That always freaked me out.

The Leafs have some big, strong guys and some tough players, but they weren't coached to play tough, and it's hard to play tough when you're a skating team that is out of shape!

I'd like to see the Leafs add a powerforward of course but I think people forget the change in coaching and training regiment can be a signficant factor.

I agree that I have questioned some of his drafts. But he is listening to his scouts right now. Burke is in a Dammed if you do, and dammed if you don;t situation in Toronto. But let;s see what the team looks like in 2-3 years. I know he has had 4.5. But look what he got from JFJ. that alone would take 4 years to just start to do something.
- acresd[/b] JFJ, and the teachers pension has ruined the leafs for 5 years after JFJ was fired.

This is what most fans fail to realize......the cupboards weren't just bare when Burke took over.......they had no doors and were full of cobwebs.

I'm not the biggest advocate of acquiring Luongo, but if it happens, which is a very real possibility, then I will support it and hope for the best. It's not like I have any say in the matter....
- Phenom

so in order words.....

I'm not saying I want leafs to get Luongo but if they do, then I'll jump on the badwaggon?

It's time for people outside vancouver to get real-- he's a top 10 (if not top 5) goalie in the NHL and is perhaps the most durable in the regular season

bigger question is who said rielly is soft? He isn't a big hitting defensemen, but he isn't pushed off the puck
- Shteven

People will always find negative things to say about anyone we draft. Reilly is a future offensive stud, why are fans upset? The only 2 guys I would have wanted over him was Yakupov and Gally. I also wanted Grigz but knew Burke wouldn't pick him.

I want him to do this.


- Leafland

I was at that game.....had 1st row seats. F*cking awesome....

I think we'll see a tougher, and fitter team under RC. The team already does have some tough guys with Brown, Schenn, Phaneuf, and I would also add Lupul, Grabbo and Kulemin as guys who play physical and can win battles. Frattin and even Kadri may add jam. I defended Ron Wilson but I was stunned to hear the stories after RC came in of the Leafs being bagged from a hard skating practice. Then I recalled Gary Roberts saying he disagreed with the Leafs training philosophy. That always freaked me out.

The Leafs have some big, strong guys and some tough players, but they weren't coached to play tough, and it's hard to play tough when you're a skating team that is out of shape!

I'd like to see the Leafs add a powerforward of course but I think people forget the change in coaching and training regiment can be a signficant factor.
- Zezel

Really hoping we get Kuli locked up cheap and that he tears it up in a solid comeback year. I'm not nuts about Russians but I do like him, he's a true grinder

Conditioning will be important

so in order words.....

I'm not saying I want leafs to get Luongo but if they do, then I'll jump on the badwaggon?

It's time for people outside vancouver to get real-- he's a top 10 (if not top 5) goalie in the NHL and is perhaps the most durable in the regular season
- AlfieisKing

No. What he is saying is, he would rather Burke target someone else. But if Lou is who we get, as fans of the team, we will support him no matter what. Until he explodes that is,

I was at that game.....had 1st row seats. F*cking awesome....
- Phenom

Man Schenn when he entered the league started off with a bang. Remember his bone-crushing hits? We haven't seen many of them the last few years. It looks like he has lost confidence. I remember one on Malkin, where he completely crushed him in his rookie year.

Your logic is we have to have faith in someone who has proven himself to be a failure because he's all we have. Ridiculous. You do realize GMs are capable of being replaced, right?
- 1979AD

Of course....and I would agree had he done absolutely NOTHING to improve the organization. Look at the Marlies....that's progress and it has to translate into success for the big club. I'm willing to give him at least another season. If then we still sit in the same spot, then yeah, a change is required.

This is what most fans fail to realize......the cupboards weren't just bare when Burke took over.......they had no doors and were full of cobwebs.
- Phenom

There was a can of chunky soup clam chowder that Mats used in his commerical back in the 90s

Really hoping we get Kuli locked up cheap and that he tears it up in a solid comeback year. I'm not nuts about Russians but I do like him, he's a true grinder

Conditioning will be important
- AngryWhiteMale

Kulemin beat everyone in the fitness testing, and won battles on the wall and for the puck all year long, he just hit a hell of a lot of posts and missed chances. He's a tank. He's gonna be a bargain and put up at least twenty again

They played 3/4 of the year under a run and gun system. That skewed the goal totals quite a bit. How many GPG under Carlyle?
- 1979AD

Doesn't matter, Lupul didn't even play with him as coach yet last year.

so in order words.....

I'm not saying I want leafs to get Luongo but if they do, then I'll jump on the badwaggon?

It's time for people outside vancouver to get real-- he's a top 10 (if not top 5) goalie in the NHL and is perhaps the most durable in the regular season
- AlfieisKing

Isn't that the knock on him right now???

I wouldn't say bandwagon.....I'd say hopeitworksoutwagon.

Kulemin beat everyone in the fitness testing, and won battles on the wall and for the puck all year long, he just hit a hell of a lot of posts and missed chances. He's a tank. He's gonna be a bargain and put up at least twenty again
- Zezel

True I think if he scored on a 1/4 of all his post-hits he would have cleared 20g last year

Man Schenn when he entered the league started off with a bang. Remember his bone-crushing hits? We haven't seen many of them the last few years. It looks like he has lost confidence. I remember one on Malkin, where he completely crushed him in his rookie year.
- Allstarzz

I remeber that hit too. Confidence is exactly what it's all about.....for some reason, in his 2nd year he was hesitant to step up and make that hit. His decision-making took a step back too. That ALL comes down to confidence. Then in the 3rd year, he seemed to get back on track. then he signed the big contract before last season and I think that messed with his mind a little. he felt he had to live up to it and in turn, took a step back again. Hopefully he'll turn it around again and under the tutilege of Carlyle can become the tough stay-at-home shut down monster he is meant to be.

There was a can of chunky soup clam chowder that Mats used in his commerical back in the 90s
- AngryWhiteMale

Fcuk, I think it was the same one Wendel used for his commercial.....

This is what most fans fail to realize......the cupboards weren't just bare when Burke took over.......they had no doors and were full of cobwebs.
- Phenom

No actually, this is what sensible fans knew all too well. It's also why most sensible fans were very prepared to do a long draft-based rebuild starting with blowing up the JFJ team and using a couple lottery picks to acquire some elite talent. Then the Kessel trade happened and all of a sudden we had a one-dimensional super scorer with nobody to play with and none of those blue chippers that can't become UFA for at least 7 years.

Doesn't matter, Lupul didn't even play with him as coach yet last year.
- Allstarzz

This is true. However, Lupul also put up those great numbers in Wilson's run n gun system and he doesn't have the greatest history under RC's system.