Leafs Season over

[Mr. Lucky]

Any last thoughts?
I for sure know next season we will have a Playoff team!

 

[The Bandit]

the Leafs can book early golf dates.

So can the Habs after the first round....

 

[spankingman]

The logest REBUILDING programm in NHL History or any Sport They are becoming the Detroit Lions of Hockey!!

 

[lawyerman]

Well Cliff Fletcher is gone but the draft pics keep disapearing !!!

The NHL came down hard on the Leafs last night for violating the collective bargaining agreement when they signed rookie defenceman Jonas Frogren, an embarrassing faux-pas for the rebuilding team.

The Leafs were fined $500,000 (all figures U.S.) and will forfeit a fourth-round draft pick for overpaying Frogren, deemed by the league as an entry-level player.

You think Cliff would know the fucking rules by now. Well, the game has passed him by and he should have checked everything over. WTF is wrong with people? GM's should never make mistakes like that. I was a supporter of Cliff at most times but this puts a severe dent in his repetoire. Just go off into the sunset Cliff.

 

[to-guy69]

1st time in Leafs history missing the playoffs for 4 years in a row.

 

[lisaparadise]

Any last thoughts?
I for sure know next season we will have a Playoff team!

I AGREE BURKE WILL DO A NUMBER AT THE DRAFT TABLE IM THINKIN A DEAL WITH TAMPA FOR THERE FIRST ROUND LOTTERY PICK IN EXCHANGE FOR THERE PICK AND KABERLA.THEN SIGH 2 FREE AGENTS AND THERE SET

 

[pdson2]

Set to do what? Even if they made the deal you're suggesting, they're still a long, long way away from any success.

If you are talking Stanley Cup i agree, if you are talking playoffs they are not that far away with a few free agents, getting half decent goaltending which they did not get this year they can make it next year. They are only 10pts out this year with basically nothing.

 

[smuddan]

If you are talking Stanley Cup i agree, if you are talking playoffs they are not that far away with a few free agents, getting half decent goaltending which they did not get this year they can make it next year. They are only 10pts out this year with basically nothing.

The Leafs' only hope of making the playoffs next year is to have Toskala stays healthy and play his best; if they have the same kind of goaltending like this year, they'll have no chance of making the playoffs.

 

[iam0234]

If you are talking Stanley Cup i agree, if you are talking playoffs they are not that far away with a few free agents, getting half decent goaltending which they did not get this year they can make it next year. They are only 10pts out this year with basically nothing.

Agree. If they could get next season:
a. Consistent NHL-caliber goaltending, which hopefully Toskala would provide after the fixes to his health wounds. If not, he should be dumped.

b. A couple of top-6 offensive talents via trades, free-agencies and / or drafts, which Burke should be able to do with the cap-space available. If not, he too should be dumped.

c. Less injuries with its key defensive unit. Leafs has the defensive players and depth to be one of the better defensive teams. Schenn, Kaberle, Van Ryan, White, Kubina, Finger, in that order, is as good a D-unit as any team if they could stay healty (Van Ryan in particular). It also has significant depth in the likes of Frogren, Stralman, etc.

d. A decent backup goaltender in the event that Toskala was burnt, injured or had offnights - much like Clemenson to Brodeur. Is Gerber fill that role?

In summary, Leafs is not far off at all to be a playoff team again. The question remains: Does it just want to be in the playoff (as it had been for years until JFJ became the GM) or a true cup-contender (which it has been for some 4 decades)? The latter is exponentially more difficult, and requires a dramatically different solution.

 

[iam0234]

Correction.

My earlier post should have read: "...... or a true cup-contender (which it has NOT been ...... "

My apology.

 

[Neverenuff$]

The Leafs' only hope of making the playoffs next year is to have Toskala stays healthy and play his best; if they have the same kind of goaltending like this year, they'll have no chance of making the playoffs.

let me get this straight .. Toskala .. healthy gets the leafs to the playoffs ...

was he even in the top 15 save percentage before he "went down"

unless toskala starts scoring , he won't help .

 

[pdson2]

The Leafs have $42 million in salaries committed next season, that doesn't leave a lot of space available to sign any noteworthy free agents.

And do you not think Burke will trade buy out players in the summer, i expect lots of changes. They have already signed Hanson and Bozak and Gilroy is next on their list. By the end of the year they will have close to 400 games played by rookies. I expect players like Schenn, Kulemin, Mitchell to improve after their rookie seasons. The main question mark is goaltending, a hot goaltender can carry a team and i expect a healthy Toskala in his contract year to be much better.

 

[smuddan]

let me get this straight .. Toskala .. healthy gets the leafs to the playoffs ...

was he even in the top 15 save percentage before he "went down"

unless toskala starts scoring , he won't help .

No you didn't get it straigh.

I never said that WILL GET THEM INTO THE PLAYOFFS; but ONLY if Toskala can stay healthy AND PLAYS HIS BEST that they'll HAVE HOPE of making the playoffs.

Get it now ?

 

[Neverenuff$]

No you didn't get it straigh.

I never said that WILL GET THEM INTO THE PLAYOFFS; but ONLY if Toskala can stay healthy AND PLAYS HIS BEST that they'll HAVE HOPE of making the playoffs.

Get it now ?

well they always hope.. but I don't think the leafs should pin their "HOPES" on Toskla ....

It aint just a goalie .. GOT IT !! ..

 

[pdson2]

He can try to trade guys, but is there a market for them? The Leafs aren't exactly boasting a tremendous amount of attractive assets.

As for buying out, if I'm not mistaken -- and I certainly could be -- their contracts would still hit on the Leafs' cap even if they are bought out.

They overachieved to even be in the running for a playoff spot this year. Nearly 400 games played by rookies? Next year will probably be just as high if not higher as Burke attempts to clear out some of the dead wood.

Buy outs only count a certain percentage against the cap, not sure exactly how it works but i believe it is something like 2/3rds of the contract spread out over twice the length of the contract.