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The Official LEAFS NATION Hockey thread

Doc Holliday

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JVR can't wait to play for Mike Babcock

The worst plus/minus rating registered by a single player during Mike Babcock’s 10-year reign in Detroit belongs to a past-his-prime Todd Bertuzzi, who floundered with a minus-17 in 2013-14 and never returned to the National Hockey League.

Last season in Toronto, James van Riemsdyk — an in-his-prime, 30-goal guy — was a minus-33, his personal worst by a country mile.

As we know, the process may be painful, but things will change now that Babcock is running the Maple Leafs bench.

“His resume speaks for itself. You see the Olympic gold medals and Stanley Cup and the success they’ve had in Detroit with him at the helm there,” van Riemsdyk told Dean Blundell & Co. on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Wednesday.

"We haven't had the years we've wanted to the last couple here, and this is hopefully a step in the right direction for us to be competing year in and year out to win a championship."

Top-line winger van Riemsdyk, 26, saw his goals (27) and assists (29) totals dip from 2013-14's career-best 61-point season, and he is training daily in Minnesota, where he keeps a summer home.

Texts flew among the Leafs players upon news of last week's hiring, and Babcock called van Riemsdyk to introduce himself.

"He's excited, as we all are too, to start building toward something," van Riemsdyk said. "When the year ends like it ended for us last year, you're mad, you're upset, you want to basically get right back at it.

"When things don't go your way, you're itching to get back in there."

The Maple Leafs, of course, plummeted out of the playoff picture mid-season and finished 27th overall. Two head coaches, one general manager and stacks of scouts have been fired, and the players were put on notice that more changes could come.

Van Riemsdyk said the disastrous season forced him to evaluate his game and refocus.

"We'll have to look in the mirror this summer and come back in September," he said, "and hopefully be better for it."

JVR itching to play for Babcock
 
N

november

I think the Leafs will be busy on draft day ,trying to make trades. They will also be active July 1st, signing new players. Changes are coming.
 

Doc Holliday

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I think the Leafs will be busy on draft day ,trying to make trades. They will also be active July 1st, signing new players. Changes are coming.

I do believe they'll be very active from the end of the season until draft day, but i'll be surprised if there's much movement on their part come July 1st via the free agent route. They're in rebuild mode and i can't see them signing any high-priced free agents. Teams always overpay for players on that day and they always wind up regretting the signings.
 

Doc Holliday

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The Leafs told some members of the media yesterday that they will not hire a GM prior to next Friday's NHL entry draft. I'm not surprised. However, my sources have told me that they already know who they'll want to hire as their next GM: very highly regarded Tampa assistant-GM Julien Brisebois, who got his management feet wet in the habs organization a few years ago prior to being hired by Steve Yzerman.

Since the Bolts are still in the playoffs, the Leafs cannot hire him until their season is officially over.

It also wouldn't totally surprise me if the Leafs announced either on Friday or the following day that they hired Brisebois. If so, expect him to be sitting at the Leafs table at the draft, next to the likes of Mike Babcock, Brendan Shanahan, Kyle Dubas & Mark Hunter.
 

Doc Holliday

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According to a very reliable source, Phil Kessel's no-trade list includes 8 teams: Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, NY Rangers, Montreal, Minnesota and Philadelphia.

Several of those teams are capped out or close to it, meaning that he likely wants to remain in Toronto. He's never been shy to admit that he loves living in Toronto. If you have money, Toronto is a great place to live. It's the 5th biggest city in North America and is an extremely safe city as compared to other cities its size.

Fans and media in Mtl are split on whether or not Kessel should play for the habs. Most are in favor of adding him to the team because he'd add much-needed scoring punch, but half of them don't want any good players or prospects to be traded to Toronto. Desharnais and Parenteau as part of a package simply won't do it. Plus, Montreal will likely have to overpay in order for Toronto to agree to send them their best player. And i'm 100% certain that other teams will offer Toronto a better package than Montreal is willing to offer.
 

lgna69xxx

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I would be very surprised if Kessel would be traded to Mtl. Their prospect pool is nothing to write home about and their #1 pick not gonna get Kessel alone. Is Price on the trade block? Haha....

To Philly for Couturier and their #1(this year) and #2 (this or next yr) and a salary dump. Can you just imagine "The Thrill" with Claude Giroux on the same line? Sick!
 

Doc Holliday

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I'd see trading Kessel as mostly a salary dump, but i also don't want the Leafs to give him away, especially to an eastern conference team. That's why it will take a very good return for them to trade him to the east. And it's not surprising that the list of teams he gave them are teams that likely can't afford him. He wants to stay in Toronto and hopefully he'll for once show up in great shape at training camp. Or else he risks following the same route as Dany Heatley and be out of the league by age 30. Heatley never trained or worked out in his life, from what i've been told. Same thing with Mike Ribeiro, but Ribeiro has beaten the odds, even while battling alcoholism.

By the way, the Leafs are holding a draft party next friday at Maple Leaf Square. Barbecue, music, meet-and-greets, etc. It should be fun and i'm thinking of attending. By the way, i hope Dylan Strome is still available come #4. If not, i have no idea who they'll pick. I just hope it's not that russian guy. I'd be happy with Hannifin or Marner.
 

lgna69xxx

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Can't make it to Tor that weekend but enjoy if you go! One of Strome, Hanifan or Marner suits me just fine. There is talk they could trade down or aquire another round 1 pick for a current player or more and because of such a deep draft, i am all for it and whatever Shanny and Company decides. That would be 3 #1's in a super deep deep draft that could go a long way to the rebuild and for years to come.
 

voyageur11

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read about it on habsolumentfan 2 days ago another of your reliable source, You wont see kessel play for montreal
 

lgna69xxx

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Doc has gained yet another stalker lol..... geez MISTER Holliday, the way you are going i will never catch you! :D
 

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Doc Holliday

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I heard from a source they other day that the Leafs will be interested in signing Carl Soderberg, whose days with the Bruins are supposedly numbered.

I've always liked Soderberg and i'm certain other teams feel the same way.
 

lgna69xxx

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Definately a "Babcock" type of player.
I heard from a source they other day that the Leafs will be interested in signing Carl Soderberg, whose days with the Bruins are supposedly numbered.

I've always liked Soderberg and i'm certain other teams feel the same way.
 

Doc Holliday

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Definately a "Babcock" type of player.

Indeed. He's also filled out the rest of his coaching staff. He hired recent Memorial Cup winning coach D.J. Smith (who was once a Leafs farmhand, i believe) and lured two of his former assistants in Detroit.

Speaking of Detroit, i wonder which current Red Wings will jump ship and join Big Mike in Leafs Land?
 

lgna69xxx

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blashill, when he gets fired next season :lol:
Doc Holliday;884777/ said:
Speaking of Detroit, i wonder which current Red Wings will jump ship and join Big Mike in Leafs Land?
 

Doc Holliday

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blashill, when he gets fired next season :lol:

Possibility. But i'm not interested in hiring someone who just got fired.

By the way, as i predicted a week or so ago, i'm still fairly certain that the Leafs will hire current Tampa assistant GM Julien Brisebois as their GM. This would be a major coup for the Leafs if it happens.

If not, don't be surprised if Ken Holland joins the organization in some type of capacity once his current contract runs out. He's underpaid with the Red Wings and i'm sure he'd welcome a change of scenery. He nearly joined the Leafs organization a few years ago, but they chose to go with Brian Burke instead.
 
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