The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

lol ya. Leafs=Knicks.

Which other franchises could also be grouped in that category? I'm thinking Cubs for MLB, and Lions or Eagles for NFL?

Lions or Browns, take your pick.

[slickdtc]

The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

Yeah the Eagles tried to do a FA dream team situation but failed. Still, no team in the NFL is like the Leafs or Knicks. Closest is probably Oakland, now that I think about it.

The Flyers are dangerously close to the Leafs in the NHL. Shameful.

[gopher_guy]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

I'd be very curious to find out what it would take to get Kessel.

[AdamJones113]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

Evgeni Nabokov retired as a Shark. Won the Calder in 00-01 and leads the Sharks in most major goaltending categories. Always had a certain regard for him, not least because he came from (what is now) Kazakhstan.

[DaRK]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

The Bills are definitely the Sharks. Or maybe the Blues.

[Psyblast]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

The Sharks don't deserve to be in the same breath as a team that got to four straight Super Bowls.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

I'd be very curious to find out what it would take to get Kessel.

Start at 1st+two upper end prospects, and you get to throw in a salary dump.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

The Sharks don't deserve to be in the same breath as a team that got to four straight Super Bowls.

Yeah, I'm not sure if there is a Bills counterpart in the NHL. The Canucks probably come closest.

And I retract my Leafs = Browns or Lions statement. The New York Jets are clearly the Leafs' spiritual twin in the NFL.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

Start at 1st+two upper end prospects, and you get to throw in a salary dump.

The Wild have all that and would still have prospects left in the tank, just a matter of whether they feel like parting with it. Can we try to convince you that Charlie Coyle is actually good? He could be part of the deal.

[slickdtc]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

The homing beacon has shifted I see. Or was it already pointing in that direction?

[Edmontonoilersfan70]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

Start at 1st+two upper end prospects, and you get to throw in a salary dump.

Kessel is a great player, but I don't know if he's worth two upper end prospects and a first round pick. Depending on what team he's going to, the first round pick would obviously vary in value. Either the Jets or Sabres were supposedly interested in Kessel (I don't remember which one exactly), but it said that Kessel's streakiness, character, and fitness level were all major questions surrounding him which ultimately led the team to decline to trade for Kessel. Sure Kessel is great, but he has his fair share of negatives and distractions as well. I doubt the Leafs go into rebuilding mode, however, as I don't think Nonis wants to be known as the guy who gutted the team.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

The homing beacon has shifted I see. Or was it already pointing in that direction?

It's just wishful thinking on a fan's part. I don't think the Wild are actually interested.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

Kessel is a great player, but I don't know if he's worth two upper end prospects and a first round pick. Depending on what team he's going to, the first round pick would obviously vary in value. Either the Jets or Sabres were supposedly interested in Kessel (I don't remember which one exactly), but it said that Kessel's streakiness, character, and fitness level were all major questions surrounding him which ultimately led the team to decline to trade for Kessel. Sure Kessel is great, but he has his fair share of negatives and distractions as well. I doubt the Leafs go into rebuilding mode, however, as I don't think Nonis wants to be known as the guy who gutted the team.

Where does one begin with a post like this?

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

Kessel is a great player, but I don't know if he's worth two upper end prospects and a first round pick. Depending on what team he's going to, the first round pick would obviously vary in value. Either the Jets or Sabres were supposedly interested in Kessel (I don't remember which one exactly), but it said that Kessel's streakiness, character, and fitness level were all major questions surrounding him which ultimately led the team to decline to trade for Kessel. Sure Kessel is great, but he has his fair share of negatives and distractions as well. I doubt the Leafs go into rebuilding mode, however, as I don't think Nonis wants to be known as the guy who gutted the team.

The Leafs are gutting the team. The reports are out. Nonis has no say, and is a lame duck GM at this point. The MLSE board has approved Shanahan's scorched earth rebuild. Kessel and Phaneuf are not part of the plan.

Kessel's character and fitness issues aside, he is an 80+ point goal scorer. Has been a top 10 scorer in the league the past three years with Tyler Bozak as his centre. He's also a tremendous natural athlete, and great skater.

When he's played in the playoffs there have been no performance issues, and he was pretty good at the Olympics too.

I think a lot of Kessel's problems are him being cast as a cornerstone for the Maple leafs, and well, that just speaks to the Leafs being what they are.

[rdnk]

Re: The Official 2014-15 Regular Season Talk Thread

lol ya. Leafs=Knicks.

Which other franchises could also be grouped in that category? I'm thinking Cubs for MLB, and Lions or Eagles for NFL?

Raiders are the best comp. They had a golden age in the past and the last time they were good was around the turn of the millennium.

Too many times the Leafs have tried to accelerate the rebuild. Burke tried to kick start it in 2009 and then Nonis also overestimated his team after the playoff appearance. However, despite the success of Pittsburgh, I don't believe the scorched Earth rebuild is the best way to do it. Leaving some measure of infrastructure is vital in my opinion.

If I was Shanny, I'd move: Winnik, Bozak, Santorelli, Reimer and Franson and listen on Lupul, Phaneuf and Komarov. I seriously doubt they could move Clarkson or Robidas, but if they get any offer they should strongly consider it. Moving Bozak may be tough as well. They should keep the rest unless they get blown away by an offer.

There are some decent pieces in place, and with some savvy moves at the deadline and the offseason they can make big strides in improving the roster. Also, once the Wings lock up Babcock, the Leafs need to try and make a deal for Jeff Blashill. Don't wait for the Wings to let teams start interviewing or he may end up going somewhere that isn't a gong show. Coaches are super valuable and if you have a chance to get a mini-Babcock groomed by the one of the best organizations in sports, you can't pass up that chance.