If we combine our rosters, we're that much closer!

NOTE: I am anticipating this lineup with infuriate both Prock and gretzky.


Taylor Hall-Ryan N.-Hopkins-Jordan Eberle
Joffrey Lupul-Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel
Colby Armstrong-Mikhail Grabovski-Ryan Jones
Joey Crabb -Shawn Horcoff-Ben Eager

Jake Gardiner-Dion Phaneuf
John-Michael Liles-Ladislav Smid
Luke Schenn-Nick Schultz

James Reimer
Devan Dubnyk

If we combine our rosters, we're that much closer!

NOTE: I am anticipating this lineup with infuriate both Prock and gretzky.


Taylor Hall-Ryan N.-Hopkins-Jordan Eberle
Joffrey Lupul-Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel
Colby Armstrong-Mikhail Grabovski-Ryan Jones
Joey Crabb -Shawn Horcoff-Ben Eager

Jake Gardiner-Dion Phaneuf
John-Michael Liles-Ladislav Smid
Luke Schenn-Nick Schultz

James Reimer
Devan Dubnyk
- Morris

That could be a cup contender. It's sad that Armstrong would still be good enough to make that club though lol. There has to be someone else from either roster who could replace him.

Bostons top 5 scorers last year in the playoffs (age):

1) 24
2) 25
3) 22
4) 30
5) 25

4 players 25 or under (prime). 1 vet.

Toronto's top 5 players age in 2014-2015 (earliest I could see a cup run)

1) 27
2) 31
3) 31
4) 29
5) 29

0 players 25 or under.

See the difference?

How many "runs" at the cup will players of that age give you?
- gretzky

You mention Boston's top scorers, but completely ignore Chara and Thomas, who each had arguably a much larger role in winning that cup than any of those scorers you mentioned. How about Recchi, who was one top the most clutch players of the playoffs?

Bostons top 5 scorers last year in the playoffs (age):

1) 24
2) 25
3) 22
4) 30
5) 25

4 players 25 or under (prime). 1 vet.

Toronto's top 5 players age in 2014-2015 (earliest I could see a cup run)

1) 27
2) 31
3) 31
4) 29
5) 29

0 players 25 or under.

See the difference?

How many "runs" at the cup will players of that age give you?
- gretzky

What is the point to this? You think the Leafs will have the same core in 2015?

And Boston didn't win a cup because of their forwards.

What is the point to this? You think the Leafs will have the same core in 2015?

And Boston didn't win a cup because of their forwards.
- RogerRoeper

at least not because of their forward scoring.

That could be a cup contender. It's sad that Armstrong would still be good enough to make that club though lol. There has to be someone else from either roster who could replace him.
- daeth

He wouldn't.

Well, let's see....

- 4 young, good NHL caliber D on the roster under the age of 25. 2 under the age of 22. The Habs have 1 under 25. 0 under 22.
- A 24 year old winger in the top 5 in goals in the league.
- 2 players with more than a point per game on the roster. Neither past the prime of their career. The Habs haven't had ANY, in years.
- An AHL team near the top of the league, with several prospects that could break into the NHL in the near future. At least 3 forwards and 2 D that stand a pretty strong shot in the near future. I don't think there is a single player on the basement Bulldogs roster that is likely to break onto an NHL roster in the near future. Man, they've already pushed a couple of guys from that roster to the NHL that have no business being in the NHL in the first place. It's funny.... The Leafs may get some players from their AHL roster next year.... If all goes well, the Bulldogs should get some players from the Habs roster. LOL.
- A Dman that finished in the top 5 in scoring in the OHL last year. Also a strong 2 way player. Top dman on the OHL winning team. played in 3 memorial cups, member of one Mem cup winning team.
- another Dman that was actually number one Dman on his Mem Cup participating team.
- another forward that finished in the top 20 in WHL scoring

Now, since you named one PLAYER, the above list has well over 10, closer to 15.

Now, I'm sure you're going to look at these, and say "You're kidding, right, who cares about a guy like Gardiner, he's no big deal". But you see, that's what came to mind when you mentioned Price. In his 4 full seasons as starter, he's cracked the top 10 in sv% ONCE, and was only 7th. Basically, if you're going to fit him in somewhere in some sort of a ranking, you're talking somewhere in the 15th range. And while that's respectable, it's nothing to write home about. So when you come on here, and say "yeah, but one thing the Leafs don't have is Carey Price", my reaction is "Who gives a shyt". In that sentence, if you were to replace Carey Price with, say, Henrik Lundvist, THEN I might actually say, you're right. But it's just an average starting goalie, that Habs fans have been hyping up and saying "he's gonna be the best, ONE DAY", for a few years now. He's almost 25 now. the Habs kept the wrong goalie. Halak is better, and they got crap for him. I don't care about Carey Price.

The reality is, the Habs roster is in shambles. It's full of overpaid not very good veterans. Their farm is in shambles. Their prospects are in shambles. The entire organization, from top to bottom, is junk right now. And I've been telling you this was coming for two years now. And the best you can come up with is "but one thing you don't have is Carey Price". Really????? Wow.
- prock

This is a pretty good post if you stick to the general principle of the issues.

A team needs to have a rebuild strategy. The Leafs and Canadiens have failed to embrace an approach where they commit themselves to building an elite team. So, the end end up with a few elite players (Price, Kessel) but not the critical mass of players that you hope to see from an elite contender. They also fail to stock the prospects that suggests dramatic improvement in the future.

When you see Leaf and Canadien fans fighting over which team is in greater shambles you know the race to the bottom has been fully engaged. Neither team has embraced a rebuild philosophy. They continue to try and delude their fans that they are serious contenders at the beginning of each season. There will be no change until they begin a season, hopefully next year, by lowering expectations, staying out of the UFA market and getting fan support to build an elite team through the draft and great development.

In the meantime Leaf and Canadien fans can fight about who is the taller midget. You can pretend it is important. But, down deep, we all understand the debate is merely a distraction away from the reality that both teams are really in very bad shape.

Ironically, it was Habs fans who called Price the next elite goalie of the future. Bahahahahaha.

How's Halak doing this year? Did you realize that halak has a better sv% every year of his career, short of last year, when he struggled with injury?
- prock

guess he's having another fluky year eh?

guess he's having another fluky year eh?
- Doppleganger

prock has to eats words on price now. Definitely the best goalie in the league/world.

prock has to eats words on price now. Definitely the best goalie in the league/world.
- sens rock

Prock will vanish till Ottawa is out of the playoffs.....then pop up saying he was right and everyone else was wrong......

leafs are 4 points from passing the Bruins, and taking over their playoff spot, and have 3 games in hand on the Bruins.

leafs are 4 points from passing the Bruins, and taking over their playoff spot, and have 3 games in hand on the Bruins.
- D0PPELGANGER

Now 5 points back with 6 games in hand

Montréal Canadiens .674
Ottawa Senators .600
toronto maple leafs .564

Boston Bruins .544
Florida Panthers .535
Tampa Bay Lightning .512
Buffalo Sabres .500
Detroit Red Wings .476

Montréal Canadiens .674
Ottawa Senators .600
toronto maple leafs .564

Boston Bruins .544
Florida Panthers .535
Tampa Bay Lightning .512
Buffalo Sabres .500
Detroit Red Wings .476
- D0PPELGANGER

Just as everyone predicted..all 3 Canadian teams at the top

Just as everyone predicted..all 3 Canadian teams at the top
- senstroll

Pay back USA!

leafs are 4 points from passing the Bruins, and taking over their playoff spot, and have 3 games in hand on the Bruins.
- D0PPELGANGER

?

So... how's that Shananplan working?



getting rid of Babbcock because little Mitch had his feelings hurt...... boo hoo, suck it up buttercup..... perhaps score a playoff goal or two before you complain about how the coach made you feel uncomfortable.



Got rid of Lou Lamerillo....... three years ago now? How many rounds of the playoffs have the Islanders won since Lou took over three years ago..... four and counting


Stuck with the unproven Dubass, who built a team heavily based on analytics, and acquiring career back up goaltenders... thinking they will become starters...... that's a good plan

Too bad they didn't aquire/draft a goaltender like Tuuka Rask, and develop him into a proven starter and playoff winner like the Bruins did





Clearly the leafs junior hockey GM has built a team for the regular season..... NOT the playoffs.




Well I guess it's progress that the leafs actually made the playoffs this season, when they failed to qualify for them last season.


Good work by Doug Ford getting those 550 front line medical workers and para medics into the game last night..... he must have known there was going to be a LOT OF CHOKING by the leafs.

sorry for being one day late, but Yesterday officially mark 20,000 days since the toronto maple leafs last made an appearance in the the Stanley Cup finals.

Why do leaf fans fall for the same old dog and pony show?

leaf gm brings in a back up goalie from another team.

leaf fans think "finally, we now have a "Starting Goaltender"

back up.... er, starting goalie plays well for a season or a bit longer

players find the "book" on former back up, now playing more regularly

goaltender shows why he was a back up on former team

leafs fail to make playoffs, or lose in first round

rinse lather repeat.