NHL off season thread (trades, signings, etc…)

[gohabsgo]

You don't need to point out how bad the Leafs draft picks & transactions have been over the years.

You brought it up didn't you In fact here are some wasted Leaf draft picks from the 1990's:

Maple Leafs 1998 First Round Draft Pick
Nik Antropov, 10th overall.
Never lived up to expectations in Toronto for such a high pick but has 23 points in 24 games with Atlanta!
Leafs could have drafted Alex Tanguay (12th overall) or Simon Gagne instead. All i can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Maple Leafs 1997 First Round Draft Pick
No pick: Traded to NY Islanders who take Roberto Luongo 4th overall! Again, unbelievable!!

Maple Leafs 1996 First Round Draft Pick
No pick: Traded away. All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Maple Leafs 1995 First Round Draft Pick
Jeff Ware, 15th overall.
Complete bust - 13 games played, 0 points. Leafs could have had Petr Sykora (18th overall) Again, unbelievable!!

Maple Leafs 1994 First Round Draft Pick
Eric Fichaud, 16th overall.
Never played for Leafs and never lived up to the lofty expectations, bouncing between the minor leagues and the NHL (played a total of 95 games in the NHL). All i can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Maple Leafs 1993 First Round Draft Pick
Landon Wilson (19th overall)
Never played a game for Toronto – Leafs could have had Saku Koivu (21st overall). Again, unbelievable!!

Maple Leafs 1992 First Round Draft Pick
Brandon Convery, 8th overall.
Complete bust - 50 games played, 7 goals, 17 points. Leafs could have drafted Sergei Gonchar (14th overall). All i can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Maple Leafs 1991 First Round Draft Pick
No pick: Traded to New Jersey for Tom Kurvers. NJD use pick to to select Scott Niedermayer Again, unbelievable!!

Maple Leafs 1990 First Round Draft Pick
Drake Berehowsky, 10th overall.
Toronto could have had Keith Tkachuk (19th overall), Martin Brodeur or Bryan Smolinski. All i can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

 

[G1GBallday]

BTW is there still any active NHL players who were even born the last time the Leafs won the cup?

I believe Mark Recchi is the oldest active players but he was born February 1, 1968. Anyone older than him?

 

[Techman]

BTW is there still any active NHL players who were even born the last time the Leafs won the cup?

I believe Mark Recchi is the oldest active players but he was born February 1, 1968. Anyone older than him?

Chris Chelios, born January 25, 1962, up until last year. But you never know...he's still playing somewhere in the AHL I think, and maybe the habs will call him before the year is out.

 

[gohabsgo]

more Leaf wasted draft picks

The 1980’s have not been kind to the Leafs in terms of first round draft picks:

1989 - Steve Bancroft (21st overall) –
A complete bust, a career AHL’er, played a grand total of 6 NHL games, Leafs could have had Adam Foote with the next pick (22nd overall).

1988 - Scott Pearson (6th overall) –
Had a grand total of 5 goals in a Leafs uniform, another bust. Toronto could have drafted Jeremy Roenick (8th overall), Rod Brind’Amour or Teemu Salanne.

1987 - Luke Richardson (7th overall) –
Never lived up to expectations – Leafs could have had Joe Sakic (15th overall).

1982 - Gary Nylund (3rd overall) –
Another Toronto selection that never lived up to expectations. Leafs could have drafted Scott Stevens instead (5th overall), Phil Housley or Dave Andreychuk

1981 - Jim Benning (6th overall) –
Yet another high Leaf draft pick that never lived up to expectations. Toronto could have had Grant Fuhr (8th overall) or James Patrick (9th overall) or Al MacInnis

 

[gohabsgo]

You're not the only one. I was checking out the sports section at a bookstore and saw two books on the theme of "why the leafs suck". One was by Al Strachan, the other I can't remember.

There were also books on Montreal (many!), Boston, Detroit (of course!) and the Rangers - probably a few other teams also. Curiously, all these books were either objective historical accounts or books of praise (for example: The 100 Greatest Canadiens, The 100 Greatest Rangers). It was ONLY the Leafs who had negative books about them - and they had two!

note the price!

 

[Doc Holliday]

note the price!

It's a bargain!!

It's actually one of the best books i've read this year, of not THE best.

 

[G1GBallday]

It's a bargain!!

It's actually one of the best books i've read this year, of not THE best.

Shill alert!

 

[joelcairo]

It's a bargain!!

It's actually one of the best books i've read this year, of not THE best.

Maybe a new chapter should be written after this season. It can focus on Phil Kessel's triumphant return to Boston, as he saw his Leafs score a grand total of two goals on the Bruins while holding them to only seven.

 

[Octavian]

Doc and his sidekick Ig after tonight's game.

http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/DumbandDumber001.jpg

 

[joelcairo]

Doc and his sidekick Ig after tonight's game.

http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/DumbandDumber001.jpg

I guess they're smiling because the Leafs have already won 8 games this season, while losing only 20.

Or, maybe they're happy because "merging superstar" Phil Kessel was only minus 3 on the game - it could have been worse.

Or, possibly they're celebrating because of the terrific Leaf comeback in the last few minutes - turning a 7-0 humiliation into a mere 7-2 Leaf loss that Hogtown can build on. Look at all the positives!.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Leafs sucked!

 

[joelcairo]

Leafs sucked!

Doctor, in your quoted post, I admire not only your excellent analysis but also your honesty. Very accurate reporting on your part - nicely done.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Doctor, in your quoted post, I admire not only your excellent analysis but also your honesty. Very accurate reporting on your part - nicely done.

I watched the game with a group of merbites.....many Boston fans, me & the other well-known Leaf fan included. Need i mention the needling we took?

 

[Octavian]

A true dynasty,in case you guys missed it.

http://watch.tsn.ca/featured/#clip242962

 

[Doc Holliday]

While in Mtl recently, i purchased the boxed set dedicated to the Habs 100th anniversary. I haven't looked at it yet, but being the true hockey fan that i am (and avid historian), it should be great to watch.

I told the limousine driver this morning that one thing about the Habs, they sure know how to throw a great party. The Leafs included, there isn't a single team out there who has the ability to preserve its history & regularly celebrate its past great players, making them as well-known to today's young fans as if they'd be today's players (or almost). Every single Habs fan knows who Jean Beliveau is, whom Boom-Boom Geofrion was, Yvan Cournoyer, etc. Past players are often seen at team events & often act as the team's ambassadors at various charity functions. Other than the Leafs, not many teams regularly do this kind of stuff.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Leafs 4 points behind the scabs with a game in hand, leafs beat the best team in the conference last night while scabs lose to atlanta..... fans finally starting to see what Burke and Company have/had planned for all along, meanwhile making gainey's "plan" (if you can even call it that, lol) look bush league, the question is, is it finally bandwagon time for GSG? is he AWOL? ......

 

[Techman]

Leafs 4 points behind the scabs with a game in hand, leafs beat the best team in the conference last night while scabs lose to atlanta..... fans finally starting to see what Burke and Company have/had planned for all along, meanwhile making gainey's "plan" (if you can even call it that, lol) look bush league, the question is, is it finally bandwagon time for GSG? is he AWOL? ......

They may have beaten the best team in the conference but they're still in 14th place in the conference and 29th place out of 30 teams in the league. And don't forget that 8 of the 13 teams above them in the eastern conference have games in hand on the Leafs. Whatever way you look at it, the Leafs aren't exactly in a great position to make it to the playoffs.

At least there's a bright side...any team they do beat is definitely going to be ahead of them in the standings so they really have no way to go other than up.

 

[lgna69xxx]

small steps is what it takes , after the horrible start, thats the only thing they can do, and overall, it is now being done consistently, still 50 games to go. and with one or 2 good weeks, they can easily be in 10th or ninth, even 8th ahead of the habs is even possible , could even happen this week, not out of the question

They may have beaten the best team in the conference but they're still in 14th place in the conference and 29th place out of 30 teams in the league..

 

[lgna69xxx]

Lol. now Tech, thats obviously your Habs Heart talking and not your Brain..... they are 4 points out of a playoff spot with 50 games to go, lol...... hardly not a bad position at all to be in to make the playoffs, especially after the horrible start and especially the way they have been playing the last 4-5 weeks...... there are only a few teams currently sitting 1-8 in the standings that wont have to worry much about making the playoffs at this stage of the season, the confernce is very well balanced this year and at this point, even your habs could make a run at the playoffs or not make them... it's only mid december

. Whatever way you look at it, the Leafs aren't exactly in a great position to make it to the playoffs.

.

 

[Techman]

The balance in the conference, like the parity in the league that the NHL likes to promote, is artificial. It only exists due to the point given to teams who lose games in overtime. If you give a point for losing, then you should give three points for winning in regulation. And I'm not just targeting the Leafs when I mention this, I think it makes the entire sport look amateurish.

But in the playoffs, this false balance or parity ends up being exposed for the farce it is when the teams that are really good destroy teams who shouldn't have made the post season to begin with. Not that the Leafs will have to worry about that.