TrueBlueGED

Last season, without Matthews, Marner, Nylander, or Zaitsev, with Leo Komarov as the team's All-Star representative, with JVR missing half the season and Bozak missing nearly 30 games, with the leading scorer having scored 45 points, and....I mean, I could go on, but I won't...the Toronto Maple Leafs had a score-adjusted CF% of 50.23, good for 15th in the league. Don't sit there and tell me that team could play possession hockey, but the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres, injuries and blue line included, had absolutely no choice but to play possessionless (4th worst in the league SA-CF% of 46.9) garbage hockey. Get the hell out.

I fully believe Sutter would bring winning hockey with him. I also fully believe I'd hate most moments of it--I despised watching the Kings in their prime. I respected how good they were, and I'm sure if it was my team I'd learn to stomach it for wins, but maaaaaaaan I want to be greedy and have a team that is both good and fun.

One of the prominent WAR models out there had him as the #5 most valuable forward this season, in what many claimed all year was a "down" year for him.

You seriously come back at Flagg's post with this weak sauce? It's like you just see 40 goals and ignore all else, or minimize it to the point of insignificance, including far more nuanced advanced statistics and contextual information. Eichel dominates play to a degree which Matthews does not, and given his style, likely never will. You never see Matthews cruising around with the puck, dictating the pace of play for every single player on the ice. It's just not what he does. Matthews will regularly finish with more goals than Eichel, but he'll also regularly finish with fewer assists, and will have a lesser total impact while on the ice. The numbers bear this out. They're very different players, in very different situations, to the point where a simple goal comparison is a pretty poor choice to base conclusions on. If you'd rather have the goals, fine, take the goals. But your attempt to make this so cut and dry, while seemingly ignoring Flagg's entire post, is well below what you're capable of.

I mostly agree with this. That said, I'm comfortable saying the acceleration of the rebuild has failed.

Housley and Keefe are probably at the top of my list.

I want to aim higher than Ralph Krueger.

I have a lot of respect for Baker's prospect analysis, and I don't even think he's totally out to lunch here...but I tend to think he's gotten too close to the organization to be objective on team matters.

Patriots have signed Gillislee to a 2 year, $6.8 million offer sheet. $4 million in 2017. Whaley gave him an original round (5th) tender of $1.7M. Could've been a 2nd round tender at $2.7M. Does Belichick offer a contract if it'll cost him a 2nd? I don't believe he does...and if he does, I'd gladly let Gillislee walk for the 2nd. Win win. But now? We either have to pay the 4 or create yet another hole to fill, for a 5th round pick. Both options suck. The Hogan thing didn't bother me last year because he's the walking definition of JAG. But I really like Gillislee. Checkmark against Whaley here.

The Picasso's large pizza is basically a sheet, and it's delicious.

I always chuckle when people (see: the hockey media) slobber over the season Burns had. Meanwhile Karlsson does it every single year.

I thought the Clarkson trade happened during Shanahan's first year as pres? I know the rest of the crew wasn't there yet but I thought he was. If not, I retract that point. You honestly think Lupul is ever playing again? The AHLers eating cap space, remains to me, a positive. Two reasons. 1) the Leafs don't need the cap this year, and the deals are off the books after it. They used their ELC grace period effectively to help facilitate other moves. 2) they were smart enough not to get caught in the "well they're making $4 million, so we have to have them here" trap. They recognized the cap hits are a sunk cost, so there's no reason to get hit on the cap and also on the ice with poor play.

<---picked Nashville to make the Cup. (may have also picked Washington to win it...)

:worthy: :worthy: :worthy: You're fired.

For me, the best sports is about more than loving your team--it's also about hating the opposition.

Everyone should go to the WGR on demand and listen to the first ~12 minutes of Howard and Jeremy this morning. Jeremy's rant perfectly captures the angst many of us feel about the Leafs. A+ sports rant.

There's a reason I used the Pats: some things, seemingly, DO last forever.

Hawks coughing up a two goal lead and (arguably) being on the wrong end of a call? WildCard really is getting the full Buffalo experience cheering for them :lol:

-They were able to dump Phaneuf and Clarkson without retaining any salary. -All of their bad contracts come off the books after this season (save for Horton and Lupul, who are perma-LTIR'd) while they had plenty of space to absorb them thanks to ELCs. Our bad contracts extend beyond the young ELCs. -Kadri is signed long term well under market value for what he brings at $4.5M. -Gardiner, similarly, is well under market price at $4M. -They haven't expended any big trade chips to bring in talent. -They were willing (or smart enough) to bury underperforming vets like Michalek, Greening, and Laich in the minors in favor of the kids. Basically they have value in several spots and have shrewdly taken advantage of opportunities to get out of bad situations (Phaneuf and Clarkson). Some of that was luck (such as Kadri scoring 30 the year after he signs long term), but not all of it.

IIRC Brodin is capable of playing his offhand side, but I wouldn't swear to it. I know you're not big on him, but I'd try to explore the Trouba front to see if anything is still cooking there. On Minnesota, I think we can assume the Wild would prefer to keep Suter, Spurgeon, and Dumba--either Brodin or Scandella could be had. In the framework that gives us an "extra" lefty, but it's nice insurance against Antipin busting or Guhle needing significant Rochester time...but doing so still leaves a gaping hole on the right side we don't have the assets to fill. In any event, assuming they finish getting swept out of the playoffs, I'd think Minnesota would be looking to shake things up a bit; plus, Murray makes a trade with Fletcher seemingly yearly, so there's a rapport there. I still think Tanev is a viable target, but man, he's hurt as much as freaking Bogosian. I also still think Vatanen is the most likely Ducks Dman to get traded, but he doesn't really do much to help ease Risto's defensive load, which is something that's desperately needed. Are the Preds an underrated possibility? I don't think they have a particularly compelling reason to move Ekholm or Ellis, but if they end up losing to the Hawks, maybe they opt for some scoring punch up front? Every time I look at this, I remember why I go long periods of time without looking at it--it's bleak. If freaking Bogosian OR Kulikov would have worked, this would all be so much easier. We need some luck for once.

This is correct.

These yellow Preds jerseys combined with the yellow helmets, remain an abomination.

Yea, but the Cubs are likable. No team with Kadri has a particularly high likability factor.

They check all the boxes. A management group and coach seemingly a half step ahead on cap and asset management, a star-laden foundation, and tremendous luck. Seriously, since Shanahan took over and assembled that group, have they whiffed on anything? It's one hit after another.

If you truly have the power to destroy teams just by being a fan, there is only one answer: you must cheer for the Leafs. I'm sorry, but the rest of us will remember your sacrifice.