The future looks okay people, seriously.

[vini_vidi_vici]

You know, im not too worried. I think with Hanson playing well, and Kadri coming up next year, add Stalberg/Reimer/Rogers playing well were fine with young talent. The main concern for me is Tyler Bozaks progression. The issue everyone has is giving up this years pick, because were going to be so bad. But Kessel has been worth it thus far, and Kadri/Kessel could be the 1-2 punch weve needed.

Next year were commited to Kaberle/Komi/Finger/Schenn/Beauchemin/Gunnerson RFA White. We retain White and somehow bury/trade Finger 3.5 sucks tho. Overpaid but guess what, capable.

Forwards Kessel/Blake@3mil/Hagmund/Grabovski/Orr RFA Mitchell/Kulemin. Keep Kulemin and Mitchell, neither are commanding top dollar with the cap dropping/not many teams with cap space.

Reimer is it, RFA Monster. Give monster Toskala dollars, keep Reimer as back up, or get a guy like Joey Mac. Love Reimers game tho, go watch a Marlboros game.

So without RFA and rookies, you got 37.6 in all the mentioned above including Gunnarsson/Reimer/Rosehill/Stalberg + Tucker buyout 1mil.

Kadri*/Kessel*/? - Hagmund#/Hanson*/? - Grabs*/Blake/Stalberg* - Orr#/Mitchell*/?
Komi#/Kabs - Beauchemin#/White* - Schenn*/Gunnarsson*
Monster*/Reimer*

Marlies first call ups, Bozak*/Kulemin*/Tlusky*/Rosehill*/whoever impresses. On D Rogers*/Finger#/Oreskovic*/etc..

* All under 26 next year. # All 30 or under next year.

Im pretty content with that team going forward if when do two things, sign a top line winger and second line player. And who even knows maybe we dont get guys thru FA, maybe we take a team salary dumping ala the Hawks. This year will suck, maybe we can make a push, and giving Bos picks hurts, but im seeing alot of positives on the future. And yes thats putting alot on Hanson/Kadri, but I have watched alot of them this year, both the OHL and AHL, and I think they can do it.

[Cyrus]

That above team sucks...you need to actually a good first line in the nhl, not just one star (kessel) and no one for him to play with.

Kardi isn't and won't ever be a first line type center. He's a solid 2nd line center. That's the problem leafs fans expect too much from there guys, thinking they'll be first liners....Let alone your expecting way too much from a rookie to headline your top line.

The main problem is, now the leafs traded a few firsts, there improvement has to come within (internal improvement), and maybe through some signings, but they used a nice chunk of it this year.

[s e n s i]

Phil Kessel is a friggin sick yankee-bred hockey player.

[Marmoset]

The team you described should be able to at least compete for a playoff spot before too long. How does this team compete for a Stanley Cup anytime in the foreseeable future?

[sh00n]

The team you described should be able to at least compete for a playoff spot before too long. How does this team compete for a Stanley Cup anytime in the foreseeable future?

It doesn't.

[LLJ]

Phil Kessel is a friggin sick yankee-bred hockey player.

He's the only reason I'm actually still following the Leafs. I like watching a young, talented, but not yet in-his-prime player who actually produces, even if all our Toronto teams suck right now. Time will tell if he was worth the picks, but there's no doubt in my mind that talent wise he is the real deal as far as Toronto standards are concerned..

[vini_vidi_vici]

The team you described should be able to at least compete for a playoff spot before too long. How does this team compete for a Stanley Cup anytime in the foreseeable future?

That above team sucks...you need to actually a good first line in the nhl, not just one star (kessel) and no one for him to play with.

Kardi isn't and won't ever be a first line type center. He's a solid 2nd line center. That's the problem leafs fans expect too much from there guys, thinking they'll be first liners....Let alone your expecting way too much from a rookie to headline your top line.

The main problem is, now the leafs traded a few firsts, there improvement has to come within (internal improvement), and maybe through some signings, but they used a nice chunk of it this year.

First this team isnt a stanley cup contender, everyone remembers this is year 1 of Burke, right? What I was implying is that the "future" young players, by adding Kessel another young player that is actually established, we dont need to get crazy. Remember I wrote this when we were in last place, before they started winning.

Todays lateral trade aside, Burkes plan is to stockpile young talent, like signing the NCAA guys, to our draft pick, Kadri. In the A starting the season, we had Mikus a big puck moving defenseman whos surprised everyone. Reimer whos 6-1-0-1, and looks huge in the net. Bozak who started out the season with H1N1, has picked it up recently. Hanson was just called up, but he looks like he belongs, slowly integrating him on the 4th line with no special teams time. Gunnarson was just called up, he looks like a good defenseman. Stalberg was hurt, but he looks so fast and smooth. Foster was player of the week a few weeks back. We havent even seen Stefanovich yet.

All those guys may never develop, some may disappoint/surprise. The point is its subjective, but theres no denying that they are young assets, we can ultimately move to get the players we need. We buried money in Beauchemin/Komi was tough I understand, but both are top 4 D. The rest of the signings were great, NCAA guys/Gustavsson. Kadri may be a solid second liner, again subjective, but even at that its another hole plugged, and we have cap flexibility to acquire a top player, because of these young contracts.

Draft picks are great, but even then like the NBA its a crapshoot, Kessel is the real deal, and established. We have stockpiled our youth right now, in the next 3 years we move pieces and shed Finger(who had the most icetime tonight btw)/Blake contracts, and hopefully compete for a cup. I really like Burkies vision thus far, and have since the beginning.

Edit: Add to the fact that most of our other players are relatively young. Weve had Komi our # 1 D out, Monster our # 1 G out indefinately again, Toskala our # 2 goalie has lingering groin problems from last year, Kessels only played 15 games, Gunnarson only played 8 and got hurt. We started a rough year, and we may end up giving away a lottery pick this year (which I dont think so), but even still if Burke signed him RFA that one was gone anyways. Its next years pick that hurts, and I think with cap flexibility and all the things I outlined, we can nab a top FA forward, and that pick is a mid tier pick. All sujective I know, but I like the bold move, and the vision.

[Marmoset]

First this team isnt a stanley cup contender, everyone remembers this is year 1 of Burke, right? What I was implying is that the "future" young players, by adding Kessel another young player that is actually established, we dont need to get crazy. Remember I wrote this when we were in last place, before they started winning.

I wasn't referring to this year's team. I was referring to this core contending for a cup in 3,4,5,6 years. It's not close to getting it done. Where is the additional young talent going to come from with virtually no draft picks and few assets to trade?

All those guys may never develop, some may disappoint/surprise. The point is its subjective, but theres no denying that they are young assets, we can ultimately move to get the players we need. We buried money in Beauchemin/Komi was tough I understand, but both are top 4 D. The rest of the signings were great, NCAA guys/Gustavsson. Kadri may be a solid second liner, again subjective, but even at that its another hole plugged, and we have cap flexibility to acquire a top player, because of these young contracts.

How many of the young guys we signed are going to be impact players? I see a lot of guys with the potential to be decent, where are the guys with the potential to be stars? If you project Kadri as a second line centre and he's our best prospect, what does that say about the rest of them?

Draft picks are great, but even then like the NBA its a crapshoot, Kessel is the real deal, and established. We have stockpiled our youth right now, in the next 3 years we move pieces and shed Finger(who had the most icetime tonight btw)/Blake contracts, and hopefully compete for a cup. I really like Burkies vision thus far, and have since the beginning.

As good as Kessel has been so far, and I admit he's surprised me with how good he has been, it doesn't change the fact we potentially gave up TWO very high picks. I could probably live with one, but two is hard to take, especially if one turns into Taylor Hall or a similar type of player.

I understand what Burke is doing and the Kessel trade looks good right now, but it might not look so good once we see what those picks turn into. I would have preferred that the Leafs rebuild properly, because it's something they've never done in my lifetime. Although what Burke is doing isn't anything like what JFJ or Fletcher (part II) did, it's still a shortcut to the rebuilding process and ultimately I think it will end up being the different between building a core that can regularly compete for a championship, and a core that will simply make the playoffs. A couple more years of patience would have put the Leafs in a very good position to be a contender; with Burke's approach, a lot more things will have to go right for it to happen.

[Deadpool_X]

Kessel is great, sure.

The real problem is surrounding him with talent. Same thing happened with Matts, and other toronto sports stars (vince carter, Chris bosh, Carlos Delgado, etc.) It happens all the time...

Kessel needs a quality play-making veteran, and another scoring threat to play with him.
Second line would be okay with Pony, Gabro, Hagman
Third line is great with Matt Stagan, Stalberg, Hanson
4th line is good with Orr, Mitchell, Bozak

Im not saying this is exactly the lines or anything... but the point is the team is pretty good as long as we surround Kessel with some serious talent on the first line.