The Leafs

[Rockslinger]

Gussie was great, Kessel scores his first and the Leafs dominate in a 5-1 win over Detroit.

As good as they are individually, they also seem to raise the level of performance by the rest of the team. Did we get Gussie for free?

Toskala is done. He has a very slow glove hand and I think the rest of the league know this now too. Even routine shots on his glove side end up in the net. Sad to say, he reminds me of the last days of BJ Ryan.

 

[pencilneckgeek2]

Gussie was great

Gussie? Sounds like something his lover might call him.

 

[21pro]

I luv him so I guess I'll refer to him as Gussie too.

Not a leafs fan, but am immediately impressed by this guy. almost called him a kid, but he's older than Marc Andre Fleury...

A Did we get Gussie for free?.

He costs about $900k on a one year deal... he's an RFA this summer and could be a very good trade material because of that. Won't happen though, he's had a tough personal life before coming here. Burke won't screw around with him and probably will lock him up long term and throw alot of money at him. So much, they'll spell his name Gu$$ie!

My hope is that since he came here, partially because of the goalie coach, he will be inclined to stay (provided the coach stays). Damn right he better be given a great offer by Burke. Although he could just decide to go to a winning team. Burke will have to work as hard to sign him to a contract soon as he did to get him to come here to start. But Burke doesn't shy away from hard work and difficult jobs.

If the leafs lose him it's a ridiculous step back, as for now he is pretty much their lord and savior. Surely it's on burke's mind, and hopefully you'll see him locked up for many years to come.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Wow a 5-1 win over the Redwings! I hope the leafs will keep showing improvement and not loose anymore In overtime

 

[shack]

Wow a 5-1 win over the Redwings! I hope the leafs will keep showing improvement and not loose anymore In overtime

Better than losing in regulation.

 

[21pro]

still losing though... unfortunately.

 

[Ironhead]

Leafs are turning it around.
First eight games 0-7-1 = 1 pt
15 games since 5-4-6 = 16 pts

Yes, not earth shattering, but I will take it over the start to the season. It is turning around.
Boston will not have a lottery pick ... not via the Leafs anyway.
The Leafs are eight points out of a playoff spot, not bad considering the start they had to this season.
Help is coming for the Leafs.

 

[The Oracle]

Leafs are turning it around.
First eight games 0-7-1 = 1 pt
15 games since 5-4-6 = 16 pts

Yes, not earth shattering, but I will take it over the start to the season. It is turning around.
Boston will not have a lottery pick ... not via the Leafs anyway.
The Leafs are eight points out of a playoff spot, not bad considering the start they had to this season.
Help is coming for the Leafs.

Agreed. The leafs I predict will be a .500 team when all is said and done this year.

 

[Cycleguy007]

Leafs are turning it around.
First eight games 0-7-1 = 1 pt
15 games since 5-4-6 = 16 pts

Yes, not earth shattering, but I will take it over the start to the season. It is turning around.
Boston will not have a lottery pick ... not via the Leafs anyway.
The Leafs are eight points out of a playoff spot, not bad considering the start they had to this season.
Help is coming for the Leafs.

Agreed. The leafs I predict will be a .500 team when all is said and done this year.

Ya just gotta love the optimism of Leaf fans!

(Or is it blind faith?)

 

[shack]

This topic has been discussed before but 500 team in a league that counts shootout and overtime wins as wins but losses aren't losses ... Do you know in a 32 team league only 4 teams are below 500 ... This Leaf team has lost
12 games this year but the standings look pretty and 6 more wins and we are a 500 team ...

You say 15 games since 5-4-6 ... I guess that actually looks better then saying 5-10 16 pts ...

Thanks for saving me the keystrokes guy.

Actually, 16 points in 15 games is close to a playoff clip. I think somewhere between 1.1 and 1.2 points per game gets you in.

 

[Ironhead]

Ya just gotta love the optimism of Leaf fans!

(Or is it blind faith?)

So .... 1 point in the first 8 games with zero wins.
Then 16 points in the following 15 games with five wins is not an improvement ?

 

[Ironhead]

At the 10 game mark the Leafs in the playoffs were the furthest thing from my mind.

The last 10 ... 7-3 and now two points out of a playoff spot, the playoffs are within sight. But I am not getting visions of how to shut down the Pens(I think they will finish in first) in the first round, it is not even halfway yet.
It always gets tougher in the second half and that is why Burke went out and got character players, tough players. We will see how that works out.
I think there is a big deal coming after the holidays, maybe as soon as mid-January.

As well as Toskala is playing now, should the Leafs trade him ?
I say yes. At the risk of not making the playoffs I would trade him. It appears he will not be a Leaf after this season anyway so get what you can for him.
Detroit may still be in the market for a goalie, I hear they are not happy with the goalies they have now.

 

[Ironhead]

2 points out of playoff spot/ tied for 2nd last in the league ...

Well considering the start they had I will take it. One win in the first 13 games.

 

[laser47]

The Leafs are 2 points out of they playoff and tied for 2nd last in the League ...

Boy if that is the picture at the trading deadline what is Burke going too do ... Do you weaken your team and finish 2nd last or 3rd Last or do you stay status quo and cross your fingers that your one of 6 teams who wil get that 8th spot or 2 of 8 teams making that 7th or 8th spot ..

He heads for the Panic Room !!

Since finishing that low gives Boston the draft pick no one @ MLSE wants them to have.

As for hoping that they emerge from the scrum of playoff con (pre) tenders.

They could care less as long as they finish ahead of Montreal & Ottawa and can say " We're x points out of playoff spots, baby", they will be happy.

 

[Ironhead]

I would not worry about a lottery position finish just from a few trades which may or may not happen.
First I do not think Burke would make a trade where the Leafs move an NHL roster player for some 'maybe several years down the road' type of player.
If Burke trades one of the every day Leafs it will be for something significant, like getting back a first round pick or a 'can't miss ready for the NHL just not on a contender this season' player.

 

[smuddan]

Based on my theory that the mandate from the OTPP was "MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AT ALL COSTS", whatever trades made by Burke will gear towards that goal. Getting back a 1st round pick will only be contemplated if either they have locked up a playoff spot or they're totally out of it.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If Luke Schenn gets demoted to Marlies his salary will fall from 2.8 million a season to about 100k because all rookie contracts are 2 way contracts. Only get big money if you play for big team.

So he'd go from getting paid about $35,000. per game to about $1,200 per game. Maybe that's why they don't send him down to work on and develop his game, - don't want to piss him off.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Can you send him on a conditioning stint and so he still gets paid NHL type of money ..

Nobody would believe it's a conditioning stint the way he's played this year.
Anyway he's not coming back from an injury and NHL wouldn't approve it.

It's totally normal for a guy to take a few years to learn to play defence at the NHL level. Learning defence is supposed to be harder than learning forward position.
He needs to learn to make quick efficient decisions in his own end.
With Gunnarsson coming back in a couple of weeks there is no good reason to keep him at NHL level.

 

[DickHardwood]

Best thing they could do with Schenn is to trade him around the deadline with Toskala for a winger and maybe a pick 3rd or 4th rounder. Toskala is playing good because it is a contract year for him, but I doubt very much whether the Leafs will resign Toskala.

And Schenn I think could be a better fit on another team loaded with some veterans who could teach him how to play the game well.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I said it last year and nobody wanted to listen .... What is the worse thing that could result from sending him back to his Jr team , playing some Canadian Jr Championships and CHL playoffs as apose to keeping here with the big club and what is the worse thing that could happen ... We are finding out this year what is the worse thing that can happen from keeping him here ...

Yea, in hindsight you're absolutely right. Cliffy's call though.