Toronto Maple Leafs

[ArgoRavi]

If you are a Leafs fan, which game were you supposed to watch last night? There was one on TSN4 and another on Leafs TV. When did they start with these split squad games in hockey?

[1argoholic]

I'd love to see some of the young 1st rounders make the team. I'm sure Babcock will do the same as he did in Detroit and send guys to the minors until you just can't avoid using them. I do not want to see this team filled with the same type of player in different sizes. All so so NHLers who can muck and grind but have no finishing touch. We have three draft choices in the last two years who can wheel and deal but are all pretty small. Last time we finished dead last we ended up with Clarke. We seem to finish just low enough to end up with guys who need plenty of time in the minors until they improve or the Leafs send them packing to thrive elsewhere.

[ArgoRavi]

I'd love to see some of the young 1st rounders make the team. I'm sure Babcock will do the same as he did in Detroit and send guys to the minors until you just can't avoid using them. I do not want to see this team filled with the same type of player in different sizes. All so so NHLers who can muck and grind but have no finishing touch. We have three draft choices in the last two years who can wheel and deal but are all pretty small. Last time we finished dead last we ended up with Clarke. We seem to finish just low enough to end up with guys who need plenty of time in the minors until they improve or the Leafs send them packing to thrive elsewhere.

I made the point last year that while the Leafs have often been bad, they have not been bad enough to get the first overall pick and an impact player at that pick. The last time they were that bad and able to pick first and get an impact player was in 1985.

[Argo57]

I made the point last year that while the Leafs have often been bad, they have not been bad enough to get the first overall pick and an impact player at that pick. The last time they were that bad and able to pick first and get an impact player was in 1985.

During the early 2000's in the Quinn then Ferguson Jr era (pre-cap) the Leafs constantly screwed themselves with free agent signings and trading first round picks for the likes of Shayne Corson, Gary Roberts, Owen Nolan, Ed Belfour, Brian Leetch, Joe Nieuwedyk, Eric Lindros and Ron Francis who Toronto paid like they were in their prime but we're basically running on fumes but were still good enough to leave the franchise in the middle of the standings and further to your point Ravi drafting too low to get any blue chip prospects, although with Toronto's futile drafting record higher pick guaranteed nothing.

[Will]

I made the point last year that while the Leafs have often been bad, they have not been bad enough to get the first overall pick and an impact player at that pick. The last time they were that bad and able to pick first and get an impact player was in 1985.

They have still squandered plenty of good draft positions over the years: Luke Schenn, Brandon Convery, Drake Berehowsky, Luke Richardson and the Belleville Bulls 3 of 1989!

It was always that tendency to rush guys to the NHL before they were ready. An early 1980's example of that was Jim Benning, Bob McGill, Gary Nylund and Fred Boimistruck.

[AngeloV]

They have still squandered plenty of good draft positions over the years: Luke Schenn, Brandon Convery, Drake Berehowsky, Luke Richardson and the Belleville Bulls 3 of 1989!

It was always that tendency to rush guys to the NHL before they were ready. An early 1980's example of that was Jim Benning, Bob McGill, Gary Nylund and Fred Boimistruck.

Of that group, Richardson ended up having a pretty good career as a stay at home, hard hitting defenseman, and Scott Thornton a good shut down center.

[Ballstothewall]

To almost not look silly. haha. Well at least we swept Ottawa in split preseason games. Just had a hard time getting into watching yet.

COULD BE LEAFS YEAR. That is the funniest thing you ever posted on here 1argoholic.

[Will]

Not all of those players were traded for first-round draft picks, but yes the general strategy seemed to be a team with older players. Those teams were better than middle of the pack, but not quite good enough to win the championships. The Maple Leafs were extremely ill-prepared to handle the new reality of the NHL when play resumed in 2005-2006, and they have never mastered the new reality. Hopefully, they have finally figured it out and a proper rebuild will be done. All I frankly ask for for the 2015-2016 season is a team that plays hard and competes even if they aren't going to get the results in the standings.

[1argoholic]

It won't be fun losing to Buffalo who is plenty closer to the playoffs then The Leafs will be. What a great draft this was and we just could lose enough.

If Edmonton doesn't improve they should just shut it down.

[1argoholic]

Holy CRAP, Leafs Win, Leafs Win, Leafs Win. Plus they actually beat a very good Dallas team. Stop winning so we can get the next Connor McDavid you TOOLS!

[AngeloV]

Holy CRAP, Leafs Win, Leafs Win, Leafs Win. Plus they actually beat a very good Dallas team. Stop winning so we can get the next Connor McDavid you TOOLS!

Trust me...the lottery is fixed. Toronto will NEVER win the NHL draft lottery. They had 4 of the last 10 balls in this years McDavid lottery, and Edmonton only had 1, yet Edmonton won.

[timlb01]

Trust me...the lottery is fixed. Toronto will NEVER win the NHL draft lottery. They had 4 of the last 10 balls in this years McDavid lottery, and Edmonton only had 1, yet Edmonton won.

So why would the NHL fix it for Edmonton? Makes no sense.... If they were fixing it it would have gone to a big market US team.....Edmonton....

[AngeloV]

So why would the NHL fix it for Edmonton? Makes no sense.... If they were fixing it it would have gone to a big market US team.....Edmonton....

OK, you got me there. I'm just a sad Leafs fan looking for someone to blame.

To keep with the theme in the double blue room, I say blame Milanovich.

[timlb01]

OK, you got me there. I'm just a sad Leafs fan looking for someone to blame.

To keep with the theme in the double blue room, I say blame Milanovich.

I love hockey and the Leafs but I don't anticipate watch much hockey for about 3 years. The best hockey was the Doug Gilmour years and that was short lived. I drives me nuts when you see teams like Montreal who look like they are in a position to be dominate for many years again.

The Leafs drive me nuts too as everyone knew the salary cap was coming... why didn't they buy all the best managers / coaches / scouts etc then. Why did we wait 10 years. If you want to go back even further they should have given Scotty Bowman a blank check and we probably would have won something then. I think the current direction looks promising but it could go south with that many people making decisions.

[1argoholic]

This year will be worse then a yoyo. Win one, lose six, win two, lose three, OT loss, lose two. Tough stuff to watch really when there's so many other channels. This isn't the day of four channels on a black and white tv topped with rabbit ears. I really hope they continue to suck and get number 1 who's certain to be that American kid playing in Europe this year, Matthews. He's got all the tools to build a team around.

[Will]

The Maple Leafs might not be a very good team, but they seem to be playing hard most nights for Babcock which is what I figured would happen. Leaf fans should be encouraged by some of the prospects in the system here. The Marlies, in particular, have had an excellent year so far.

[PullTogether73]

I'm always curious about something with Maple Leafs fans, so I will ask it here...

Are you a hockey fan, or a Maple Leafs fan?
Or, to put it another way...If an existing NHL team or an NHL expansion team was moved to Toronto, would you consider following that team instead of the Maple Leafs?

I just don't get why the Maple Leafs have such a devoted, masochistic fan base.
I believe it is because they are the only NHL game in town, and that they have a long history, which had success MANY decades ago.
Currently, there is nothing to like about this team.
No playoffs after a full regular season in over a decade. No star players.

I jumped off that sinking ship in 2002, latched on to another team in 2010, and have enjoyed hockey much more since then.
There is more entertaining hockey to be seen in the local OHL teams imo. (1argoholic would likely agree with this. Go Petes!)

So, why the torturous love affair with the Leafs?
Punish them for their ineptitude by walking away I say!

[T-Bone]

I'm always curious about something with Maple Leafs fans, so I will ask it here...

Are you a hockey fan, or a Maple Leafs fan?
Or, to put it another way...If an existing NHL team or an NHL expansion team was moved to Toronto, would you consider following that team instead of the Maple Leafs?

I just don't get why the Maple Leafs have such a devoted, masochistic fan base.
I believe it is because they are the only NHL game in town, and that they have a long history, which had success MANY decades ago.
Currently, there is nothing to like about this team.
No playoffs after a full regular season in over a decade. No star players.

So, why the torturous love affair with the Leafs?

I'm a casual Leafs fan but I wouldn't cheer for a new Toronto team.

Hypothetically if the CFL put another team in Toronto would you jump ship from the Argos to support that team?

Punish them for their ineptitude by walking away I say!

I wonder if people were giving the same advice to Argos fans between 1953-1982.

I jumped off that sinking ship in 2002, latched on to another team in 2010, and have enjoyed hockey much more since then.
There is more entertaining hockey to be seen in the local OHL teams imo. (1argoholic would likely agree with this. Go Petes!)

To each their own. Glad you found some solace.

[PullTogether73]

I'm a casual Leafs fan but I wouldn't cheer for a new Toronto team.

Hypothetically if the CFL put another team in Toronto would you jump ship from the Argos to support that team?

If the Argos were making money hand over fist while rewarding me with a dismal record over almost 50 years, then yes.

I wonder if people were giving the same advice to Argos fans between 1953-1982.

Valid point. But I believe there is a big difference between 29 years and 48 years (and counting). And the Argonauts were not making money hand over fist.

[AngeloV]

Valid point. But I believe there is a big difference between 29 years and 48 years (and counting). And the Argonauts were not making money hand over fist.

It can be argued that 29 years in a 9 team league is considerably a bigger failure than the majority of the 48 being in a 21-30 team league. Probability supports this theory.

I was listening to "Leafs Lunch" on TSN1050 yesterday for a bit (which is unusual since I usually can't stand Bryan Hayes and Jeff O'Neill).
They were discussing greatest Leafs defensemen ever, since last night was Dion Phaneuf's 400th game as a Maple Leaf.
They were shocked and disappointed to discover that the Leafs haven't really had any defensemen of note after the top two in terms of tenure.

Tim Horton - Hall of Famer
Borje Salming - Hall of Famer
Then...
Thomas Kaberle
Bobby Baun
And sundry other "greats" from Leafs history.
Phaneuf
Todd Gill
Dave Ellett
Ian Turnbull (a personal favourite when I was growing up and a fan of the Leafs)
Jaime Macoun.

I sometimes wonder how I stayed a Leafs fan for so long before I woke up from the stupor that is being a Leafs fan.

Ian Turnbull could have been great if he ever gave a f*ck