The Official LEAFS NATION Hockey thread
- Thread starter Doc Holliday
- Start date
Uh, do you honestly believe they would have been able to get two second-round picks for Nick Spaling and Roman Polak had they not agreed to take over Torres' contract?? Until this past Saturday, i had totally forgot that Nick Spaling played for the Leafs! And although i knew Polak would be gone soon, i figured he'd likely go for a third-round pick, at best.
Torres likely will never play a game in Toronto. He's been re-assigned to the minors. He's on an expiring contract. It's similar to the John Scott trade that Mtl just did. But Toronto wound up with two higher rounds picks in the future while Mtl didn't get much back for giving away Jared Tinordi.
Toronto now has about $10 million under the cap to take on more bad contracts in order to pick up more draft picks and prospects. Expiring bad contracts are the preference.
Another heist by Lou Lamoriello. Meanwhile, Marc "The Invisible Man" Bergevin has yet to make a move.
Next to go: Brad Boyes, P.A. Parenteau, James Reimer, Michael Grabner. And more.....
According to highly-respected Montreal columnist and hockey analyst Yvon Pedneault, the Leafs' moves indicate that they're positioning themselves to be able to draft Auston Mathews. The money they're saving for the cap also indicates that they'll likely try to sign Steven Stamkos during the off-season and in two years will likely go after John Tavares, who is also from Toronto and rumoured to be getting fed-up with the situation around the Islanders, who have rumoured to have asked out of their current lease at the Barclays Centre, who has been near-disastrous for the organization since their move there.
Maple Leafs: Trade City + Rumours and Analysis
by James Tanner
LEAFS DAILY
The title of this column is becoming increasingly ironic as I struggle to meet the demands of writing and running a business, so my apologies for the infrequent posts recently. Our seven fans are probably pissed!
Ever since high school when I would double back home after my parents went to work back on trade deadline day, I have not missed a single TSN trade extravaganza. This year, however, promises to be perhaps the most interesting installment because the Toronto Maple Leafs are in full sell-off mode. While they’ve already been in the thick of the action, with three trades already, it appears that they are set to make at least a half-dozen more.
Dion Phaneuf
The Dion Phaneuf trade pales only in comparison to the David Clarkson trade. How did the Leafs convince a team with almost no shot at the playoffs to take on the remaining years of a heavily declining player?
I assume some magic was involved. They did make sure that Phaneuf rarely hit the ice with anyone other than Jake Gardiner, who is the Leafs’ best possession driver and all-round best defenseman. With Gardiner, Phaneuf was a 53% CF% player and without him just 47%. That’s a significant drop off.
Sure, the players the Leafs got back weren’t anything special, but they save money long-term, get out of a bad deal, acquire assets they can flip later, subtract from their 50 contract limit and even add a 2nd round pick and a decent prospect.
Shawn Matthias
Matthias was good for the Canucks last year, but not so good for the Leafs. He was a depth player on a bad team, and even though he wasn’t bad, I was still surprised the Leafs could get a player and a pick for him.
Sure, the player is a “C” prospect and the pick is in the fourth round, but both have far more value to the Leafs of the future than Matthias does. Plus, the cap savings will allow the Leafs to make trades that take on salary in exchange for more assets. Again, another incredible trade for Toronto.
Roman Polak and Nick Spaling
This trade is probably the most incredible of all. To get two 2nd round picks and save money (see above) is simply insane considering the best these players are is bottom-of-the-lineup depth.
In a move as impressive as it is smart, the Leafs took deferred payments in order to get higher picks. So in exchange for some objectively bad players and some patience, they now have an extra 2nd rounder in 2017 and 2018.
Nazem Kadri
Much to my chagrin, some Kadri rumours are making the rounds this morning. Some are saying the Leafs are interested in Kevin Shattenkirk. I wrote that the Leafs should be interested in Shattenkirk just a couple of weeks ago, and I’d really like to see the Leafs get him.
However, the cost of a young, high-ceiling player like Kadri is just too much to pay. This would be a horrible trade for the Leafs. As they get younger and more skilled, the fans of the team are going to appreciate Kadri’s hard-nosed, two-way game and game-breaking skill much more than they do now.
The Leafs will live to regret it if they make this move.
What`s Next?
I don’t even want to try to predict. The unusual thing about this Leafs management group is that none of their moves are ever rumored in the media before they happen, so whatever they do next will come as a total surprise.
I mean, sure, it’s clear they’re going to trade P.A Parenteau, but knowing the Leafs, they’ll package him with two minor prospects, take on $8 million dollars and somehow get a first-round pick out of it for 2024.
The bottom line is that its going to be fun to watch, and for the first time ever it seems like the Leafs actually have some of the best management in the league.
Toronto Maple Leafs Trade City
by James Tanner
LEAFS DAILY
The title of this column is becoming increasingly ironic as I struggle to meet the demands of writing and running a business, so my apologies for the infrequent posts recently. Our seven fans are probably pissed!
Ever since high school when I would double back home after my parents went to work back on trade deadline day, I have not missed a single TSN trade extravaganza. This year, however, promises to be perhaps the most interesting installment because the Toronto Maple Leafs are in full sell-off mode. While they’ve already been in the thick of the action, with three trades already, it appears that they are set to make at least a half-dozen more.
Dion Phaneuf
The Dion Phaneuf trade pales only in comparison to the David Clarkson trade. How did the Leafs convince a team with almost no shot at the playoffs to take on the remaining years of a heavily declining player?
I assume some magic was involved. They did make sure that Phaneuf rarely hit the ice with anyone other than Jake Gardiner, who is the Leafs’ best possession driver and all-round best defenseman. With Gardiner, Phaneuf was a 53% CF% player and without him just 47%. That’s a significant drop off.
Sure, the players the Leafs got back weren’t anything special, but they save money long-term, get out of a bad deal, acquire assets they can flip later, subtract from their 50 contract limit and even add a 2nd round pick and a decent prospect.
Shawn Matthias
Matthias was good for the Canucks last year, but not so good for the Leafs. He was a depth player on a bad team, and even though he wasn’t bad, I was still surprised the Leafs could get a player and a pick for him.
Sure, the player is a “C” prospect and the pick is in the fourth round, but both have far more value to the Leafs of the future than Matthias does. Plus, the cap savings will allow the Leafs to make trades that take on salary in exchange for more assets. Again, another incredible trade for Toronto.
Roman Polak and Nick Spaling
This trade is probably the most incredible of all. To get two 2nd round picks and save money (see above) is simply insane considering the best these players are is bottom-of-the-lineup depth.
In a move as impressive as it is smart, the Leafs took deferred payments in order to get higher picks. So in exchange for some objectively bad players and some patience, they now have an extra 2nd rounder in 2017 and 2018.
Nazem Kadri
Much to my chagrin, some Kadri rumours are making the rounds this morning. Some are saying the Leafs are interested in Kevin Shattenkirk. I wrote that the Leafs should be interested in Shattenkirk just a couple of weeks ago, and I’d really like to see the Leafs get him.
However, the cost of a young, high-ceiling player like Kadri is just too much to pay. This would be a horrible trade for the Leafs. As they get younger and more skilled, the fans of the team are going to appreciate Kadri’s hard-nosed, two-way game and game-breaking skill much more than they do now.
The Leafs will live to regret it if they make this move.
What`s Next?
I don’t even want to try to predict. The unusual thing about this Leafs management group is that none of their moves are ever rumored in the media before they happen, so whatever they do next will come as a total surprise.
I mean, sure, it’s clear they’re going to trade P.A Parenteau, but knowing the Leafs, they’ll package him with two minor prospects, take on $8 million dollars and somehow get a first-round pick out of it for 2024.
The bottom line is that its going to be fun to watch, and for the first time ever it seems like the Leafs actually have some of the best management in the league.
Toronto Maple Leafs Trade City
James Reimer & minor-leaguer Jeremy Morin traded to the Sharks for their back-up goalie, Ben Smith and a 4th-rounder in '18, which can become a 3rd-rounder if they make it all the way to the finals this season.
Lou Lamoriello mentioned to the media after the deal was done that there wasn't much of a market for a goaltender from the playoff-bound teams. Since the organization wants to take a look at what they have on the farm, they had to make room and Reimer, who is on an expiring contract, was the natural choice to move out of Toronto.
Ben Smith was immediately sent to the Marlies. No clue if the goalie they got will stay with the big club or be sent down to the Marlies.
It's doubtful James Reimer will be re-signed by the Leafs next season. He'll expect a raise and the Leafs already have Bernier under contract for over $4 million. So unless there is absolutely no market for Reimer and he has no choice but to re-sign for around $1 million, someone else will be the backup next season, possibly Antoine Bibeau.
Lou Lamoriello mentioned to the media after the deal was done that there wasn't much of a market for a goaltender from the playoff-bound teams. Since the organization wants to take a look at what they have on the farm, they had to make room and Reimer, who is on an expiring contract, was the natural choice to move out of Toronto.
Ben Smith was immediately sent to the Marlies. No clue if the goalie they got will stay with the big club or be sent down to the Marlies.
It's doubtful James Reimer will be re-signed by the Leafs next season. He'll expect a raise and the Leafs already have Bernier under contract for over $4 million. So unless there is absolutely no market for Reimer and he has no choice but to re-sign for around $1 million, someone else will be the backup next season, possibly Antoine Bibeau.
Word circulating around the league was that James Reimer was asking $6 million per season to remain with the Leafs. There's no way the Leafs were going to give him that kind of money, so that's why they got rid of him and decided to take a look at Sparks and Bibeau instead.
There's no way any team in this league will give James Reimer $6 million per season. He's really a very good #2 goalie and nothing more. However, considering the contract Edmonton gave the unproven Cam Talbot, who knows. By the way, word is that the Oilers would like to upgrade their goaltending. I'm shaking my head and wondering why the hell did they extend Talbot's contract if they weren't sure about his status as a #1 goalie?? Only in Edmonton!
There's no way any team in this league will give James Reimer $6 million per season. He's really a very good #2 goalie and nothing more. However, considering the contract Edmonton gave the unproven Cam Talbot, who knows. By the way, word is that the Oilers would like to upgrade their goaltending. I'm shaking my head and wondering why the hell did they extend Talbot's contract if they weren't sure about his status as a #1 goalie?? Only in Edmonton!
Mister Holliday! Great insight as always mon ami!
At least they are not as bad as detroit and overpaying jimmy howard! Great move there kenny holland lol
At least they are not as bad as detroit and overpaying jimmy howard! Great move there kenny holland lol
Interesting facts:
The Leafs are second-last in the league in goal-scoring. The Devils are last.
The Leafs are dead-last in the league in shooting percentage.
The Leafs are fifth in the league in shots-on-goal.
Mike Babcock attributes the lack of scoring to both bad luck and lack of skill.
The Leafs are second-last in the league in goal-scoring. The Devils are last.
The Leafs are dead-last in the league in shooting percentage.
The Leafs are fifth in the league in shots-on-goal.
Mike Babcock attributes the lack of scoring to both bad luck and lack of skill.
Quite true. It's also likely that they'll be trading some of their picks in order to improve on their selection position, likely with their second first-round pick (obtained from Pittsburgh in the Kessel deal) or somewhere in the second round. Consensus is that it's not a great draft other than the first 10 projected picks. After this, it's literally a crap-shoot. Some players may eventually make it to the NHL, many of the others won't. So if i'm the Leafs, i'll throw all my chips in in order to cash in and put the odds in my favor.
MISTER Nylander has a three point night going so far at the ACC and that is 5 points in his last 2 games. Really impressed with Zack Hyman as well, he is going to be a Babcock favorite.
It is really fun watching the future playing these last few games of the season :thumb:
It is really fun watching the future playing these last few games of the season :thumb:
Good stuff coming through the pipelines, add to that another blue chip prospect this june at the draft, plus possibly the talented Dman from the KHL, Zaitsev and another possible is Jimmy Vesey out of college who just spurned signing with his draft team, Nashville and who's dad and brother work for the Leafs.
Oh yea, plus another 10 picks in June after their first rounder and also after Pitts first rounder.
GLG!
Oh yea, plus another 10 picks in June after their first rounder and also after Pitts first rounder.
GLG!
I didn't know Vesey's dad and brother worked for the Leafs. Who hired them? Lamoriello? I'd love to see him with the Leafs. But i have a feeling that he'll sign with the Boston Bruins.
Everything is going according to plan. The Leafs are second-last in the standings and i can't see them getting past the Oilers for last place. But that's exactly where i want them. I never wanted them to finish last. Finishing last and not winding up with the first overall pick would be so disappointing!!
I'd be satisfied with the #2 to #4 pick. Of course, getting Auston Matthews would be great! But if you can't pick him, there are still other great picks to be had. And it wouldn't surprise me if they traded down if they didn't wind up with the first overall pick. Many believe Mark Hunter would prefer drafting Mathew Tkachuk of the London Knights if Mathews isn't available. He is not expected to be picked among the top 3. So if Toronto gets the #2 or 3 slot, it wouldn't surprise me to see them trade that spot for the #4 or 5 slot, as long as the offer is a good one (swap of first-rounders and the other team adding their own 2nd-rounder maybe?). Another London Knights player named Olli Juolevi is also likely high on their radar. Many have then higher than Jakob Chychrun as the draft's top defenceman.
Here's one player that i like very much who will likely be chosen between 11-15: Tyson Jost. I doubt he'll still be available by the time Toronto's second first-round choice (who came via Pittsburgh) comes up, but if he is they should jump on him. What i'd do if i were the Leafs is trade up to get him. Trade their Pittsburgh pick along with one of their 2nd-rounders. Players available after the #15 pick won't have as much value as the 1-15 picks. It's not a very strong draft this season other than the top 15. Only the top 3 picks are expected to start in the NHL next season. And had Auston Matthews been born two days earlier, he would have been part of last year's draft and would have been rated #3 behind Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.
I'd be satisfied with the #2 to #4 pick. Of course, getting Auston Matthews would be great! But if you can't pick him, there are still other great picks to be had. And it wouldn't surprise me if they traded down if they didn't wind up with the first overall pick. Many believe Mark Hunter would prefer drafting Mathew Tkachuk of the London Knights if Mathews isn't available. He is not expected to be picked among the top 3. So if Toronto gets the #2 or 3 slot, it wouldn't surprise me to see them trade that spot for the #4 or 5 slot, as long as the offer is a good one (swap of first-rounders and the other team adding their own 2nd-rounder maybe?). Another London Knights player named Olli Juolevi is also likely high on their radar. Many have then higher than Jakob Chychrun as the draft's top defenceman.
Here's one player that i like very much who will likely be chosen between 11-15: Tyson Jost. I doubt he'll still be available by the time Toronto's second first-round choice (who came via Pittsburgh) comes up, but if he is they should jump on him. What i'd do if i were the Leafs is trade up to get him. Trade their Pittsburgh pick along with one of their 2nd-rounders. Players available after the #15 pick won't have as much value as the 1-15 picks. It's not a very strong draft this season other than the top 15. Only the top 3 picks are expected to start in the NHL next season. And had Auston Matthews been born two days earlier, he would have been part of last year's draft and would have been rated #3 behind Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.
Just the Sparks a tanking team needs
It can't be easy for Mike Babcock, but goaltending decisions appear to be made with last place in mind.
by Dave Feschuk, Toronto Star
You knew Mike Babcock was fully committed to the tank on Saturday night when Garret Sparks showed up as the Maple Leafs’ starting goaltender.
Consider the undeniable set of circumstances: Sparks has been one of the rare weak links during a late-season surge that has seen the Leafs threaten to climb out of the NHL basement and imperil their draft-lottery odds. And yet Babcock — he of the “I-want-to-win-every-night” reputation –— decided it’d be Sparks between the pipes in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
Babcock picked Sparks after watching the goaltender put in a not-quite-ready-for-primetime performance in a 4-1 loss in Buffalo on Thursday night. He picked Sparks even though Jonathan Bernier, healthy and available for service, was coming off a month of March that saw him reel off a sizzling .938 save percentage.
He picked Sparks even though Sparks had allowed three or more goals in six of his previous seven appearances, and that his save percentage during that stretch is an unsightly .880.
In other words, if the Maple Leafs had been wholly and truly committed to victory on Saturday night, there is no known universe in which Sparks would have been their No. 1 goalie.
Knowing all this, Leafs fans should be thankful. Before this season the franchise piled up a well-documented history of squandering favourable lottery odds with fruitless late-season surges. Not that staying at the bottom of the NHL standings guarantees Auston Matthews will be destined for Toronto in the fall. Staying at the bottom of the standings simply maximizes the chances of good things happening for the Maple Leafs when the ping-pong balls fly on April 30.
Sports franchises play the percentages in every other endeavour. Why wouldn’t they play them here? Saturday’s choice in net, in other words, amounted to an evolutionary adaptation to the reality of the situation that had been too often unseen in Leafland.
Still, Leaf fans need to understand it can’t have been easy for Babcock to give Sparks the nod in three of the past four starts — all three of which the Maple Leafs have lost. For all the talk of the importance of seeing what Sparks can do in the wake of the James Reimer trade, that’s a management concern. For a coach who runs a supposed meritocracy to ice any option but his best, pride must be swallowed and ego must be shelved.
There probably isn’t an NHL team Babcock would rather beat than the Red Wings, for whom he served for a decade before taking a $50-million deal to coach the Maple Leafs last spring. On Saturday, Babcock’s former squad was in desperate need of a victory to help extend a remarkable franchise playoff streak to 25 consecutive seasons. There are Detroit veterans who haven’t mourned Babcock’s absence, who considered the coach’s piercing intensity a source of stress the franchise could do without. A playoff miss — especially during a late-season struggle that has seen captain Henrik Zetterberg lament the team’s lack of urgency — will be a tidy bit of proof they were wrong.
For all that, tanking is a difficult business requiring subtlety and straight faces. Babcock must insist he is trying to win every night — and, goaltending decisions aside, there’s no reason to believe he isn’t. Certainly he’s expecting the players at his disposal to play their best. It’s hard to imagine any of them aren’t.
Still, it wasn’t the coach’s fault the Male Leafs diminished their roster on Thursday when they shipped the likes of Zach Hyman and Connor Brown to the Marlies. Hyman had been a Babcock favourite and a puck-possession machine in his 16 games with the big club. Brown had been maybe Toronto’s best player in a win in Florida on Tuesday. The Marlies promoted in the transaction — Tobias Lindberg and Kasperi Kapanen among them — weren’t equivalents. Neither, for that matter, will the Marlie who theoretically replaces Nazem Kadri should Kadri be slapped with a suspension for a high second-period cross check to Luke Glendening that drew a two-minute penalty but looked vicious enough to deserve more.
Still, it’s not as though putting Sparks in net added up to an automatic loss. The Leafs, who outplayed the labouring Red Wings for long stretches, had plenty of chances to win on Saturday. William Nylander, along with setting up Colin Greening for Toronto’s first goal, repeatedly showed a patient, explosive skill set that threatened to set up one or two more. And he potted the Kadri feed that, with Sparks out of the net, brought the Leafs within a goal with 1:05 to go.
Sparks, mind you, hasn’t exactly announced himself to be a shoo-in to be a big-leaguer next season. Heck, Sparks acknowledged before Saturday’s game that it’s hardly a given he will be reinserted as the Marlies’ starter when he returns for their impending AHL playoff run. Antoine Bibeau was in goal for the AHLers in Saturday’s 6-3 win over Grand Rapids. Recent signing Kasimir Kaskisuo got his first AHL win on Friday night. Veteran Alex Stalock, acquired in the Reimer trade, is also in the fold.
“There’s three good goalies there right now and I know I have my work cut out for me,” Sparks said. “I know that I have to be on if I want to play in the playoffs for that team.”
At his worst on Saturday, Sparks looked predictably off. He allowed a first-period power-play goal by Brad Richards through a generous five-hole. He failed to control more than a couple of rebounds. And while he also made a save or two that got a rise out of an otherwise sleepy Air Canada Centre, Sparks also did a passable impression of a bad 1980s goaltender while being beaten on a top-of-the-circles slapper from Kyle Quincey on the goal that made it 3-1.
In other words, Sparks was just shaky enough to backstop his team to an important loss, and Babcock was precisely sage enough to put him into position to succeed — er, fail. Call it cynical, but it’s an awfully refreshing thing that the folks running the Maple Leafs have discovered a bit of late-season common sense.
It can't be easy for Mike Babcock, but goaltending decisions appear to be made with last place in mind.
by Dave Feschuk, Toronto Star
You knew Mike Babcock was fully committed to the tank on Saturday night when Garret Sparks showed up as the Maple Leafs’ starting goaltender.
Consider the undeniable set of circumstances: Sparks has been one of the rare weak links during a late-season surge that has seen the Leafs threaten to climb out of the NHL basement and imperil their draft-lottery odds. And yet Babcock — he of the “I-want-to-win-every-night” reputation –— decided it’d be Sparks between the pipes in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
Babcock picked Sparks after watching the goaltender put in a not-quite-ready-for-primetime performance in a 4-1 loss in Buffalo on Thursday night. He picked Sparks even though Jonathan Bernier, healthy and available for service, was coming off a month of March that saw him reel off a sizzling .938 save percentage.
He picked Sparks even though Sparks had allowed three or more goals in six of his previous seven appearances, and that his save percentage during that stretch is an unsightly .880.
In other words, if the Maple Leafs had been wholly and truly committed to victory on Saturday night, there is no known universe in which Sparks would have been their No. 1 goalie.
Knowing all this, Leafs fans should be thankful. Before this season the franchise piled up a well-documented history of squandering favourable lottery odds with fruitless late-season surges. Not that staying at the bottom of the NHL standings guarantees Auston Matthews will be destined for Toronto in the fall. Staying at the bottom of the standings simply maximizes the chances of good things happening for the Maple Leafs when the ping-pong balls fly on April 30.
Sports franchises play the percentages in every other endeavour. Why wouldn’t they play them here? Saturday’s choice in net, in other words, amounted to an evolutionary adaptation to the reality of the situation that had been too often unseen in Leafland.
Still, Leaf fans need to understand it can’t have been easy for Babcock to give Sparks the nod in three of the past four starts — all three of which the Maple Leafs have lost. For all the talk of the importance of seeing what Sparks can do in the wake of the James Reimer trade, that’s a management concern. For a coach who runs a supposed meritocracy to ice any option but his best, pride must be swallowed and ego must be shelved.
There probably isn’t an NHL team Babcock would rather beat than the Red Wings, for whom he served for a decade before taking a $50-million deal to coach the Maple Leafs last spring. On Saturday, Babcock’s former squad was in desperate need of a victory to help extend a remarkable franchise playoff streak to 25 consecutive seasons. There are Detroit veterans who haven’t mourned Babcock’s absence, who considered the coach’s piercing intensity a source of stress the franchise could do without. A playoff miss — especially during a late-season struggle that has seen captain Henrik Zetterberg lament the team’s lack of urgency — will be a tidy bit of proof they were wrong.
For all that, tanking is a difficult business requiring subtlety and straight faces. Babcock must insist he is trying to win every night — and, goaltending decisions aside, there’s no reason to believe he isn’t. Certainly he’s expecting the players at his disposal to play their best. It’s hard to imagine any of them aren’t.
Still, it wasn’t the coach’s fault the Male Leafs diminished their roster on Thursday when they shipped the likes of Zach Hyman and Connor Brown to the Marlies. Hyman had been a Babcock favourite and a puck-possession machine in his 16 games with the big club. Brown had been maybe Toronto’s best player in a win in Florida on Tuesday. The Marlies promoted in the transaction — Tobias Lindberg and Kasperi Kapanen among them — weren’t equivalents. Neither, for that matter, will the Marlie who theoretically replaces Nazem Kadri should Kadri be slapped with a suspension for a high second-period cross check to Luke Glendening that drew a two-minute penalty but looked vicious enough to deserve more.
Still, it’s not as though putting Sparks in net added up to an automatic loss. The Leafs, who outplayed the labouring Red Wings for long stretches, had plenty of chances to win on Saturday. William Nylander, along with setting up Colin Greening for Toronto’s first goal, repeatedly showed a patient, explosive skill set that threatened to set up one or two more. And he potted the Kadri feed that, with Sparks out of the net, brought the Leafs within a goal with 1:05 to go.
Sparks, mind you, hasn’t exactly announced himself to be a shoo-in to be a big-leaguer next season. Heck, Sparks acknowledged before Saturday’s game that it’s hardly a given he will be reinserted as the Marlies’ starter when he returns for their impending AHL playoff run. Antoine Bibeau was in goal for the AHLers in Saturday’s 6-3 win over Grand Rapids. Recent signing Kasimir Kaskisuo got his first AHL win on Friday night. Veteran Alex Stalock, acquired in the Reimer trade, is also in the fold.
“There’s three good goalies there right now and I know I have my work cut out for me,” Sparks said. “I know that I have to be on if I want to play in the playoffs for that team.”
At his worst on Saturday, Sparks looked predictably off. He allowed a first-period power-play goal by Brad Richards through a generous five-hole. He failed to control more than a couple of rebounds. And while he also made a save or two that got a rise out of an otherwise sleepy Air Canada Centre, Sparks also did a passable impression of a bad 1980s goaltender while being beaten on a top-of-the-circles slapper from Kyle Quincey on the goal that made it 3-1.
In other words, Sparks was just shaky enough to backstop his team to an important loss, and Babcock was precisely sage enough to put him into position to succeed — er, fail. Call it cynical, but it’s an awfully refreshing thing that the folks running the Maple Leafs have discovered a bit of late-season common sense.
Officially in last place: Toronto Maple Leafs
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. :thumb:
Auston Matthews' destiny is now out of their hands, bit finishing last considerably increased their odds to draft him!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. :thumb:
Auston Matthews' destiny is now out of their hands, bit finishing last considerably increased their odds to draft him!
The new management team are not messing around, when they say they are serious to this rebuild they mean it. We will get either a possible stud centreman, stud winger or stud dman with either #1, #2, #3, or #4 and lots of other picks as well in what is a strong first part of the draft and a decent draft overall. Some gems after the first 10 picks, just gotta pick wisely, something i have full confidence in, in Mark Hunter.
GLG!
Hey Doc, have you seen ghg lately?
GLG!
Hey Doc, have you seen ghg lately?
Brendan Shanahan was on Tim & Sid's show today and the vibes i got was that if the price is right, the Leafs won't hesitate to sign Stamkos.
However, with the blood clot issue that surfaced recently, this could become problematic for his entire life and any team willing to sign him to a big contract with lots of term will be taking somewhat of a gamble. Pascal Dupuis had to retire prematurely due to a similar recurring issue. Whether or not Stamkos winds up with the Leafs, i wish him good health and the best. I hate to see anyone's career end prematurely because of a serious health issue.
However, with the blood clot issue that surfaced recently, this could become problematic for his entire life and any team willing to sign him to a big contract with lots of term will be taking somewhat of a gamble. Pascal Dupuis had to retire prematurely due to a similar recurring issue. Whether or not Stamkos winds up with the Leafs, i wish him good health and the best. I hate to see anyone's career end prematurely because of a serious health issue.
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