Maple Leafs v. Kings: All The Right...Words
by PPP on Jan 26, 2010 3:00 PM EST
in Maple Leafs Game Previews
102 comments
The Leafs host one of those teams that you hear a lot about but never actually get to watch because they play during either bar time or Stewart/Colbert time. Sorry, I don't need constant reminders of how awesome hockey can be with a good team. Watching them beat up the Leafs every once in a while (read 66% of the time) is bad enough. I've heard rumours that this kid Drew Doughty is supposed to be pretty awesome and Dustin Brown is a hitting machine and they have a bunch of young forwards that get rotated through out the years. To be honest, I liked the Kings more when they had Ziggy Palffy. Anyway, two major players for the Leafs said very important things.
First up, the Mouth From Massachusetts:
"I didn't think we'd struggle like we're struggling right now, no, especially with the upgrades on defense," said Burke, who gave Mike Komisarek a five-year, $22.5-million contract and Francois Beauchemin a three-year, $11.4-million deal only to see each struggle to a minus nine defensive rating.
"We talked about playoffs as a goal. I thought it was realistic after our preseason. And it obviously looks remote right now."
I think it's pretty clear to everyone since about November that Brian Burke made a number of moves based on the assumption that not everything that could go wrong would, in fact, go wrong in a spectacular fashion. Turns out he's never met our old friend Murphy and his bullshit Law. I hope to write more about this later but he wasn't off of his rocker. He also mentions that it's a re-tool and not a complete rebuild and everyone's been harping on that but let's just agree to the reality that a true rebuild in the sense that the Penguins did it just isn't possible post-lockout for a number of reasons. I don't have all day to ennumerate them but even Al Strachan realises this fact.
That could be a while, especially without a first-round pick in the next two drafts. The Kings rebuilt through the draft, and it's paying off.
Why can't people accept that good drafting involves more than just first round picks and that building a team involves more than just good drafting. I understand that they are clearly big aspects but binary thinking kills me. Also, I don't know if I'd call six straight seasons out of the playoffs is 'paying off'. But I mean, the Kings are firmly ensconced in 6th place in the West. There's no way that any team will make up the 3-6 point gap in the standings. And going forward the Kings are in no immediate trouble according to CapGeek. They have over $10M in cap space and only Alexander Frolov as a major UFA next year. No doubt he'll want near Anze Kopitar money.
The year after that Doughnuts comes off his ELC which is going to be a hefty deal, Michal Handzus and Justin Williams are UFAs that probably won't be re-signed but they'll need to be replaced while Oscar Moller, Wayne Simmonds, Jack Johnson, Peter Harrold, and Jonathan Bernier are all RFAs. That will all take some fancy cap-dancing but I imagine it can be done. I mean, it's not like they have a top five ranked prospect pool to replenish the team until the end of time.
Now, onto slightly happier thoughts!
"That's why I signed here in the beginning. I saw this as a place where I could play for a number of years. It's up to myself, I guess, to play good and show that I want to be here."
- Jonas Gustavsson via Michael Traikos, National Post
Ok kid, now go prove it. The desire to succeed in Toronto won't cut down on the value of the deal but hopefully it's added motivation.
As for other stuff, MLHS has some germane numbers (but not too many words!) for tonight's matchup so check them out and the skip right to the "Kings GM spotted in the ACC - Trade for Brayden Schenn imminent" orgy in the comments.
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when did Micheal Traikos sign with the Leafs?
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
who the fuck is Micheal Traikos?
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 26, 2010 3:07 PM EST up reply actions
A client of Micheal Traikos
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
Michael Triakos is the writer isn’t he
i’m so fucking confused, didn’t some hotshot Dman kid sign with the Kings earlier this month?
Who wants to hear a funny ass joke?
didn’t some hotshot Dman kid sign with the Kings earlier this month?
Jake Muzzin
2009-10 Kings Hockey: Delivering Milk Steaks from the Meat Train at an arena near you!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Jan 26, 2010 3:34 PM EST up reply actions
THIS IS SPARTA!
"I will take the subway - we were on the subway last night...I'm not above riding the subway or riding on a bus, I don't care. As long as people don't hit me." --Ron Wilson
Err seen Frolov’s season to date? He won’t come near a Kopitar contract.
Blogging on hockey at Globe on Hockey
I was wondering the same thing, James. Did my computer’s sarcasm detector break again?
2009-10 Kings Hockey: Delivering Milk Steaks from the Meat Train at an arena near you!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Jan 26, 2010 3:27 PM EST up reply actions
No doubt he’ll want near Anze Kopitar money.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Don’t we all
2009-10 Kings Hockey: Delivering Milk Steaks from the Meat Train at an arena near you!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Jan 26, 2010 3:34 PM EST up reply actions
He’s going to have to hope for Finger money.
Blogging on hockey at Globe on Hockey
by James Mirtle on Jan 26, 2010 4:43 PM EST up reply actions
HAhalOlz only a Stoopit lAFFFs fan would thinks that!!!1
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
Ekland sez Wsh is looking to dump Ovie’s celery to TO for Kaberle and Toskala OMG YES
"I will take the subway - we were on the subway last night...I'm not above riding the subway or riding on a bus, I don't care. As long as people don't hit me." --Ron Wilson
WTF UR U GUYZ SMOKIN DONT U NO THT WSH WOOD NVR TRADE OVIE TO UR STOOPID MAPLE LAFFS.
U LADIEZ SUK GO BACK TO UR WANNA B NY CITY N TRY TO WIN A CUP SINCE 1867 HAHA LOLOZ!!!!1
Who wants to hear a funny ass joke?
Toronto Make Ya Laughs! Bahahahahahaha!!!!!
Go Sabres!!!1
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 3:41 PM EST up reply actions
LIEK ZOMG
TEH MEPAL LAFS R SUXKEEST TAEM EVAR
GO FLIERS!!!1
by Marc Pilgrim on Jan 26, 2010 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
Perhaps not, but it would be a nice “Bi-Schenntennial” season. =)
by BesterThanYesterday on Jan 26, 2010 4:26 PM EST up reply actions
Choose one
if you could pick one young LA Star – either Kopitar or Doughty – and put them on the Leafs, who would you choose?
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
Kopitar
Just for the KKK line.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
if you could pick one young LA Star – either Kopitar or Doughty – and put them on the Leafs, who would you choose?
Wait, how many draft picks and prospects do we have to give up?
Bitter Leaf Fan: because sometimes there's no option but to be bitter...
no kidding
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 3:38 PM EST up reply actions
Our need for skill up front is more desperate than our need for defencemen.
That said I snap up Doughty in a heartbeat, you just can’t find elite talent like that very often.
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
doughty, to me, has HOF potential, Kopitar im not so sure….
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 4:36 PM EST up reply actions
Kopitar is (according to blurr) a similiar type of player to Sundin – only he’ll be better.
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
Kopitar is good, but I fail to see the Sundin comparisons.
Then again I don’t see him as often as you or blurr would so you would know better.
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
Doughpitar. Kopighty.
Blogging on hockey at Globe on Hockey
by James Mirtle on Jan 26, 2010 4:44 PM EST up reply actions
Playoffs!!!1
The turnaround starts tonight.
A Toronto sports blog, where unabashed homerism is alive and well...
is fraser reffing?
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 3:48 PM EST up reply actions
I doubt it, he was in vancouver last night.
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
speaking of Vancouver, did you hear you’ll be hosting the Olympics?
"I will take the subway - we were on the subway last night...I'm not above riding the subway or riding on a bus, I don't care. As long as people don't hit me." --Ron Wilson
Compares favorably with Carolina
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 26, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
*crickets
I've always wanted to be a PPP Princess. You see kids, you can be anything you want to be; so long as Jay Leno doesn't also want to be that.
The Olympics are going to be a nice and very needed break from this NHL season.. ha ha h…. oh boy.. For the first time in a LONG time i’m not really excited to watch the game tonight. Whats happening to me?
nothing’s wrong with you.
the last two games were the most boring games of the season.
Who wants to hear a funny ass joke?
To quote Keith Ballard
We usually don’t have many pretty wins, and we’re not the most exciting team to watch. This is perfect for us. We don’t mind this at all. You want to watch an up-and-down team? Watch Washington. As long as we win, I could care less how we do it.
I've always wanted to be a PPP Princess. You see kids, you can be anything you want to be; so long as Jay Leno doesn't also want to be that.
The problem is not that the games are not pretty enough, it’s the loosing thing that is starting to take its toll on my heart and my hair line.
Too negative? I’m sorry. I just love the Leafs very much, and i get a little dramatic.
Go Leafs GO!
3-2 Leafs tonight!
I just love the Leafs very much, and i get a little dramatic.
I think you just described most of us pretty accurately.
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
Loving the Leafs
is like being in love with a drug-addled, gambling addicted prostitute with a heart of gold and a bunch of humanitarian awards from her youth. It’s hard. It hurts. But dammit! I just love her.
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Jan 26, 2010 4:41 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
thats a rec’n
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 4:47 PM EST up reply actions
0.007 chance left.
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 26, 2010 4:52 PM EST up reply actions
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
...rely a bit to heavily on alcohol and irony...
by My Poor Friend Me on Jan 26, 2010 4:55 PM EST up reply actions
I actually kind of thought it’d be even lower than that.
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
Maybe I’m wrong on that. Let’s see…
Whoops, my math was off. 0.000731
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 26, 2010 5:00 PM EST up reply actions
It’s only one order of magnitude.
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 26, 2010 5:11 PM EST up reply actions
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Northeast/MapleLeafs.html
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 26, 2010 4:53 PM EST up reply actions
Troll!
/sarcasm
Professional cusser causer.
by T is for Truculence on Jan 26, 2010 5:11 PM EST up reply actions
Truth
let’s just agree to the reality that a true rebuild in the sense that the Penguins did it just isn’t possible post-lockout for a number of reasons.
That’s the point I was struggling to make in the Annual. It isn’t always an option anymore.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on Jan 26, 2010 4:40 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I’d argue it’s actually impossible.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
ahhh the annual, so much optimism….
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 26, 2010 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
From Terry Murray
“I started talking about the playoffs with the Kings last year at this time and I did it with the intent of putting pressure on the team to see who’s going to be able to respond. Who do we want to continue to build with? Who can’t handle it? Who do you have to move by? That’s to me a very important ingredient to keep feeding those young players. They’ve gotta have a challenge and we’ve got to have that bar to a certain standard on a daily basis. "
I hope that this was Burke’s point in mentioning the playoffs this year…
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
If so I think he probably has an idea of who to keep going forward (read: almost nobody).
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
I kind of doubt this.
People naturally are loss-averse, so we place high value on things we already have. Leaf fans do it constantly (see the Phil Kessel debate), but so does every other fan of every other team, and I suspect, GMs as well.
As a consequence, I think we’ll hold on to too many players because we (namely BB) will inflate the value of our players, especially those still under contract…
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Jan 26, 2010 5:07 PM EST up reply actions
note: I don’t mean inflate the value in contract terms. I just mean in terms of how good we believe a player to be.
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Jan 26, 2010 5:08 PM EST up reply actions
but whatever his reason for stating the playoffs as a goal (either because he wanted to see who would respond to that kind of pressure or because he felt they’d actually make it), now that he’s watched how disastrous this season has been, why would he attempt to keep the majority of the players that laid such an egg?
I can see him keeping his signings/acquisitions and being forced to keep unmoveable contracts (Blake & Finger come to mind), but other than that I can’t see him keeping too much else.
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
It’s just time for Kaberle to go isn’t it? You think he will Mats us and not be traded, or offer himself up as a sacrifice to leafs nation?
It is
And he likely will because negotiations are going to fall apart.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
good thing there is a window where he cant say sweet fuck all about being traded or not
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 26, 2010 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
ah, well he may veto the trade then, but im pretty sure burke will shop him extra hard to far far away locations should he stonewall burke after giving him the nod
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 26, 2010 5:33 PM EST up reply actions
He’s said as much in interviews.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
I think it’s pretty clear to everyone since about November that Brian Burke made a number of moves based on the assumption that not everything that could go wrong would, in fact, go wrong in a spectacular fashion. Turns out he’s never met our old friend Murphy and his bullshit Law.
Awesome.
When you dance with the devil, you wait for the song to stop.
Damn You PPP
I was working on a post off and on all day and I referenced Murphy’s law in relation to the Leafs this season
Screw you!!!
I’m leaving it in my post, you scene stealing bastard!!!
Um… also when I post it tomorrow, check it out….Front page?
Also, Bastard!!!!!!
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 26, 2010 9:21 PM EST reply actions
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