Canadiens get Kovalev, Kings get Dempsey, .... Leafs???

[n_v]

The trade winds heat up again. In the East the Canadiens acquired high-scoring winger Alex Kovalev from the New York Rangers Tuesday night in exchange for prospect Josef Balej and a second round pick in 2004, while in the West the Los Angeles Kings got Nathan Dempsey from the Chicago Blackhawks (coolest jerseys in the NHL by the way) for a fourth-round draft pick and future considerations. Leafs are still kicking tires .....

 

[n_v]

I feel where you are coming from sexshow. That is why I gave up on them. No hockey fans in the boardroom - just stock fans. Also why I moved my allegiance north east to the capital. There a team is being run as it should be. From the ground up, drafting good, letting the team grow together (albiet with some pain), but moving forward nonetheless, and hockey fan ownership, all with a tighter budget than the Leafs. Face it Leaf fans the MLSE doesn't give a rats ass about the fans or the Stanley Cup.

 

[BSR]

The Leafs will never win a Cup until fans stop showing up to games. If they keep selling out, there's no need to put a winner on the ice. Or at least one that will take it all.

 

[Speedo]

All this after a win that puts them into a first-place tie in the conference?!

 

[scubadoo]

we need a Carney type Dman, big, stay at home. The money is there, the Leafs have a payroll in excess of $60 million for christs sake.

Your post above is exactly what the Leaf fans in this thread are saying. The Leafs need a defenceman ( look at the defence now and say swiss cheese ). The Leafs have the money. So the Leafs should do a deal.

As to the Playoffs we will see. To make it in the playoffs you have to avoid injuries and with the re-occuring injuries to date ( Roberts - Groin, Belfour - Back etc ) we will see what happens.

 

[shredder]

Carney's not leaving Anahiem...it'd be nice but they've made that clear.

Today's apparently the day for the Gonchar deal...I guess we'll just have to wait to see if the Leafs win the sweepstakes.

New rumour, the Avs are going to name Quennville their head coach replacing Granato. I hope that doesn't backfire give how well liked Granato is.

 

[n_v]

Amen to that Speedo. It's amazing how many "so called" Leaf fans whine and moan at this time of year. The Leafs never do anything, never make a deal etc. Everyone else does, we sit idle. Folks, you dont just make a deal for the sake of it. In fact, at times the best deal is the one that never happened.

JFjr will make a deal if it makes sense. the Gonchar deal does not make sense, too high a price for a player with skills we dont need. If anything, we need a Carney type Dman, big, stay at home. The money is there, the Leafs have a payroll in excess of $60 million for christs sake. Get a grip folks, this team is awesome! We are tied for first in the east! We have hung on and maintained our position while missing Roberts, Nieuwy, Belfour, Almo, Nolan, Tucker and others with PROLONGED injuries.

This team is built for the playoffs. It takes a hell of a lot of grit and desire to grind out 16 playoff wins. This Leaf team has what it takes, they know the price that has to be played. This is what seperates them from the rest of the east.

So relax and enjoy this awsome team we have. There is some SERIOUS talent here and we are damn lucky to watch players like Almo, Sundin, Nieuwy night in and night out. I can guarentee, the Leafs are not a team anyone looks forward to playing post season. too deep, too gritty, too willing to pay the price.
Go Leafs go!!

It's amazing how loyal and blind most Leafs fans have become. Spiker your post is pathetic. 'This team is built for the playoffs'. Hmmmmmm where I have that one before? ... Oh yeah .. summer and fall of 2000 from Leafs management and MLSE. The end result was getting bounced by the same team in the same round as the previous year. Man they have you trained you like some zombie doll. And your comment about grit just makes me nausious. I have been hearing this grit crap for far too many years. You and the Leafs obviously think they have all the grit and that is what counts in the playoffs. Ok, if that is true then I guessed I missed the parades down Yonge St. the past 37 years!!! Give me a break! Grit is not the only thing needed, and as scubadoo has pointed out, the long list of geriatrics on the Leafs keep going down to injuries, especially with the style of play they play. Almo's hip is screwed, Roberts keeps going down with something or another, Belfours bad back, Antropov is too brittle, Nieuwendyke is not the Nieuwy of ten or even 5 yrs ago. The Leafs lack talent. Plain and simple. But keep believing Spiker. Its just what MLSE wants!!

 

[wooly110]

Just heard from my sources that a deal is being made to try and bring Pronger to Toronto. He doesn't want to go back to St. Louis, and they don't want to keep his $9.3M contract. Toronto could handle that.

Could be a good move. A hometown boy. Cornerstone for you defence for quite a few years.

I don't think Toronto would have to part too much with what they have. This would be an amicable parting between the two and St. Louis would be happy to get some young players in return. Maybe Stajan, Coliocovo and a pick of some sort.

 

[The Doctor]

Just heard from my sources that a deal is being made to try and bring Pronger to Toronto. He doesn't want to go back to St. Louis, and they don't want to keep his $9.3M contract. Toronto could handle that.

Could be a good move. A hometown boy. Cornerstone for you defence for quite a few years.

I don't think Toronto would have to part too much with what they have. This would be an amicable parting between the two and St. Louis would be happy to get some young players in return. Maybe Stajan, Coliocovo and a pick of some sort.

Come on, be serious. Of course he wants to stay in St. Louis and they absolutely want him back...maybe not at the $9.3 million. But if he's still there at the end of the season, the Blues will definitely be qualifying him...they can't risk a possible Kariya situation where he goes for nothing and signs for less than the Blues were offering. That would hurt. All pronger has said is that he would like to play in Toronto sometime before his career is over. Not that he wants out of St. louis.

I'd like to see him in Toronto and since the mood of TERB is that we win now or never, then Stajan and Coliaccovo isn't that much and why don't we through in Brendan Bell and Steen as well.

There will be hockey people, maybe not next year, but sometime soon and there will be a day of reckoning for the sins of today. I've waited 37 years for this and I can handle a little more if it means they will be consistently competitive for years to come.

 

[shredder]

Settle down there big guy...

Did you pick the wrong week to give up cafine Doc?

Pronger is a much better fit than Gonchar and I'd be more comfortable giving up some prospects for him because i think he could be the difference between a first round loss and the Cup.

 

[scubadoo]

Re: Settle down there big guy...

Did you pick the wrong week to give up cafine Doc?

Pronger is a much better fit than Gonchar and I'd be more comfortable giving up some prospects for him because i think he could be the difference between a first round loss and the Cup.

I can't see St. Louis trading Pronger being that they are only 4 points out of a playoff spot. Wouldn't make sense to do this the GM would feel the wrath of the St. Louis fans.

 

[wooly110]

Come on, be serious. ...

Well, I'm just repeating what was told to me. These are guys who's ears are to the ground. They were saying this is what the latest buzz is.

 

[scubadoo]

Well, I'm just repeating what was told to me. These are guys who's ears are to the ground. They were saying this is what the latest buzz is.

Getting Pronger would help Toronto but I just can't see it happening. is this a wishful thinking on the part of the maple leaf people who think they can actually bring this off?

 

[wooly110]

Getting Pronger would help Toronto but I just can't see it happening. is this a wishful thinking on the part of the maple leaf people who think they can actually bring this off?

I'm not sure, but, contrary to what was said earlier, Pronger doesn't want to stay in St. Louis. If you had a player who didn't want to be there, and was costing you some coin, why not get at least some players for him and bank some cash you'll save. You could put that towards purchasing a big free agent.

 

[Jim Rome]

No truth to Pronger being shopped around. NY Islanders did enquire cause they're desperate to do anything but St. Louis is determined to get Pronger to re-sign. He aint going anywhere.

 

[shredder]

I've heard the rumours about Pronger being shopped and believe that the Blues are just covering all their options. If they can get a really good deal they'd be silly not to consider it...but I don't see it happening. He's not going to come cheap if he does.

I've also not heard anything about him wanting to leave St. Louis nor that St. Louis is serious about getting rid of him. But given his contract I think everyone asks just for the fun of it.

 

[The Doctor]

Re: Settle down there big guy...

Did you pick the wrong week to give up cafine Doc?

Actually it was something else I've given up and I'm just as edgy. Pronger's not coming so why get our hopes up. A healthy team that plays like they did last night has as good a chance as anyone of coming out of the eastern conference. After that who knows?

 

[wooly110]

This story is also being reported by ESPN & The St. Louis Dispatch.

I should clarify that St. Louis doesn't want to sign Pronger at his $9.3M salary. They're offering less. Pronger won't sign for less. If he doesn't, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and St. Louis loses him for nothing.

So, if you're not going to budge on your offer, trade him and see what you can get for him.

 

[scubadoo]

You just never no who is going to get traded. I still think the Leafs need to add a solid defenceman to the roster so they can sit a couple of the weaker defence guys they currently have on the roster.

 

[n_v]

The sports radio station in Toronto is abuzz about trade talks involving Brian Leetch from the Rangers in exchange for draft pick(s) and/or prospect(s) from the Leafs.