Luke Schenn-to-Oilers rumour riles Leafs GM
Brian Burke’s disputes with the Mother Corp just don’t seem to be going away.
The Maple Leaf president/GM was furious on Monday over a Hockey Night in Canada report that suggested there are “rumblings” throughout the NHL that Burke is prepared to trade defenceman Luke Schenn to the Edmonton Oilers for the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s entry draft.
“Typical of Hockey Night,” said Burke. “I have never discussed this trade or any trade involving Luke Schenn to Edmonton.”
The report was part of HNIC reporter Elliotte Friedman’s popular “30 Thoughts” blog on various goings-on around the NHL. Friedman said he doubted the deal would happen, but added that “many teams” think Schenn will be a better player outside of Toronto.
“There are rumblings that Toronto will offer Luke Schenn to Edmonton for a swap of first rounders,” wrote Friedman. “No doubt Brian Burke would like to make a huge draft splash. He loves the big stage. And I do believe the Oilers like Schenn and have discussed his availability before. But I just can’t see it happening for the first overall selection.”
http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1209721–luke-schenn-to-oilers-rumour-riles-leafs-gm
58 Responsesto “Luke Schenn-to-Oilers rumour riles Leafs GM”
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I hate the media, sure it’s entertaining news to us, but the hockey media in Toronto is like all those stupid paparazzi in LA that bug the celebrities.
Why must Burke take the bait? He has to fight the media, he has to fight other GMs…. Just fix the mess then you bark agian.
He wanted to get riled up, he craves the attention. He wishes the media would bother him more so that he could make more mini-headlines like this one.
I’m pretty tired of him too. He has to start winning, period.
thank god people are starting to understand and get sick of it and him.
He had to get his spotlight in during the cup finals. This guy is a piece of work.
Just let it go Brian. Let it go. Use that energy to work on finding a way to make the Leafs a better team. God knows you have plenty of work to do and things to fix.
Seriously, if Luke Schenn can’t take a few rumors, he’s got problems. He’s too weak then to be a maple leaf and play in Toronto where you have to take things with a grain of salt.
Of course too, this was Damian Cox who started this. He is the one who approached BB to get a comment. He’s doing his job, but he is a solid Burke ass kisser. And from a rival network. One that is owned by the company ready to buy the Leafs.
I used to enjoy how open he was and when he talked about his plan for the rebuild, I enjoyed the hour press conferences now it just a chore to watch because we can all see his glaring shortcomings and collectively despise his moralizing to justify doing nothing.
Another press conference saying we’d did nothing and look at these brights spots while saying look guys I’m POed too will leave me starting the chant fire Burke. He hasn’t made a good trade in over a year and wasn’t that the one thing he could do right?
Of all this summer’s UFA goalies (had to play 8 games or more) who do you think had the best GAA last year?
A) Marty Brodeur
B) Josh Harding
C) Johan Hedberg
D) Scott Clemmensen
E) Marty Biron
Who do you think had the best Save Percentage?
A) Marty Brodeur
B) Josh Harding
C) Johan Hedberg
D) Scott Clemmensen
E) Marty Biron
Who do you think had the best Winning percentage?
A) Marty Brodeur
B) Josh Harding
C) Johan Hedberg
D) Scott Clemmensen
E) Marty Biron
Those were far and away the top 5 best statistical goalies out of this summer’s UFA crop. And here’s a hint, the same guy is the correct answer to all three questions.
Don’t look it up, just guess, then look it up.
Biron?
Well, he started really hot in the beginning of the season. It’s probably Hedberg. Although, I’d be interested to see Marty’s numbers.
It’s Johan Hedberg.
Good podcast by Brain Burke it more focuses on business of hockey but comes into Toronto Maple Leafs as well. It is a good listen here is the link: http://theagenda.tvo.org/episode/178535/brian-burke-on-leadership-and-sherry-cooper-on-crisis
Seriously?
“Typical of Hockey Night,” said Burke. “I have never discussed this trade or any trade involving Luke Schenn to Edmonton.”
That’s being furious? Seems like a molehill made into a mountain to me.
And the “he’s just craving attention, he’s a media whore, he wanted to be in the news during the Cup” is idiotic. Look at the quote, it was clearly in response to someone asking him about. It’s not like he called a press conference and started blowing steam.
The “media whore” Burke is a complete fabrication of the media and idiotic fans
Really? Really? He doesn’t have a herstory of getting lippy with the media and confronting on articles, comments ect… On the surface Burke seems like a Don Cherry guy but Don claims he tried to get him fired (good luck with that Burke).
I’m pretty sure BB have the media a lecture at the deadline instead of picking up four first rounders. Am I fabricating that?
He’s career has degenerated into charity functions and half hour television interviews in support of the LGTB community, I’d prefer a GM, other than Nonis.
Hmm I seem to remember him stating that as an answer to a question from a media member, not him just calling a press conference to state that.
Get your head out of your ass. A GM’s job is to speak on what happened with his team and make sure stupid media driven stories don’t get out of hand. Stop making issues out of it. When a journalists asks him a question, is he supposed to tell them to f*ck off? Give me a break.
Burke’s bravado is media created. He answer’s question that are asked of him. He doesn’t go out looking for attention and whoring himself out to the media. It’s not his fault people have issues with his answers.
There’s a reason he supports LGBT stuff and it doesn’t have anything to do with hockey you ass.
Lol, so Burke isn’t the guy that once demanded air time to go on HNIC to berate Al Stracken for putting out a trade rumor on after 40 mins? Burke has always been aggressive with the media, calling them out for how horrible they’ve been to his precious players. When he used to be proactive GM he could get away with it, today he’s devolved into a running joke.
I haven’t seen Burke lift a finger to help this team in over a year. All does now is talk about LGTB community and charity functions. That’s just reality though, I know you have a history of taking issue with it.
@Trade man. None of my comments will post. tha fawk?
Sorry Josh, but Burke won’t get any respect from certain fans, such as myself until he gets something done. He’s been brutal as our GM, starting with picking up Gerber when he came in, he refuses to tank.
Okay fine so he won’t tank, there are other ways to get star players, ie RFA offer sheets. Oh wait, he won’t do that, I mean Stamkos was sitting there but whatever.
Another way to land star players is free agency. When Gaborik was available Burke traded Kubina for Exelby to clear cap space for Mike Komisarek. His other big(ish) $ UFAs were Armstrong and Beauchemin… When Kovalchuck was available Burke snapped that he “didn’t even know who Kovalchuck’s agent was.” He was approached by Cammelleri and Vokoun and sent both away.
Another way to build a good team is through trade, but had Burke laid off trading a lake duck GM would have had Seguin at least and we#d be no worse off. Dealing away Poni, Antropov, White, etc makes no difference when they’re replaced by MacArthur, Bozak, and Dion. It’s all the same shit, hence the result is the same, nearly a last place finish.
The only way any mediocre team (putting things nicely) has ever been successful is by having a great, generally defensive minded coach. Burke wrongly Hung on to his butt buddy Wilson for way too long. And here we are.
A good question would be what has Burke done? Spinning tires, but not improving the team. He got lucky with Gardiner and Lupul, and that’s pretty much it. He’s on a short fucking leash.
I already know the reply… Kovalchuk would never come here, Yzerman would have matched Stamkos, Richards had already decided on NYR ect….
To that I’ll say you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
Given what a nancy Burke is I’m surprised he’s got laid in his life.
lol, your complaining because he didn’t make a RFA offer sheet (um no one did because they don’t work, don’t you think it was odd that not a single damn person offered one to Stamkos? LOL), your also complaining because he didn’t sign Kovy to a 100 million dollar front-loaded contract… big deal, everyone is talking about how bad Luongo’s contract is and he is a great player, Kovy’s is worse and would have cost us a 1st round pick as a penalty (Richards already made up his mind about NYR and the contract they offered could not be beaten).
As for the other stuff, Burke did. He signed free agents (didn’t work out but it happens), he made trades that got us solid players for table scraps, name one other GM that picked up players like Gardiner, Lupul, Franson, Aulie for nothing. The Kessel deal was his only real fail and at the time it was a huge steal, and even right now it isn’t a flop… we still have the best player in the deal (for now).
I agree that we need to start winning but if Burke didn’t make any of those deal, we would be 2-4 years out of a Stanley Cup run, at least now all we need is a couple key pieces (difficult to get pieces but still possible).
I get a lot of fans want to win all the time but we started with absolutely nothing and were looking at a 5+ year rebuild, Burke got us assets we should never had been able to get considering what we had.
The main issue was he started with a plan, but never really followed through with it.
I think the disorganization, which we endured in the Ferguson years, was just too much to take since we had enough seeing JFJ fumble around like a bumbling keystone cop.
He built teams from the goal out. That was his thing, and yet he never has rectified the goaltending.
He wanted to build from the ground up, and yet immediately traded 2 1sts for Kessel.
And when he got kessel, he diverted to a new plan, which was fine, but he has yet to follow through in getting that coveted centre to help Phil.
The re-signing of Wilson who did nothing, only to financially secure his good buddy was a complete waste. He’s been so quick to rail on the CBC with snide comments and comments about their abilities and comments about things they say and yet Wilson gloating about the contract extension was equally disgusting. And i dont think he did a thing about it.
And why he extended a coach who did not share the same philosophy is beyond me. See Burke’s guys Komi, Army, Orr? They were either with the Marlies or in the press box under Wilson.
His teams have character, belligerence, pugnacity and testosterone. Yet the team folded and capitulated so so badly at the end of last season. Where’s the character? And the toughness? The forwards were never committed like some of the playoff teams to blocking shots or taking the body.
I think him blabbing on and not really going through with whatever he was talking about is what has irked much of leaf nation. And i am glad for it cause i think he needs to work under the gun. I think he needs to know we’re fed up.
if we keep telling him he’s doing a good job missing the playoffs since he got here, well, that’s never going to bring progress. No one should be rewarded or praised for failure.
Obviously I agree with everything you just said and I wonder how might this team look if we kept JFJ and MLSE gave him the green light to rebuild. I think his lack of creativity would allow for a traditional free agency and high draft pick by the book rebuild.
It’s not cut and dry that this team would be worse off with basically any other GM. Burke is a one trick pony, he makes great trades and he’s proof that it’s near impossible to build a contender via the trade route.
You’re missing the point Steve. I understand that no one made an offer sheet for Stamkos, but the possibility was out there for the other 28 teams, but not Toronto because Burke is against that.
I know it would have cost a ton to sign Kovalchuk, and too much term, but before anyone knew what type of crazy contract Lou had planned, Burke already made it clear that he had no interest in Kovalchuk whatsoever, at that’s what pisses me off. Why make an stupid comment like “I don’t even know who Kovalchuk’s agent is” ? He had ZERO interest. Not signing him is forgivable, not being interested is not.
It goes back to Gaborik. He decided he would build the team to be tough, so he had no interest in Gabby, instead opting for Komisarek. Which I hated the day he signed him, and have continued to hate ever since. I also hate that he dealt away Antropov and Kubina and we have nothing to show for it.
Why did we finish so low last year? Goaltending was obviously an issue, but we have very weak centres.
Burke got rid of Antropov and Stajan, and replaced them with Bozak, Lombardi, and Connolly. Its just spinning tires, man. I’m sick of that shit. We’re going nowhere. You’re making it seem as though he’s actually improved the team.
He inherited Grabovski and Schenn from Cliff Fletcher, and he inherited Reimer, Gunnarsson, Frattin, Kulemin from JFJ. The Phaneuf trade hasn’t translated into any kind of success and can’t be deemed a successful trade. For the cap space, White was just as valuable.
And like I said, he was approached by Cammalleri and Vokoun and turned both guys away. Also Giguere made many public comments late last season and right up to free agency that he wanted to stay but Burke was so keen on going with Reimer and Gustavsson.
I really feel that I am a better GM than Burke. I would’ve signed Vokoun last year, or I would’ve re-signed Giguere and it would have saved the season. Feels like a no brainer. Can’t believe he fucked that up. I would’ve signed Mike Cammalleri at the time as well. He’s a fuck.
You say “he’s made a few UFA signings that didn’t work out, it happens…” No shit, it especially happens when you fail to target talented guys like Gaborik, Cammalleri, Vokoun, Kovalchuk, in lieu of Komisarek, Armstrong, Orr, and Bozak. Any moron could’ve predicted that, so why is anyone defending Burke?
I am really surprised man how we’re on the same page here. We’ve disagreed for Years on the ways of the Leafs.
Peter Ing, Alan Bester, James Reimer, Jonas Guvstasson, Dimitri Kristich, Clarke McAuthur, Luke Richardson, Luke Schenn, Dion Phaneuf, Al Iafrate, Harold Ballard, Richard Peddie, JFJ, Brian Burke, Cliff Flecher, Dave Gagner, Matt Stajan, Tyler Bozak……
The song remains the same.
Not furious. but the snide comments “typical hockey night” or “they need better editorial control” were not necessary and were the catalysts to the story. Those things make BB sound small and petty. And a bit immature.
No one would have cared had he just said, the rumor isnt true. Thats it. But he had to make a snide comment to add further fuel in his issues with CBC.
but he has to be obnoxious and a bit of a dick about it and that’s what created this into a story.
he has a dispute with the CBC and HNIC. he rehashed the bitterness for no real reason. Friedman was reporting rumors. Its his job and he’s pretty well liked and respected. Friedman even did a nice piece on Burke’s son.
Cox would not have put an article out had BB just said nothing. But going on about the CBC, when he’s already having a running battle with 2 of their personalities created this to be a “story”
he dug the molehill himself.
all we want is for him to use that energy, and thirst of vengeance and hate towards hating losing and rectifying that problem.
yeah and I’m sure if someone asked you the same damn question over and over again for the last 2 years you wouldn’t make an innocent chirpy comment or worse?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
Would you?
lol
As a president of an organization i certainly would hope I wouldn’t conduct myself in a childish, whiny immature manner like he does.
He is a leader of one of the most prominent organizations in sports. Act like it. Honestly its embarrassing.
And he has an important job to do. which he has failed to do the last 4 years. Time to get to work.
Which he failed to do?
Care to explain how he’s completely failed? Since your “time to get to work” comment sort of infers you don’t think he’s done anything up to this point?
I honestly can’t believe the crap Burke’s received. Sure, I get not being happy we haven’t made the playoffs but did you see this team prior to him taking over? It was utterly horrendous. He’s done an admirable job up to this point.
Saying “typical hockey night in canada” isn’t childish, nor is saying “they need better editorial control”. He’s merely stating his opinion. That’s hardly the worst thing a GM has said.
I agree with Stevens here, you definitely looking for something to complain about. Your looking for an issue and creating one. Just like the media’s does all the time.
In my defense I called Burke a failure two years and if an narcissitic hick that never even made it pass house league hockey could figure read the writting on the wall it shouldn’t be that hard for anyone else too.
If he’s so great maybe one of his fifteen sub GMs can trade Burke for Nash and he can ‘two year rebuild’ them too.
missing the playoffs is failure. plain and simple.
And that is exactly the kind of immature behaviour that gives him the freedom to act that way.
People agree with it, accept it, defend it, it allows him the right to do it.
Its the kind of high horse, leaf, blue and white disease kind of attitude he himself has said he was sickened to witness and spent the better part of two years trying to dissolve.
Those who want respect, give respect. I see none of it from Burke with his childish behavior.
lol, childish behavior…. the media pound him with made up rumors day in and day out and all he says is “typical hockey night” and he is the childish one. I think your just looking for something to complain about.
Also I’m sure that 2 seconds to say “typical hockey night” just cost him a serious trade opportunity to acquire Getzlaf or something. Yep taking the time to do that just cost us another playoff appearance. Great job Burke why dont you do some damn work for once.
LOL.
Steve, you’re missing the point again. Basically we’re sick of his shit, put up or shut up. That’s the bottom line.
Also, the media has pounded every GM the Leafs have ever had with questions, and the other GM’s didn’t seem to get so worked up all the time, so there is some validity to Nord’s and Wallace’s criticisms.
I think Burke’s demeanour is more a reflection of himself than of the media. If he were winning he wouldn’t be fazed, and if he were winning we would all be defending him with you. But he’s a big fat loser.
Like I said, he’s on a short leash, his actions at the draft and July 1 will directly affect his future, so he’d better do something right. If he dicks around and fails to land the proper pieces, I’m gonna make snap judgements and start the “Fire Burke” chant in October at the ACC. If I have time I might even picket out front, maybe wearing an inside out jersey…
This is balls. I wrote a whole huge reply, but through computer error I lost it. Now I don’t feel like re-writing it.
I had that happen to me once…now I copy every single post before I post it..lol
Good idea
Honestly the pick that intrigues me the most is Grigorenko. I know it’s the guy few want but his skill level is impressive. I’d be very content to sit tight at 5 and take Grigs rather than burn assets to move up.
Within a year he could be dominate between Lupul and Kessel. Maybe he’s not a guy you ‘win’ with but I’m sure he’s going to put up considerable points at the NHL level.
Take Grigorenko at 5 (would be shocked if Burke did this) and save you assets for help now. Say take a big run at Staal? Nash? Fix the goaltending issue.
Grigorenko is a lot more talented than Galchenyuk, but Galchenyuk is probably a better leader. Though he is less talented he is still a great puck mover and would rather have Galchenuk going deep into the playoffs rather then Grigorenko.
Galchenyuk will probably be a Malkin type player, Grigorenko will probably be a Malkin type player as well but with an Ovechkin motivated attitude.
Long run…..Galy is the guy.
Kinda strange commen no one has compared Galchenyuk or his play to Malkin. Even Grigorenko only has a similar style. None of these guys have Malkin potential and people expecting that will be disappointed.
I’d rather Galchenyuk as well but you’d likely need the 2nd or 3rd pick to get him. Grigs at 5 is very likely. Grigorenko could easily become a much better point produce than Galchenyuk. If he had a Ovechkin typhoid motivation I would take that as a positive. Ovechkin plays hard.
regular season Ovi is amazing, but come playoff time he can disappear at times. See how Malkin lead the pens when Crosby was injured??? Ovechkin has never lead the caps like that. He’s a hard hitter but but can still be selfish at times with the puck.
Dissapear at times? Have you watched him play? His playoff career numbers are GP 51 G 30 A 29 PTS 59 +/- +11.
He played hard every playoffs and threw big hits too. This year he even made a huge commitment to defense at the expense of his offense. Blocking shots backchecking taking reduced ice time.
Grigorenko intrigues me a lot. He’s got talent that might be comparable to Yakupov (more than a few scouts have mentioned it), and size that is coveted by every team.
He has his issues but they aren’t hugely pronounced IMO. The issues grew the biggest right around the time he played through and ankle injury and played with mono in the playoffs. His commitment to learn english and his admitting that he needs to work on his defensive game certainly show he’s not some arrogant ass or lazy bum.
I’m totally cool taking him. I still have no idea who I’d choose between him and Galchneyuk but I want one or the other.
Gal, is the safer prospect for sure and I feel he is possibly the best player in the draft all round a Ron francis type. Grigs has higher offensice upside no doubt. I am not worried about the KHL with him at all like some though. As he pointed out, he choose to come and play in Canada, learn english etc. Not to mention his idol plays in the NHL and didn’t bolt home. he is not as much of a sure thing, but could be impact like for sure.
JUST A WARNING!
There’s another American centre who was really praised for his tremendous 2-way play in the OHL, and he actually posted far superior numbers than Galchenyuk, and he didn’t play with the concencus #1 pick. He was drafted 2nd overall, and that player’s name is David Legwand. A perennial 45 point man, and solid 2-way centre in the NHL. Let’s not go crazy here, Galchenyuk was hurt all year and he hasn’t done anything. There is no guarantee that he’ll be all that. Don’t stress out if we don’t get him, that’s all I’m saying.
Well said mojo very well said.
Ignoring my own previous comment (which I still like the most as I doubt if Burke will live up to the hype this year and make some major moves) what about moving the 5th and trying to grab the second? If Galchenyuk is truly the guy Burke covets why not steal him from the Habs?
Forgot trading with the Habs. Offer a package involving Grabovski and Reimer as the centerpiece. I think Howson would have interest. I’m not willing to completely blow up the team for one pick.
Offer the 5th and Kulimen for Jordan Staal. The draft is in Pittsburgh so a top 5 pick would help soften the blow. The deal is very comparable to the Carter deal. And unlike Carter, Staal is a pending UFA lowering his value. I feel confidant Burke could work a deal out. A disaster if he couldn’t but screw it pay the man.
With Reimer gone (likely unpopular) do the unthinkable and grab Luongo. Preferably before moving Reimer so Gillis doesn’t think he has Burke by the balls. Forget Komo who doesn’t fit at all but offer Armstrong straight up. Both salary dumps but Armstrong is only one year at 3 which isn’t too bad. Not to mention Army is the type of gritty grinder PK guy that could actually be useful, unlike a Lombardi or Connelly.
Kick the tires on guys like Clowe, Stewart, Clarkson, guys with size and nastiness to play in the top 6 but likely not pull the trigger.
In FA make a big offer to Parise, who will turn it down. Show interest in Stoll, Gaustad, Prust, Tootoo, Pyatt, Arnott, most of whom will be overpaid but try to grab one.
Lupul Staal Kessel
MacArthur Bozak Kadri
Connelly Arnott Frattin
Brown Steckel Rosehill (Ashton)
Phaneuf Gunnarson
Gardiner Schenn
Komisarek Liles (Franson)
Luongo/Scrivens
Still leaves a logjam on the D but seems like Burke can only pull off so many moves anymore. Reaction to Luongo is across the board but consider it a one year try out. More than likely there will be some type. of amnesty clause in the new CBA so if Luongo is a disaster or we have our own Schnieder in Scrivens buy him out.
This team would have a hard time making the playoffs but it would have a shot. The type of season Luongo has would go a long ways to determining that. The main goal is two long term pieces were added. Staal and Galchenkyuk.
It’ed be nice to add more size but I don’t think Burke can totally revamp the roster like most mock lineups hope. Arnott is an addition I really like. Though his production will likely go down again he brings a lot of size. Most importantly I couldn’t think of a better veteran prescence to add to the room through FA. The Leafs need a rock solid vet.
That’s too much for Staal. Staal is not comparable to Carter (pre this year) in trade value.
Carter had 3 years straight of 60 plus points and 30 plus goals. This is the first year Staal’s cracked 50, Carter did it in 4 straight years. Carter’s top goal year was 46, Staal’s was 29.
Talk about potential all you want but that’s not enough to offer a similar package. In fact it can just as easily be used to stay staal might not be anything more than a 2nd line center. I suppose you could argue Staal is comparable when you take into account defensive abilities.
However the kicker is the contract. Carter was signed long term. Staal is not. Unless I’m getting a deal hammered out prior to the trade, I’m not offering anything more than the 5th and a decent prospect like D’Amigo (not Kadri/Colborne and certainly not Kulemin). There’s enough risk in Staal not being a top line center and not signing long term, that giving up the 5th overall is risky enough.
I’m assuming the Leafs could get a contract worked out. Of course without a good idea of his intentions, it would be a disaster if he walked away. I would take the gamble.
Even without a big jump in production Staal will be a major piece. Kulimen doesnt carry much value despite being attractive to the Pens. Maybe we could get a pick back with Staal but I figuire Pittsburgh won’t be giving Staal away many if not all teams will kick the tires. So why not offer up something significant and actually land him.
What if the Leafs trade Connolly and then sign Oli Jokinen to take his spot as the 1st or 2nd line center. If they could sign him to a similar deal, (2 years 10 mil) he would definetly be an upgrade on Connolly.
considering the free agents available next season I am very happy with Connolly over Jokinen. Jokinen is not that much of an upgrade and I would love to keep that money open to make a big offer at one of Getzlaf, Staal, Perry, or even Crosby(never gonna happen, lol).
Jokinen is a huge upgrade on Connolly. Olli Jokinen was Calgary’s best player for a big stretch last season. Once he got over that slump, he was on fire, collecting points in 16 of the next 22 games through late January-February. He had 18 points in that stretch, and posted a very respectable 61 points on the season.
Jokinen is 6’3″ and 215 lbs, and has always been a really great hockey player. The only reason I don’t know if he’d be a great fit here is because he’s a shooter, not a big time play maker. So for the same reason that Grabo doesn’t gel with Kessel and Lupul, Olli may not as well. Jokinen will command around $6 mil or so, and there’s not point in paying a $6 million guy to play 3rd line. (Or he would bump Grabo down to 3rd line and we’d have a $5.5 mil guy there, same shit.)
Jokinen was 49th in NHL scoring last year, and the 19th highest scoring centre.
Jokinena going to Detroit which I’m sure you’ll love. They have money to burn. Jokinen, Suter and Harding perhaps?? That would be impressive.
Olli Jokinen would be a great fit in Detroit. I could see him working the 2nd line with Val Filpulla. They’d probably let Hudler walk, and have something like this:
Zetterberg – Datsyuk – Franzen
Filpulla – Jokinen – Bertuzzi
Two very solid lines, and then they’d still have their guys like Helm, Cleary, Abdelkaeder, Miller, Eaves, etc. to fill out the line up. I think Detroit should go after Jokinen, and maybe a character depth guy, if the rumours of not bringing back Holmstrom are true.
I think the only UFA we truely have a shot at and should go after is Schultz. he opens up a lot of possibilities on the d and moving of assets. Out side of that try and get Getz from Ana., he is avail, IMO. I am extremely excited abouts Biggs wanting to play in Canada, American or not he wants to play and is going to be a Clarkson type IMO……things are not that bllek, as I have decided to be positive….lol
Screw the college league, even though it is a good league, if he stays there then he is destined to spend 3-4 years there. If he plays in the OHL it could speed up his development and he’ll be in the NHL sooner then planned. He should sign with an OHL team that plays a similar aggressive style that Carlyle will have the leafs playing.
Spend one year in the OHL, jump into the AHL for one season under a great developing coach like Eakins and then the following year join the leafs.
Biggs already left the college league to go the OHL for next year.
Exactly, he wants to play here and that excites me, lol, thought I said that, hmm, maybe i typed it wrong. I think he will be a great physical pressence for us in a couple seasons. I like the OHL idea, but the thought of Eakins having him for a whole season is intriguing IMO.