[cferneyh]

Same old Leafs? Roberts and Nieuwendyk walk but they are the same old Leafs? They trade for Jeff O'Neill but they are the same old Leafs?

[cferneyh]

Anyone see Crosby on the Tonight Show? I'm not 80 so I don't watch it, but it sounds like he did a great job:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132478">http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132478</a><!-- m -->

[nutsac78]

Was a short interview that concluded with Crosby shooting pucks into a dryer.... nothing spectacular.

[Chris Tanz]

Same old Leafs? Roberts and Nieuwendyk walk but they are the same old Leafs? They trade for Jeff O'Neill but they are the same old Leafs?

I think he was referring to the torpor and the inactivity and the consistent unwillingness to win on the part of management, more than the warm bodies of the moment who currently make up the roster.

[I repeat, I'm a Leaf fan. I'm not trying to bait. I'm just disappointed with how things are going so far.]

ct

[cferneyh]

Same old Leafs? Roberts and Nieuwendyk walk but they are the same old Leafs? They trade for Jeff O'Neill but they are the same old Leafs?

I think he was referring to the torpor and the inactivity and the consistent unwillingness to win on the part of management, more than the warm bodies of the moment who currently make up the roster.

[I repeat, I'm a Leaf fan. I'm not trying to bait. I'm just disappointed with how things are going so far.]

ct

I always enjoy the "unwillingness to win on the part of management" theory. That's a good one. The Leafs, an organization that exists to make money for financers and the Ontario Teacher's Pension, would make more money than God if they were to win the Cup (more home playoff dates, merchandise, etc etc etc), but they really don't want to do that. They'd much prefer to get bounced by the Flyers early in the playoffs every year because that makes them less money.

:roll:

When the cap comes in at $34-35 million next year and the Leafs are one of the few teams that can make a run at Joe Thornton, Marian Hossa, and the other upper echelon of next year's UFAs while teams like Philly are stuck with an injury prone Forsberg and a slow as molasses Hatcher, then we'll see who's laughing.

Still, signing Domi sucks ass.

[Chris Tanz]

I always enjoy the "unwillingness to win on the part of management" theory. That's a good one. The Leafs, an organization that exists to make money for financers and the Ontario Teacher's Pension, would make more money than God if they were to win the Cup (more home playoff dates, merchandise, etc etc etc), but they really don't want to do that. They'd much prefer to get bounced by the Flyers early in the playoffs every year because that makes them less money.

:roll:

When the cap comes in at $34-35 million next year and the Leafs are one of the few teams that can make a run at Joe Thornton, Marian Hossa, and the other upper echelon of next year's UFAs while teams like Philly are stuck with an injury prone Forsberg and a slow as molasses Hatcher, then we'll see who's laughing.

well, it must be toronto, because the season hasn't even started yet and we're already looking to "next year". There have been quite a few "next years" since 1967. When I was a kid, I cried myself to sleep every night of every winter from 1983 to 1990 thinking about "next year" as we went down to defeat after defeat at the hands of the mighty Hartford Whalers and Minnesota North Stars.

Of course, that's all changed since the Teachers have taken over and banner after banner has been hung from the rafters. PS, I think the Teachers are doing all right for themselves the way things are. And last time I attended a Leaf game (at $200/ticket), it looked to me like somebody was doing a pretty good job with the merchandising already.

Also, if your predictions about the cap come true, how many Thorntons or Hossas will they be able to afford? One. And then there in the same position they are in this year, except Ed Belfour's collecting CPP, Kaberle's gonzo, and Mats' is another year older and another year more stultified due to the lack of top notch wingers like Jonas Hoglund and Mikael Renberg to convert his passes. They're still paying Tie Domi. McCabe's making a bundle. Owen Nolan's hanging around like an albatross. They've got Joe Schmoe in net and Aki "The Destroyer" Berg on D. Darcy Tucker's taking ridiculous penalties and Nik Antropov and Alexei Ponikarovsky are still trying to decide which one of them is taller and more awkward on skates.

So, yeah, be great to have Thornton, if he doesn't sign somewhere else, which just might happen since there are 29 other teams in the league, some of whom haven't condemned themselves to an eternity of next years.

I'll stop now.

ct

[cferneyh]

well, it must be toronto, because the season hasn't even started yet and we're already looking to "next year".

Considering how no one in the world knows how this year is going to play out, what the league is gonna look like with the new rules, who's gonna be a better player with the new rules and who's gonna be worse (cough - Hatcher - cough cough), I don't see any problem with waiting for the dust to settle before paying Adrian Aucoin $4 million.

There have been quite a few "next years" since 1967.

Amen to that brother. But I just pretend the Ballard 80s didn't exist. Rick Vaive? Never heard of him.

I think the Teachers are doing all right for themselves the way things are. And last time I attended a Leaf game (at $200/ticket), it looked to me like somebody was doing a pretty good job with the merchandising already.

Ummm, yeah, they are doing peachy keen as it is, but there is more to be had. MSFT made plenty of money dominating the operating system market but did they stop there? Hell no. Unless you are in a mature market with no room for growth, then your goal as a business every single year is to make more than the year before. The Leafs - as a corporate entity - are no different.

Also, if your predictions about the cap come true, how many Thorntons or Hossas will they be able to afford? One. And then there in the same position they are in this year, except Ed Belfour's collecting CPP, Kaberle's gonzo, and Mats' is another year older and another year more stultified due to the lack of top notch wingers like Jonas Hoglund and Mikael Renberg to convert his passes. They're still paying Tie Domi. McCabe's making a bundle. Owen Nolan's hanging around like an albatross. They've got Joe Schmoe in net and Aki "The Destroyer" Berg on D. Darcy Tucker's taking ridiculous penalties and Nik Antropov and Alexei Ponikarovsky are still trying to decide which one of them is taller and more awkward on skates.

All valid points. But are you trying to tell me that the Leafs with Thornton or Hossa aren't significantly better than the Leafs without one of those guys? Imagine Hossa, Sundin and O'Neill on a line - O'Neill to get the puck out of the corners, Sundin to tee it up, Hossa to put it in the back of the net. That sounds pretty damn sweet to me.

And how can you complain about the lack of moves this offseason, but at the same time recognize that with the current contracts there wasn't exactly a ton they could do? So crippling themselves this season for the next three years by overpaying some 2nd rate d-man or some injury prone centre or some third tier winger would be better than seeing how things fall out with "The New NHL" and acting accordingly?

Well, I guess it always easiest to (a) spend someone else's money and (b) bitch.

You've made some good points, and I understand your frustration, but I think we all need to sit tight and see how things actually unfold - because NO ONE knows given all the roster moves and the new rules - before we start running around like the sky is falling.

[Chris Tanz]

all right, truce.

but, if they sign Jason Allison for anything more than league minimum, then Ferguson hasn't been reading your posts, or my posts, or anyone's posts.

ct

[farmerdan]

looks like the blackhawks just signed Khabibulin:
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[Lizard King]

looks like the blackhawks just signed Khabibulin:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132519">http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132519</a><!-- m -->

Nice grab by the Hawks, too bad their defence stinks..wonder where Thibault will go now?

[cferneyh]

looks like the blackhawks just signed Khabibulin:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132519">http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132519</a><!-- m -->

Nice grab by the Hawks, too bad their defence stinks..wonder where Thibault will go now?

What do you mean their D stinks? They signed Adrian Aucoin for $4 million a season! They are gonna pay Jassen Cullimore $1.88MM and Spacek $2.25MM! Doesn't that scare you? Yeah, me neither.

But it doesn't change one important thing: Tie Domi sucks.

[The Darkest Canuck]

haha, Tampa Bay are FUUUUUUKED!

Montreal are going to put a kick ass team on the ice this year...


the x-factor is going to be wether or not somebody from the Hamilton squad can make their presence felt in the big time this year (possibly Plecanek, Hainsey or Traverse, maybe even Dannis (sp?)).

[habsfan19]

Habs are gonna have Perezhogin(hopefully) who was banned from AHL last year, but he is supposed to be their top prospect coming in
Plekanec will see action probably, Hainsey too as a 7th D
Dannis might start as backup since Huet is injured until Nov-Dec maybe

Top 2 lines could be:
Zednik-Koivu-Kovalev
Ryder-Ribeiro-Perezhogin

I can't wait for September, gonna be watching RDS(french TSN) very often, they have all 82 games on the tube too

[Lizard King]

Leafs got Allison, I think we all saw this coming, so is this the end of spending for the Leafs? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132542">http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132542</a><!-- m --> In other news, Kariya went to Nashville, whoop-de-doo!!!!!!! How's that for a fall from grace, touted to be the "next one" and now is a loser playing for Nashville, aaah life can be so cruel sometimes..hee hee. :twisted:

[cferneyh]

Leafs got Allison, I think we all saw this coming, so is this the end of spending for the Leafs? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132542">http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132542</a><!-- m --> In other news, Kariya went to Nashville, whoop-de-doo!!!!!!! How's that for a fall from grace, touted to be the "next one" and now is a loser playing for Nashville, aaah life can be so cruel sometimes..hee hee. :twisted:

How about a friendly wager that Allison gets more points than Kovalev?