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Leaf Rumours

Ideally, I think even going forward Antropov makes a better 2nd line center than Stajan or Grabs ... but then, he IS a little older than the other 2. It may not be a factor next season, but it will be in 3-4 yrs ... by when Bozak might be ready as a 2nd line C already though.

What we really miss up front, other than Antropov's hockey smart, his reach, his passes, is SIZE. We have a 'big' forward in Poni, who plays like a smurf. Otherwise all we got are a bunch of fast forwards. We don't have any hulking forward coming up through the system neither.

Which is why it's so mind boggling Burke would 1. give up on Antropov so early and 2. never bothered replacing him.
 
How big is Jokinen???

I'd like to get him as a UFA.. I think he'd be less expensive and could recoup his scoring touch outside of sutterville.
 
Jokinen is one of those guys that gets overrated playing in a market no one pays any attention to.

It's like how the second Mccabe went to Florida, he stopped being the most criticized NHL player, and most overpaid in NHL history.
 
Jokinen is a bust waiting to happen at this point in his career. I don't want to gamble on him. Much rather take my chances with Kadri instead.

If we get a big UFA, it should be Kovy or Marleau, or forget it.
 
leafman101 said:
Jokinen's history was working for him and Antropov's wasn't.

Thats just a reality that can't be ignored. Jokinen has been a legit ppg, 1st line center, and Antropov has been a ridiculed, injured secondary player.

Unfortunate, but just the way it is.
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The reasons why they were overrated and underrated are clear - but the fact still remains that one was overrated and one was underrated.

I'm heartened to hear rumours of interest in our UFA from teams like NJ and PIT - maybe the Antropov and Kubina examples has taught other teams not to just dismiss a toronto player just because he plays for the leafs.
 
number17 said:
Ideally, I think even going forward Antropov makes a better 2nd line center than Stajan or Grabs ... but then, he IS a little older than the other 2. It may not be a factor next season, but it will be in 3-4 yrs ... by when Bozak might be ready as a 2nd line C already though.

What we really miss up front, other than Antropov's hockey smart, his reach, his passes, is SIZE. We have a 'big' forward in Poni, who plays like a smurf. Otherwise all we got are a bunch of fast forwards. We don't have any hulking forward coming up through the system neither.

Which is why it's so mind boggling Burke would 1. give up on Antropov so early and 2. never bothered replacing him.
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The thing that I loved about Nik the last couple of years was that he played BIG. He crashed and banged and would often just run right over people on his way to the net. He became exactly the player I was waiting for him to become for a DECADE, and then we get rid of him (of course).

If it was for a mid-1st, then fine. Even if it was for the 2nd and we brought him back as a UFA, perfect. But to just trade him for a 2nd and not bring him back (I feel he would've returned if we asked, but guess we'll never know), just damn.
 
Bozak's changing my mind on that front. If he keeps this up, I'd have zero problem going with Bozak and Kadri up the middle next year.

Just go get another bigtime winger, so that each of them gets a star winger to play with.
 
Beauchemin White
Gunnarsson Komisarek
Oreskovic/Mikus Schenn



If you're comfortable with that defensive unit, then you consider trading Kaberle for a frontline forward.

If Gunn keeps playing likhe has, it becomes a lot easier to move Kaberle if a great offer comes along.
 
You know what, though it would obviously be a downgrade, especially on the PP, i'm pretty comfortable with that D, assuming Mikus can play at this level.
 
If Mikus or Oreskovic can't play at the NHL level, you could always sign a cheap vet bottom pair defender. Easy guys to get. But if you look around the league, I see guys comparable (or worse) on the bottom pair than a guy like Oreskovic (who looked pretty decent in NHL action last year) -- including on some contenders.

The key is if White, Gun, Beau are able to carry the offensive load without Kaberle. I'm pretty confident thatall of them can be 40+ point guys with prime PP time. And if that's the case, that would typically put the Leafs in the top third among blueline production in the NHL.
 
Blacker just got chosen as a CHL all-star, I think.

and Holzer's having a great year over in europe.
 
Blacker is an interesting one too.

I'm fine with Oreskovic as the #7 guy, but I'd much prefer one of the young puck movers be able to step up at #6.
 
It's amazing how much things can change just with a couple of bright performances from kids (like T-Bone and Gunnar).

if they can keep up this level of play, it drastically changes who I see as tradeable on this team.
 
The Pittsburgh Penguins might be thinking about trading for Toronto Maple Leafs F Alexei Ponikarovsky.

They've been scouting Ponikarovsky heavily (Pens' head scout Derek Clancey has been seen watching the Leafs several times), according to William Depaoli via Hockey Independent.

The 29-year-old Ponikarovsky might be a key target for the Pens as they make their playoff run. He'd be a short-term rental, given that he's in the final year of his contract, which pays him $2.5 million this year.

Leafs GM Brian Burke will likely look for draft picks or prospects.
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Schenn + Poni for Staal + 2nd Rnd Pick
 
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