Tom Fitzgerald Done as a Leaf, Francis Hanging up the Skates
The FAN590 reported on its Tuesday morning update that forward Tom Fitzgerald, an unrestricted free agent, will not be offered a contract by the Maple Leafs. Fitzgerald, who turns 35 in August, has been an effective penalty-killer for Toronto and has compiled 11 goals in 135 games played over the past two seasons.
Meanwhile, future Hall-of-Famer Ron Francis is expected to announce his retirement shortly.
(TMLfans.ca)
90 Responses to Tom Fitzgerald Done as a Leaf, Francis Hanging up the Skates
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I might be wrong, but I think he was calling Leafy an idiot. not you.
Forget it bro, you ain’t convincing anyone here that the leafs have a system. I’ve been trying for years. They don’t realize the leafs are actually one or if not the deepest team in the league when it comes to D and forward prospects.
D-
Coliacovo
Bell
Hedin
Harrison
White
D’amour
Doherty
Wozniewski
Chartier
Kronwall
Forwards-
Wellwood
Ondrus
Barrett
Steen
Stajan
Williams
Steber
Landolt
Sagat
Not many goalies in the mix, but I hear great things about the youngster Pogge they drafted this year. And Todd Ford and Tellqvist are still around.
Damn straight!!!
the resigning of the useless and minor-league level Aki Berg is proof enough that this team isnt going into a youth movement.
Dude, it really is impressive (hint: sarcasm) that you can access the Baby Leafs website or whatever, and list all the players, but I think “prospect” leads one to believe that the player will actually have a decent NHL career. There is no way you can convince me that every…single…one of those players will even make the Maple Leafs roster. Tellqvist, of course, is in. Stajan is no longer a prospect, he has joined the Leafs for good – I’d be surprised if he played a game in St. John’s this year. Steen and Wellwood are the best hopes up front, they could (COULD, not WILL) have decent careers. The other forwards I don’t know enough about.
As for the blueliners, namely Coliacovo, I still find it pretty humorous how Leafs fans are pretty much the only ones who find such incredible promise in this kid. Who’s to say he won’t become another Aki Berg, or something along those lines? He’s always pegged as a “sure-fire, Norris-quality defenceman”, not even accepting the possibility that he’s just not cut out to be that talented on NHL ice. If you ask me, they never should have traded Kondratiev.
To close up, here’s a tip. Now the article’s outdated, but if you visit http://www.hockeyfutures.com, and look for the team prospect rankings…..Toronto actually isn’t as deep as you claim them to be, they’re like 26th
That took no creativity whatsoever….I am unmoved by your sophomoric babble.
Thanks for playing – please try again later
It’s funny how you’ll critisize me suggesting I look at the baby leafs website and in the same breath tell me to look at a website that ranks leafs prospects at 26th. Does this website have nostradamos predicting? Since when can a website predict the future? Does it also tell you how many goals they’ll score?
And as far as me looking at the St. Johns site, give me some credit dude, I forgot more about the leafs than most will ever know. Half the guys I mention never played an AHL game in their career.
I actually watch a draft here and there, and the odd CHL game, I actually have a clue.
As far as any making the team, well I never said that. There is trade potential there as well as possibilities of guys playing for the leafs in the next 2 to 5 years. F uck about 11 of those mentioned are still 18 and 19 and are nowhere near an NHL career.
But hey thanks for taking the time to read my post. When I start relying on a f ucking website to predict the future i’ll give you a shout. BTW, i’ll tell you about a website too, it’s called the NHL centrals scouting report. Go check the last 10 years of rankings and tell me how many of the top 30 players every year are in the NHL.
If you guys did not trade away all those prospects and picks over the years, your would have a lot more prospects like White, Steen, Coliacovo and Wellwood.
My point is that your core is a bunch of aging vets that was built by UFA’s. Nothing wrong with that because winning teams such as Detroit did the same but its not working for the leafs and you have to admit your farm system is depeleted because of this philosophy.
Thank you for reaffirming my veteran philosophy point.
“The problem is every time they start rebuilding, they get to the “can make the playoffs” point in the development then the GM starts trading the young players for more veterans, and the team goes from that…to the way it is right now.”
Translation, the leafs believe the winning formula is veterans. They rebulid with prospects but they feel they cannot win with them so they trade for veterans. Thank you, come again!
Poor Baby! (me makin a sad face while taking a shit and thinking about you)
I’ll admit, as sad as it is to say, this is the best system the leafs have had since I started watching them.
They have a decent crop of young defensemen, and some question marks up front.
I can’t blame them for tailoring there plan after teams like the wings. After 93 leaf fans got a little taste of soemething they hadn’t seen in a while. A long run in the playoffs. Fans didn’t want to wait for guys like Modin, Johnson, Markov, and Smith.
They started to show a little more patience with their youth in recent years. They didn’t trade away anything of significance at the deadline, and picked up what they thought would win them a cup. They have everyone they’ve drafted since 2000 signed.
I’m realistic though dude, They haven’t got the horses like the Bolts, Sharks, Thrashers and Panthers, but thats why you draft every year. Hopefully the leafs will end their dream of buying a cup (see New York Rangers 1991-2003 and start injecting some young legs in the line up this year.
Oh there’s no doubt that’s their philosophy man, but I don’t run the team. Management often looks like a mis-managed senior citizens home.
HEY LOOK AT ME! I CAN TYPE AND HOLD DOWN THE CAPS LOCK BUTTON AT THE SAME TIME!!
No, the idiot got the message, all right.
Uh, first of all, ALL CAPS just displays stupidity. Second of all, your stupid rant contained almost no fact. Just a baffling collection of mismash displaying that you think screaming in all caps somehow makes you look stronger.
Oh, and it also doesn’t scare me. You’re an idiot, and you’ll continue to be one until that far-off day where you add something to any conversation other than your obvious retarded screaming. I have yet to see you post a single comment that didn’t involve insulting someone. I’ve seen your type many times.
toto and matteo are going to get the boot ..keep it up guys
Look, “nocuphere”, I direct your attention to your earlier quote, which led to my previous comment
“They don’t realize the leafs are actually one or if not the deepest team in the league when it comes to D and forward prospects.”
At no point did you back up that statement, other than, as I said, listing virtually the entire St. John’s roster. Is that the defenition of a “deep” team? One that has a full roster of minor leaguers on their farm team?
You seem to do a little predicting yourself, in saying that Toronto has a plethora (it means a lot) of talent in their system when in reality, the potential for quality NHL talent is quite dim. You are right, however, in stating that the aforementioned players COULD be packaged off for a player of actual value, because we all know that’s what happened to top prospect Brad Boyes, for example, in that ill-fated Nolan deal. And hey, who knows, maybe if Toronto’s fax machine hadn’t broken a couple years ago, they’d have Kyle Wanvig as a promising youngster as well, instead of Jonas Hoglund for another year or two. I’m sure you remember that little s.n.a.f.u.
I know quite a bit about the Leafs myself, being a hockey fan from Toronto and all, and yes I did watch the draft also. Which is why I had chosen to take interest in such websites as the one I told you about earlier.
This reply was not directed at u but thanks for the reply
Francis retiring is sorta sad. I would much rather him retire as a Cane or Penguin.
Fitzy is gone. He served his purpose well. A gritty guy who was great on the PK. His offensive stats were beyond redeemable but that wasn’t why we signed him. Good luck to him, and hope he does well.
As for the leafs youth movement… two players don’t make a movement. Hell, Nieuwy, Roberts, and Belfour sorta cemented them in the dinosaur age. The fact that Almo is turning 35 or 36 this year doesn’t help either. Sundin is aging fast as well. I personally would’ve used this year to rebuild. But what do I know?
This year, last year, and next year’s draft were said to be the deepest in the last 20-25 years. Yet the Leafs deal away most of their top 5 round picks in both years. I honestly don’t know what to say. Just pray they don’t sign Murray or pray that the new CBA agreement would be completely player balance. Bettmen better cave like the wussy he knows he is.
Thanks for the English lesson fella. Yeah Wanvig was a prospect, 4 years ago, he did well in Houston this year (s a r c a s m), oh yeah how’s Brad Boyes doing again??
I’ll give you the young forwards are shady at best, but you won’t convince me that they don’t have a solid group of young defense.
They’re making strides. They’re locking up draft picks more now than they ever have in the past. Dude don’t think I don’t get sick watching guys like Modin, Smith, Johnson, Markov, etc shine in different uniforms.
Aki Berg is young. True he hasn’t lived up to his potential…but he could be used in a package deal or even just to help other defencemen to compete for their job. But he is young
The leafs can’t afford to rebuild and end up like chicago…They know that…They know they have to be competitive every year, cause they have the money and if they don’t they will lose fan base. and Why wouldn’t we want murray? He has averaged like 40 hoals over 5 years. Meaning even B4 Thorton…and even if u say ohh it was ALL thorton…Then he comes and has Sundin to play with…Sundin! The guy who took a worthless Hoglund and made him into a 20 goal scorer. As for Almo…rumor has it he is retiring cause of his hip.
How could Francis retire? He is one of the younger guys on Toronto.
How could Francis retire? He is one of the younger guys on Toronto.
How could Francis retire? He is one of the younger guys on Toronto.
lol no kidding….
yes but the leafs do it more then any other team.
lol thats funny.
omg making fun of torontos age is so fresh where do u come up with ur material
Murray’s agent denies that Leaf deal is imminent: (Wed Jul 7, 2004 – 9:16am )
Glen Murray’s agent Anton Thun has stepped in to deny that a deal between the Maple Leafs and his client is imminent. One report out of Boston suggests that Murray may be signing with Detroit.
Meanwhile, restricted free agents Bryan McCabe and Nik Antropov are likely to file for salary arbitration if they don’t sign new deals by July 15. Read more from beat reporter Ken Campbell in today’s Toronto Star.
source: TmL.ca
so much for the report on the fan.
a correction on the source, it’s actually tmlfans.ca
If I were a Leafs fan, I’d take Wanvig, Boyes, McCauley, and whoever the Sharks picked with Toronto’s 1st rounder last year, instead of Hoglund and Nolan. McCauley’s season in San Jose was comparable to Nolan’s here, granted Nolan missed games due to injury, but it was still an impressive performance on Alyn’s part (Selke nomination, haven’t seen anyone from Toronto there since Killer won it back in the day). As for Boyes, no I’m not entirely sure how he is doing in San Jose but there’s a fair chance he could make their roster whenever the next season starts. You can’t convince me you’re happy with Nolan’s invisibilty in the playoffs the past two years.
You’re right, I would take those guys in a heartbeat over Nolan based on the horrible luck Nolan’s had. But if the leafs won a cup with Nolan I would have forgotten about losing those guys pretty quick.
Bottom line Modano, I just want a cup!!!
Stifle it Edith
Rebuild???? Why the hell would anyone think it is time for the Leafs to rebuild. They are right up there with Detroit, New Jersey, Dallas and Colorado for the most playoff series victories in the last decade. Their goal of course is to win the Cup as it should be. No doubt that us fans deserve it. I hope you are not a Leaf fan if you want them to rebuild. Way too much is made of Toronto being an old team as well and their lack of draft picks. Sure it is the best option to build from within with the draft but there are other ways of getting younger. If some veteran players are not fitting in with your team anymore they can be moved as every year there are Playoff teams looking for veteran leadership
Yeah, what he said!
That’s because we are all the same person, and by the way numbnuts, I have posted many articles under different names.Many different names.
Amen to that, bro, don’t we all
….well, for our own teams, anyways, lol
” If some veteran players are not fitting in with your team anymore they can be moved as every year there are Playoff teams looking for veteran leadership”
Wouldn’t that make you not a contender? And that makes the least sense. Why would you trade to another contender if you are contending as well?
As for lack of draft picks. That is the only way dynasties get built. Not through players over the ages of 32 signing with your team, but through developing them.
And I am a Leafs fan. One reasonable and smart enough to know when a team is depleted. Sure us fans deserve it, but the fact that we are piling up older athletes so we are exhausted after one round of playoff action doesn’t really help towards the process. Really, what other ways of getting younger are there? Trading for youth? That doesn’t happen unless you offer up a Sundin type player. Either that or more youth going the other way. Players like Tucker and Nolan won’t get you a nice 1st round pick. But rather a late Second or Third.
As for the previous guy saying that the Leafs can’t turn into Chicago: we never will. Leaf support has always been strong in the city. Even when Leafs were the worst team in the league back in 96, 97 and parts of 98, the attendence (% wise) were always top 5 in the league. Don’t use the lack of ppl paying attention as a reason not to rebuild. Every team needs to do it at one point or another.
I just hope the Leafs figure it out, before its too late.
You got yours Modano. I fear I may be long dead before the buds ever win one!!! My pats have won 2 bowls, and the A’s a world series, but i’d trade em all for a cup anyday!!!
Ron Francis is getting to old and his game is obviously not the same. Francis was a great player and i always was scared of him when he played against Toronto. But the Trade Deadline day he came to TO i was so proud that we got to see Francis the future hall of famer in Blue and White. It was a good run and hard fought run. Goodluck to Francis. As for Fitzy i thought he always put his 99% effort in, did dgreat pently kills and always finished his check. He added toughness and leadership to the club but Fitzy is not in JF plans. I hope he goes elsewhere and has a good season he’s worth the money. Goodluck to FItzy. Go Leafs Go!