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I have to say I like the Toskala deal for the Leafs. He's a huge upgrade over Raycroft. San Jose had accumulated some solid goalies for a few years there, and when they get playing time and can show what they can do (i.e. Kiprusoff) they show they are the real deal. So Toskala is a real key to making the Leafs better next season. And Bell hopefully plays up to his potential in a Leaf uniform, we'll see about that. It was generally seen as a weak draft after the top 3 this year anyway so I'm not overly worried about giving up the 1st rounder this year. All in all, I have to say, good move JFJ!
As for the Balsillie thing, I can't figure out what the heck is going on. It did sound like they drove him out at first, now it just may be a ploy to get Balsillie to hurry up and get a firm sale agreement hammered out. Otherwise I'm completely baffled as to why the NHL seems so damn set against this guy... I mean he's driving up everyone's franchise value, and he's going to take a team out of a dog market into one that will be a revenue machine, which helps the league as a whole as well. Boy if the NHL screws this up then Bettman really is an idiot, even more so than I ever thought possible!
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GREAT move by the Leafs. Hell, trading three picks for the goalie on my rec team would have been a great move.
As for the Hamilton Predators, I love this line:
A league source also told CP that Leipold asked the NHL to discontinue Balsillie's application because he was caught off-guard by the Canadian billionaire's intention to relocate the franchise to Hamilton.
In other news, Leipold plans on removing his head from his ass in late July.
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I like the deal for Toskela too, I've always been high on him & hopefully he can prove to be a legit #1 for the Leafs.
As for Vokoun....great pickup by the Panthers, but the Predators have Chris Mason to fall back on, and he proved last season that he can be a starter.
Adrian Aucoin has always been one of my favorite defensemen, so i like the deal the Flames made to get him. Hopefully the Flames will get the Aucoin that played for the New York Islander, and not the one that played for the Chicago Blackhawks.
As for the draft, no real surprises in the top 3, with Patrick Kane going to the Blackhawks. For some reason i just don't really like Kane, but he's a heck of a hockey player & the Chicago Blackhawks are really loading up on solid NHL prospects. This team is definitely on the rise.
I was estatic that the New York Rangers were able to get Alexei Cherepanov at #17. Looking over the list of players available, never did i imagine that Cherepanov would be available at #17. I love the fact that Angelo Esposito ended up with the Pittsburgh Penguins. I firmly believe he'll be a very good NHL player, and playing on a line with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin definitely won't hurt.
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I love the Toskala trade too. He could have led the Sharks just as far as Nabokov did in the playoffs. I'd love to see him get the starting role and use Raycroft as a backup. Its too bad Bell came with the offer and not a forward but then again our D could always use more depth. So i love the trade, its not like the Leafs would have gotten a stand out kid this draft anyhow.
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Balsillie and Leipold don't have a firm commitment to buy the team. Leipold is sending out mixed messages -- seems to be a ploy to get the upper hand in the negotiations.
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I'm a little disappointed with the lack of dealings this weekend. Things got off to a rapid start with the trades of Adrian Aucoin, Vesa Toskela, and Tomas Vokoun...but virtually nothing since.
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thehip420 Wrote:Its too bad Bell came with the offer and not a forward but then again our D could always use more depth.
Isn't Bell a winger?
Jeff
June 21, 2003 Toronto, ON: SkyDome
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thehip420 Wrote:fingernailsonhull Wrote:thehip420 Wrote:Its too bad Bell came with the offer and not a forward but then again our D could always use more depth.
Isn't Bell a winger?
yes he is, i was mixing him up with the younger bell already on the leafs.
If you mean Brendan Bell, he plays for Phoenix now, via the Yanic Perrault trade..
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Imagine a world before the "beginning was the word.”
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Strike #2 Hip 420...one more improper Bell reference and you don't want to know what we'll do to you!!!
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Seriously.......one more Bell screw-up and you have to be a Habs fan for a year!
