Official Toronto Maple Leafs Thread

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Who is gonna play forward for the Leafs now?

I would assume Sjostrom will get checking line and PK duties and some of the kids will get some of the scoring line play that Hagman and Stajan had.

[00Lenny 0]

Burke said it was never discussed, but all KINDS of reports has that first rounder on the table until Anaheim insisted they wouldn't make the deal with it. The initial report on the deal with Giggy + 1st round for Toskola, which seemed absurd. Then Blake got thrown in, which was impossibly good for us. But the first rounder was all over twitter and a lot of the Barilkosphere up until Darren Dreger tweeted the deal in it's final incarnation.

[digitalmonkey 929]

Burke said that a draft pick was never discussed in the Ducks deal.Please stop now.

Stop what, Bob?

[SBriand 4]

Stop what, Bob?

i love how you act as if you never try and instigate shit.when you play dumb you look dumb.we all know you are better than that.

[digitalmonkey 929]

I think it's classless that the Leafs would trade Jason Blake when he has cancer.

[serge 904]

I think the sickest, most insane part of this deal is that he ALMOST got a first round pick BACK in this deal too. It was robbery to begin with, nevermind throwing that 1st rounder in.Ninja edit: Burke just said "We're open for business. We're not done yet." I got CHILLS.

I think its total highway robbery..BOth deals IMO..Trading Matt Stajan who is a UFA , an overachieving Ian White who had a half a good season who is a RFA..Jamal Mayers who is garbage..And a decent scoring forward who is $3 million for an ELITE dman in Phaneuf, a third line player and a very good dman prospect ..The second trade i really dont get what the hell Anaheim is thinking...As much I have tried to spin Blake into a decent player, he just isnt worth $4 million no matter how you look at it...Basically trading Giguere for Toskala , which is a major upgrade for a little more of salary..Burke had no intentions of signing Stajan, and wasnt gonna overpay for White who would demand near Kaberle money based on a good first half..This is a guy who wasnt good enough for 11 games last year and was a healthy scratch..

[digitalmonkey 929]

i love how you act as if you never try and instigate shit.when you play dumb you look dumb.we all know you are better than that.

Are you calling me dumb, Steve? I'm not playing Dumb. I'm simply commenting on the fact that once again after "leaving for good" that Serge has returned. I don't think there is any question as to why he returned. He is here because of the trades the Leafs made because I believe he is excited about them. I'm just asking in an assholish way why he now thinks the Leafs are a Cup contender...because we all know he does.

[00Lenny 0]

I dunno if I'm going to call the Phaneuf deal a mugging in our favour just yet I do believe it is a GOOD deal for us though. That propect Aulie could turn it into a mugging in a few years though. Sjostrom is a nice little addition too. I'm a big Ian White fan though, so losing Hagman AND White hurt me a bit. But Whitey has been playing TERRIBLE defensively the last few games, and I think may be starting to show signs that maybe he was indeed overachieving.This isn't the end of changes though. I can't overanalyze the team in it's current state, because we REALLY are in the midst of a huge facelift right now, and this incarnation of the team won't last for long either. But Burke clearly isn't idle or stupid. The everlasting hope that was fading fast in me has been rekindled.Edit: WE can't overanalyze the current team.

[serge 904]

Waiting for an analysis by Chris..I respect his thoughts on these two trades

[serge 904]

I dunno if I'm going to call the Phaneuf deal a mugging in our favour just yet I do believe it is a GOOD deal for us though. That propect Aulie could turn it into a mugging in a few years though. Sjostrom is a nice little addition too. I'm a big Ian White fan though, so losing Hagman AND White hurt me a bit. But Whitey has been playing TERRIBLE defensively the last few games, and I think may be starting to show signs that maybe he was indeed overachieving.This isn't the end of changes though. I can't overanalyze the team in it's current state, because we REALLY are in the midst of a huge facelift right now, and this incarnation of the team won't last for long either. But Burke clearly isn't idle or stupid. The everlasting hope that was fading fast in me has been rekindled.Edit: WE can't overanalyze the current team.

I agree with what you are saying..You have to give up something to get a player like Phaneuf..IMO we didnt give up that much..For $3 mill we can find a 25 goal scorer which Hagman is. Yes Ian White has played well..but people dont talk about how terrible he has looked the last few games...A lot of Leaf fans were ready to annoint a $20 mill contract for White over a half season(i agree though it was a very good half season)..Its a classic case of buy low sell high..If Phaneuf plays like he can, this deal is an absolute steal and we didnt give up any future prospect , we actually picked up a prospect.

[gruven 530]

My take: The Phaneuf deal is an excellent one for Toronto, but not for exactly the reasons posted here: The leafs gave up basically Stajan, Hagman, and Mayers for Phaneuf. Consider it giving up White for the prospects, which wouldnt be a great deal, but also not a bad deal. Now, Phaneuf this season has been HORRIBLE and apparently a big problem in the dressing room. A move for him might be the best thing. So what you're gambling on is that Phaneuf can return to the All-Star form of a couple of years back. Which makes him a blue chip prospect, if you think about it. So would you trade Stajan (UFA), Hagman and Mayers for an early first round draft pick? Yeah, probably. So in essence, you're getting something equivalent to a first overall for those three. Phaneuf might work out, might not. But he definately has a shot at getting back there. The Giguere deal I don't really love since essentially you're dumping Toskala (a free agent at the end of the season) and Blake's overpriced contract for Giguere's overpriced contract. BUT.... this could be part of another deal that's in the works. Either way, I don't think this trade is a win for either team, I think it's a wash. BUT... I think this makes my two bets with serge absolute LOCKS to win.......

[pezeveng 207]

My take: The Phaneuf deal is an excellent one for Toronto, but not for exactly the reasons posted here: The leafs gave up basically Stajan, Hagman, and Mayers for Phaneuf. Consider it giving up White for the prospects, which wouldnt be a great deal, but also not a bad deal. Now, Phaneuf this season has been HORRIBLE and apparently a big problem in the dressing room. A move for him might be the best thing. So what you're gambling on is that Phaneuf can return to the All-Star form of a couple of years back. Which makes him a blue chip prospect, if you think about it. So would you trade Stajan (UFA), Hagman and Mayers for an early first round draft pick? Yeah, probably. So in essence, you're getting something equivalent to a first overall for those three. Phaneuf might work out, might not. But he definately has a shot at getting back there. The Giguere deal I don't really love since essentially you're dumping Toskala (a free agent at the end of the season) and Blake's overpriced contract for Giguere's overpriced contract. BUT.... this could be part of another deal that's in the works. Either way, I don't think this trade is a win for either team, I think it's a wash. BUT... I think this makes my two bets with serge absolute LOCKS to win.......

Do you see Calgary flipping Hagman, White, and Bourque for Kovalchuk?

[serge 904]

My take: The Phaneuf deal is an excellent one for Toronto, but not for exactly the reasons posted here: The leafs gave up basically Stajan, Hagman, and Myers for Phaneuf. Consider it giving up White for the prospects, which wouldnt be a great deal, but also not a bad deal. Now, Phaneuf this season has been HORRIBLE and apparently a big problem in the dressing room. A move for him might be the best thing. So what you're gambling on is that Phaneuf can return to the All-Star form of a couple of years back. Which makes him a blue chip prospect, if you think about it. So would you trade Stajan, Hagman and Myers for an early first round draft pick? Yeah, probably. So in essence, you're getting something equivalent to a first overall for those three. Phaneuf might work out, might not. But he definately has a shot at getting back there. The Giguere deal I don't really love since essentially you're dumping Toskala (a free agent at the end of the season) and Blake's overpriced contract for Giguere's overpriced contract. BUT.... this could be part of another deal that's in the works. Either way, I don't think this trade is a win for either team, I think it's a wash. BUT... I think this makes my two bets with serge absolute LOCKS to win.......

Contracts aside, as a hockey trade i think you would agree Giguere for Toskala is a very good deal. I think Burke isnt done.

[gruven 530]

Contracts aside, as a hockey trade i think you would agree Giguere for Toskala is a very good deal. I think Burke isnt done.

I agree, Toskala for Giguere straight up is a good deal. But contracts are almost as important as the players these days. But they still shed Blake, and no one liked him in the leaf dressing room, so that's a positive in itself..

[00Lenny 0]

Plus now they can give Blake's top two line minutes to someone who doesn't have the worst shooting percentage in the NHL...

[digitalmonkey 929]

Burke just spent $8 million of next years cap. I haven't looked at the potential UFAs but he must think Phaneuf, Giguere, Sjostrom and Aulie are better than what he could sign/lure in the offseason. We shall see what the UFAs sign for.

[Zach6668 513]

Burke just spent $8 million of next years cap. I haven't looked at the potential UFAs but he must think Phaneuf, Giguere, Sjostrom and Aulie are better than what he could sign/lure in the offseason. We shall see what the UFAs sign for.

All they keep saying about the UFA crop next year is that it's pretty awful. Marleau is the best forward, but he'll probably get re-signed in San Jose. Plekanec is the next best forward, according to the guys on Hockeycentral at Noon.

[digitalmonkey 929]

All they keep saying about the UFA crop next year is that it's pretty awful. Marleau is the best forward, but he'll probably get re-signed in San Jose. Plekanec is the next best forward, according to the guys on Hockeycentral at Noon.

Kovalchuk will be a UFA.I predict Burke takes a run at an RFA like Backstrom. I hope so...I wanna hear what Kevin Lowe has to say.

[mase_gotsem 0]

see, maybe a few weeks off did you some good ;)I can't imagine how the phonecall would have gone between the gm's...."Hi it's Brian, we want Phaneuf.""Ok, we'll take Stajan, White, Hagman and Mayers.""SNAPFISTPUMPCALL!"

lol sick trade cant wait to watch the next flames game and hear the boo;s

[Speed Limit 0]

I think the PP is where the Leafs will benefit a ton from this. It'll be like the Kaberle-McCabe duo where McCabe was unleashing bombs from the point.

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

Thank you Bob and Steve for saying what I think. You got the other thread Dale, keep it there. You have better things to offer here than shots at Serge.Serge, calling it highway robbery is off. I dont think the Flames got ripped off in any way, and same goes for the Ducks, who are exstatic at moving out Giggy. It is a very good move for Phaneuf, risk worth taking, but it comes with risk in the form of what else they could have gotten for their assets. I dont believe that Hagman, Stajan and even a UFA White had no value on the trade market. But as I said, this is a great way of picking up a 23yr old D with lots of upside, upside thats already been shown in the NHL.As for those saying he took on lots of salary, the only added salary Burke picked up can pretty much just be covered by sending Giggy to the minors.If you believe in a rebuilding plan of 5yrs, this was a great day for the Leafs.

[digitalmonkey 929]

Thank you Bob and Steve for saying what I think. You got the other thread Dale, keep it there. You have better things to offer here than shots at Serge.Serge, calling it highway robbery is off. I dont think the Flames got ripped off in any way, and same goes for the Ducks, who are exstatic at moving out Giggy. It is a very good move for Phaneuf, risk worth taking, but it comes with risk in the form of what else they could have gotten for their assets. I dont believe that Hagman, Stajan and even a UFA White had no value on the trade market. But as I said, this is a great way of picking up a 23yr old D with lots of upside, upside thats already been shown in the NHL.As for those saying he took on lots of salary, the only added salary Burke picked up can pretty much just be covered by sending Giggy to the minors.If you believe in a rebuilding plan of 5yrs, this was a great day for the Leafs.

Ya know, I have no problem staying in "the other thread" but I must ask why you don't say the same thing to Serge when he drifts into the Habs thread? He has his anti____thread yet he still posts in the Habs thread and nothing gets said to him.Also, if they send Giguere to the minors, who do they put in net?

[Dubey 1,035]

I think Burke's conversation with Sutter this morning went something like this:"brent, its Burkie, I want Phaneuf. I've sent you a fax of our current lineup, put a check mark beside all the guys you want and send it back to me."In all seriousness, I don't know what to think. On the one hand, I hate Phaneuf. he has been my least favourite player in the league for a few years now. When I heard that he was going to the Leafs, and before the details emerged, I was sick to my stomach, and feared the worst (Schenn, Kaberle, Kadri). Given that Burke decided to go after Phaneuf, I'm happy with the trade, as I'll only really be sad to see Ian White go. As well, I've been a pretty big fan of Aulie for the last couple years, so I was happy he was thrown in.

[rinswun 6]

is it possible that dale and serge at the same person with 2 supertroll alter-egos? i am not a leafs or a habs fan but its super annoying to read a thread (or 8) where one guy is repeatedly trying to bait another. can we not just set up another sub-forum for dale and serge where they can get their kicks baiting each other whilst the rest of us engage in proper hockey conversation? its tiresome and its not even close to the first time. i think its pretty likely thats why a number of the better posters have left the hockey forum and why traffic here has slowed. the most annoying thing of all is when you are called out on it, you basically use a defense of 'serge started it'. serge hadnt even posted here for a couple of weeks before today, he makes one post because his team pull off a trade for a pretty high rated young d-man and you start baiting him. that's not cool and not remotely funny. i dont you know, you dont know me and in real life you might be a great guy but your internet persona is a douche. grow up.

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

Ya know, I have no problem staying in "the other thread" but I must ask why you don't say the same thing to Serge when he drifts into the Habs thread? He has his anti____thread yet he still posts in the Habs thread and nothing gets said to him.Also, if they send Giguere to the minors, who do they put in net?

Are you asking me the Giggy thing seriously, or just trying to be a prick? I'll assume seriously, and I will answer that I believe they will resign Gustaffson, and should they need to send Giggy down for ANY reason, then they could easily find a goaltender lying around waiting to make 1million playing in the NHL, ie Boucher/Biron/Lalime type of next summer. Or just make Reimer the backup if that desperate.Or of course, Toskala will be a UFA too. As for Serge's thing...cause I dont like watching 12year olds fight and grown men argue like children, so I USUALLY say nothing. Cause I know what he says is so grossly WRONG that I dont take personal offence to it. You seem to enjoy goading him onto more stupid shit, which I just dont get, cause I know your smarter than that, and dont have a lot of time to deal with the bs.