ImageImageImage

How can we fix the Leaf's

Moderator: Crowned

How can we fix the Leaf's

 
Total votes: 0

emfive
General Manager
Posts: 9,746
And1: 16
Joined: Jun 22, 2001
Location: Lake Wilcox

 

Post#21 » by emfive » Sun Nov 18, 2007 5:13 am

Marmoset that sort of deal does make sense and I was hoping that sort of thing would happen. For me the player/s coming back do/es not need to be NHL ready as long as they have some sort of upside.

If it takes a while for Kubina to come back (and assuming all is well) he might even be more interesting to other teams later in the season. Yet the later he is traded the more JFJ would want which might not be palatable for a trading partner. Aye there's the rub.

This team needs a healthy Colovacio. Hopefully he is another Antropov in the making.
User avatar
youreachiteach
Veteran
Posts: 2,886
And1: 606
Joined: Jul 06, 2004
Location: Brunei, Darrussalam

 

Post#22 » by youreachiteach » Sun Nov 18, 2007 2:20 pm

BlueJay_ wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



We signed him to score goals, not grab assists.

Blake said at the press conference he's never felt better and it would not effect his performance. If you have watched him before this season (which I hardly doubt) youd realize that his speed is the same from years before and the disease hasnt effected those strengths yet.

Was just silly to ever think the guy would seriously challenge 50 goals but on the other hand you once told me in the offseason this team was going to be a legit contender :rofl:


They looked pretty good today, didn't they?

And by the way...if you think Leukemia makes Blake feel "better than he ever has" I have some swamplands in Florida for you to buy. Really!! They're going to build and be the best they've ever been!!

Please. If you really believe that you are the most naiive person I've ever seen.

And the shots will go in when he stops pressing. It's happened to the best of snipers.

Keep cheapshotting, we'll see where he is at season's end. Even with a life threastening disease.
Griff83
Assistant Coach
Posts: 3,832
And1: 187
Joined: Dec 10, 2006

 

Post#23 » by Griff83 » Sun Nov 18, 2007 5:37 pm

[quote="youreachiteach"][/quote]

It has yet to effect his speed or shot, so until the disease disrupts either of these skills your argument is crap. The Problem is he isnt one of the best snipers and you've fooled yourself into thinking he's a perennial 40 goal scorer when what he really is a 25 goal performer per season.

where have you been the past week or so when the Leafs piled up 3 loss's in a row?
emfive
General Manager
Posts: 9,746
And1: 16
Joined: Jun 22, 2001
Location: Lake Wilcox

 

Post#24 » by emfive » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:51 am

youreachiteach wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


And the shots will go in when he stops pressing. It's happened to the best of snipers.



True on both counts.
User avatar
Mak
RealGM
Posts: 26,859
And1: 4,941
Joined: Apr 24, 2001
Location: Fire Nurse

 

Post#25 » by Mak » Sat Nov 24, 2007 2:12 pm

Blake is on pace to score 8 goals, i dont know how anybody can defend his play.

Just because Kubina is the Leafs "best" defender does not mean anything or justifies his horrendous contract since he would not crack top 4 on a good team.

Leafs need to get a competent GM and blow it up. Trade Sundin before its too late, trade everybody with long term contracts. Hopefully be bad enough to get a couple of good picks and get lucky in the draft.

Basically if lucky in 4-5 years Leafs can have a good team again.
User avatar
Tor-Rap-Tor
Junior
Posts: 490
And1: 3
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Location: Here!

 

Post#26 » by Tor-Rap-Tor » Sat Nov 24, 2007 3:33 pm

Well the Poll has swung definitely in favour of Blowing up the Team and starting over, it seems only Crowned and myself are for making a few changes and getting young players at the deadline and do a little retooling in the draft...

I can't disagree with the posters on Blowing up the team but it's hard to understand why on paper we have a very good team but we seem to have gaffs that lose us many games, our positional play is very bad and the giveaways are just killing us, as much, as I like Maurice, we seem to have no direction and the system he employs doesn't work. We had a great game against Ottawa, then we revert back to the old habits, that end up in two losses, that we should have won. I'm beginning to think Maurice has to be replaced and as I said before, get a disciplinarian coach like Pat Burns to get players to play a tight checking game...

There are drawbacks to having a coach that plays that tight checking game because a lot of players like the free wheeling style and when getting F/A's, lots won't go to a team that employs this tight checking method but winning will attract players too so...
Crowned
Forum Mod
Forum Mod
Posts: 4,491
And1: 155
Joined: Jun 22, 2003
Location: Toronto

 

Post#27 » by Crowned » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:59 pm

Mak wrote:Blake is on pace to score 8 goals, i dont know how anybody can defend his play.

Just because Kubina is the Leafs "best" defender does not mean anything or justifies his horrendous contract since he would not crack top 4 on a good team.
Leafs need to get a competent GM and blow it up. Trade Sundin before its too late, trade everybody with long term contracts. Hopefully be bad enough to get a couple of good picks and get lucky in the draft.

Basically if lucky in 4-5 years Leafs can have a good team again.



He could crack the 'top 4' on any team in the NHL.
User avatar
Mak
RealGM
Posts: 26,859
And1: 4,941
Joined: Apr 24, 2001
Location: Fire Nurse

 

Post#28 » by Mak » Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:39 am

Crowned wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




He could crack the 'top 4' on any team in the NHL.



If believing that makes you feel better about the signing then go right ahead.
Crowned
Forum Mod
Forum Mod
Posts: 4,491
And1: 155
Joined: Jun 22, 2003
Location: Toronto

 

Post#29 » by Crowned » Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:09 am

Mak wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




If believing that makes you feel better about the signing then go right ahead.



It doesn't make me feel better about the signing. He's a good defenseman, but we don't need him. However, he would make a top 4 pairing on any team in the NHL. He was TB's top shutdown defenseman when they won the cup (in the pre- lockout era, but still).
User avatar
juucer
Bench Warmer
Posts: 1,303
And1: 2
Joined: Nov 27, 2004

 

Post#30 » by juucer » Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:17 pm

Crowned wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

It doesn't make me feel better about the signing. He's a good defenseman, but we don't need him. However, he would make a top 4 pairing on any team in the NHL. He was TB's top shutdown defenseman when they won the cup (in the pre- lockout era, but still).


Not only was he their top shutdown defenseman, but he was also their powerplay specialist and overall team quarterback.

Easily a top 4 defenseman on any team. ANY team.
User avatar
Mak
RealGM
Posts: 26,859
And1: 4,941
Joined: Apr 24, 2001
Location: Fire Nurse

 

Post#31 » by Mak » Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:32 pm

Was not Darrien Hatcher an all star in the pre lockout era? Not a top 4 defenseman on a good playoff team, for sure.
Crowned
Forum Mod
Forum Mod
Posts: 4,491
And1: 155
Joined: Jun 22, 2003
Location: Toronto

 

Post#32 » by Crowned » Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:06 pm

Mak wrote:Was not Darrien Hatcher an all star in the pre lockout era? Not a top 4 defenseman on a good playoff team, for sure.



Hatcher is 36-36 years old, Kubina is 30...there's a difference.
User avatar
Turnpikebandit
Retired Mod
Retired Mod
Posts: 11,998
And1: 300
Joined: Jul 30, 2002

 

Post#33 » by Turnpikebandit » Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:16 am

No need to worry guys....

Peddie is "monitoring the situation"

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2 ... anges.html

The apathy surrounding this team at both the management and team level is astounding right now. Everyone is more than willing to admit the team sucks, yet no one is willing to do anything about it right now.
Marmoset
Veteran
Posts: 2,538
And1: 563
Joined: Nov 17, 2003
 

 

Post#34 » by Marmoset » Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:25 am

A few thoughts:

Kubina was a top defenceman with Tampa Bay 4 seasons ago. That doesn't make him a top defenceman now. If it was a year or two after that Cup season, I might go for the argument that it's his situation or he's having a down year, but he simply has not played to that level since coming to Toronto. Injuries have probably played a role, but that doesn't change the result, and doesn't make it any easier to trade him.

About Blake - he's better than he's shown this year, and not as good as he was last year. I agree that something like 25 goals would be realistic for him.

Finally, I'm thrilled that the media is jumping all over the Leafs and MLSE in the last few days. If there's one thing they won't like, it's being completely embarrassed like this. It might be enough to get JFJ canned, finally. Hopefully they do the smart thing and bring in someone like Colin Campbell, rather than this talk of Glenn Healy, Mark Messier and all that. Those guys could be assistants, but the head honcho has to be someone who knows what he's doing and has the freedom to do it. Basically, hockey's Colangelo.

Edit - @ Turnpike - That's what he's saying publicly. Astounding as it is, I'm not sure things are quite so calm in the boardroom at the moment.
emfive
General Manager
Posts: 9,746
And1: 16
Joined: Jun 22, 2001
Location: Lake Wilcox

 

Post#35 » by emfive » Tue Nov 27, 2007 2:42 am

Turnpikebandit wrote:No need to worry guys....

Peddie is "monitoring the situation".


LMFAO
emfive
General Manager
Posts: 9,746
And1: 16
Joined: Jun 22, 2001
Location: Lake Wilcox

 

Post#36 » by emfive » Tue Nov 27, 2007 2:51 am

JFJ needs to shake it up. :P Send him these ideas. 8)

Send Raycroft and Tucker down. They will clear waivers no probs. If not ... great.

Get McCabe off the right point. He doesn't have the hands to play on his wrong side.

Keep Antropov,Pony and Matts together.

When up by 1, or down by 1 play 3 lines. Even double shift your hot line that night, on occasion. Other times you can roll 4 if you wish. If a player shows indifference on any given night, move him to the 4th line for the night.

Believe me you won't have to say a word.
User avatar
Turnpikebandit
Retired Mod
Retired Mod
Posts: 11,998
And1: 300
Joined: Jul 30, 2002

 

Post#37 » by Turnpikebandit » Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:57 am

Marmoset wrote:Edit - @ Turnpike - That's what he's saying publicly. Astounding as it is, I'm not sure things are quite so calm in the boardroom at the moment.


Of course they aren't, the axe is clearly being sharpened. It has been since the 2007 Super Summer Senior Advisor Search.

My guess is that MLSE doesn't have its hatchetman interim guy ready to go yet. Its Wayne Embry on the hockey side.
User avatar
Tor-Rap-Tor
Junior
Posts: 490
And1: 3
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Location: Here!

 

Post#38 » by Tor-Rap-Tor » Tue Nov 27, 2007 4:16 am

I think Kubina is a fairly good D and a good point man on the power play, in fact he was our best defenceman up until he got re injured...

I've been saying this for a while now, Hockey is a team sport but there seems to be no cohesiveness in the way we play, we are always out of position and the system Maurice employs, either doesn't work or the players don't get it, either way something has got to give and I think it's Maurice that has to go...

It's totally maddening the Gaffs and give aways that happen because of the inconsistent play, in fact on Saturday I watched probably 5 or 10 minutes of the game and had to turn to a different channel, because I would have pitched something at the TV in frustration and I only flipped back and forth to see the widening score in this loss...

I hate to throw Clemmensen into the fire but maybe sitting Toskala and Raycroft may be a wake up call...
Marmoset
Veteran
Posts: 2,538
And1: 563
Joined: Nov 17, 2003
 

 

Post#39 » by Marmoset » Tue Nov 27, 2007 4:26 am

Turnpikebandit wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Of course they aren't, the axe is clearly being sharpened. It has been since the 2007 Super Summer Senior Advisor Search.

My guess is that MLSE doesn't have its hatchetman interim guy ready to go yet. Its Wayne Embry on the hockey side.


With MLSE, you never know! This organization takes forever to do ANYTHING.

I just hope they make this move before it gets too close to the deadline. JFJ will feel like he has to make more short-sighted moves to save his job. He needs to be removed from having that problem. Yes I've already said this. :)

Tor-Rap-Tor: There's definitely something up, because even Kaberle has looked lost at times, and IMO he's been the Leafs best defenceman since the lockout. I don't think it's an effort issue at all, I think they're trying hard - it's a combination of poor cohesion, and some guys like #24 just not being good enough for the role they've being put in. Also, when Andy Woz is getting a regular shift, you don't have a very good defence. (No offense to him, he uses everything he has).

I don't think there's much they can do about the goaltending. They're just not that good. You can't force a backup to become a starter, he has to earn it. There's no way either would start for a contending team. Maybe Toskala can do it; I'd just hand him the job for a while since they're committed to him anyway.
User avatar
Tor-Rap-Tor
Junior
Posts: 490
And1: 3
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Location: Here!

 

Post#40 » by Tor-Rap-Tor » Tue Nov 27, 2007 2:25 pm

If we are going to Leave JFJ and Maurice in place to finish the season, at least hire someone like John Muckler to oversee the operation and to evaluate the problem. Peddie and upper management is incapable of evaluating the team.

Remarks made by Peddie further undermines JFJ
he should not have hired a rookie GM


Muckler IMO is the hockey mind that built the Senators and should be hired on a yearly contract, to oversee the team and advise JFJ on decisions, at least for the rest of the year, be it to replace Maurice or future trades. He can also advise Management should he think JFJ should be replaced and also to have input when hiring a new GM, just as Wayne Embry did when Colangelo was hired.

This is a no brainer and should at least be an interim step in getting the team on a firm footing. Muckler has been both a coach and GM and has had success at both positions...

Return to Toronto Maple Leafs