The Season is over, we should gut MLSE
Finally the Maple Leafs play a team that isn’t completely inept, and Andrew Rayflop shows his true colors,a nd proves that this is not a playoff team. I for one think that MLSE should be gutted for all the bullshit that’s filled with him.
I’ll start with the medical staff. People will argue that there were plenty of injuries with the last one, but that was because of the severe age of the players on those teams. Bring back the old medical staff. Eric Lindros is a perfect example of what makes this organization inept. Eric Lindros broke his wrist, or fractured it, or something like that. He should’ve had surgery, but they thought the Olympic break was far too long to wait, so they waited it out. The result? Eric Lindros was out till the Olympic break. He also re-aggravated his injury. We need a new medical staff, and fast.
John Ferguson doesn’t belong anywhere near sports management. Before you say it, shut up. He shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. Bring back Pat Quinn. Pat Quinn knows how to run an organization, and the whole “what did he win thing” cups up, it’s getting old, because he made the playoffs for years and years, and then JFJ came and we’re about to miss the playoffs for the second straight year.
Paul Maurice is a terrible coach. Bryan McCabe is a power play specialist. Not even that, he’s a shot. That’s it. Don’t put someone out with the goalie pulled when they can’t keep the puck in the zone. What that caused was the fourth goal.
Fire the assistants too. Hire Pat Burns. Before you argue, he has won a cup. The only other available coach who has is Mike Keenan, who could very well be headed to the Rangers if Mark Messier takes over.
What to do about scouts? Hire all the former players, coaches, and GMs you can as your scouting staff. These are the people who know the game best. We aren’t spending the money on players any more, so we might as well spend it on getting the best players we can cheap.
We’re not winning the cup in the next couple of years, so trade Mats Sundin, let him win his cup.
To Toronto: Corey Perry, Shane O’Brien, 1st Round Pick
To Anaheim: Mats Sundin, 2nd Round Pick
Notes: I’d go for a veteran, but why make someone lose their chance at a cup? Mats won’t win his cup here. Don’t name a replacement captain. This organization doesn’t have a franchise player, and the Maple Leafs captaincy is a storied tradition that HAS to go to a franchise player.
The next deal, trade McCabe. The most over rated useless sack of shit in the history of pro sports. He’s making nearly $6 million, and he’s our fourth defenseman. What a joke.
He’d only accept a trade to the New York Islanders, so make this trade.
To New York Islanders: Bryan McCabe
To Toronto: Ryan O’Marra
Mike Milbury still works for this organization, we may be able to rob them blind like this.
Trade Tucker to Edmonton so he has a chance to contend, re-sign him in the off-season.
To Toronto: Raffi Torres, 1st Round Pick
To Edmonton: Darcy Tucker
Waive Andrew Rayflop, keep him in the minors, keep his as far away from the league as possible, and trade Kubina and Gill for picks. As low picks as possible.
Kyle Wellwood and Alex Steen are worthless. Kyle Wellwood is a huge girl. He can’t hit, so he’s worthless. I don’t care if he’s young, fast, skilled, there’s only one player in the league good enough to be that soft, and to be worth my team, and that’s Marty St. Louis.
Every point Steen scores is a second assist from a Stajan to O’Neill play, or a tip in off a Sundin shot. You can check that all year. He’s done nothing to substantiate a roster spot in this league. Anyone who thinks he was worth the first rounder we spent on him, well, I wonder how they manage to breathe.
We drafted Steen over Cam Ward, Jarret Stoll, Trevor Daley, Matt Stajan, Paul Ranger, Petr Prucha, Ryan Craig, Dennis Wideman, and Staffan Kronwall, and with the possible exception of Kronwall, I’d take them all over Steen.
So that leaves us with Kaberle, Colaiaocovo, White, Stajan, Ponikarovsky, Kilger, and Antropov under contract.
Of course Ryan O’Marra, Raffi Torres, Shane O’Brien, and Corey Perry will get to stay with the big club.
That’s eight forwards, four defense, no goalies.
We need a face of the franchise. A guy who can lead it, and replace Sundin. That leader, is Chris Drury. Give him a six year, $42 million contract, name him captain, and get things started free agent wise.
Darcy Tucker is a UFA right after the season ends, add him at $3.5 million, re-sign Peca and O’Neill at what they were at before.
Sign Gary Roberts $1.5 million a year, and…
Ponikarovsky-Drury-Perry
O’Neill-Stajan-Tucker
Torres-Peca-Perry
O’Marra-Antropov-Roberts
To round out the defense, where O’Brien, Colaiaocovo, White, and Kaberle will be, add Eric Brewer and Scott Hannan, the market will probably raise their prices to $3.5 each, at least, look at that team, we can afford it.
Have Manny Legace and Kevin Weekes. Weekes can remain as that “threat for the job.” Legace will cost $4 million, Weekes 900k.
I don’t really give a flying shit what the payroll is, because it’s below the $48 million Darren Dregehr suggested.
-L