Beauchemin signed: Leafs now most boring team in hockey?

[YogiStewart]

Beauchemin was just signed to a 3 year deal (according to TSN.ca).

please tell me who will score toronto's goals?
or do they even need to score goals?

i cannot think of a team that will be more painful to watch than the Leafs. they will make the old Minnesota Wild look like the 1970's Habs

[turner10]

well at least leaf's D will be good...i'm assuming kaberle will be traded for a decent sniper probly..in Burke I trust..he knows what he's doin

[_venom_]

Winning=exciting

Would you rather be the Spurs or the Warriors?

Not saying that the Leafs will be great but I have no problems spending money on our blueline. We were actually a decent scoring team last year but we were terrible defensively. Now with Schenn, Komisarek, Beauchemin and Exelby we should be a lot better on that end. At least 2 of Kaberle, Stralman, White, Van Ryn, or Finger will moved for offensive help.

[Griff83]

I couldnt care less if this team is exciting to watch or not. All that matters is if your team wins games. There are obviously other moves to come also because currently this team is way too logjammed on defence and a few will be moved out most likely for some forwards. Dont be one bit suprised to see a Kaberle trade now go down where we will recieve a front line forward in return.

[bryant08]

Huge logjam on defense but a fantastic signing. This is just great stuff. The more players we sign, the more guys that have to be pushed out = more trades

[Test of Wills]

Huge logjam on defense but a fantastic signing. This is just great stuff. The more players we sign, the more guys that have to be pushed out = more trades

Indeed.

SO we got.

Kaberle
Komisarek
Schenn
White
Stralman
Finger
Van Ryn
Exelby
Beauchemin
Frogren

I know the guys in the bold are mainstays. Burke will be doing a lot of wheeling-dealing if this stays the same.

[Bam-Bam Bigelow]

Grabovski is fun to watch offensively, about it though. Hope the Leafs make a move for another scorer or two.

[Mike Hunt]

I thought this was the second most attractive possible signing out there after Komisarek. I really have nothing negative to say about it. Last year, the team didn't have any interesting names on offense either but, they were still a hell of a lot of fun to watch. I'm not too worried about the entertainment factor. I'm hoping Tlusty finds his way on the roster.

[beater97]

I really have no idea what is going to happen with all these quality d men. This is going to be fun!

[Homer Jay]

I see White or Van Ryn getting traded. But not Kaberle. None of the three incoming defensemen are puck movers.

[chargerxthirty]

I predict that our D pairings this year will be.

Beachemin / Komisarek
Exelby / Schenn
White / Van Ryn
Stralman

Kaberle will be traded for an offensive player, hopefully Phil Kessel.

If thats our starting D, thats really hard nosed and tough.

Beachemin is a grimey player, Komisarek is grimey.
Exelby is a huge open ice hitter and hes tough as nails.
Schenn is a beast and he's not afraid to drop them
Ian White will be our player play guy, and hes pretty tough pound for pound.
Van Ryn had injury problems last year, but hes solid when healthy.
Stralman has enough upside to be a high scoring D man.

[YogiStewart]

I couldnt care less if this team is exciting to watch or not. All that matters is if your team wins games. There are obviously other moves to come also because currently this team is way too logjammed on defence and a few will be moved out most likely for some forwards. Dont be one bit suprised to see a Kaberle trade now go down where we will recieve a front line forward in return.

really?
i'd rather watch a competitive team that is exciting than watch a winning team that is boring.
the Devils' teams of old were boring boring boring. trap hockey is boring.
i guess people watch hockey to see goals, exciting rushes, etc. this is why the Ovechkins and Malkins of the world sell tickets and merch and not the Jeff Fingers and Beauchemins of the world.

[Mike Hunt]

I think people have a misconception of Beauchemin. He's far from being just a stay-at-home type. He's a good puck-mover, just not elite. He's in the 25-30 points per season range which is better than average (Ian White had 26pts in 71gms last year in his "breakout" offensive season).

While he certainly adds some defensive prowess, I think the fact that Beauchemin is somewhat offensive-minded will be a big factor in affording the Leafs the ability to trade Kaberle (though I don't think that was ever not in their plans). White and Beauchemin being adequate puck-movers make the presence of a great puck-mover much less necessary.

[chargerxthirty]

This team is not going to be a trap team. We're going to be a solid defensive team on our 3rd and 4th lines and our defence is shaping up to be rock solid.

Our top 6 forwards are still going to play aggressively. Burke likes a 6 by 6 system. 6 goal scorers, 6 shut down guys. It's pretty simple. With Wilson entering his second year aswell, seeing that he's a systematic coach I think it's going to work out much better this season.

[SharoneWright]

If by boring, you mean physically intimidating, then maybe...

[Griff83]

I couldnt care less if this team is exciting to watch or not. All that matters is if your team wins games. There are obviously other moves to come also because currently this team is way too logjammed on defence and a few will be moved out most likely for some forwards. Dont be one bit suprised to see a Kaberle trade now go down where we will recieve a front line forward in return.

really?
i'd rather watch a competitive team that is exciting than watch a winning team that is boring.
the Devils' teams of old were boring boring boring. trap hockey is boring.
i guess people watch hockey to see goals, exciting rushes, etc. this is why the Ovechkins and Malkins of the world sell tickets and merch and not the Jeff Fingers and Beauchemins of the world.

I'd rather watch a boring winning team then a exciting team that plays riverboat hockey. What in gods name would make you think we would play the trap? Wilson likes his defensive hockey but in no way will he be instilling a trap like system. Burke has said hes not even close to being done so Im not sure why your getting to hung up on a few of his first mega moves. Do you expect this to be the final product? His Ducks team that won the championship certainly wasnt boring.

[Griff83]

I couldnt care less if this team is exciting to watch or not. All that matters is if your team wins games. There are obviously other moves to come also because currently this team is way too logjammed on defence and a few will be moved out most likely for some forwards. Dont be one bit suprised to see a Kaberle trade now go down where we will recieve a front line forward in return.

really?
i'd rather watch a competitive team that is exciting than watch a winning team that is boring.
the Devils' teams of old were boring boring boring. trap hockey is boring.
i guess people watch hockey to see goals, exciting rushes, etc. this is why the Ovechkins and Malkins of the world sell tickets and merch and not the Jeff Fingers and Beauchemins of the world.

In 2003 when the devils still played the trap and where cup champs, they scored more goals in the regular season then 16 other teams in the league. Just because you bring in some defensive minded players, doesnt mean your team is all the sudden going to be deficient offensively.

[YogiStewart]

I couldnt care less if this team is exciting to watch or not. All that matters is if your team wins games. There are obviously other moves to come also because currently this team is way too logjammed on defence and a few will be moved out most likely for some forwards. Dont be one bit suprised to see a Kaberle trade now go down where we will recieve a front line forward in return.

really?
i'd rather watch a competitive team that is exciting than watch a winning team that is boring.
the Devils' teams of old were boring boring boring. trap hockey is boring.
i guess people watch hockey to see goals, exciting rushes, etc. this is why the Ovechkins and Malkins of the world sell tickets and merch and not the Jeff Fingers and Beauchemins of the world.

In 2003 when the devils still played the trap and where cup champs, they scored more goals in the regular season then 16 other teams in the league. Just because you bring in some defensive minded players, doesnt mean your team is all the sudden going to be deficient offensively.

remind me who the Leafs' top 6 forwards are?
last year, they scored by committee. and then traded 2 committee leaders away at the deadline.
the Leafs' D is ridiculous. seriously ridiculous and, if they have above average goaltending, they will compete for a playoff spot.

but there is no pop to the Leafs. and their D doesn't have anyone that is overly offensively gifted. Van Ryan is an injury liability and Kaberle's probably gone (even if he isn't, he's regressed slightly). White is possibly out of the D mix. so who's left? Finger?

[Griff83]

Burke said he isnt even close to being done. Why is this so hard to understand? There are almost 3 full months before the season starts. Hes even on record to say hes had some trade offers that would have the team sending out a dman or 2 and parlay it into a forward. This is his first offseason, theres lots of work to be done before you see the final product and it certainly wont be happening in one offseason. Kaberle goes and he brings in a offensive player, if he stays you have one of the better offensive defencemen in the league.

Again why not wait until the offseason is over before proclaiming this team to be some offensively challenged squad. We dont even know the final roster. For all we know Burke could trade Kaberle, Tlusty, Stralman, pick for Marleau, Ehrhoff and Michalek. Burke isnt stupid. He knows that this team still lacks first line talent and Im sure hes not going to sit around too long before he attempts to trade for some.

[YogiStewart]

Burke said he isnt even close to being done. Why is this so hard to understand? There are almost 3 full months before the season starts. Hes even on record to say hes had some trade offers that would have the team sending out a dman or 2 and parlay it into a forward. This is his first offseason, theres lots of work to be done before you see the final product and it certainly wont be happening in one offseason. Kaberle goes and he brings in a offensive player, if he stays you have one of the better offensive defencemen in the league.

Again why not wait until the offseason is over before proclaiming this team to be some offensively challenged squad. We dont even know the final roster. For all we know Burke could trade Kaberle, Tlusty, Stralman, pick for Marleau, Ehrhoff and Michalek. Burke isnt stupid. He knows that this team still lacks first line talent and Im sure hes not going to sit around too long before he attempts to trade for some.

for the simple reason that Toronto has few assets to trade out to get top guys in.
not sure how much value Stralman has. if he had it, he would be in Toronto's line-up.
Tlusty has less value than Stralman.

Burke also said he was going to trade up to get Tavares. talk sometimes is for show.
if you think him not being done means that 3-6 bona fide forwards will be coming in before this season starts, you are kidding yourself.
and i think Burke has done a pretty good job in revamping the team. i question some of the "toughness" he's brought in and would much rather see skilled 5'9" guys a la Mtl versus Exelby et al., but he has definitely changed the team.

still think it will be boring to watch.