The facts are, a whole generation of Leafs fans have yet to see a playoff victory. With Cap hell coming soon, will we be condemned to mediocrity because of contracts like Willy received?
- PrinceLH

You and UG must have lots of fun during sleepovers.

Anyone who has seen his twitter feed is well aware of this.
- TrashPanda

It's nice to know that I have Twitter stalkers. You're either afraid of my political beliefs, or don't have a life. I respect other peoples beliefs, but it doesn't mean that I have to agree with them. What I say or do, on Twitter should carry no weight here on the Hockey Buzz, unless it's hockey related. But go ahead and hate, it's what Leftists do best. Their biggest problem is disinformation from academia and the so called free press.

It's nice to know that I have Twitter stalkers. You're either afraid of my political beliefs, or don't have a life. I respect other peoples beliefs, but it doesn't mean that I have to agree with them. What I say or do, on Twitter should carry no weight here on the Hockey Buzz, unless it's hockey related. But go ahead and hate, it's what Leftists do best. Their biggest problem is disinformation from academia and the so called free press.
- PrinceLH

via GIPHY

The facts are, a whole generation of Leafs fans have yet to see a playoff victory. With Cap hell coming soon, will we be condemned to mediocrity because of contracts like Willy received?
- PrinceLH

Look. I get it. Everyone's mad about Willy.

His $7m cap hit is about 250k more than he deserved based on market comparables. The fans wanted a sweetheart deal out of him and they didn't get it. It's a hell of lot better cap-wise than the Draisaitl deal.

If you want to be mad about the cap situation, look at Lou and signing a 38 year old guy to a 3 year 6.5m deal. Great leadership. Good guy. Good pro. That extra year is a massive problem.

Nylander is paid fairly.

His current results suck. His current performance does not, actually suck. He's been one of the better scoring chance generating players.

Him not successfully blocking a point shot is not why the team that scored 0 goals lost to Nashville.

It's nice to know that I have Twitter stalkers. You're either afraid of my political beliefs, or don't have a life. I respect other peoples beliefs, but it doesn't mean that I have to agree with them. What I say or do, on Twitter should carry no weight here on the Hockey Buzz, unless it's hockey related. But go ahead and hate, it's what Leftists do best. Their biggest problem is disinformation from academia and the so called free press.
- PrinceLH

If you can't figure out that Phil was sh!t when he got paid, while with the Leafs, then you've watched too much subpar hockey and believe that it's the norm The only number that you need to know is 30. The position the Leafs were in at the end of that season. The team is still eating part of his contract and will do so for about 3 more years. Dion? His game was deteriorating but he did show up and play. He just wasn't a $7 million dollar hockey player.
- PrinceLH

In the six years that Phil Kessel was a Leaf, he was 16th in the league in cumulative scoring (points). 4th amongst right wingers. Quite an amazing accomplishment when you look at the names above him, and who they got to play with:
Ovechkin, Crosby, H. Sedin, Stamkos, St. Louis, Giroux, D. Sedin, Thornton, Backstrom, Kane, Getzlaf, Perry, Kkpitar, Tavares, Malkin.

About the only comparable in terms of "lack of supporting talent" would be Tavares.

By the way, Kessel was 5th in the league in goals in that time.

AS for your assertion that Kessel let the money go to his head and became lazy after signing his big contract, let's look at those numbers, shall we?

While his contract didn't kick in to the 2014-15 season, he signed it prior to the 2013-14 season.

That year, he was 5th in the league in goals, 7th in overall points. Playing with Tyler franking Bozak.

Yes, the next year he was off - the entire team was horrid. Phil still finished atop the team in scoring.

Hearing the working man whining about the Leafs' highest paid players gets soooooo tiring.

He was the best player on the Leafs every single year he played for them. Nobody else even came close.

You and UG must have lots of fun during sleepovers.
- LeafGuy89

I don't hate the Leafs. In fact I'm quite fond of the Leafs. I want them to win, but fan boyerism isn't telling the truth about this team. Fact: Leafs fans pay more for Hockey Tickets then any other team in pro sports in North America....not sure about the NFL team prices. The pro-Leaf cheerleading by Rogers and Bell, since they own broadcast rights and partial team ownership of MLS&E, does not paint a true picture of the deficiencies of this team. The Leafs made a good deal securing Tavares, but will they pay in the long run because they may not be able to pay their young stars? The Leafs have a good offense, but it's run and gun. It doesn't work in the playoffs. Winning teams have solid defense and positional play. They employ trapping tactics that diminish stretch passes and clog up the neutral zone and in front of the net. The Leafs have no answer to this because their wingers are built with the same size and stature. There are no bulls that can take the puck to the net, save Matthews, when he's in the mood. The team defense is lacking and their right side defensive trio is abysmal. So believe that this is the greatest team since the 1940's like some have said. You're going to be disappointed again, if Dubas doesn't address these critical shortcomings. Boston will catch us in the standings and have home ice and another game 7 disappointment awaits.

He was the best player on the Leafs every single year he played for them. Nobody else even came close.
- Atomic Wedgie

This is such bullpoop. Did you not see Tim Brent block those shots on that one shift???

The facts are, a whole generation of Leafs fans have yet to see a playoff victory. With Cap hell coming soon, will we be condemned to mediocrity because of contracts like Willy received?
- PrinceLH

Another glass half empty Leaf fan.. Holy smokes.

He was the best player on the Leafs every single year he played for them. Nobody else even came close.
- Atomic Wedgie

In the end, the problem with Phil Kessel was that he was the symbol for Brian Burke's failures.

I don't hate the Leafs. In fact I'm quite fond of the Leafs. I want them to win, but fan boyerism isn't telling the truth about this team. Fact: Leafs fans pay more for Hockey Tickets then any other team in pro sports in North America....not sure about the NFL team prices. The pro-Leaf cheerleading by Rogers and Bell, since they own broadcast rights and partial team ownership of MLS&E, does not paint a true picture of the deficiencies of this team. The Leafs made a good deal securing Tavares, but will they pay in the long run because they may not be able to pay their young stars? The Leafs have a good offense, but it's run and gun. It doesn't work in the playoffs. Winning teams have solid defense and positional play. They employ trapping tactics that diminish stretch passes and clog up the neutral zone and in front of the net. The Leafs have no answer to this because their wingers are built with the same size and stature. There are no bulls that can take the puck to the net, save Matthews, when he's in the mood. The team defense is lacking and their right side defensive trio is abysmal. So believe that this is the greatest team since the 1940's like some have said. You're going to be disappointed again, if Dubas doesn't address these critical shortcomings. Boston will catch us in the standings and have home ice and another game 7 disappointment awaits.
- PrinceLH

Yours is just a (frank)in negative attitude toward the team. Pure and simple. Leaf Hater JMO.

so UG was right all along?
- Symba007

Except for a high sticking call a few months ago.

If you can't figure out that Phil was sh!t when he got paid, while with the Leafs, then you've watched too much subpar hockey and believe that it's the norm The only number that you need to know is 30. The position the Leafs were in at the end of that season. The team is still eating part of his contract and will do so for about 3 more years. Dion? His game was deteriorating but he did show up and play. He just wasn't a $7 million dollar hockey player.
- PrinceLH

In the end, the problem with Phil Kessel was that he was the symbol for Brian Burke's failures.
- Monkeypunk

He was and to be fair, the Burke/Nonis regime didn't address the centre position and it was the failsafe point between success and failure. The Leafs defense is now the failsafe point and without redress, this team will fail.

In the end, the problem with Phil Kessel was that he was the symbol for Brian Burke's failures.
- Monkeypunk

Kessel for two 1sts and a 2nd was a terrible, horrible, awful trade.

Sadly, a portion of Leafs fans were never able to figure out that Kessel wasn't the one who made the trade.

The Leafs have a good offense, but it's run and gun. It doesn't work in the playoffs. Winning teams have solid defense and positional play. They employ trapping tactics that diminish stretch passes and clog up the neutral zone and in front of the net. The Leafs have no answer to this because their wingers are built with the same size and stature. There are no bulls that can take the puck to the net, save Matthews, when he's in the mood. The team defense is lacking and their right side defensive trio is abysmal. So believe that this is the greatest team since the 1940's like some have said. You're going to be disappointed again, if Dubas doesn't address these critical shortcomings. Boston will catch us in the standings and have home ice and another game 7 disappointment awaits.
- PrinceLH

Did you watch the last game? Until they got desperate in the third, the Leafs shortened their passes, used their speed, and started to play with a bit more flexibility. Their crappy D contained Nashville pretty well, and owned most of the play in the first 2 periods.

The Leafs are literally into their third year since drafting Matthews. Sitting here and comparing their team structure to established teams like Nashville, Tampa, and Boston is unfair. Those teams have learned and earned where they are. The Leafs are still learning and have earned nothing yet.

But to be critical of this young and emerging team that is still on the upswing is short-sighted if you're a fan. Enjoy this ride, it's the best one they've given us since 1975 - 1979.

He was and to be fair, the Burke/Nonis regime didn't address the centre position and it was the failsafe point between success and failure. The Leafs defense is now the failsafe point and without redress, this team will fail.
- PrinceLH

They couldn't. We had nothing of value to trade, and no UFA worth his salt wanted to come here.

Has your life been so horrible that everything needs to be so negative for you?

He was and to be fair, the Burke/Nonis regime didn't address the centre position and it was the failsafe point between success and failure. The Leafs defense is now the failsafe point and without redress, this team will fail.
- PrinceLH

The burke era had:

No legit 1C
No defense
No goaltending

Every recipe for disaster.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4827071/doorbell-licker


Seems fitting
- Woderwick

Cunni-ring-us.

Anyone who has seen his twitter feed is well aware of this.
- TrashPanda

I don't hate the Leafs. In fact I'm quite fond of the Leafs. I want them to win, but fan boyerism isn't telling the truth about this team. Fact: Leafs fans pay more for Hockey Tickets then any other team in pro sports in North America....not sure about the NFL team prices. The pro-Leaf cheerleading by Rogers and Bell, since they own broadcast rights and partial team ownership of MLS&E, does not paint a true picture of the deficiencies of this team. The Leafs made a good deal securing Tavares, but will they pay in the long run because they may not be able to pay their young stars? The Leafs have a good offense, but it's run and gun. It doesn't work in the playoffs. Winning teams have solid defense and positional play. They employ trapping tactics that diminish stretch passes and clog up the neutral zone and in front of the net. The Leafs have no answer to this because their wingers are built with the same size and stature. There are no bulls that can take the puck to the net, save Matthews, when he's in the mood. The team defense is lacking and their right side defensive trio is abysmal. So believe that this is the greatest team since the 1940's like some have said. You're going to be disappointed again, if Dubas doesn't address these critical shortcomings. Boston will catch us in the standings and have home ice and another game 7 disappointment awaits.
- PrinceLH

The facts are, a whole generation of Leafs fans have yet to see a playoff victory. With Cap hell coming soon, will we be condemned to mediocrity because of contracts like Willy received?
- PrinceLH

Okay, once again for the slow folks - you do not get into "cap hell" by paying good players what they are worth - that gets you a good team who are at the cap limit. You get into cap hell by overpaying replaceable bottom line/pair guys, and by paying for past performance. On the Leafs, that means Zaitsev, Marleau, and to a lesser extent Brown. Those are the guys you move before Willie, *unless* you get back a top pairing D, in which case you won't be saving money.

You and UG must have lots of fun during sleepovers.
- LeafGuy89

It's nice to know that I have Twitter stalkers. You're either afraid of my political beliefs, or don't have a life.
- PrinceLH

Perhaps afraid that too many people share them, but that's about it.

I respect other peoples beliefs, but it doesn't mean that I have to agree with them. What I say or do, on Twitter should carry no weight here on the Hockey Buzz, unless it's hockey related. But go ahead and hate, it's what Leftists do best. Their biggest problem is disinformation from academia and the so called free press.

"Hey! My politics shouldn't matter here. Unless you're a leftist, in which case, you suck!"

Okay, once again for the slow folks - you do not get into "cap hell" by paying good players what they are worth - that gets you a good team who are at the cap limit. You get into cap hell by overpaying replaceable bottom line/pair guys, and by paying for past performance. On the Leafs, that means Zaitsev, Marleau, and to a lesser extent Brown. Those are the guys you move before Willie, *unless* you get back a top pairing D, in which case you won't be saving money.
- lumlums

This guy gets it..