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# Maple Leafs v. Kings: All The Right...Words
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-v-kings-all-the-right/
- Published: 2010-01-26T20:00:37.000Z
- Updated: 2010-01-26T20:00:37.000Z
- Author: Julian Sanchez
- Tags: Game Coverage, #chorus, #Import 2023-04-05 11:27

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](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54553/Drew%5FDoughty?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) is supposed to be pretty awesome and [Dustin Brown](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54563/Dustin%5FBrown?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 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](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/LOS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 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](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/55649/Mike%5FKomisarek?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) a five-year, $22.5-million contract and [Francois Beauchemin](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54518/Francois%5FBeauchemin?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 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](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/PIT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 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.

\- [Helene Elliott, LA Times](http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-elliott-nhl26-2010jan26,0,6588077.column?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

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](http://www.capgeek.com/charts.php?Team=17&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). They have over $10M in cap space and only [Alexander Frolov](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54564/Alexander%5FFrolov?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) as a major UFA next year. No doubt he'll want near [Anze Kopitar](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54555/Anze%5FKopitar?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) money.

The year after that Doughnuts comes off his ELC which is going to be a hefty deal, [Michal Handzus](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54567/Michal%5FHandzus?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and [Justin Williams](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54238/Justin%5FWilliams?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) are UFAs that probably won't be re-signed but they'll need to be replaced while [Oscar Moller](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54554/Oscar%5FMoller?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [Wayne Simmonds](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54559/Wayne%5FSimmonds?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [Jack Johnson](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54549/Jack%5FJohnson?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [Peter Harrold](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54550/Peter%5FHarrold?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), and [Jonathan Bernier](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54581/Jonathan%5FBernier?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 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](http://www.hockeysfuture.com/nhl%5Forganisation%5Frankings/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 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](http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=2484254&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

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](http://mapleleafshotstove.com/index.php/2010/01/26/leafs-and-kings-previewrosehill-destruction/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) (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](http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/71960/Brayden%5FSchenn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) imminent" orgy in the comments.