Toronto Maple Leafs

[1argoholic]

I really don't understand how the Leafs are building a cup champ for five years from now. hahaha. They need every little move to be 100% correct and every player to work out. Edmonton fans have heard the song and dance for years and they continue to crap it. You can't build a team through the draft alone as once again Edmonton has proved.

[Will]

I really don't understand how the Leafs are building a cup champ for five years from now. hahaha. They need every little move to be 100% correct and every player to work out. Edmonton fans have heard the song and dance for years and they continue to crap it. You can't build a team through the draft alone as once again Edmonton has proved.

The Maple Leafs have proved over an extended period of time that you also can't build a team by completely ignoring the draft. We really don't know if they'll use a hybrid approach.

The Oilers have always focused on their forwards at the serious expense of defencemen. That's their issue, and I hope the Maple Leafs don't make the same mistake.

[Argo57]

I really don't understand how the Leafs are building a cup champ for five years from now. hahaha. They need every little move to be 100% correct and every player to work out. Edmonton fans have heard the song and dance for years and they continue to crap it. You can't build a team through the draft alone as once again Edmonton has proved.

The cornerstone of any successful franchise is building through the draft.
It is one thing to accumulate draft picks but another to have a solid draft plan and make prudent choices.
Edmonton have had high draft choices but a poor draft plan, as AF87 touched on the Oilers have drafted too many similar players and ignored their areas of need (defence and goaltending).
Hopefully the Leafs scouting staff is up to the challenge, they have failed miserably in the past!!

[1argoholic]

They must have good drafts for the next few years but also trade wisely and sign a few great free agents. They have to keep the good young talent they are developing such as Gardener, Kadri and the good young talent with the Marlies. They can't give up on guys too fast like they did with too many over the years. Rask comes to mind right off the bat. Also Steen in St Louis.

[AngeloV]

They must have good drafts for the next few years but also trade wisely and sign a few great free agents. They have to keep the good young talent they are developing such as Gardener, Kadri and the good young talent with the Marlies. They can't give up on guys too fast like they did with too many over the years. Rask comes to mind right off the bat. Also Steen in St Louis.

Rask was a terrible decision. They had both he and Justin Pogge as highly thought of prospects, and I believe they kept Pogge based on his puck handling skills. Coming off a great World Jr tournament, it didn't seem like a bad move. But trading a very good prospect for Andrew Raycroft, who had just come off a brutal year, was beyond stupid. In hindsight, they should have kept both and seen which one developed better.

And Raycroft's predictable lack of success led to??? Trading another first round pick for Vesa Toskala.

As for Steen....two words...Ron Wilson...make that 3...IDIOT!!

[Argo57]

Rask was a terrible decision. They had both he and Justin Pogge as highly thought of prospects, and I believe they kept Pogge based on his puck handling skills. Coming off a great World Jr tournament, it didn't seem like a bad move. But trading a very good prospect for Andrew Raycroft, who had just come off a brutal year, was beyond stupid. In hindsight, they should have kept both and seen which one developed better.

And Raycroft's predictable lack of success led to??? Trading another first round pick for Vesa Toskala.

As for Steen....two words...Ron Wilson...make that 3...IDIOT!!

Well summarized Angelo, Leafs penchant for squandering first round picks for over the hill "stars" such as Brian Leetch and Owen Nolan didn't help as well.
The crown jewel of stupidity belongs to Brian Burke, with no prospects in the system and no supporting cast on the NHL team you trade 2 firsts and a second for Phil Kessel. Boston must have pissed their pant with excitement when Burke came calling with that one.
Let's also factor in their return on investment in regards to Joffrey Lupal, injured more often than not.

[AngeloV]

Well summarized Angelo, Leafs penchant for squandering first round picks for over the hill "stars" such as Brian Leetch and Owen Nolan didn't help as well.
The crown jewel of stupidity belongs to Brian Burke, with no prospects in the system and no supporting cast on the NHL team you trade 2 firsts and a second for Phil Kessel. Boston must have pissed their pant with excitement when Burke came calling with that one.
Let's also factor in their return on investment in regards to Joffrey Lupal, injured more often than not.

I was listening to one of the radio shows this week (I believe it was Naylor and Landsberg) where they were talking about the current regime doing it the right way. They claim that in an interview a few years ago with John Ferguson, he said that he wanted to do the exact same thing, but was told that the Leafs will never be in full rebuild mode, that the fans would never accept it. Can't help but wonder if that came from that idiot himself Richard Peddie. Ferguson sure took a lot of heat for something he may have had no choice in.

[argolio]

Well summarized Angelo, Leafs penchant for squandering first round picks for over the hill "stars" such as Brian Leetch and Owen Nolan didn't help as well.
The crown jewel of stupidity belongs to Brian Burke, with no prospects in the system and no supporting cast on the NHL team you trade 2 firsts and a second for Phil Kessel. Boston must have pissed their pant with excitement when Burke came calling with that one.
Let's also factor in their return on investment in regards to Joffrey Lupal, injured more often than not.

They were going for it in the pre-lockout era, so trading picks could be justified even if it didn't always work out. But when Sundin entered his final years and the team got old, keeping the same philosophy only put them into a deeper hole.

Maybe they'll tell Lupul to go away and disappear for the last two years of his contract, like they're doing with Robidas.

[Argo57]

They were going for it in the pre-lockout era, so trading picks could be justified even if it didn't always work out. But when Sundin entered his final years and the team got old, keeping the same philosophy only put them into a deeper hole.

Maybe they'll tell Lupul to go away and disappear for the last two years of his contract, like they're doing with Robidas.

That's the point, they thought they were "going for it" by trading valuable high draft picks for high priced over the hill players at the very end of their careers which lead to them getting older and shittier with zero prospects on the farm.

[Argo57]

I was listening to one of the radio shows this week (I believe it was Naylor and Landsberg) where they were talking about the current regime doing it the right way. They claim that in an interview a few years ago with John Ferguson, he said that he wanted to do the exact same thing, but was told that the Leafs will never be in full rebuild mode, that the fans would never accept it. Can't help but wonder if that came from that idiot himself Richard Peddie. Ferguson sure took a lot of heat for something he may have had no choice in.

Dick Peddie was the typical corporate sound bite who in the MLSE world probably had more say that he should have in hockey related matters.

[Will]

The kids that the Leafs called up have definitely made for some more exciting games even if the results aren't there in the scoreboard.

[Will]

Save the puck! William Nylander's first career goal is an absolute snipe. #NHLFirstshttps://t.co/Pe9qzJyZr3

— NHL (@NHL) March 6, 2016

[1argoholic]

This makeshift Leaf team has played hard all year with plenty of heart. I'M LOVING the way this team has played the last three games. Playing tough teams and teams fighting for playoff spots with tons of heart and emotion and losing. Great all the way around. Last first overall pick was in 1985 in Clark and I was lucky enough to be on the floor at the Convention Centre for the draft. My cousin was a bartender there at the time. The draft wasn't the big deal that it's become. Somehow if the chips fall right it would be nice to see Austin Matthews in a Leaf jersey next year.
The young guys from the Marlies have looked good. Soshkalov (however it's spelled) is just full of energy and hits anything in sight and even Cherry should like this Russian. He's scored a few sweet goals. Once you have Nylander, Soshkalov, Marner, this years first round pick and a few other fresh faces next year it'll be a fun team to watch. I hope they bring up the former Oshawa General Lindberg (things that's right) for a look see. I liked watching this kid playing against the Petes last year.

[Will]

6 of the #Leafs past 7 losses have been by 1 goal. You cant tank much better than that. #TankNation

— Jim Lang (@JimLangSports) March 6, 2016

[R.J]

Would be nice if the Oilers start a big winning streak.

[Argo57]

This makeshift Leaf team has played hard all year with plenty of heart. I'M LOVING the way this team has played the last three games. Playing tough teams and teams fighting for playoff spots with tons of heart and emotion and losing. Great all the way around. Last first overall pick was in 1985 in Clark and I was lucky enough to be on the floor at the Convention Centre for the draft. My cousin was a bartender there at the time. The draft wasn't the big deal that it's become. Somehow if the chips fall right it would be nice to see Austin Matthews in a Leaf jersey next year.
The young guys from the Marlies have looked good. Soshkalov (however it's spelled) is just full of energy and hits anything in sight and even Cherry should like this Russian. He's scored a few sweet goals. Once you have Nylander, Soshkalov, Marner, this years first round pick and a few other fresh faces next year it'll be a fun team to watch. I hope they bring up the former Oshawa General Lindberg (things that's right) for a look see. I liked watching this kid playing against the Petes last year.

I predict the Leafs will get the first overall pick and in typical Leaf fashion draft Austin Powers due to a clerical error by one of their MLSE piss ants.

[PullTogether73]

Would be nice if the Oilers start a big winning streak.

I believe their fans have been saying that for years.

[AngeloV]

I predict the Leafs will get the first overall pick and in typical Leaf fashion draft Austin Powers due to a clerical error by one of their MLSE piss ants.

If they do get the top pick, I would hope they would find out just how badly the Coyotes want Matthews. Would they be willing to part with say...a swap of picks along with Domi and Ekman-Larsson?

[R.J]

I believe their fans have been saying that for years.

It's at the point now; where the NHL should not allow the Oilers a top 5 pick - Kevin Lowe and Daryl Katz' idiocy should not be rewarded IMO.

[ArgoRavi]

I gave up on the Leafs two decades ago so I admire those of you who continue to stick it out. I cannot recall how often I have heard the words that the "future looks bright" for the Leafs over the decades though. I almost never agree with Don Cherry but he has often said that playing hard and winning or losing close in March and April when you are out the playoffs really means nothing and I am inclined to agree with him on that.