Significant Transition

[Crowned]

I'm extremely excited about the recent Nonis hiring. I'd feel comfortable with him as our GM, never mind in our front office. Let's take a look at last year, as opposed to right now.

This time last year:

- We had the likes of Raycroft, Tucker, McCabe and Sundin weighing us down salary wise
- We had a slow, effortless team
- Bleak future, with 4 young players with potential (Kulemin, Tlusty, Stralman, Pogge)
- Lackluster GM (JFJ)
- Awful Coaching staff (Maurice)
- No hope towards a winning team in the future



Now:

- Our largest financial headache is Jason Blake
- We have a quick team that refuses to give up. I haven't seen this much heart in the Leafs in years
- We have quite a few players with potential in our system (Kulemin, Grabovski, Schenn, Tlusty, Pogge, Stempniak, our 2008 draftee's- all of whom have a bright future)
- We have one of the best front office staffs in the NHL- Burke, Fletcher, Nonis, Coates
- One of the better coaching staffs in the NHL- Wilson, Tim Hunter, Rob Zettler, etc
- We're in a position right now where we have cleared cap space, and will likely continue to do so from now until the trade deadline. Additionally, we're looking at a nice draft position come June to further add into our prospect pool.

[PJTucker]

Although I think your view is skewed slightly by the rose coloured glasses, I agree to the general point you're making. We are heading in a much better direction now than we were last year at the same time.

I'm real hopeful we go into full-board rebuilding mode. Whatever assets we have now, must be considered "movable parts" if it helps build a winner in the future.

For example, if we can get anything near what we gave up for Toskala back in return, we should jump at the opportunity. He's a good goalie, but he's not going to carry a team on his back, therefore he's easily replaceable down the road.

Our priority right now should be to accumulate as much young talent and potentially high draft picks as possible.

To your point, I feel confident that the team is now in capable hands to make the right moves going forward. Let's just be patient in 2 years when we've still got a losing team. The important thing is, that team should be young and built with a nucleas that will allow us to win long term.

[Crowned]

I'm not saying we're in a comfortable position, this team is still a mess. However, we're in a much better position right now than we were this time last year. We've acquired the personnal to allow this team the opportunity to compete in the future. Yeah, we do need a couple more years before we can discuss the playoffs with confidence, but we're slowly acquiring those players in order to make that happen. We have several assets we could potentially recieve a solid package for, and that'll go towards 'future' assets. Say we accomplish any of the following this upcoming deadline:

Kaberle for High level prospect, first round pick
Kubina for prospect or first round pick
Mayers for 3rd round pick
Antropov for first round pick or prospect


This upcoming draft, we'll have a top 10 pick...and right now, some of the players mentioned in the top 10 are extremely talented (ie- Paajarvi, Duchene, Cowen, Kadri, Schenn, Kane, etc). With the potential return of any of our assets, along with Schenn, top 10 pick and our current youth...we're looking pretty good. Additionally, our cap situation will be much better (it already is) once the likes of Kubina, Kaberle and/or Toskala are dealt.

We had slim hope last year, and we were trying to win hockey games. We now have management and ownership on board in attempting to rebuild this hockey team. The right people are here, the assets are coming along, and the process has begun.

To me, that's a significant transition.

[Contract Season]

I'm not saying we're in a comfortable position, this team is still a mess. However, we're in a much better position right now than we were this time last year. We've acquired the personnal to allow this team the opportunity to compete in the future. Yeah, we do need a couple more years before we can discuss the playoffs with confidence, but we're slowly acquiring those players in order to make that happen. We have several assets we could potentially recieve a solid package for, and that'll go towards 'future' assets. Say we accomplish any of the following this upcoming deadline:

Kaberle for High level prospect, first round pick
Kubina for prospect or first round pick
Mayers for 3rd round pick
Antropov for first round pick or prospect


This upcoming draft, we'll have a top 10 pick...and right now, some of the players mentioned in the top 10 are extremely talented (ie- Paajarvi, Duchene, Cowen, Kadri, Schenn, Kane, etc). With the potential return of any of our assets, along with Schenn, top 10 pick and our current youth...we're looking pretty good. Additionally, our cap situation will be much better (it already is) once the likes of Kubina, Kaberle and/or Toskala are dealt.

We had slim hope last year, and we were trying to win hockey games. We now have management and ownership on board in attempting to rebuild this hockey team. The right people are here, the assets are coming along, and the process has begun.

To me, that's a significant transition.

I agree. I'd also like to see the Leafs get some more picks or a great prospect from a team for helping them get out of cap hell.
ie. a Bobby Ryan-type from a team like the Ducks in exchange for a bad contract. That allows the team to sign a guy like Sundin or trade for a high-salary player.
Meanwhile, the Leafs get something good for cap space they weren't going to use this year (and likely next year anyways).
Wouldn't want a guy who has big money for two more years though, just this year and next year.

[MAS]

now all we hafta do is finish low enough to get a hedman or tavares then next offseason sign Nash and we'll be set with a nice little core

[The-Insider]

now all we hafta do is finish low enough to get a hedman or tavares then next offseason sign Nash and we'll be set with a nice little core

Sometimes, all it takes is an off-season to turn a franchise around. With the team's current status, I wouldn't hold my breathe to it, by any stretch. Too much just has to go our way. But hey, for the first time in a long time, something has actually been going our way.

The city and hockey atmosphere speaks for itself. If we draft Tavares, I wouldn't worry too much about FA's coming our way.

[JaysOrRaps]

The prob is that the Leafs are starting to win, aiming for that 8-9 spot in the East again. The Leafs will need to do some serious tanking to steal that #1 pick away from the Sens.

But hell, if the Leafs keep playing consistantly I wouldn't mind seeing a few games of playoff hockey.

OT - Don't want to start another thread, just wondering why there aren't more people who are angry at Sundin for what he did to us late last season? I recall something along the lines of "I want to retire a Leaf" when he decided not to waive his no-trade clause or whatever. After all the years of excitment he brought me with the Leafs, that one thing made me lose all respect for him.

[Marmoset]

After seeing tonight's game, I'm ready to give up any hope of a really high pick. Not because the Leafs are that good, but because some teams such as Atlanta are just awful. The Leafs can't "compete" with that unless they have a complete fire sale as soon as the holiday roster freeze is over. I think they'll be around where they were last year (#7 before trading up).

But regarding the original points, I don't think anyone would argue that the Leafs aren't far better off now than they were a year ago. Having competent management is the biggest thing - they have people with a good track record, who know they will have the job for a while and will therefore hopefully make moves for the long-term and not the short term (like JFJ and to some extent, Fletcher).

Oh, about Sundin - I'm frustrated about the whole situation with him. He does come across as a bit hypocritical after what he said last year. But, he had every right to hold onto the no-trade. I was just as frustrated when McCabe wouldn't wave it, and I've never liked McCabe, but he had the right to do it. I don't blame them for using a part of the contract that was given to them in fair negotiations. But I also wouldn't have blamed the Leafs for playing hardball to get them to waive no-trades either.