How on earth is that your takeaway from what was written?
- Feeling Glucky?

I'm struggling to follow here. Keep thinking I'm missing comments.

So if I'm reading the leaf fans who've commented above, they'd rather see the leafs falter a little bit, and secure higher odds in the Draft lottery..... over making a real run at making the playoffs????

If so, should there be some "mild tanking" called for by the Shannaplan?
- D0PPELGANGER

No. Just that the team is young and too many haven't played a full season of NHL hockey yet. In other words not good enough or ready to be a playoff team. Also not experienced enough. Anything can happen but the key has always been patience and growth. They'll finish the season a much better team than last year though and that's all I hoped and expected. Nothing has changed in terms of expectations. Who knows. Maybe they even out it together and make it. But it's a long shot.

I honestly haven't even given the draft much thought. Don't really care too much right now with how young and fun the team is.

So if I'm reading the leaf fans who've commented above, they'd rather see the leafs falter a little bit, and secure higher odds in the Draft lottery..... over making a real run at making the playoffs????

If so, should there be some "mild tanking" called for by the Shannaplan?
- D0PPELGANGER

I don't think you read correctly.

How on earth is that your takeaway from what was written?
- Feeling Glucky?

I have no clue how he reached that conclusion tbh. I didn't even mention the draft.

So if I'm reading the leaf fans who've commented above, they'd rather see the leafs falter a little bit, and secure higher odds in the Draft lottery..... over making a real run at making the playoffs????

If so, should there be some "mild tanking" called for by the Shannaplan?
- D0PPELGANGER

As out young stars so start to shine, our emphasis on the draft gets a little reduced. I've said it several times, but I'll say it again. the standings are not that important to us this year. it's a growth year. at this point, we as leaf fans can pretty much already call this season a big success. the kids have grown tremendously. they're almost all excelling and showing there is bright future here.

we've got tonnes of draft picks and lots of prospects still. we have a very good young team playing well...a high draft pick or a playoff spot is icing. either of them. but even if we finish tenth this season is a success already. there are so many pieces now in place for the Leafs now it's fantastic.

As out young stars so start to shine, our emphasis on the draft gets a little reduced. I've said it several times, but I'll say it again. the standings are not that important to us this year. it's a growth year. at this point, we as leaf fans can pretty much already call this season a big success. the kids have grown tremendously. they're almost all excelling and showing there is bright future here.

we've got tonnes of draft picks and lots of prospects still. we have a very good young team playing well...a high draft pick or a playoff spot is icing. either of them. but even if we finish tenth this season is a success already. there are so many
pieces now in place for the Leafs now it's fantastic.
- prock

While I 100% endorse this post. Spatso is probably in a fit of rage.

While I 100% endorse this post. Spatso is probably in a fit of rage.
- systemtool

elite young centre. probable Calder winner. matthews. check.
Elite young winger. potential Calder runner up. marner. check.
second line centre with very high potential. nylander. check.
top notch third line centre. kadri. check.
another great low cost 30 goal scoring winger. check.
very good young dman. Rielly. check.
another good dman for the second line. Gardiner. check.
another young dman with high potential. zaitsev. check.
some gritty depth. Martin and Komarov. check.
fairly young goalie settling in as an above average at worst goalie. check.

I'd like to see one more very good dman. Nielsen playing really well. piles of cap room. lots of possibilities to fill that hole.

Elite coach. check. top notch management and scouting. best in the league. check.

Lots of good prospects to work with? 20 year old kapanen in the AHL. Bracco. Leipsic. several others. probably a few more picks picked up this year if they trade bozak, hunwick, or polak.

bad contracts purged? check.

there is little doubt this team is primed to become one of the best in the league in short order. they may or may not make the playoffs this year. but I'm confident next year they are top 3 in the division. a near lock.

Matthews

Matthews
- Feeling Glucky?

very Sidney Crosby type goal. anticipates the bounce. picks off the puck with unreal hand eye coordination and chips it in from an impossible angle.

the kid is a star. not in the making. now. second in the league in goals. to only sid the kid himself.

I can almost feel the envy of spatso, doopledouche, and that retard sensarmy11 from here. it's oozing through the screen.

I can almost feel the envy of spatso, doopledouche, and that retard sensarmy11 from here. it's oozing through the screen.
- prock

I think I speak for everyone when I say the Leafs are the envy of every fan

I think I speak for everyone when I say the Leafs are the envy of every fan
- PhillySportsGuy

I think I speak for everyone when I say the Leafs are the envy of every fan
- PhillySportsGuy

There is actually a Leaf poster that has said this exact thing over the summer.

How can anyone even suggest the Sens are close to the Leafs in terms of future? They have no one like Matthews or Marner. And Karlsson may leave shortly.

Poor Sens fans. You'll never see a cup with Melnyk as owner.

elite young centre. probable Calder winner. matthews. check.
Elite young winger. potential Calder runner up. marner. check.
second line centre with very high potential. nylander. check.
top notch third line centre. kadri. check.
another great low cost 30 goal scoring winger. check.
very good young dman. Rielly. check.
another good dman for the second line. Gardiner. check.
another young dman with high potential. zaitsev. check.
some gritty depth. Martin and Komarov. check.
fairly young goalie settling in as an above average at worst goalie. check.

I'd like to see one more very good dman. Nielsen playing really well. piles of cap room. lots of possibilities to fill that hole.

Elite coach. check. top notch management and scouting. best in the league. check.

Lots of good prospects to work with? 20 year old kapanen in the AHL. Bracco. Leipsic. several others. probably a few more picks picked up this year if they trade bozak, hunwick, or polak.

bad contracts purged? check.

there is little doubt this team is primed to become one of the best in the league in short order. they may or may not make the playoffs this year. but I'm confident next year they are top 3 in the division. a near lock.
- prock

Leafs at most will be a major cup contender in 2 years.

How can anyone even suggest the Sens are close to the Leafs in terms of future? They have no one like Matthews or Marner. And Karlsson may leave shortly.

Poor Sens fans. You'll never see a cup with Melnyk as owner.
- RogerRoeper

even if Karlsson stays, he's not the cornerstone of a cup winner anyway.

They are literally nothing.

There is actually a Leaf poster that has said this exact thing over the summer.
- rmiethaner

oh don't you worry. Typical Buffalo fan attitude. Yes, you have a decent team too. You're not that far behind the Leafs. Eichel is good, Matthews isn't THAT much better, just one tier.

oh don't you worry. Typical Buffalo fan attitude. Yes, you have a decent team too. You're not that far behind the Leafs. Eichel is good, Matthews isn't THAT much better, just one tier.
- prock

Sucks that you guys have no good defensemen

Sucks that you guys have no good defensemen
- PhillySportsGuy

really not something that can be acquired via free agency or even trades these days

oh don't you worry. Typical Buffalo fan attitude. Yes, you have a decent team too. You're not that far behind the Leafs. Eichel is good, Matthews isn't THAT much better, just one tier.
- prock

I am not sure what the Buffalo fan attitude comment means, but yes, the Leafs are better than the Sabres and Matthews is better than Eichel.

As it should be. Sports are cyclical. And it is about time the Leafs turn around the forty years of dominance the Sabres have over the Leafs. I believe it would take forty wins by the Leafs over the Sabres to get to .500.

really not something that can be acquired via free agency or even trades these days
- Crimsoninja

They can have MJL's boy

really not something that can be acquired via free agency or even trades these days
- Crimsoninja

what the (frank) is wrong with you

really not something that can be acquired via free agency or even trades these days
- Crimsoninja

Gotta draft and develop. Takes a long time too. Leafs aren't even bad anymore, so getting that young Dman in the draft is going to be hard. Not well planned at all IMHHO

what the (frank) is wrong with you
- penguininnevada

DGTBG making an early appearance in '17 i see

DGTBG making an early appearance in '17 i see
- Crimsoninja

i am going to (frank) you up, literally make you require stitches