Toronto Maple Leafs

[AngeloV]

If a team as Buffalo can only manage 10 shots against the Maple Leafs (who are hardly elite) then I dread to think how many shots they'll get against a team that is actually good.

I believe they had 15 and won in San Jose on the weekend.

[1argoholic]

I guess Buffalo improved because they kicked Leaf ass on Sat. Leafs are going nowhere and they're getting there fast. Same old, same old. Having way more fun watching The Petes up and mostly down season. Nice to see the future NHL stars come through town.

[Argo57]

The only concern I have about MLSE is that they have great business savvy but have horrible track record of winning. In the long run, the Leafs can get away with mediocre seasons without hurting at the gate. Can the Argos?

"horrible track record of winning"???? Cmon man, they almost made the Stanley Cup in 93 if Kerry Fraser had made "the call".
Name another franchise that can match that tradition!!!

[ArgoZ]

"horrible track record of winning"???? Cmon man, they almost made the Stanley Cup in 93 if Kerry Fraser had made "the call".
Name another franchise that can match that tradition!!!

Being a Wings fan, I am often reminded from the Leaf nation, how awesome that year was and how they upset the Wings in seven game series. It was exciting, but I then chuckle, as I then state how that was 22 years ago and the Wings have since won 4 Cups.

[paulwoods13]

Being a Wings fan, I am often reminded from the Leaf nation, how awesome that year was and how they upset the Wings in seven game series. It was exciting, but I then chuckle, as I then state how that was 22 years ago and the Wings have since won 4 Cups.

I'm also a Wings fan, and I prefer not to rub Leaf fans noses in the past two decades (my dad is a Leaf fan, for one thing). But I do sometimes have to remind people that that "monumental upset" was in fact a win by a team that was just four points behind the "favourite."

Detroit Red Wings 84 47 28 9 103 369 280
Toronto Maple Leafs 84 44 29 11 99 288 241

[ArgoRavi]

I'm also a Wings fan, and I prefer not to rub Leaf fans noses in the past two decades (my dad is a Leaf fan, for one thing). But I do sometimes have to remind people that that "monumental upset" was in fact a win by a team that was just four points behind the "favourite."

Detroit Red Wings 84 47 28 9 103 369 280
Toronto Maple Leafs 84 44 29 11 99 288 241

Good point, Paul. The bigger upset for the Leafs was when they beat the Islanders back in 1978. Lanny McDonald's OT game-winning goal in Game 7 is still, IMO, the greatest moment in Leafs history since their last Stanley Cup win.

[gilthethrill]

Good point, Paul. The bigger upset for the Leafs was when they beat the Islanders back in 1978. Lanny McDonald's OT game-winning goal in Game 7 is still, IMO, the greatest moment in Leafs history since their last Stanley Cup win.

Yes, I loved hockey when I was a kid and recall that goal vividly Ravi.....

[1argoholic]

No talk about the big trade? One guy who played with heart and passion every night in Santorelli and he gets traded. Yet another Leafs rebuild. This team is messed up from the top and down and has been for as long as I can remember. Gongshow that for the most part has me watching a few minutes here and there in between flipping channels.

[Argo57]

No talk about the big trade? One guy who played with heart and passion every night in Santorelli and he gets traded. Yet another Leafs rebuild. This team is messed up from the top and down and has been for as long as I can remember. Gongshow that for the most part has me watching a few minutes here and there in between flipping channels.

Agree with the Leafs rebuild plan (should have done this 10 years ago) but you have to maximize your assets and draft well, something that this organization historically has been abysmal at.
The last significant 1st round draft pick by Toronto was Wendel Clark (1985).
Grew up an diehard Leaf fan, don't watch them anymore and find MLSE to be a very unlikeable organization!

[argolio]

No talk about the big trade? One guy who played with heart and passion every night in Santorelli and he gets traded. Yet another Leafs rebuild.

If the reports are true, they've never done a rebuild like they're planning to do now. Assuming they follow through all the way, of course.

[1argoholic]

My cousin worked as a bartender at The Convention Centre back in 85 and he got us floor seats for the draft when Clark was picked by the Leafs. The Draft wasn't the huge deal that it is today.

Seems like all the teams that improve do it through getting the first pick overall or very close to that. You then build a team around that star. The Leafs haven't been able to build anything in years. Sad to watch for sure.

[Argo57]

My cousin worked as a bartender at The Convention Centre back in 85 and he got us floor seats for the draft when Clark was picked by the Leafs. The Draft wasn't the huge deal that it is today.

Seems like all the teams that improve do it through getting the first pick overall or very close to that. You then build a team around that star. The Leafs haven't been able to build anything in years. Sad to watch for sure.

The Leafs actually backed into picking Clark, they had their sights set on Craig Simpson who after meeting with team officials preferred to be picked elsewhere (who could blame him). Dumb luck prevailed!

[ArgoRavi]

My cousin worked as a bartender at The Convention Centre back in 85 and he got us floor seats for the draft when Clark was picked by the Leafs. The Draft wasn't the huge deal that it is today.

Seems like all the teams that improve do it through getting the first pick overall or very close to that. You then build a team around that star. The Leafs haven't been able to build anything in years. Sad to watch for sure.

What I find most amazing about the Leafs over the last 48 years is that they have been mediocre, for the most part, but rarely bad enough to be the worst or second worst team in the league like Edmonton has been for the past several seasons.

[Argo57]

What I find most amazing about the Leafs over the last 48 years is that they have been mediocre, for the most part, but rarely bad enough to be the worst or second worst team in the league like Edmonton has been for the past several seasons.

In the years before the salary cap era the Leafs overpayed aging players such as Shayne Corson, Gary Roberts, Joe Nieuwendyk who still had enough left in the tank to keep them in the middle of the pack draft wise, hence they missed out on some blue chip prospects, at the same time they were also trading 1st rounders on the likes of Owen Nolan and Brian Leetch.
When all was said and done these guys all retired and the Leafs were left with basically nothing, the effects are still being felt some years later.

[Deerkeeper]

I wouldn't worry about the Leafs. They will recover and win the cup this year. After all, it's been so cold that hell has almost frozen over.

[argonaut11xx]

THE PERFECT STORM, DEMISE OF THE ARGONAUTS

Just thinking out loud, WHAT IF, the Leafs win the Connor McDavid lottery, then make a spash on in free agency/draft. Add a competitive Jays team

By the time the Argo's finally play a game in Toronto, would anyone even care to show up???

[gilthethrill]

THE PERFECT STORM, DEMISE OF THE ARGONAUTS

Just thinking out loud, WHAT IF, the Leafs win the Connor McDavid lottery, then make a spash on in free agency/draft. Add a competitive Jays team

By the time the Argo's finally play a game in Toronto, would anyone even care to show up???

You really think the Leafs scouting system has heard of Conner McDavid?

[Argo57]

You really think the Leafs scouting system has heard of Conner McDavid?

The perfect drafting position to have is the #2 pick behind the Leafs, that way the asinine "draft dud" pick will already be out of the way.

[Will]

Mike Babcock has a daunting task ahead of him, but I am confident that he is the correct choice. The Maple Leafs need several years to rebuild the talent pool, so at least in the interim you might see a heightened compete level from the team, but nothing that will translate into points.

BTW, who broke the story? Was it Dreger or Freedman? The answer to that question is important given the conspiracy theories people have been presenting about Rogers deliberately leaking the information to upstage the Argos announcement.

[1argoholic]

The reporter that asked the question live said he had a tweet from Freedman. That would be Rogers.