Comments on: Just another Leaf article

By: 92-93

92-93 — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:04:41 +0000

no question that is why Kronvall was sent down instead of woz. but that still doesnt make it right, and it still doesnt reflect a philosophy from management that they are interested in or know how to win. does ferguson honestly think anyone will pick Woz off of the waivers??? if you want to ice a better team, you keep the better players up with the big club. period.

Tlusty is understandable if only for his age (Stralman because of his lack of north american hockey experience)

as for the depth, Harrison, Kronvall, Walser, even Belak are all better than Woz. he's had his chance. let someone else get a chance. the leafs have LOADS of depth when it comes to #6 d-men. its the top-4 kind of d-men that you have to worry about depth-wise.

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no quesiton, the east is wide open and the leafs are certainly not the only team having inconsistencies this year.

but i absolutely CRINGE when i hear Cherry-types say that - look at the Sens, Pens, Sabres, they are all struggling like the leafs..."

i mean, honestly, there is no comparison in terms of talent and depth. those teams can put it together, the leafs are built to be an 8th-12th place Eastern conference team. that's it. its right there in black in white in the comments made by Peddie and Ferguson themselves: their goal is for the leafs to make the playoffs.

there is an elite class in the East and they will rear their heads very soon. there will also be a few surprises from a few teams this year as well - i do not think the leafs will be one of them. even in the streak that is on now, there are periods and moments when they ABSOLUTELY LOOK LOST out there - especially in their own end. for whatever reason (toskala?), they havent paid the price for their mistakes. but that kind of luck (and goaltending) can only last so long, and can only take you so far.

the same thing with the quinn era. that was a team that was built to make it to and possibly win the 2nd round of the playoffs. thats it. their ceiling was clearly defined for the same reasons that this team's ceiling is permanent:

an inability by management to identify the problem areas, solve those problem areas with the appropriate players, and an inability to keep draft picks and prospects to replenish the big club.

the time has come for a change, and i dont need a road trip to decide that.

By: leafy

leafy — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:36:17 +0000

The only reason I can think of for sending Kronvall down to the Marlies, instead of say Woznewski, is because Kronvall wouldn't have to clear waivers, whereas Woz would.

Yeah, I know, Woz isn't very good. But on the other hand, I wouldn't want to risk losing him for nothing. Why? Because injuries could strike your D at any time...and then what? You need to have depth on your D in case injuries strike. This is precisely what killed the Leafs in 2002. Otherwise, sure, Kronvall is solid.

As for the streak meaning nothing, I don't know. You might be right....they could start tanking again. On the other hand, the Leafs are only a measly 3 points out of 2nd place in the East!!!

You're forgetting one important point: The East is completely wide open this year. I'm not even sure Ottawa is unbeatable! Anyone, and I mean anyone, can take the East this year. With parity what it is, no team - except for Washington - should be counted out.

Let's see where the the Leafs are going with this. But, as you said, the road trip will tell us a lot about the Leafs.

By: 92-93

92-93 — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:08:48 +0000

4 in a row.

(anyone else out there still want to argue that Antropov 'sucks'? For 2 years mojo and i have argued quite the opposite and i guess saw something that few others saw).

so what to make of this 4-game win streak?

nothing. absolutely nothing. its right in line with the inconsistencies of this leaf team. regardless of what happens against the Bruins and Bolts, i'll only raise my eyebrows if they come out of the 7-game road trip with an above .500 record.

then and only then will things get interesting. i still believe, however, that this team is not built to win in the long run. on top of that, the management makes decisions like demoting Tlusty and Kronvall (especially the latter, the former needs ice time and can play a bit with the Marlies) while keeping Woz up with the big club.

Kronvall played SOLID for the leafs. he belongs with the big club. period. i can understand letting Tlusty and Stralman get big time minutes with the marlies. but not Kronvall, who i think is a solid #5 d-guy.

Hal Gill, once again, continues to make me look like a fool. yes he makes some frustrating mistakes that really he has no control over (re: his speed, which really isn't a mistake). but the big guy does the job on the PK, does a good job on Jagr, and is even contributing offensively.

The leafs also have 4 defencemen in the top-40 in defencemen scoring (and this is WITH McCabe and Kubina's injuries, and without Colaicovo in the line-up).

but like i said, the only thing i can hope - from a long-term perspective, is that guys like Gill, Sundin, Kubina, McCabe, etc. continue to increase their asset value with solid play.

i think eventually, the leafs inconsistencies will see this team below .500 again. hopefully it will be low enough beneath the .500 mark, that something conclusive can be made in terms of a decision of management change and making trades like a Sundin trade.

By: leafy

leafy — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:35:09 +0000

Your point is perfectly valid as long as the Leafs keep winning (3 game streak as of Dec. 5th).

But if they're out of contention by February, why hold on to Sundin and get nothing for him as he ages further?

Assuming he waives his NTC, we're talking possibly 3 quality prospects coming to Toronto. If we miss the playoffs, why keep our expensive vets if we can get good solid picks?

Later, in the summer, we can resign Sundin and possibly 2 more free agents to replace the traded vets. But now you'll have some new young talent in your system.

Unfortunately, I do not believe JFJ is capable of making shrewed moves of this nature.

By: 92-93

92-93 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:30:58 +0000

i havent like the look of this team since the offseason. i'm not going to start now.

its sucks that they make decisions like keeping Woz, sending Tlusty and Kronvall down, it sucks that Coliacovo is injured (a very important d-man IMO that makes a huge difference),

but most of all, it sucks that we have become so accustomed to half-assed medicority that being in the hunt for a playoff spot is good enough. all of this is short-term thinking.

the time for change was a year ago. hopefully they will conclusively be SOMETHING by the time this road trip is over or by the trade deadline - either a top-6 team in the East, well above. 500, or well below .500.

By: leafy

leafy — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:28:15 +0000

I don't know much about Kulemin, but if he's even better than Tlusty, that's great news. I agree with you on Woz....how anyone can put him on that list is beyond me.

By: leafy

leafy — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:24:41 +0000

Completely agree. And that has been the story the 2 previous years too. Not good enough to make the playoffs, not bad enough to get a top 10 draft pick. This also stalls rebuilding.

Having said that, let's see where they're going with this win steak. Don't look now, but we are only 7 points behind 1st place in the Eastern Conference. It might be another few weeks before we can get a gauge of how good (or bad) this team is.

By: leafy

leafy — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:04:45 +0000

Don't look now, but the Leafs are only 7 points behind top seed Ottawa in the Eastern Conference. I think we need to hold our horses before making any trades. We might have a better idea of good this team is after the upcoming 7-game road trip.

By: 92-93

92-93 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:57:49 +0000

the worst thing that could happen to the leafs is happening right now:

lose one, win one, lose two, win two, lose three, win three.

they are 11-11-6.

that stunts the potential of change and it stunts the potential for contending for a cup.

either they reel off 7 or 8 in a row and become a contender, or they go into a significant downward spiral and initiate changes in the front office or on the ice. but if they go .500 (or just below or JUST above it), then nothing gets done.

i've never been so unhappy with a Leafs' 3-game win streak in my life.

By: Hoondog2

Hoondog2 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:20:25 +0000

Rebuilding is not necessary. What is necessary is to continue building. The only thing this Leaf team is missing is the eventual replacement for Sundin. I would keep this team together, and actively shop one of Kubina, or McCabe throughout the season. Either trade Raycroft or put him on waivers, Toskala is the immediate future in the nets for this team. I honestly think once Sundin retires, Kaberle will be moved in a similar trade to the one that brought Mats over from Quebec, and it will be for the next franchise player. Stralman will come in and fill Kaberle's shoes quite nicely. After all Sundin has done for our franchise can we please let him decide what the future holds. If this team falls for the rest of the season, then changes need to be made, but i thought before, and i still think that this team can succeed.