Comments for Battle of Ontario....
Today we all wake up starry eyed, with visions of McCabe as an Islander and Bryzgalov as a Leaf.
Tomorrow morning we'll all wake up angry.
Who knows, this could be the year things finally fall into place for the Leafs. I am hopeful until the Leafs are eliminated.
This will be JFJ's year. I'm quite sure that the Bowman rumours, his current contract, and the dissapointment of missing the playoffs for two season's will have him thinking NOW.
I would be surprised if he doesn't make some sort of deal by 7pm tonight.
Prepare to cry. Either in joy, or inagony.
"in agony."
Heard a rumour on Parry Sound radio this morning that JFJ is planning to spend his very first full day without a diaper today.
See THM! He's already making big strides!
GO LEAFS GO!
I know Eklund is mostly a mess but sometimes he is right.
Toskala to Leafs (e4)
Please. Please. I don't want to cry in agony before the freaking season even starts!
From Slam sports:
"With Round 1 of the NHL draft set for tonight at Nationwide Arena, there was talk the Senators could send Redden and winger Antoine Vermette to the Oilers for centre Shawn Horcoff and defenceman Jason Smith. It's believed the Senators would prefer winger Joffrey Lupul over Horcoff."
I dunno. I like Vermette. If all his shots off posts went in, he'd be a 200 goal a season player.
Bobby Orr came on the Parry Sound radio to confirm a report that JFJ has a brown stain on the seat of his pants.
Nothing new to those in the BoO.
You would think JFJ would put his dentures in.
Wow,relying on a draft pick to make the playoffs.
Too bad Philly will finish higher than TO.
I am sure you're out of practice reading Duff but nowhere does it say that this year's draft pick will get the Leafs back into the playoffs.
Conrad, that deal gives up a little flash and coke for some of the toughness that the sens lacked in the final.
It would be a good trade. Here's hoping The Lisp dethideth againtht it.
Jason Smith is 34. Horcoff puts up similar numbers to Vermette, but Vermette is better on the shootout and shorthanded. It's not a terrible trade, but I definitely think the Sens are losing out on something there, especially if Redden returns to form.
If it's gotten out it's probably not the entire trade. Redden isn't exactly a spring chicken himself anymore.
I don't think Vermette is better shorthanded. I am pretty sure the Oilers guys were saying that he was amazing. Plus, in the shootout Vermette would be the 4th option behind Spezza, Heatley, Alfie and you could also use Fisher or McAmmond if Vermette's gone.
You should just be happy to get rid of Redden's salary. Vermette is nothing special.
Jason Smith is leadership you desperately need, and I don't know much about Horcoff.
Duff, get with the program. It's another teams back-up goaltender who will save the Leafs, not a draft pick. Jeez.
When I say leadership you desperately need, I mean on defence. There was no "captain of the blueline" last season and it cost you. Dearly.
It's another teams back-up goaltender who will save the Leafs, not a draft pick.
It's becoming painfully obvious leaf hamlet is giving up on belak despite jfj stating otherwise here in the BoO comments a few days back.
DC, we can't trust all of JFJ's decisions no matter what he tells us.
Dammit Muppet! He's a co-#1 not a backup!
Redden and Vermette for Smith and Horcoff/Lupul?
I think I'd go for it.....
Draft day/UFA day in a capped world is about as good as trade deadline day.
I am sure you're out of practice reading Duff but nowhere does it say that this year's draft pick will get the Leafs back into the playoffs.
Add in the fact that the Leafs have a chance at a very good player at 13th and today could go a long way towards getting the team back as a fixture in the playoffs
Nowhere? Read your own posts for fuck sakes!
Horcoff puts up similar numbers to Vermette, but Vermette is better on the shootout and shorthanded.
Did you check the stats because Horcoff puts up much better numbers:
2006-07:
Horcoff: 80gp, 16g, 51pts
Vermette: 77gp, 19g, 39pts
2005-06:
Horcoff: 79gp, 22g, 73pts
Vermette: 82gp, 21g, 33pts
They are close in goals but Horcoff is a much better assist guy which means he does a better job of making the guys around him better.
Supposedly the Leafs are talking about trading that pick to San Jose for Toskala which would go a long way to getting the Leafs back in the playoffs.
Long Way? WTF?.....I thought a healthy season and one more win was all you needed.
I guess you didn't get Muppet's memo.
today could go a long way towards getting the team back as a fixture in the playoffs
Duff, maybe I'll write more literal in the future but the term fixture refers to more than one playoff appearance ie. the moves today could help get the Leafs back into the playoffs repeatedly. Some moves will get them there next year and others (like the draft pick) will be for the future.
Reading comprehension is a valuable skil for fuck's sake!
I am sure you're out of practice reading Duff but nowhere does it say that this year's draft pick will get the Leafs back into the playoffs next year.
Fixed. Confusion solved.
I thought better team doctors, more sleep and the retirement of Kerry Fraser were are all that was required for the leafs to make the playoffs.
This player talk is all window dressing since the leafs only have 3 players that would be of interest to any other team.
So is spelling PPP,but that doesn't stop you.
The Blues were a fixture.I would say the leafs are more of an outdated faucet in need of repair or replacement.
Your main washer(face)is worn out.
Yeah I said long way (because you did), but as you pointed out the Leafs only needed a short way to go so that means the Leafs should easily be in the playoffs.
As of right now the Leafs have essentially the same team that finished the year last season signed with $8-10 million in cap space to spend. They are in pretty good spot right now.
Ottawa on the other hand still has to sign or find replacements for Emery, Kelly, Schubert, Preissing, Comrie and Saprykin and about $6-8 million left in cap space.
Well the short way to the postseason may get longer if the leafs don't get better than Philly.
I haven't been following all the moves but it seems Philly will be a better team than Toronto by tommorrow.
Toskala is a Leaf.
As reported on Hockey Central at Noon - Leafs trade 3 picks to SJ(1st rd, 2nd rd, and 4th rd) for Toskala and Mark Bell.
It's a good trade. Toskala will put a lot of pressure on Raycroft for the starters job and Mark Bell is a decent 2-way player that could score 20-25 goals and be a good winger for Sundin.
So you're saying the team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals, the team that will have essentially the same core next year, is in a worse position than the team that finished out of the playoffs the last 2 years and has no #1 goalie? I know draft day breeds optimism but come on.
No, I am saying that Ottawa will likely not be as good of a team and Toronto will be a better team. Even with the Toskala/Bell trade the Leafs still have enough money to sign a top free agent. The gap is closing. Buffalo quite likely will not be as good of a team either.
Well David,I think you have just coined the new motto for leaf nation(hamlet) this year.
"The Gap is Closing"....love it.
Is it just me or does Toskala and Bell for just three draft picks with only one first-rounder seem a little lop-sided? Is Doug Wilson the one having a clearance for some reason?
Toskala's a good pick-up but Bell was a total bust in San Jose this past season.
So is spelling PPP,but that doesn't stop you.
I know MY spelling isn't being questioned.
Bell was a major disappointment in his first season in San Jose. Brought in from Chicago to play on Joe Thornton's wing, 26 year-old Bell responded with a career-low 21 points and was a healthy scratch at times late in the season.
I'm sure BSP is thrilled.
So he was a bust on Thorntons line, but Leafers think he'll have success with Sundin? Yeesh.
DC,a healthy scratch or an injured Antro.The Bell tolls for bsp.
David, you've done alot of shots/goalie analysis. How does Toskala stand up in terms of tough shot SV%, Number of shots per game last two years, etc? I think he had the better stats of the two Sharks' goalies last year, but how much of that is playing behind a dominating forecheck and speedy back checkers? And Toskala worries me a bit because of his size. I'd like to hear your thoughts?
Bell is a great pick up. Apart from a DUI, which is something the Leafs organization seems to be fine with, Bell was awesome for the Hawks two years ago.
I wonder how much cache this buys JFJ? And is this considered a big enough deal to be considered not 'minor'?
Good trade. Finally something to talk about.
It is smart to buy when the price is low. He had 25 goals and 48 points in 2005-06 and 21 goals and 45 points in 2003-04. Last season was not representative of what he can do. In fact, if I recall correctly there were many Senators fans (including those on this blog) who would have preferred the Sens get Bell in the Havlat deal.
The sale of backup goaltenders has begun! Three picks for Gerber and Schaefer! Come on LA!
Bell and that other bum who went to Philly from the Hawks and sucked hard. His name escapes me.
I also wanted Matthew Barnaby, but that doesn't mean I'd be jealous if you signed him now. Be my guest.
When asked if he was healthy,Sundin responded by saying he hasn't felt this good since he was in "Bell bottoms".
I don't think Bell is the answer if the Leafs are looking for a first line winger to play with Sundin. But last year was probably a blip, and he should be better this year. I'd slot him on the 2nd or 3rd line myself, but the Leafs are weak up front so unless they pick up someone else, he may indeed end up playing first line minutes in Toronto.
Toskala is a big addition, and I'm pretty sure he'll take the starting job without much controversy.
The Leafs got a lot better with this deal. How those 3 draft picks turn out in the future may come back to bite them, but for the immediate future, this was a good move.
3 draft picks? You better explain that fixture concept again PPP.
David, you've done alot of shots/goalie analysis. How does Toskala stand up in terms of tough shot SV%, Number of shots per game last two years, etc?
I need to finalize my goalie rating system but it is safe to say that Toskala has been the better goalie. Shot quality against (defined by shot distance) is relatively similar between San Jose and Toronto and Toskala had a .908 save % and Raycroft a .894 save %. If Raycroft had a .908 save % the Leafs would have given up 27 fewer goals and instead of being 25th in the NHL in goals against they would have been 12th (Ottawa was 10th).
I don't think Bell is the answer if the Leafs are looking for a first line winger to play with Sundin.
Probably not, but he could be. The Leafs also seem to be in talks to get Smyth. If they do sign Smyth ((or another first line winger)) their lines could look like this:
Smyth-Sundin-Ponikarovsky
Bell-Wellwood-Tucker
Antropov-Stajan-Steen
Kilger-Pohl-Devereaux
Not too shabby if you ask me.
3 draft picks? You better explain that fixture concept again PPP.
Apparently JFJ had a different idea on what to give up (WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN WHITE!) to get the goaltending issue resolved.
Anshu, I think Bell slots in on the 2nd or 3rd line. I think that Pony-Sundin-Antro will be the top line.
I'll give props to jfj for this one. He (and anyone else who was interested) probably had to take Bell.
I don't know much about Toskola having never seen him play but his numbers seem decent even though he's never played more than 40 games in a season and played in front of a team that is far more disciplined than the leafs. Easy to see a platoon situation here.
This trade probably keeps the leafs ahead of the Bruins and Habs.
I think that Pony-Sundin-Antro will be the top line
I agree. For whatever reason, that line works. It's getting consistent secondary scoring that's the issue. I kind of like a line of creative Wellwood setting up finishers Tucker and Bell myself. That line would have a nice mix of skill and sandpaper.
An elite winger would be gravy, but at these prices, I don't want it. THe only way it makes sense to bring in a pricy top line talent like Smyth is to move out some of the cash on D. Kubina perhaps. Which I don't see happening.
Kudos to JFJ. I wanted Fernandez myself, but Toskala is more than capable of being a #1.
Plus, if JFJ was right all along and Raycroft can be an elite goalie, I can't think of a better way of bringing taht out of him than by pairing him with a guy who had better numbers than him and is cheaper.
Once again, i like the deal. All it costs is three picks in the worst draft year in a decade. I like Toskala, and Bell's sort of a throw-in with a nice upside.
I think that Pony-Sundin-Antro will be the top line.
That is, in my opinion, one of the weaker first lines in the entire league. But I suspect the Leafs will do something to change that in the near future. Adding Ryan Smyth to that line, as David mentions, instantly upgrades it by 1000% in my opinion.
With a move like that, the Leafs could indeed be a pretty decent team this year. And getting Toskala leaves them more salary cap space to do exactly that.
Pony-Sundin-Antro in a full season will be one of the best lines. They are among the best at controlling the puck. Whether they can translate that into more goals will be a function of Maurice starting the year with them and the trio staying healthy (looking at you Antro).
If Poni-Sundin-Antropov stayed mostly healthy and played together the whole season they would probably finish the season with 70-80 goals and be pretty solid defensively. That's not great by first line standards but not horrible either and if it means having better second, third and fourth lines it's not all bad.
Tucker-Bell has a fancy ring to it.
Tucker-Bell has a fancy ring to it.
HAHAHAHA
If Poni-Sundin-Antropov stayed mostly healthy and played together the whole season they would probably finish the season with 70-80 goals and be pretty solid defensively.
If, would, could, should, maybe, kinda, sorta.....
They would still only have 20 or so more goals than Heatley......And at twice the price.....
Thumbs up JFJ, but one year too late. Is it too late to get Rask back?
They would still only have 20 or so more goals than Heatley......And at twice the price.....
That won't be true one year from now when Heatley will be looking for $7.5 million a season.
Toskala for 3 picks.
Considering one of them is a 4th rounder in 2009, I'm counting the first two rounds this year as the real price. 13th is a fine draft position, so I believe we paid in full for Toskala. Especially considering there aren't THAT many can't miss prospects in the system.
He's been more succesful than Raycroft, but lets face it, he's expendible by another team. You don't see Brodeur getting traded for draft picks. That's all I'm saying.
Bell is a nice addition, I like his career numbers and despite an off season, he may be a fit or trade bait later. I think it will push Steen, who needs to come out flying this year.
Frankly, I would like to see JFJ trade for another first round pick in this years draft. We need to keep fuelling the fire, and I don't se a whole lot of bluechip prospects coming up on offence. After Tlusty, can anybody even name one?
...and a SC ring.
Thumbs up JFJ, but one year too late. Is it too late to get Rask back?
Who would want Rask back?
4 goals on 11 shots against Belarus. Until Rask makes the NHL I won't lose sleep over that trade.
That won't be true one year from now when Heatley will be looking for $7.5 million a season.
And it will still be much less than the 3 blue stiffs.....
Anyone know how much they forked out for Toskala?
"Thumbs up JFJ, but one year too late. Is it too late to get Rask back?"
I wish people would stop bringing that up, Pogge will be the better of the two.
Rask. Pogge.
the new guy hasn't even donned the sweater and leaf hamlet is already looking towards the next savior.....
So is Toskala the #1 or is it a platoon?
This trade was necessary because of the gamble on Raycroft that didn't pan out.
This trade is a hail mary at best.
And it will still be much less than the 3 blue stiffs.....
Yeah but his girlfriend will want a matching contract to go with their matching purses.
Sure hope Emery's surgery goes well...
"Leaf hamlet is already looking towards the next savior....."
I thought that was Belak?
Rask also had an average year in Europe, and hasn't stepped a skate into the North American game yet. After Tellquist, I'm weary of euro goaltenders who haven't played the NA game yet.
Pogge had a brutal first half in the AHL, but he picked it up later. I'm still hopeful on him, but with prospects you never can tell.
Sure hope Emery's surgery goes well...
LOL...sounds like a Gerberism.
Sure hope Emery's surgery goes well...
No anesthetic required.....
This trade is a hail mary at best.
It beats getting Saprykin for a (snort) Stanley Cup run. How did that work out again? I forget.
It beats getting Saprykin for a (snort) Stanley Cup run.
And someone paid the price instead of getting a contract extension.....
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