110 replies to this topic

[Buncky]

As youre all aware by watching playoff hockey, that many teams are brutalizing their way to victory. And since Ulmer says that the price tag on these tough hardnosed goons are hard to get why not bring up our own kids and develop them in the big leagues. Bring up Marcel Mueller who is a 6'3 220 pound beast down in the marlies and is quite capable of throwing the body if presented with a third line checking role. Bring Up Carter Ashton who is also 6'3 215 pounds and is a great power forward with talent.

We can be pushing lineups like these everynight

Lupul- Colbourne - Kessel

Kulimen- Grabo - Macarthur

Mueller- Kadri- Ashton

Rosehill - Steckel- Armstrong Or Brown Or Orr

I think this is a major improvement to our team as Colbourne has definitly proved to us that he can handle the pressure of being the first line centermen in Toronto; as he been a factor and taken the marlies to the playoffs this year. He is a big Body and with some Condition this off season am sure he might be able to play along side Kessel and Lups. I have Faith in Reimer as he just went through his sophomore (jynx) year and will bounce back especially with some much needed veteran help from whoever burke picks up next season.

Our lineup definitly gets bigger immediately and should be competing well against other teams.


Bring up the nasty Holzer and replace him with a small body on defence like Liles as i rather have a puck moving defence men in Gardiner.

Phaneuf- Schenn

Gardiner- Franson

Holzer- Gunnarson

This way our defensive group doesn't look too small.

Go Leafs Go!

[howiegethere]

Just exactly where is the toughness ? Grabovski is the only tough guy on the top 2 lines Kulimen and Lupul can hold their own but they are not aggressive tough guys and certainly Colbourne and MacArthur aren't tough guys .
Better go back to your Xbox and figure something else out since Bozak is as tough as any of these guys and a better center than Colbourne . That line up isn't going to get the Leafs to the playoffs and for sure wouldn't win a round if they happened to get lucky .
The Leafs need a big dose of nasty toughness from players that can play two way hockey so that leaves Kessel and Kadri with a lot of improving to do . Franson and Gardiner are marshmallow soft despite their size and you forgot Liles .

[RPaj]

This thread looks very familiar to what I`ve seen you post 1-2 times already. =<

[XamDam]

This thread looks very familiar to what I`ve seen you post 1-2 times already. =<

Umm agreed so what Gives OP

[Kadrix43]

i dont know if Mueller has the work ethic and i dont think he hits to hard despite his size. Kovalchuck doesnt hit hard and hes bigger then that. Guys like this will play in the case of injury but we cant count on them to fill out the roster. I say Brayden Schenn is a guy we need. We lack character and grit in the top six, and bottom 6 but i think we have great bottom 6 prospects coming up, Biggs Ross Ashton Frattin etc... I am a Kadri fan... I think with a few tough veterans on his line he will start to develop very well, we have to work harder on developing our players, get some vets in. I say this get rid of Bozak Connolly and Lombardi. Trade our 1st and Franson for Brayden Schenn, add more if you have to we really really need this guy for some character grit and top six skill. Sign Arnott to play 3rd line center for us, trade macarthur and Colborne for Ryan Clowe.

Kessel-Schenn-Lupul
Kulemin-Grabo-Ashton/Crabb/Armstrong/Frattin
Clowe-Arnott-Kadri (the 3rd and 2nd line will switch out as they are pretty even lines)
Brown-Steckel-Rosehill

Phaneuf-Gunner
Schenn-Gardiner/Liles
Komisarek-Gardiner/Liles
Holzer/Blacker

Reimer-Vokoun (we gotta sign a vet goalie)

Thats more of a lineup i like, and i know Liles is a small defender but we could use his experience and if Gardiner has a sophomore slump we are gonna need him on the power play. I think Kulemin Reimer and Schenn should have bounce back years and if Kadri is surrounded by guys like Arnott and Clowe he will have a breakout year as well, and he will get nasty. I have a feeling some rookies could crack the squad though, Ross or Mckegg could make it... I think Frattin may have an off year, but eventually he will become a power forward/sniper so we should hang on to him.

[racer888]

We get it.....you want Brayden Shenn. Why would they trade a iffy number 5 pick for a very good looking number 5 pick(schenn) that they already have. It makes no sense

[Tibz2011]

^^^^agree 100%...

And how exactly has Colborne proved he is a #1 center in the NHL?

[MaximumTaco]

We get it.....you want Brayden Shenn. Why would they trade a iffy number 5 pick for a very good looking number 5 pick(schenn) that they already have. It makes no sense

[Schennanigans]

The currency of choice in the NHL under the cap is rookies and prospects because they are cost effective for about 3 years then the cap hitgoes up along with the salaries . I expect Burke will have to deal some young guys in order to bolster the Leafs roster and by doing that he risks getting tied up by larger cap hits and the need to dump salaries for cap space becomes a problem .
That means Burke can only afford to get one maybe two important pieces to his puzzle even with trades that take back some salary since the players he gets will be more expensive if he is to get some of the guys suggested here .
The Leafs are close to the cap and have some free agents to deal with and despite contracts that end like Gustavsson and Dupuis he will not have much room to manuever without trading away some contracts .
This is not going to be easy to fix and I think that light at the end of the tunnel could very well be a fast moving locomotive . Hopefully the new CBA will losen up the cap restrictions so teams are able to actually hold on to their veteran players a little longer and allow the rookies to develope at a slower pace .
I would like to see them reduce the cap hit on older players say over 28 so their cap hits don't force the veterans out of the game or handcuff their franchises and lower the standard of play .

[Schennanigans]

We get it.....you want Brayden Shenn. Why would they trade a iffy number 5 pick for a very good looking number 5 pick(schenn) that they already have. It makes no sense

Right on there racer and lets not forget either that Burke has made offers on Brayden Schenn before and came up short . That should be a big clue that Burke is either too cheap or that he doesn't have assets that are good enough . I really think it is the latter , the Leafs don't have the tradable assets to make an impact deal and little cap space to take more salary dumps to make deals attractive for trading partners .

[XamDam]

I have an issue understanding all this Cap Hit stuff.

Why can't we trade who we want when we want and pay what we want to whomever we get.

For example: If we wanted Scheider or Braydon Schenn why can't we just let gusto or reimer go walking elsewhere or trade off reimer to who ever and pay what is needed in money wise for schieder?

Or

Trade who the heck ever to get one of those players or both of them, like why a Cap Hit for, it should be who ever is the highest bidder or better trade deal bidder.

[trueleaffan]

^^^^agree 100%...

And how exactly has Colborne proved he is a #1 center in the NHL?

He hasn't, he hasn't even proved that he is a number 1 in the AHL yet.

[calvina7x]

i dont know if Mueller has the work ethic and i dont think he hits to hard despite his size. Kovalchuck doesnt hit hard and hes bigger then that. Guys like this will play in the case of injury but we cant count on them to fill out the roster. I say Brayden Schenn is a guy we need. We lack character and grit in the top six, and bottom 6 but i think we have great bottom 6 prospects coming up, Biggs Ross Ashton Frattin etc... I am a Kadri fan... I think with a few tough veterans on his line he will start to develop very well, we have to work harder on developing our players, get some vets in. I say this get rid of Bozak Connolly and Lombardi. Trade our 1st and Franson for Brayden Schenn, add more if you have to we really really need this guy for some character grit and top six skill. Sign Arnott to play 3rd line center for us, trade macarthur and Colborne for Ryan Clowe.

Kessel-Schenn-Lupul
Kulemin-Grabo-Ashton/Crabb/Armstrong/Frattin
Clowe-Arnott-Kadri (the 3rd and 2nd line will switch out as they are pretty even lines)
Brown-Steckel-Rosehill

Phaneuf-Gunner
Schenn-Gardiner/Liles
Komisarek-Gardiner/Liles
Holzer/Blacker

Reimer-Vokoun (we gotta sign a vet goalie)

Thats more of a lineup i like, and i know Liles is a small defender but we could use his experience and if Gardiner has a sophomore slump we are gonna need him on the power play. I think Kulemin Reimer and Schenn should have bounce back years and if Kadri is surrounded by guys like Arnott and Clowe he will have a breakout year as well, and he will get nasty. I have a feeling some rookies could crack the squad though, Ross or Mckegg could make it... I think Frattin may have an off year, but eventually he will become a power forward/sniper so we should hang on to him.

so um, brayden schenn is a player every team wants not sure why we always use him as the main example. He's everything you'd want in a player lol. Maybe its cause leaf fans know they will never get him.

[Tibz2011]

I have an issue understanding all this Cap Hit stuff.

Why can't we trade who we want when we want and pay what we want to whomever we get.

For example: If we wanted Scheider or Braydon Schenn why can't we just let gusto or reimer go walking elsewhere or trade off reimer to who ever and pay what is needed in money wise for schieder?

Or

Trade who the heck ever to get one of those players or both of them, like why a Cap Hit for, it should be who ever is the highest bidder or better trade deal bidder.

Any trade has to equal out salary wise. Or if it doesn't, then the that team who is taking on more salary, has to have room under the cap.

For example two cap ceiling teams (meaning no cap space) can trade whoever they want as long as salaries match. This is why you see some teams throw in an overpriced player to match salaries.

[XamDam]

Any trade has to equal out salary wise. Or if it doesn't, then the that team who is taking on more salary, has to have room under the cap.

For example two cap ceiling teams (meaning no cap space) can trade whoever they want as long as salaries match. This is why you see some teams throw in an overpriced player to match salaries.

Yes i understand that, but why is there a cap is what i don't understand as teams should be able to bid on whoever for whatever amount.

Yes i know it could up being stacked teams for certain organizations, but it should all be about the money and whi has it to pay and The Maple Leafs have Billions to do so. I don't have an issue of that at all to see the leafs pay top dollar for who ever they want and pay off some of the useless dumb players whenever they want.

[RPaj]

Luongo officially on the trade block, Schneider in tonight in a crucial game 4, and with them going with Schneider, expect to see Luongo out. Unless they fire their coach, I expect Luongo to be traded, no way he stays with them after something like this. Should be a interesting off-season.

Komi for Luongo, do it up!

[PuQ]

Luongo officially on the trade block, Schneider in tonight in a crucial game 4, and with them going with Schneider, expect to see Luongo out. Unless they fire their coach, I expect Luongo to be traded, no way he stays with them after something like this. Should be a interesting off-season.

Komi for Luongo, do it up!

This just lowered Lou's trade value alot, especially if they get swept tonight.

It may not be that big of a stretch to say Komi for Lou, just so Van can get out from under a disgruntled players long contract. (10 more years I think)

[RPaj]

Luongo's trade value is already low to begin with, they won't be getting any good prospects or picks for him, you don't get that much when a team is taking on such a massive contract.

10 years, 5.3mil cap hit....

[Hapanese]

Don't think Luongo will be all that shaken-up... after all that happened, it's more or less understandable. Part of being a goalie.

[Schennanigans]

Yes i understand that, but why is there a cap is what i don't understand as teams should be able to bid on whoever for whatever amount.

Yes i know it could up being stacked teams for certain organizations, but it should all be about the money and whi has it to pay and The Maple Leafs have Billions to do so. I don't have an issue of that at all to see the leafs pay top dollar for who ever they want and pay off some of the useless dumb players whenever they want.

The whole idea of the salary cap system is to keep teams competitive and not allow teams like Toronto and New York etc just simply buy their way to the top . Small market teams do not have the financial means to compete without a salary cap , if they can't compete they go bankrupt and that is not good for the growth of hockey . Not to mention the headaches it causes the NHL with media contracts and such .
The Leafs problems are from mismanagement and poor choices at the draft . Other teams are doing quite well and still are no where near the cap while the Leafs spend to the cap and have nothing to show for it .