Posts tagged ducks
The league will dread Toronto’s D!
Jul 18th
I look at the Leafs roster for the upcoming season, and I cant help but feeling somewhat optimistic. I really do like what Brian Burke has done with the team so far with the addition of Versteeg, and Armstrong. But the reason I have optimism isn’t just those signings, it is the blueline that we have in place, that has me thinking this could be a good season for the Leafs. It doesn’t take an expert to see that the team is missing some offensive firepower, but I really do believe that the defensive core will be enough to counteract that. I really do not think people understand how strong the Maple Leafs blueline is. The one knock I have against it, is that the cost for our 8 defensemen under contract costs 27,775,000$.
![8471676[1]](http://leafshq.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/84716761.jpg "8471676[1]"){kind=small}
15* Players That People Should Stop Caring About
Jun 28th
This is more of a personal tangent than anything, I’m not going to lie. This isn’t really something that goes in the media (though it kind of does), and it sure as heck isn’t happening in actually front office trade/signing discussions, but its a phenomenon that you definitely see throughout the internet, and that’s fan speculation and trade proposals. Depending on exactly where you go to, the quality of such armchair GM hopes and predictions varies, but its always there. To make matters worse, they seem to always be about the same 20 or 25 players around the NHL. And most of them are complete and total pipe dream’s, for various reasons. So here’s 13 of them that I frankly just can’t stand hearing rumors for, plus 2 bonuses.
Leafs Off-Season Rumors #16/Making a Case for Marc Savard
Jun 27th
Rumor
Bob McKenzie and Nick Kypreos of TSN and Sportsnet respectively have reported that Leafs GM Brian Burke and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli will begin talks on the possibility of sending Marc Savard to Toronto. Both report that any deal including Savard would not include Kaberle, as it is believed the Bruins may be willing to take so-called “spare parts” in order to unload Savard’s contract.
My Analysis
Marc Savard to the Toronto Maple Leafs is very much a possibility at this point in time. It seems that the Bruins are hoping to move forward with their three young centers (Tyler Seguin, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci) and it also seems the Bruins are worried about Savard’s health issues mixed with his lengthy contract. Acquiring Savard is a risk given his age and current health status as well as contract, but should he return to form then it would be a huge reward and steal for the Leafs.
A similar situation would be Jason Blake, who signed with the Leafs in 2007 at the age of 34. Blake’s first two seasons matched his previous numbers, though this past season, in the third year, his production began to severely decline. Should Marc Savard come to the Leafs he would be 33 once the season starts, and theoretically be able to continue prime production for another three seasons. Also, given the fact that the final three years of Savard’s seven-year deal pay him a combined 2.5M, Savard’s contract would suddenly become very easy to ship to a low-budget team, bury in the minors, be bought out, and there’s always the possibility that Savard could retire before then. Marc Savard is only a four-year commitment, and it’s safe to assume he can continue his elite production for at least another three years. Just my two cents on why the Leafs should pull the trigger on any deal sending Savard our way for spare parts.
Acquiring a first-line center without giving away our greatest trade chip is another positive, and opens others avenues for Tomas Kaberle (such as dealing him for a winger with size as previously speculated).
This could get real interesting real quick, stay tuned.
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Howard Berger is a Tool.
Jun 23rd
Another post that I guest wrote on Pension Plan Puppets..wasn’t as seen though, so its up here now. Enjoy!
Alright, I’m not one to start completely ripping on known members of the media for no apparent reason. While sometimes people say stupid things that I disagree with, you also know that they must’ve done things in the past that got them to where they are today.
I do make one exception to this, and its Howard Berger. The Fan590 reporter and HockeyBuzz writer is one of many who has made a name for themselves, and have kept themselves relevant in the past few years by consistently looking at negative aspects of the team with next to no exception. What seperates him from, say, a Damien Cox though, is the fact that he is seemingly never not on a mission to bash the team, and never really praises or acts neutral with team decisions. Cox can write the occasion article that’s positive, or at least merely an informative news piece (though he’s still generally a dick and negative as a whole). As can the rest of the media. But with the exception of his reporting on the new Leafs jerseys, Berger spends his entire time writing at a practical vendetta against the team. Hell, it wouldn’t shock me if the jersey reporting was entirely for the purpose of undermining the official announcement. Not to mention the fact that he pretty much spends every press conference looking for ways to try to slam Ron Wilson/Brian Burke/Whatever Player is There/The Audio Technician, to the point where we got this gem a while back:
Leafs 2010-2011 Schedule Breakdown
Jun 22nd
Lost in the news of pretty much anything else imaginable today (Nathan Horton to the Bruins, Scott Niedermayer’s retirement, an increase in the salary cap, Pat Quinn’s lack of a head coaching job and an awful Hall of Fame class) was the announcement of the entire 2010-2011 NHL schedule for all 30 franchises.
The Toronto Maple Leafs kick off the season in a style similar to last season, hosting the Habs on October the 7th. It’s definitely a schedule different than last season’s as the Leafs don’t make anything that remotely resembles a home-stand until they host the Canucks, Predators and Devils from Saturday November the 13th until Thursday November 18th. And again, that’s barely a home-stand considering that’s only three games.
As for a road trip, there isn’t one that lasts more than two games until a Western-Canadian road-swing that sees the Leafs play the Oilers, Flames and Canucks from December 14th-December 18th.
The Leafs make a bit of a longer road-trip in mid-January when they play the Thrashers, Sharks, Kings and Coyotes over the course of six days.
The Buds next so-called “home-stand” takes place all the way in March, when from the 10th to the 14th the Leafs will host the Lightning, the Sabres and defending Eastern Conference Champs, the Philadelphia Flyers.
The blue and white will close out the regular season against their most hated of rivals, facing off against all other four teams in their division once apiece in their last six games of the season.
The longest break from action will be five full days without hockey as the Leafs play the Atlanta Thrashers at the ACC on December the 20th and don’t pick up again until boxing day in New Jersey.
Leafs Jerseys and Phaneuf Captaincy Becomes Official
Jun 14th
As expected, the Toronto Maple Leafs made two big but well known announcements today, introducing their new home and away uniforms, and a certain big body presence in Dion Phaneuf gained confirmation that his particular jersey would have a C on it, as the 17th captain in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lets break both announcements up and look at them separately.
Kaberle Speculation Volume Four
Jun 12th
Short and sweet. You know the drill:
Rumor
Eric Stephens from the Orange County Register reports that Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray denied rumors of him shipping RFA Bobby Ryan for puck-moving defenseman Tomas Kaberle. Murray called the possibility of shipping a potential 40-goal scorer for a potential UFA ridiculous. Stephens said the deal would never go through unless Nazem Kadri or Luke Schenn was involved.
My Analysis
I agree that Murray wouldn’t trade Ryan for Kaberle straight up unless more was added to the package (assets the Leafs probably wouldn’t be willing to ship), but I do think that Brian Burke will press Murray to the limit in hopes of acquiring another difference-maker to help the likely offensive woes of the Leafs next season. Don’t expect Burke to pull off another miracle trade like with Dion Phaneuf, but if Ryan truly is unhappy in Anaheim then don’t rule out the possibility of Brian Burke one way or another acquiring the elite power forward.
You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/raskofalltrades
Latest Tomas Kaberle Speculation
Jun 9th
Round two of, if the past is any indication, a number of volumes in a newly heralded series following the Czech puck-mover whom Leafs nation seems to have grown tired of. You know the drill.
-Michael Traikos of the National Post has reported that four teams-the New Jersey Devils, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets-have shown a great deal of interest in acquiring the services of Kaberle. Buffalo Sabres General Manager Dary Regier declined to comment on the matter but has said that contract talks are well underway with Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder.
-Kaberle’s agent Rick Curran has yet again stressed that although Tomas’ no-trade clause disappears this summer, Brian Burke will more likely than not still have to find a trading partner of a team that Tomas would still want to play for, as Kaberle is an unrestricted free agent following the 2010-2011 season and teams are unlikely to give up the assets Brian Burke is looking for for just a rental.
-Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun believes Dale Tallon is agressively shopping Nathan Horton, a talented power forward who might be of some interest to the Leafs
-Elliott Friedman of CBC reports that there are rumblings the Columbus Blue Jackets would be willing to part with their first round pick (fourth overall) in the upcoming draft. The Blue Jackets have been confirmed as one of the teams interested in Kaberle and Steve Simmons previously speculated that Brian Burke might push hard to deal Kaberle to the Jackets for that pick.
-Friedman also suggests Tallon and the Panthers may have interest in Kaberle, though any deal that would send Kaberle to Florida would surely have to have Dale Tallon 100% positive that Kaberle would resign there long-term. Kaberle’s former powerplay partner Bryan McCabe is currently the captain of the Florida Panthers.
My Analysis: More >
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