Comments on: Maple Leafs interested in Shane Doan

By: realistic_leafs_fan

realistic_leafs_fan — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:28:24 +0000

The only desperation I see is from Leafs fans. According to this site we should have tried to sign every top guy and all the 3rd and 4th liners as well. Lol
The JVR trade is the key, even though I hate losing Schenn, it was a necessary move. Here’s why I believe it’s the key.
With JVR slated in the middle (which I think is the right move), T.O is only a top 6 winger and a solid veteran backup from being a playoff team.
If JVR is the centreman Burke has decided on, then a top 6 winger is the logical next move. It can also be done without likely moving Kessel, Lupul, or Grabovski.
Ryan would be my first pick (I understand the Carlisle thing but believe it could be worked out).
Obvious others are Nash and Kane but they may require Kessel in return to get the job done. I’m not against moving Kessel if we get a huge piece back, but it would be nice to get a piece without touching our core top 4 (Kessel, Lupul, Grabo, JVR)
One less glamourized option could be Brian Boyle/Brandon Dubinski (as I have mentioned before) of the Rangers might be a decent (not perfect, but decent) fit on the second line with Grabo and Kulimen. Boyle huge, skates well for a big man and can penalty kill, plus he has a cheap cap hit and wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to acquire. Dubinski may return to 20 goal form with a new team.
As I have said before, we might be able to pull a Boyle and Dubinsky deal. Dubinski may find his touch in a different city. NYR is looking for scoring help as well.

How about

To Toronto
Brian Boyle $1.7 mil (2 more years)
Brandon Dubinski $4.2 mil (3 more years)

To Rangers
Nazem Kadri $1.72 mil (1 year)
Tim Connolly $4.75 mil (I year)

Partially an exchange of contracts neither team wants in Connolly’s and Dubinski’s, but Connolly’s is only for a year and he may return to a 60 pt form in NYR, giving NYR the edge on contracts.

Breakdown.
Toronto gets bigger and grittier, but may be stuck with Dubinski contract for 3 more years if he doesn’t regain his 20 goal form. New second and third line wingers/centre leaving players like MacArthur and Bozak expendable to help acquire a veteran backup.

NYR gets a good prospect who will most likely be a good second line winger/centre and a veteran who could return to form but is no real risk as his contract is only for 1 year.

Toronto’s forwards
Lupul – JVR – Kessel
Kulimen – Grabo – Dubinski/Boyle
Frattin – McClement/Colborne – Dubinski/Boyle
Brown – Steckel – Rosehill

Risk for both teams, but both could benefit from the trade, as Kadri would have experienced veterans like Richards, Gaborik and Callahan to play with and learn from which could escalate his development.

Since, I do believe a trade is imminent…Who do you guys think might be the so-called “dark horse” trade we are not hearing mentioned?

By: razer1818

razer1818 — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:02:00 +0000

Cant see why everyone is so upset about the LEAFS not signing Mueller. To pay a guy 1.75M who only averages .5 points per game. Dont we have enough of thoes already. I think people are nipping at straws just because BB has yet to do anything big. I have no problem with heading into the season with what we have now as long as there is an up grade in goal, wherether that upgrade is Bobby Lu or a Veteran Back up for Riemer. Dont forget the Leafs werea Playoff team till they stopped beleaving in Wilson. The Leafs are not to far off as long as Kuliman can return to the 30 goal season he had and Connolly ever gets his head out of his ass

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:32:07 +0000

I hope you’re right Tim. I hope the price for Lu remains ridiculous so that he just stays in Vancouver. We don’t need that shit choker in Toronto. Roberto Luongo and Mike Gillis can pretty much suck my balls.

By: TimTheBone

TimTheBone — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:31:29 +0000

Hey I said it in an earlier thread…

It’s rather funny that in nearly every deal you hear of Toronto is either involved or at least rumored to be involved….. Who knows if its true or not but i find it comical….. To me and this is only my opinion… It feels like burke is feeling the pressure and is desperate…..

By: TimTheBone

TimTheBone — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:28:46 +0000

But why would LA buy into that deal…. If you yourself can say that Toronto would be giving up ZERO impact pieces why would LA take it…… It’s said time and time again… You can’t trade quantity for quality….. Sure bernier could bust but his potential says otherwise, which is why everyone wants him…if you’re going to trade for him you need to trade a similar piece… Like a colborne of Kadri…. You can’t give a clear package of garbage for an impact player….. Lombardi isn’t a dummy

By: mojo19

mojo19 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 13:28:00 +0000

Toronto seems to be in on a lot of these guys who sign elsewhere.

By: toronto77

toronto77 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:46:41 +0000

We really should have pushed harder. Mueller is a low risk high reward type of player, and florida got him cheap, it’s looks like burke didn’t try hard enough for this american boy.

By: toronto77

toronto77 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:40:20 +0000

I’ve been saying that for the last month, I really hope Bukre gets him. Any idea what LA’s asking price is?

By: toronto77

toronto77 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:36:54 +0000

I would really like Ryan, but like I said before. I think the day Burke hired Carlyle was the day he pretty much lost a trading partner in Anaheim. Carlyle wasn’t just fired because the he wasn’t good, for some reason there was a major communication issue between him and the players, and most of the them probably grew to hate him, I would believe Ryan was one of those players as well.

With Carlyle behind the bench I don’t see Burke going after Ryan, just between Carlyle and Burke I’m sure burke asked him what really happened, and what would happen if he acquired some players from Anaheim.

I do agree Mason would be cheaper but I still think Bernier would be better, it’s clear he wants out, so maybe burke can snag him cheap.

By: JoelLeafs

JoelLeafs — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:27:33 +0000

Yeah, I’m with you on this one. I mean, he did have that impressive stretch last year, but I don’t see him as a clear number 1.

Now I think it would be nice to have some competition for Reimer other than an outright star that will push him to a perpetual backup role, but I’d be very weary of giving up assets at this point.

It’s unrealistic, but getting rid of some of the older defenders would be nice, but I doubt any team, especially LA is going to give us anything significant (or anything at all) for Komi and a pick.

The Marlies’ run last year evidenced the talent we are starting to acquire in this organization, especially if you consider all the injuries they sustained. I think staying to course and trying to pick up a big name in free agency or a trade where we have a major surplus without losing much in the way of organization depth and talent is the way to go.