2014 / 2015 Official NHL Thread

[lgna69xxx]

Leafs take red wings top European Scout from them

The Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped their toes back into the Detroit Red Wings staff pool.

Ari Vuori has been hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs as Director of European Scouting. Vuori had spent the last eight seasons as a European Scout for the Detroit Red Wings organization.

From the Maple Leafs release on MapleLeafs.nhl.com:

“Vuori brings nearly two decades of European scouting experience to the Maple Leafs hockey operations department having served as a European scout with the Detroit Red Wings for eight seasons (2007-08 through 2014-15) and with the Los Angeles Kings for 11 seasons (1996-97 through 2006-07). He also held a hockey operations role with TPS of the Finnish Elite League for eight seasons.” (Maple Leafs)


Brendan Shanahan continues to take his time filling out the positions left vacant from his spring massacre and the Vuori hiring is another good one.

The Red Wings have a history of finding European talent and while the most prolific European players may have been before Vuori’s time with the Wings, he does have a hand in players like Gustav Nyquist, Teemu Pulkkinen and Tomas Tatar.

In his time with the LA Kings, Vuori saw Anze Kopitar, Lubomir Visnovsky and Alexander Frolov drafted on his watch.

Shanahan has just given Mark Hunter his European talent finder – and he comes with a pretty good resume.

There are still several scouting vacancies that need to be filled – and that whole GM position thing – but it seems like the Leafs current group are in no hurry to hire anyone. Patience has been preached and that’s exactly what we’re getting in all facets of the organization.

This Toronto Maple Leafs front office is determined to get it right with a long-term vision and Ari Vuori is another piece of the puzzle.

http://editorinleaf.com/2015/07/20/toronto-maple-leafs-hire-ari-vuori/

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped their toes back into the Detroit Red Wings staff pool.

Ari Vuori has been hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs as Director of European Scouting. Vuori had spent the last eight seasons as a European Scout for the Detroit Red Wings organization.

From the Maple Leafs release on MapleLeafs.nhl.com:

“Vuori brings nearly two decades of European scouting experience to the Maple Leafs hockey operations department having served as a European scout with the Detroit Red Wings for eight seasons (2007-08 through 2014-15) and with the Los Angeles Kings for 11 seasons (1996-97 through 2006-07). He also held a hockey operations role with TPS of the Finnish Elite League for eight seasons.” (Maple Leafs)


Brendan Shanahan continues to take his time filling out the positions left vacant from his spring massacre and the Vuori hiring is another good one.

The Red Wings have a history of finding European talent and while the most prolific European players may have been before Vuori’s time with the Wings, he does have a hand in players like Gustav Nyquist, Teemu Pulkkinen and Tomas Tatar.

This Toronto Maple Leafs front office is determined to get it right with a long-term vision and Ari Vuori is another piece of the puzzle.

Holy cow! This is the same guy whom Babcock referred to 2 years ago at a draft (to insiders) as the european scout who had been saving the Red Wings organization for years! What a tremendous coup by the Leafs! Wow!

They also named Steve Briere as their new goalie coach. From what i've heard, he has a very good reputation around the world of hockey.

As for the GM job, i was told they were ready to give it to Julien Brisebois of Tampa, but i learned he raised his price once the playoffs were over. Let's face it, the Leafs may not need a GM. The assistant GMs and Shanny have been doing a very good job as is!

 

[lgna69xxx]

Is that the guy? Then JOB WELL DONE Shanny!

Holy cow! This is the same guy whom Babcock referre to 2 years ago at a draft (to insiders) as the european scout who had been saving the Red Wings organization for years! What a tremendous coup by the Leafs! Wow!

They also named Steve Briere as their new goalie coach. From what i've heard, he has a very good reputation around the world of hockey.

As for the GM job, i was told they were ready to give it to Julien Brisebois of Tampa, but i learned he raised his price once the playoffs were over. Let's face it, the Leafs may not need a GM. The assistant GMs and Shanny have been doing a very good job as is!

 

[joelcairo]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped their toes back into the Detroit Red Wings staff pool.

If you're going to steal, might as well steal from the best. Everyone realizes the brilliance of the Wings, which is why teams throughout the league are ALWAYS trying to recruit ANYONE who has been touched by typical Red Wing excellence.

Even the LEAFS have FINALLY started to realize this...typically, after everyone else already did.

 

[joelcairo]

The Red Wings have a history of finding European talent and while the most prolific European players may have been before Vuori’s time with the Wings, he does have a hand in players like Gustav Nyquist, Teemu Pulkkinen and Tomas Tatar.

No kidding - is there anyone on the planet who didn't know this long ago?

The Wings have always been absolute wizards at drafting (ergo, 24 consecutive seasons in the playoffs, including 4 Cups in that span), unlike the Leafs (who have been as pathetic at drafting as at everything else - ergo, 48 years of complete failure).

 

[lgna69xxx]

......

 

[Doc Holliday]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Iggy, add another $50 to the amount you already owe me. No need to mention why.

p.s. As the old saying goes...hook,line and sinker.

 

[joelcairo]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Iggy, add another $50 to the amount you already owe me. No need to mention why.

p.s. As the old saying goes...hook,line and sinker.

Congratulations on justifying the C+ grade you received on this year's report card:thumb:

P.S.: Thanks for confirming that your disciple also justified his F.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Congratulations on justifying the C+ grade you received on this year's report card:thumb:

Gee, if it bothers you that much buddy, i can go back, do some more research and possibly revise my the grades i gave.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Blah, some people find fault with everything, miserable people are like that and you can not change others SO just enjoy the laughs they give us,

see -------> :lol:

On another great note, The dEtroit News should seriously think about hiring real hockey reporters because Ted Kul-FAN seems not only a non hockey FAN but also a worse NHL writer as well. Since when does Sam Bennett play for the Sabres? He also seems to think Serge Savard is running the show in Montreal lol, does ole Serge even know what day it is when he wakes up? Doc, here is your opportunity to show detroit what a real sports writer is all about, but sadly you might have to move to baghdad west aka detroit michigan to take the job.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...21/forecheck-looking-ahead-nhl-east/30488705/

Gee, if it bothers you that much buddy, i can go back, do some more research and possibly revise the grades i gave.

 

[joelcairo]

Gee, if it bothers you that much buddy, i can go back, do some more research and possibly revise my the grades i gave.

Is reading comprehension really that difficult for you, Holliday? I gave YOU a C+ and congratulated YOU on proving that you well deserved the grade by scoring yet ANOTHER 50 clams from your F-grade disciple.

It sure as HELL doesn't "bother" me at all that you two continue to prove that the grades I assigned you were spot on. In fact, I quite enjoy the little comedy act you two have been performing on MERB ever since your disciple joined the board. Sure, it's obviously very simpleminded and juvenile but it's always fun throwing darts and watching your balloons pop.

 

[joelcairo]

Congratulations to today's big winners: Ray Shero and the New Jersey Devils :

Not only were they able to get rid of Lou Lamoriello in a "politically correct" way, but they even scored a 3rd round draft pick from the (chuckle) Leafs as compensation!

Don't get me wrong: for many years Lou was probably the second-best GM in the league, behind only Kenny Holland.

Sadly, Lou hasn't been as effective the past few years - not surprising, since he'll turn 73 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) in October.

For obvious reasons, the Devils REMOVED Lou as GM a couple of months ago and replaced him with Ray Shero.

But they couldn't toss poor old Lou out on the street after his impressive run of 28 years and 3 Cups with the Devils. It would have been a public relations disaster, so they did what many businesses do with loyal, but aging and deteriorating employees: they let him stick around and call himself President, although it was obvious he wasn't holding the reins anymore (which is why he agreed to get back in the driver's seat - ha ha - by coming to TO).

The Devils will NOT be replacing the "President"...because the position existed merely to let Lou keep a little of his pride...but it was largely an unnecessary lame-duck position. Ray Shero can now run things
his way without interference (well-intentioned though it might be) from Lou. The Devils save some money, save some likely internal confrontations of old versus new, don't look like bad guys for throwing Lou out, and score a BONUS draft pick!

Meanwhile, even though his best years are long past him, it's clear that Lou will STILL be better than the recent string of FAILED Leaf GMs (Nonis - ha ha; Burke - chuckle; Ferguson - snicker), so give them SOME credit for not pulling off a totally boneheaded move.

The problem for the Leafs (well, okay - one of the MANY problems for the Leafs) is, to use an old cliché (and please forgive me for the political incorrectness, but this cliché is so accurate that it MUST be stated): "Too many chiefs and not enough Indians". With mammoth egos like Lou, Babs, and Shanny (not to mention Dubas and Hunter) it is a certainty that there will be clashes and dissension in Leafland (in other words, same old same old).

And, as many, many people have already noted: the Leafs now have a huge management group (note: "group"..NOT "team"). Now all they need are: a good goalie, some decent d-men, competent forwards, someone who can actually score the occasional goal, and an infusion of guts.

P.S.: How old is Lou? He's SO old that he can remember the last time the Leafs won a Cup...or even made it to the Finals! (Lou will turn 73 in 3 months; he was 24 when the Leafs last made it to the Finals! Babcock probably CAN'T remember...because he was THREE years old at the time.)

 

[Doc Holliday]

Is reading comprehension really that difficult for you, Holliday?

It's DOC Holliday, Mister!

 

[smuler]

Congrats to the Leafs for getting Lou to be their GM

I wish him much luck in Toronto

He was the most important person to ever work for the Devils

Best Regards

Smuler

 

[lgna69xxx]

Agreed about LouLam, many Devils fans are sad to see the end of an era in NJ. Lou is obviously being brought in to mentor young Kyle Dubas who will be the Leafs GM of the future.

The Leafs are doing a tremendous job of putting together one of the best front offices in the game. SUPERB Hockey minds like Lou Lam and Babcock on the same team! Add in Whiz Kid Dubas, the extremely talented Mark Hunter and dont forget the mastermind behind all this, Shanahan himself. Others they have added are well respected in the hockey community as well. Yes there will be "pain" but they are finally going about the rebuild the correct way and what the fans have been wanting for years now. We were almost there until new managements ego got in the way and screwed up what Brian Burke started but in the long run i fully agree with this slow rebuild and it will be nice to see a contending team again year after year in another 3-4 seasons.

What about the Rangers? They took a step back this summer so far but there is still time to improve before October.

Congrats to the Leafs for getting Lou to be their GM

I wish him much luck in Toronto

He was the most important person to ever work for the Devils

Best Regards

Smuler

 

[joelcairo]

Yes there will be "pain" but they are finally going about the rebuild the correct way and what the fans have been wanting for years now. We were almost there until new managements ego got in the way and screwed up what Brian Burke started but in the long run i fully agree with this slow rebuild and it will be nice to see a contending team again year after year in another 3-4 seasons.

1. There's been "pain" for 48 years...so what else is new?

2. "Finally" is right...but as for "what the fans have been wanting for years now" I guess YOU weren't a "fan" since YOU praised every single move the Leafs made during all their years of total failure and NEVER talked about "wanting" "a rebuild" until the complete disaster of this past season FORCED Leaf management to come out and admit that the team was so bad they had to completely blow it up and start from scratch.

3. "Screwed up what Brian Burke started" HUH ???????? The "SUPERB hockey minds" that you're now so thrilled with (including Babcock, who you and your idol referred to as "The Cock" or "The Big Cock" UNTIL he came to Toronto, and who you then IMMEDIATELY and for the first time ever THEN referred to as "the best coach in the world") are desperately trying to UNDO everything Burke started! So make up your mind: either Babcock was and still is "The Big Cock" or he was and still is "the best coach in the world" - but you can't have it both ways. (You could, however, try looking up the word "hypocrite" in the dictionary.) Similarly, either Burke was the greatest thing since canned soup and the "SUPERB hockey minds" are CRAZY to be undoing what he did...or the "SUPERB hockey minds" are correct, which means "what Burke started" was pretty freakin' bad. Again, make up your mind...but you can't have it both ways.

Since the "SUPERB hockey minds" are from excellent organizations like the Wings and the Devils, my choice is that they're 100% correct to tear down everything Burke did! The evidence is clear from all the years of humiliating failure that the Leafs have shown as the laughingstock of professional sports.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Just an advanced notice, henceforth the Glorious Edmonton Oilers will be shortened to GEO to save me typing time, once the season begins and they start their run for a playoff spot I will be posting more about the GEO.

 

[joelcairo]

Just an advanced notice, henceforth the Glorious Edmonton Oilers will be shortened to GEO to save me typing time, once the season begins and they start their run for a playoff spot I will be posting more about the GEO.

The Oilers have a great future.

 

[smuler]

I wish the Oilers the best of luck, as long as it ain't against my Rangers

Seriously Sol

If they fuck it up this time, it'll be Brutal

Good luck

Best regards

Smuler

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

I wish the Oilers the best of luck, as long as it ain't against my Rangers

Seriously Sol

If they fuck it up this time, it'll be Brutal

Good luck

Best regards

Smuler

If the Oilers fuck it up this time the new arena will be empty. From what I see with the organization now I can not picture complete failure, a couple of hick ups but not the shit we have seen the past 10 years. Replacing Lowe and McT was a step in the right direction. Now with some defence and goaltending I can hope for a playoff spot ( High hopes but ya gotta dream ).