The Official MERB 2010-2011 NHL Hockey Thread

[Doc Holliday]

exactly, thats what i meant, but not sure they can sign him, markov and georges(rfa isnt he?) ... i have a feeling markov will be let go unless he signs cheap

I think they'd be crazy to re-sign Markov at a high price. I have a feeling he'd like to stay in Mtl, so i'd sign him to a decent contract full of performance bonuses, mostly dealing with games played.

Gorges is RFA.....i don't see him going anywhere. As for Hal Gill (UFA), it wouldn't surprise me if he leaves the habs, along with Hamrlik.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Devils may tell Parise to pack-up

by Larry Brooks (New York Post)

Coming off prior consecutive 92-point and 84-point seasons in which he scored 45 and 38 goals, respectively, Parise could normally have expected, what, $7 million in arbitration? Now, though, it's impossible to know the impact this lost season will have on an arbitrator. So Parise, earning $3.125 million this year, may not get enough of a bump to go through with it.
Perhaps more importantly, however, the threat (or promise) of a new CBA under which players will face additional negotiating restrictions, leaves the Devils in position to offer more than any other team once the new rules are in place that probably will include a lower percentage of the gross for the athletes, term limits on contracts and a reduction in maximum salary.

Lamoriello thus can offer Parise a 13-year contract for up to $12 million per -- the salary will be lower than that, but likely will be in the $8 million range -- while GMs under the new CBA might not be able to offer more than a six-year contract.

And even if there is a salary rollback, difficult as it is to envision NHLPA executive director Don Fehr acceding to one, long-term contracts already in effect will not be truncated, for that adjustment would send people like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Duncan Keith and Henrik Zetterberg into unrestricted free agency well before their time.

So Parise will have a choice. He can commit now to a lifetime in New Jersey for far more money than he'd be able to earn under a new CBA or he can choose to take his chances somewhere else at a later date.
If he decides the latter, Lamoriello will have no choice. He cannot allow Parise to go for nothing the way Scott Niedermayer went for nothing. He will have to move his best player this year.

Trading Langenbrunner was the easy part.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Fabian Brunnstrom FINALLY a Maple Leaf!!!!!!!!!

DALLAS -- The Stars traded forward Fabian Brunnstrom to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday for right wing Mikhail Stefanovich in an exchange of minor league players that is a money-saving move for Dallas.

Brunnstrom, 25, played in 37 games and posted 21 points (11 goals, 10 assits) this season for the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary AHL affiliate. He has played all 99 of his career NHL games with Dallas, for whom he scored 40 points.
The native of Jonstrop, Sweden, agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $675,000 last July.

The 21-year-old Stefanovich, who is from Belarus, has played 15 games with Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, where he has a goal. He dressed in two games for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, going scoreless, and appeared in four games for Reading in the ECHL.

Stefanovich was drafted by the Leafs in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL draft.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Excellent Mr. Burke. Mikhail Stefanovich is a decent talent but a head case. The Leafs were trying to get Brunnstrom in 2008 but he chose Dallas at the time,.. very happy with this trade.

DALLAS -- The Stars traded forward Fabian Brunnstrom to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday for right wing Mikhail Stefanovich in an exchange of minor league players that is a money-saving move for Dallas.

Brunnstrom, 25, played in 37 games and posted 21 points (11 goals, 10 assits) this season for the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary AHL affiliate. He has played all 99 of his career NHL games with Dallas, for whom he scored 40 points.
The native of Jonstrop, Sweden, agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $675,000 last July.

The 21-year-old Stefanovich, who is from Belarus, has played 15 games with Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, where he has a goal. He dressed in two games for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, going scoreless, and appeared in four games for Reading in the ECHL.

Stefanovich was drafted by the Leafs in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL draft.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Excellent Mr. Burke. Mikhail Stefanovich is a decent talent but a head case. The Leafs were trying to get Brunnstrom in 2008 but he chose Dallas at the time,.. very happy with this trade.

Yes indeed. Even i'm satisfied with the two russians the Leafs have, it's well-known among the hockey community that many russian/eastern bloc players are head cases & negotiation nightmares. Many teams refrain from drafting russians when it's draft day time.

 

[evillethings]

Excellent Mr. Burke. Mikhail Stefanovich is a decent talent but a head case. The Leafs were trying to get Brunnstrom in 2008 but he chose Dallas at the time,.. very happy with this trade.

I fail to understand how landing Brunnstrom helps the Buds? Isn't Toronto already loaded with mid-range fwds? Every1 wanted Fabian way back because they thought he could be another Zetterberg, not!

Don't see how this will make Ron Wilson a better coach since he's the main problem. Burke just needs to fire his buddy given he's into Yr3 of the 5 yr plan no???

 

[lgna69xxx]

I watched the Marlies game yesterday and this kid looks like he will be in the NHL soon. What we gave up to get him made sense to make this deal, Dave Nonis wanted this guy in 2008 to develope and play along side the Sedin twins one day, that alone tells you this kid has great skill and great potential. He is a asset and time will tell, but we didnt lose anything to get him, i liked Stefanovich but he was going nowhere fast and not in the Leafs long term plans.

If you have followed this orginization since Burke took over, you would realise how much he has done and set this team up for success for years to come. The results are slowly starting to happen, but hey, it takes time with a complete overhaul and a bunch of young guys. This is Burkes 3rd year, but essentially the first as "Burkes Team" and they are starting to develope into complete players and are playing some exciting hockey.

I fail to understand how landing Brunnstrom helps the Buds? Isn't Toronto already loaded with mid-range fwds? Every1 wanted Fabian way back because they thought he could be another Zetterberg, not!

Don't see how this will make Ron Wilson a better coach since he's the main problem. Burke just needs to fire his buddy given he's into Yr3 of the 5 yr plan no???

 

[evillethings]

Dave Nonis wanted this guy in 2008 to develope and play along side the Sedin twins one day, that alone tells you this kid has great skill and great potential.

Pt taken but you'd have to agree just about any player would do well betw the Sedins (Anson Carter). Fabian is like a poor man's Kovalev, talent is there but the guy forgets to pack it in his bag to take to the rink most nights.

This is Burkes 3rd year, but essentially the first as "Burkes Team" and they are starting to develope into complete players and are playing some exciting hockey.

Burke's my Hockey exec guy to follow... but I have to say he's fallen on his face a lot since signing on as Leafs GM. Perhaps the pressure of TO got to him??!?! Gaffs... Seguin + potentially another 1st or 2nd overall pick given away, Goaltending fail, D fail, coach fail, ... that's already a lot of failing for a 3rd yr veteran Cup winning GM. Yzerman turned the Bolts around ASAP. Love Burke but he's messing up as a Leaf.

 

[evillethings]

Another not so obvious reason I think Burke is failing... his AHL team isn't all that stellar (3rd in the weak North Div of the Western Conf. ) and he's responsible for player development and the player funnel so, player development Fail, yet another strike against Burke. Trust me, I want to see the guy success cause he can build fun teams to watch but he's just falling face 1st and non-stop at this pt.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Fabian is young and has time to work hard and make something out of a nhl career, kovalev, well?? he is all but done

The Kessel/Seguin/picks debate will go on for years and only then will it be known if it was a good trade. Like i said, things are looking up and it takes time, but one things for sure, the foundation has been laid, and this team is FINALLY headed in the right direction since JFJ and others messed it up.

LOL, C'mon, any GM that inherits a Vinny L, Marty St. Louis, Victor Hedman, Ryan Malone and a Steven Stamkos SHOULD be able to turn things around with a few moves, a trade, and some call ups from the farm. I give as much or more credit to Guy Boucher and his coaching staff, but Steve Y did hire him, so kudos to him. He is a good gm but the best thing he has done was to hire Boucher, bar none. He walked into a dream situation with a foundation that was already there, all he had to do was tweak a few things and he has so far, but to compare what Brian Burke took over to the situation in Tampa is silly.

Pt taken but you'd have to agree just about any player would do well betw the Sedins (Anson Carter). Fabian is like a poor man's Kovalev, talent is there but the guy forgets to pack it in his bag to take to the rink most nights.


Burke's my Hockey exec guy to follow... but I have to say he's fallen on his face a lot since signing on as Leafs GM. Perhaps the pressure of TO got to him??!?! Gaffs... Seguin + potentially another 1st or 2nd overall pick given away, Goaltending fail, D fail, coach fail, ... that's already a lot of failing for a 3rd yr veteran Cup winning GM. Yzerman turned the Bolts around ASAP. Love Burke but he's messing up as a Leaf.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Like i said, if you have followed everything he has done, you would see clear as day he has this orginization as a whole on the right track. The Marlies have had their ups and downs but have also saw alot of their players come up and help the Leafs , especially the last few weeks. Burke has put many prospects back into the system, something TO was very thin on before he came along. Give it time, their headed in the right direction. One thing i do feel Burke failed on tho is he thought we could compete as soon as he took over, as did most of Leafs Nation, but hey, he saw he was wrong and is doing something about it, but it is a process, but it also is in motion and going forward and not backwards for a change.

Another not so obvious reason I think Burke is failing... his AHL team isn't all that stellar (3rd in the weak North Div of the Western Conf. ) and he's responsible for player development and the player funnel so, player development Fail, yet another strike against Burke. Trust me, I want to see the guy success cause he can build fun teams to watch but he's just falling face 1st and non-stop at this pt.

 

[evillethings]

...any GM that inherits a Vinny L, Marty St. Louis, Victor Hedman, Ryan Malone and a Steven Stamkos SHOULD be able to turn things around with a few moves, a trade, and some call ups from the farm. I give as much or more credit to Guy Boucher and his coaching staff, but Steve Y did hire him, so kudos to him. He is a good gm but the best thing he has done was to hire Boucher, bar none. He walked into a dream situation with a foundation that was already there, all he had to do was tweak a few things and he has so far, but to compare what Brian Burke took over to the situation in Tampa is silly.

Beg to differ on this POV, this is exactly what makes Stevie Y a better GM and show Burke is slipping badly. Lawton had the same guys and failed for several yrs. And you have to remember Buds have a substantial budget with super deep pockets yet Burke has still failed after tossing a ton of $$/budget at UFAs and vets.

One thing i do feel Burke failed on tho is he thought we could compete as soon as he took over, as did most of Leafs Nation, but hey, he saw he was wrong and is doing something about it, but it is a process, but it also is in motion and going forward and not backwards for a change.

OK, agreed but Burke wasn't hired to "rebuild", which is what he's saying he's doing now that he's failed to find success.

Brian was hired to make the Post-season ASAP.
He was paid to make the Post-season ASAP.

Saying he's rebuilding is a bit of a spin to cover for failing after 2.5yrs to make anything of the Buds. Granted Leafs are better that the last Fulltime GM that ran things, but Ferguson Jr was by far the most incompetent GM outside of Milbury.

Burke's a spade, and we should all just say so. Again, replace the Coach and he'll be OK + start moving Fwd again.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Burke is the man in Toronto, not Carolina, or other non hockey markets, so therefore what was he to say in a rabid media and fan base like TO? He told us what we wanted to hear whether he believed it or not, which i am sure he did at the time, but he soon realised he was wrong and is now doing the right thing, kudos to him. He is doing a fine job and cant be judged after 44 games which is what this all comes down to, he spent the first 2 seasons "cleaning house".The man has a plan, along with Dave Nonis, look how long it took Vancouver to develope, much of the Canucks success now is due to those 2, (12 guys on that roster were Burke/Nonis guys) but i see so much improvement depth wise with this Leafs team/orginization alot sooner than what happened in Vancouver, so we are on the right track, quicker.


Again, stevie Y was a very lucky guy to inherit the talent he did, actually he hand picked that job out of a few offers so again kudos to him, he was smart to go there, it was the place that needed the least amount of work to turn around a club and in the process make him look like a genius. He added Kubina and Gagne to name a couple, and thats not the reason for the turnaround, he basically has the same team, with all new staff, that club was not far from being a playoff team when he took over.

Beg to differ on this POV, this is exactly what makes Stevie Y a better GM and show Burke is slipping badly. Lawton had the same guys and failed for several yrs. And you have to remember Buds have a substantial budget with super deep pockets yet Burke has still failed after tossing a ton of $$/budget at UFAs and vets.


OK, agreed but Burke wasn't hired to "rebuild", which is what he's saying he's doing now that he's failed to find success.

Brian was hired to make the Post-season ASAP.
He was paid to make the Post-season ASAP.

Saying he's rebuilding is a bit of a spin to cover for failing after 2.5yrs to make anything of the Buds. Granted Leafs are better that the last Fulltime GM that ran things, but Ferguson Jr was by far the most incompetent GM outside of Milbury.

Burke's a spade, and we should all just say so. Again, replace the Coach and he'll be OK + start moving Fwd again.

 

[joelcairo]

Yzerman turned the Bolts around ASAP.

No surprise there - Yzerman has always been a class act and a brilliant hockey mind and he had the added advantage of spending over two decades with the best organization in hockey by far.

 

[joelcairo]

Give it time, their headed in the right direction. One thing i do feel Burke failed on tho is he thought we could compete as soon as he took over, as did most of Leafs Nation, but hey, he saw he was wrong and is doing something about it, but it is a process, but it also is in motion and going forward and not backwards for a change.

Good point. Burke led the Leafs to 29th place last year and this year they are already in 26th. Granted, they did better than that before Burke arrived but you still can't sneeze at a team that is now better than 4 other teams in the NHL as opposed to only one last year.

 

[joelcairo]

Beg to differ on this POV, this is exactly what makes Stevie Y a better GM and show Burke is slipping badly. Lawton had the same guys and failed for several yrs. And you have to remember Buds have a substantial budget with super deep pockets yet Burke has still failed after tossing a ton of $$/budget at UFAs and vets.


OK, agreed but Burke wasn't hired to "rebuild", which is what he's saying he's doing now that he's failed to find success.

Brian was hired to make the Post-season ASAP.
He was paid to make the Post-season ASAP.

Saying he's rebuilding is a bit of a spin to cover for failing after 2.5yrs to make anything of the Buds. Burke's a spade, and we should all just say so. Again, replace the Coach and he'll be OK + start moving Fwd again.

Very well said. Excellent analysis.

 

[joelcairo]

Again, stevie Y was a very lucky guy to inherit the talent he did, actually he hand picked that job out of a few offers so again kudos to him, he was smart to go there, it was the place that needed the least amount of work to turn around a club and in the process make him look like a genius. He added Kubina and Gagne to name a couple, and thats not the reason for the turnaround, he basically has the same team, with all new staff, that club was not far from being a playoff team when he took over.

I see you don't let the facts get in the way when you want to try to say something. Tampa Bay finished tied for 24th last season. Hint: check this season's standings and guess what: there has been an immense improvement. Why? Because TBay has a first-year GM who actually KNOWS what he's doing (unlike some "experienced" GMs with a "plan").

 

[evillethings]

Tampa Bay finished tied for 24th last season. Hint: check this season's standings and guess what: there has been an immense improvement. Why? Because TBay has a first-year GM who actually KNOWS what he's doing (unlike some "experienced" GMs with a "plan").

Nice joelcairo. You pulled up the facts that I was too lazy to dig up! But that's it... clear as day. It's as if Burke was slipping into some sorta Satheresque coma!

I was really hoping to see some magic when Burke got the Red carpet treatment in TO and given the keys to the exec jaccuzi but WTF, what a nightmare for Toronto thus far. Can you imagine if/when the Buds finally get it straightened out and become a powerhouse? They could be the NHL version of the Yankees! Even more obnoxious and free spending than they currently are.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Iggy has made some great points. Evillethings has made some good ones also, but i don't totally agree with what he wrote. JC....well, he's being JC as usual.

In Tampa Bay, their success had as much to do with the change of ownership than they did with Yzerman replacing Lawton. Ownership was mess in Tampa until the team was finally sold. Two owners who hated one another & one of them constantly mingling in the team's day-to-day operations. No wonder Barry Melrose got out. Jay Feester was a good hockey man who was let go by the former owners. Lawton wasn't ready for the GM job. He didn't have much experience in managing a hockey team. Stevie Y learned next to great hockey men in Detroit ever since he retired.

To be honest, the only mistake i can pin on Burke is the fact he didn't tank the season two years ago. The Leafs could easily have picked third or fourth had they not picked up Martin Gerber & make him play in every game until the end of the season. If they would have stuck with what they had in the system, mostly Cujo, they'd have Brayden Schenn on their team today. They might even have been able to move up with a deal & draft Victor Hedman. But no.....they went on a winning streak with Gerber between the pipes & next thing you know, they wind up drafting 7th & wind up with Nazem Kadri.

I can't say the Kessel trade was a mistake. Tyler Seguin might be a total bust (anyone remember Patrick Stefan? David Legwand?), who knows. Same thing with the pick the Bruins will get from the Leafs at this coming draft. Phil Kessell just turned 22 & he already has 4 years under his belt. He's steadily improving & might score 50 goals one day. Burke gambled & that's what he's paid to do. Would you rather have someone like Pierre Gauthier as your GM?

You want to see a gamble that's not paying off? Lou Lamoriello & the NJ Devlis signing Ilya Kovalchuk, meanwhile throwing away the future by having lost prospects & draft picks to get him. It probably will cost them Zach Parise since they're wasting all of their budget on Ilya Kovalchuk!

The Leafs are the youngest team in the NHL & most experts expect good things for them in the future. They're in much better shape than the likes of Ottawa, New Jersey & Calgary. The Leafs have rebuilt their goaltending& it's probably the organization's biggest strenght. Defence? A disappointment, but everyone was saying Burke had made some great moves when he signed Komisarek & Beauchemin. Getting Phaneuf, Sjostrom & Aulie from the Flames wasn't a trade, it was a heist on the part of the Leafs GM. He finally got rid of the supposedly untradeable Jason Blake & the awful Vesa Toskala. In return, he got a veteran who won the Conn Smythe (and the Stanley Cup) in J-S Gigure, whose contract expires this season. You can't ask for a more classy guy! The free agents he picked up are prospects on the big league team and/or the Marlies. The farm team was in bad shape & Burke has filled it with young prospects who will one day develop into useful NHL players.

The team is on the right track, but it seems everyone is being way too impatient (this is Toronto, after all). This is year 2 of the 5-year plan to make the Leafs contenders again. Burke will have tons of $$ at the end of the season to sign free agents. Giguere & Kaberle's contracts will be off the books & who knows how much more he'll have if he can find a way to trade away one or two of his most expensive defencemen. Once again, any knowledgeable hockey fan with a brain has to admit that this team's future looks very bright.

 

[evillethings]

Burke gambled & that's what he's paid to do ... Would you rather have someone like Pierre Gauthier as your GM? ... Once again, any knowledgeable hockey fan with a brain has to admit that this team's future looks very bright.

Doc, just strange to see you without ur avatar.
Anyhoo... RE above:
Yes, agreed.
Yes Pete G is better than Burke only 1 yr into his job!
Yes bright future but Buds always seem to be looking at the future but never realizing or living the potential success.

As I said b4, Burke has got to start by bumping his buddy Ronny. Wilson is experiencing exactly what Burnsie went thru... his teams stop playing for him (it's gonna happen when you rat out your own players regularly in the media). In Wilson's case, I don't think the Leafs ever played for him. Think they got worse going from Maurice to Wilson.

So if Burke can just see past his friendship, Toronto fans might actually see the potential the team keeps talking about because I agree, Kessel, Phanuef, Giggy, et al look scary on paper but they've been a bust under Ron Wilson.

Seriously, I'd love to see the Leafs with a new coach like MacT, Hartley, Paul MacLean (DET asst). Then the Leafs can level set and continue build the team.