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Leaf Rumours

Pronger84 said:
Really? So you dont think a 90pt centre is the best option? He's hands down the BEST 1st line centre available. If he's availble Burke should get him, no questions asked.
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We have no idea who might be available. More importantly, he's got a few significant weaknesses that are important considering where he'd be slotted to play - he's a physical pushover and pretty suspect defensively. Those are two weaknesses he'd share with Kessel, likely magnifying it.

We need someone that can create some space, work the boards, crash the net and the like for Kessel's line. Richards is not that guy.

We are not short of centremen right now either.
 
BeLeafer said:
We have no idea who might be available. More importantly, he's got a few significant weaknesses that are important considering where he'd be slotted to play - he's a physical pushover and pretty suspect defensively. Those are two weaknesses he'd share with Kessel, likely magnifying it.

We need someone that can create some space, work the boards, crash the net and the like for Kessel's line. Richards is not that guy.
Kulemin is good on the boards, he's reliable in his own end, and he crashes the net. Richards can still set up Kessel for a lot of goals.

We are not short of centremen right now either.
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Grabo, Bozak, Mitchell, Brent our are centres can you really say your content with that? Grabo on a good team is a 2nd liner/3rd liner on a great team. Bozak shows signs of being a 2nd line centre, but for 90% of this year he's showing he's a 3rd line centre. Brent is very replacable. Mitchell belongs in the AHL. Were badly lacking a top flight centre, Richards would be that legit #1 that we've been lacking since Sundin.
 
BeLeafer said:
He may as well have just said, 'Mr. Burke, I will waive my NTC to come to Toronto.'

I still don't see Richards as the best option - need a guy with a bit more brawn.
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There is no other option I can see, at least anytime soon. Ryan Getzlaf ain't walking through that door.

We do need brawn, but we need skill even more. A legit #1 centre would solve a lot of problems for this team. The benefits outweigh Richards' defensive and physical weaknesses, IMO. I also don't think he wants a Kovalchuk term which suits Burke much better.

I don't disagree though, a big winger during the offseason is a must...Kessel/Richards/Kadri is a sweet powerplay combo, but would be a problem defensively 5 on 5. Kessel, Versteeg, Grabo, MacArthur, Kadri, and yes Brad Richards are all relatively small and/or soft players. Kulemin can't be the only big body among the scoring forwards who can have a physical impact and win battles.
 
Clowe-Richards-Kessel
Kulemin-Grabo-Kadri
Versteeg-Bozak-Armstrong
Brown-Hanson-Sjostrom

Thats a pretty sick lookin lineup:thumbsup(22):
 
BeLeafer said:
We have no idea who might be available. More importantly, he's got a few significant weaknesses that are important considering where he'd be slotted to play - he's a physical pushover and pretty suspect defensively. Those are two weaknesses he'd share with Kessel, likely magnifying it.

We need someone that can create some space, work the boards, crash the net and the like for Kessel's line. Richards is not that guy.

We are not short of centremen right now either.
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I think we'd all love to have a big, 6'4", power forward #1 center. But in the entire league, how many of those are there, even? I think we're all a little spoiled from all the years we had Mats Sundin anchoring our first line. Richards may not be an exact perfect fit that addresses all the problems with our forwards on his own, but centers who score 90+ points, have a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe trophy on their resume and who are available and want to play in Toronto don't exactly grow on trees.
 
I haven't watched a ton of Richards, but he looks pretty bad ass on the PP. That's something we DESPERATELY need to address.
 
I want Richards and i think he would fit nicely on this team. I just don't want to trade anything extremely valuable to get him when we have a shot at July 1st.

Even guys like Grabs/Kulemin are turning into great assets. Grabs is projecting at around 65 points now and Kulemin at 55(?), which i believe Kulemin is just starting to turn it on and could increase that number as the season progresses.

Basically, you can't go trading guys that are getting 65 and 55 points in development years on top of other assets, as it has been suggested we would need more than this to acquire Richards via trade.
 
I think Arnott would be a smart pick up.... he's that big body in the middle. Giving up not too much in salary back to NJ can ice a bit of an nhl line up.
 
Keep the core, grab an Arnott. Richards in the offseason if we must. Our core is too cool right now.


Up until recently, ONCE AGAIN, as I said over and over, we were playing our number two goalie(AGAIN) and leaving our most creative player and best passer in the AHL, AGAIN.

Now grab a BIG PLAYER. Who can skate. And pluck.
 
Pronger84 said:
Kadri had a very good offensive game, had plenty of speed, made a lot of passes, set up Bozak's highlight reel goal, and had a nice chance to get his first NHL goal. That being said, his defensive game left a lot to be desired, he was the direct cause of the Dallas goal, he got caught pinching and made no effort to cover Richards, who got the goal. I thought if anyone should have been benched for the 2nd period it was Kadri, not Kessel. JMO
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REALLY sick and tired of people listening to greg millen.

it's pretty much the dumbest thing you can do. kadri wasn't to blame for that goal -- bozak was.

that said, i can see why wilson was pissed -- kessel made no attempt to get back on the play.

bozak.jpg
 
Artnes said:
Bowen kept calling Ribeiro Robidas last night as well
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Yeah that drove me nuts. I yelled at the screen a bunch for that. I think Bowen is losing it; one shift he called Kessel Grabovski and Bozak Kadri, despite the fact the the two players with the puck were both right hand shots, and the other two both shoot left and don't play on the same line.

And Millen is just a moron. Nobody should listen to anything this moron says. Completely useless.
 
Its all part of dumbing down the audience. Forumice is a premiere bunch, who are above that process for the most part. But the average joe just starts to accept these cartoon creatures and their nursery school look at life. Its ALL FRED FLINSTONE.

Its a big reason why kids start seeing Fred and Barney everywhere at around 13 or so and think about taking their life. I know I did. But you just sorta have to deal with it somehow. Cause its everywhere.

Heck, our head coach LOOKS EXACTLY like Barney Rubble. In fact that is his new nickname FROM ME. Barney Rubble. And Burke, if he just dyed his hair black, is a perfect Fred.

I pretty well play Lynyrd Skynryd and Bob Marley the whole game now. Its just toooo annoying.
 
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