Toronto Maple Leafs TIDBITS & QUICK HITS!

Leafs have lost 15 of their last 17 games. Wow.

The Leafs are tied for 25th in the league right now, only 3 pts up on Montreal for 28th. Carolina AND the Isles are only one back of Toronto.

Chances are Toronto winds up in the draft lottery.

shabbs wrote:Leafs have lost 15 of their last 17 games. Wow.

Maybe it's not the coach they stopped playing for, but the GM. Or, worse, they don't care for the logo on their chests.

How many in the lineup are their own draft picks or NCAA free agents?

wprager wrote:
How many in the lineup are their own draft picks or NCAA free agents?

Good question. Bozak (NCAA), Schenn, Kulemin, Gunnarsson, and Reimer. Those are the guys I can pick out. Gunnarsson might be the best one out of that bunch, and that is depressing (for the Leafs).

Compare that to Ottawa, and it's a joke.

Burke has been doing a good job of re-stocking the Marlies though. They are playing very well this year and have a good squad.

There are similarities there to the Sens. Much like the Sens' Muckler era, the Leafs' JFJ era pillaged the Marlies and didn't back fill the troops. Burke seems to be restocking that one now and they do have something to show for that.

But their current NHL roster is too young with no clear leadership at the helm. That is a big issue. Compare to Florida's roster - a nice mix of youth and veterans with playoff experience. Leafs are going to need to follow suit or continue to free-fall.

shabbs wrote:Burke has been doing a good job of re-stocking the Marlies though. They are playing very well this year and have a good squad.

There are similarities there to the Sens. Much like the Sens' Muckler era, the Leafs' JFJ era pillaged the Marlies and didn't back fill the troops. Burke seems to be restocking that one now and they do have something to show for that.

But their current NHL roster is too young with no clear leadership at the helm. That is a big issue. Compare to Florida's roster - a nice mix of youth and veterans with playoff experience. Leafs are going to need to follow suit or continue to free-fall.

Burke never accepted that a team he was GM of sucked. It's his big stupid ego that's getting in the way of things in TOR. Seriously, you can imagine where this team should have went 4 years ago, after that big sell off. Stock pile picks and young players. Seguin, Hamilton, Knight, Kadri, Aulie/Carter. And that stable would have been even stronger still if they had finished the last 3 years where they should have (i.e., in the bottom 10).

Burke's mistake, from the very beginning, especially with that Kessel trade, was thinking that his team was better than it was. Then, when he made that move, he dug in and got entrenched in the 'I'm right, this team is good' mentality even more so. This last 4 years for TOR has been a result of him trying to justify that trade, because it could only be a good trade if his team was a competitor instead of rebuilding. So, to save face, he tried to make a mediocre team good enough for the playoffs. It failed. And that's why he's got the mess on his hands that he does.

To add to Poo's point, Toronto could have added up to an additional 4 first-round picks at the deadline this year...but Burke once again refused to acknowledge that his team isn't playoff-caliber. Imagine if Toronto had just 3 first rounders this year, trading MacArthur and Kulemin. Then they have an instant restocking of the cupboard, or pieces to move in trades for other good, young players.

tim1_2 wrote:To add to Poo's point, Toronto could have added up to an additional 4 first-round picks at the deadline this year...but Burke once again refused to acknowledge that his team isn't playoff-caliber. Imagine if Toronto had just 3 first rounders this year, trading MacArthur and Kulemin. Then they have an instant restocking of the cupboard, or pieces to move in trades for other good, young players.

Like I said before, Cliff "Methuselah" Fletcher did a decent job cleaning the slate FOR Jurke and then Jurke went and Cussed things up quite a bit. The Emperor has no clothes.

Yeah, they really lost out on pretty much every move Burke has made. Sequin and Hamilton in the mix would have been a nice to have for them... heh heh.

shabbs wrote:Yeah, they really lost out an pretty much every move Burke has made. Sequin and Hamilton in the mix would have been a nice to have for them... heh heh.

This all so delicious. I may hit 270 lbs. if this keeps up!

It's so delicious, it's mind boggling... epic collapse.

shabbs wrote:Yeah, they really lost out on pretty much every move Burke has made. Sequin and Hamilton in the mix would have been a nice to have for them... heh heh.

Seguin*

The Gardiner/Lupul trade was money. I can't stand BB, but that was a great trade (though I hear Lupul has some injury history ). Gardiner looks like he's going to be great and Lupul really helped get the Leafs going (at least at the beginning of the year). Just sayin'.

spader wrote:

shabbs wrote:Yeah, they really lost out on pretty much every move Burke has made. Sequin and Hamilton in the mix would have been a nice to have for them... heh heh.

Seguin*

The Gardiner/Lupul trade was money. I can't stand BB, but that was a great trade (though I hear Lupul has some injury history ). Gardiner looks like he's going to be great and Lupul really helped get the Leafs going (at least at the beginning of the year). Just sayin'.

Yeah, agreed on Lupul/Gardiner.

Sequin!!! Heh heh.

Had a funny chat with my neighbour the Toronto Sun sports editor... he's been having quite the colourful exchange with Brian Burke regarding the Sun ripping him and the Leafs. Seems he's complaining to anyone and everyone.

My neighbour's reaction to Burke was this: Diddle you buddy.

Welcome to Toronto.

shabbs wrote:Had a funny chat with my neighbour the Toronto Sun sports editor... he's been having quite the colourful exchange with Brian Burke regarding the Sun ripping him and the Leafs. Seems he's complaining to anyone and everyone.

My neighbour's reaction to Burke was this: Diddle you buddy.

Welcome to Toronto.

What is it that the SSF always says? Delicious.

Delicious indeed.

The Almighty Blue Team is 10 pts out with 12 to play. They are a mere ONE POINT up on Carolina, the Isles, and the Habs for LAST PLACE in the east.


This has been your.....BLUE TEAM ELIMINATION WATCH!

Leafs are now 1 point from the bottom of the East.