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Leaf Rumours

The flames are my '2nd' team because they are the GFs team so I watch probably 75% of their games.

Double dion could be good if he realized he is a 2nd pairing PP type of player. Like Souray. But sadly he thinks he is bobby orr and tries to go end to end all the time. He goes for a big hit too often and is caught out of position.

He had the potential early in his career but he just never improved. He peaked as a rookie when he kept it simple. I guess trading him could wake him up but I would not count on it.
 
Lots of defensemen can't really play defense until their late 20's.

Phaneuf will get it. With his ability to handle the puck, his shot and his crazyness, he should still be a good one. People just got too high on him too quickly because of the hits.

Though he might be too crazy to become good in his own end.
 
There is no doubt that he's been struggling lately. There is also no doubt that he's a two-time all star defenceman who's still only 24 years old.
 
I don't see how the Leafs can fit Phaneuf and his 6.5 mill cap hit and trade assets for him when they have more pressing needs like a #1 centre, a 1st line winger and another goalie.
 
A summary done by another poster of Burke's comments on the team today:

Some people have been asking for a summary so I'll paraphrase what Brian noted re: Leafs.

The power play is floundering because no one except Phil and Kaberle know what they are doing on it. If they double-team Phil, it would be nice for another player to step up since he'd be open.

The penalty kill is a good system that is proven. It is the players who make mental mistakes that is killing it.

Burke is looking hard for trades but it is difficult. No one wants any player on the Leafs because of huge contracts. The only player anyone is interested is Luke Schenn and they are not trading him.

You can't send Blake down because the effort is there even though he is overpaid. It isn't his fault he's overpaid, it is Toronto's.

Phil is playing good he just needs support. Last night was a great game by Phil. He isn't a player you build around but he's a top three player and you need to grab those players when you get the chance.

He is looking hard at junior and collegiate free agents, and July 1st is our draft this year.

He thought he'd know which pending UFA's to re-sign at this point but he is not sure given the slump. Is this the team that fights hard to tie it up in Buffalo or is it the team that blows it in Philly? He said it'd be easier to make decisions if people were calling about our UFAs but so far no one has called about them.

He thinks it is early to call the season as they are still in the hunt, but it is coming to the point where they will make a decision whether they will sell at the deadline or stand pat.

He thinks all of his acquisitions have been the best players for the team. He said, and I quote, "the mistakes of the past" are still being fixed.

On Gustavsson, he is playing like a number one but he needs to win Ron's trust. Once that happens he will be the number one Burke thinks he is. Definitely thinks he's been the better goalie.

On Bozak, he has been good and still is expected to be a great contributor in the future. He needs to keep it up and he'll get to the big club.

Burke took it hard from a lot of callers and emailers but he stood up for himself and really owned the last guy. The caller called him a fraud for not sending down Jason Blake, and Burke asked him, "who would you like to see up?" Really, Burke is right because no one currently healthy on the Marlies is ready to come up.

He is still willing to take on salary from another squad but the NHL is watching it closely. You really have to play around to make it a "hockey deal" and the days of Malakhov and a 1st RD Pick for futures are over.

Though Kadri had a great WJC. Loves everything about him and he is one of the reasons they could trade for Kessel. Loves the mean streak. Couldn't care less about throat-slashing, etc. Pretty much has everything to make it.
Click to expand...
 
Ilya Kovalchuk's agent, Jay Grossman is in Atlanta this weekend and the expectation is ongoing negotiations with the Thrashers will resume early next week.

While both sides say they remain committed to getting a deal done, sources say Thrashers general manager, Don Waddell has started to feel out teams who may have interest in a trade, if an agreement in Atlanta can't be reached.

When asked, via text message if Atlanta has alerted teams of its intent to trade Kovalchuk, Waddell replied, "not yet."

TSN followed up by asking Waddell if he has discussed the possibility with other NHL teams and the veteran general manager responded, "getting closer."

Contractually, there is nothing prohibiting the Thrashers from trading their superstar captain, however, it's very unlikely Kovalchuk will forfeit his right to unrestricted free agency on July 1 by signing a contract with a new team, so any blockbuster formula may be impacted by this risk.
Click to expand...


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=305432
 
Wow. They won't get near value for him if he's only a rental. Thrashers will likely get screwed here.

On the bright side, that means we technically have a chance to get him as a FA. There wouldn't have been any chance for us to trade for him, since we lack assets.
 
PlayerToBeNamedLater said:
You won't know for sure if he's a rental until July 1st.
Click to expand...

I think we'll know before then. If Kovalchuk won't sign with the team that traded for him by a reasonable time frame after the season is over, then we can be pretty certain he's heading to free agency.

A guy like Burke can be pretty convincing.
Click to expand...

I know. It'll take an even greater selling job after a season like this, though.

Getting a player like that for money alone would be a major coup. That would give us two guys capable of scoring at least 40 goals. The only cloud in that scenario is that Kovy will be so costly that we can't really afford any more expensive forwards, at least without getting rid of Blake and probably a salary on defence like Finger as well. I don't think there's a team in the league that would take either guy right now or Burke would have done it already.

As for free agents, if another good opportunity arises(ie like in the Kessel discussions) I think the Leafs should trade Kaberle for some quality assets and sign Sergei Gonchar(who it doesn't appear is returning to Pittsburgh) in his place. Gonchar I'm sure would love to come to Toronto and he would replace Kabs' offence for the next few years. The risk of course being that Gonchar will stay on the cap no matter what happens(retirement, injury, decline due to age).
 
Why would Burke trade for Kovalchuk when you guys are all but done this year? If Kovalchuk will indeed test UFA, Burke will wait til summer and through the bank at him instead. No reason for the Leafs to give up assets for a player that they can get asset free in the Summer.
 
Yeah. If the Leafs get Kovalchuk it will be on July 1st.

We just have to worry about a team like LA trading for him.
 
If Burke wants to sign Kovalchuk as a free agent, he'll have to do one hell of a sales job. If Kovalchuk wants to leave Atlanta, I'm guessing that one of the reasons he'd like to leave is that he wants to play for a team that actually looks like they'll be able to win something sometime in the near future. And the Leafs certainly aren't fitting that bill.
 
My personal feeling is that Kovalchuk will be lead by three things:

1.) Money/financial security (for obvious reasons).
2.) Notoriety/exposure (the Thrashers generate very little fan or media interest in Atlanta).
3.) Winning/overall team quality (of which the Leafs would have to do a tremendous job selling the team as LeafGm stated).
 
Don't underestimate having some access to Russian things.

Antropov on the radio often said how he loved playing in Toronto because of the multicultural access. I believe when he was a rook, families actually invited him to dinner to get some good old home cooking.

I'm not saying that is a major thing, but if Ilya has 2 young kids or 3, he may want to be able to have quick access to some Russian groceries or products.. who knows.

I'd sell that up though cuz you'd never know.

I know if I played in a foreign country, and they had a city with a Tim Horton's in it, I would consider it.
 
One team really makes sense right now.. and that is Boston.

They have a plethora of first round picks, to throw about (ours being the most tantalizing)

I could see something like Wheeler and picks
 
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