The Official LEAFS NATION Hockey thread

[Doc Holliday]

Casey Bailey

Talks between Buffalo & highly-touted collegian prospect have broken down. The Penn State scoring phenom is now expected to sign with the Leafs. The Anchorage, Alaska native still has a year left of college, but will likely void that final year due to increasing interest in signing him throughout the league.

The third-year forward led the NCAA’s Nittany Lions in scoring with 22 goals and 18 assists in 36 games this year.

 

[lgna69xxx]

http://www.statecollege.com/news/lo...-heads-to-nhl-signs-with-maple-leafs,1463290/


:thumb: Free Wallet!

 

[Doc Holliday]

As Igna69 just pointed out, Casey Bailey just signed with the Leafs. Very wll done by the Leafs!

But even better, they also just signed promising Russian Nikita Soshnikov, who was playing in the KHL. The Leafs are crediting Mark Hunter with the signing. No doubt Montreal (who just love Russians! lol) must have had its sights on Soshnikov. It wouldn't entirely surprise me to see the habs send one or two top prospects (non-Russians) to the Leafs in order to obtain Soshnikov.

It's been a very tough season & even tougher to get motivated for the players over the past 2 months or so. But there's light at the end of the tunnel & i believe they'll surprise a lot of people come next season. If Mike Babcock signs with the Leafs, i'll be extremely optimistic! :thumb:

p.s. The Leafs played quite well in Ottawa last night & nearly spoiled it for me. Thankfully, the Sens won & i'm $200 richer today!

 

[Doc Holliday]

I heard earlier that the Leafs are planning to add more first-round picks once the season is over. They currently have two & are planning to obtain more by trading away some of their higher-priced talent.

This is good news that the Leafs have begun their re-build so early into the current season. Other teams, such as the Boston Bruins, need to re-build a.s.a.p and it's obvious that the Leafs have a head start in this department. But a team like the Bruins will have to figure out who will lead them into future. Will Peter Chiarelli hang on to his job? Will Cam Neely? They can't start the re-build until some of those questions are answered.

Other teams that need to re-build are the Philadelphia Flyers & the San Jose Sharks, two teams now going nowhere. Chicago will have to unload some players & the Kings are likely to follow. Where would Mtl be without the greatness of Carey Price? They can't keep the same team next season & have their star goalie once again carry the team. They'll need to trade some of their top prospects/younger players in order to attract scorers & help on defence. It wouldn't surprise me to see Tomas Plekanec traded during the offseason. He's a player on the decline and his value will never be higher.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Right you are amigo, about everything you wrote above.

The draft in June is one of the deepestin years and maybe ever the experts are saying and the Leafs are smart to get as many picks as possible this time around. That alone could shave a year off the rebuild, by getting super talented kids into the system right away. I love what they have done getting one of the most highly touted college kids in Bailey, reportedly 20 teams were coveting him and the Leafs got him, good job guys! Same thing for that exciting russian. Add in Nylander, Brown, Bibeau, Gibson, Leivo, Grandberg, Loov, McKegg and MacWilliam and even Matt Frattin and the future is not as bleak as some may seem to think, and dont forget the blue chipper they will get at #4 or #5 (likely Strome or Marner) and all the other prospects in June's draft. The rebuild looks great so far!

 

[Doc Holliday]

I just flipped the channel to the Leafs game & to my great surprise, newly-signed Casey Bailey is in the lineup. I actually think it's a good idea to insert the kid into the lineup with the Leafs having nothing to lose. I wonder if the Russian kid they just signed will also get to see some action once the KHL season ends.

If things go according to plan, the Leafs will lose a close one to the Panthers tonight & continue their chase for a better drafting position by tanking every game they have left to play. They currently hold the #4 spot, but Edmonton is within reach.

In other news, the habs are in Winnipeg tonight. Dustin Tockarski gets the start, so i decided to put $200 on the game. Go Peg Go!!!

 

[lgna69xxx]

Howdy to the Good Dr.

Forgot the reason but read somewhere that the Russian Kid is not allowed to play for the Marlies or the Leafs this season.

How good would Dylan Stome look in blue and white my friend? If everything goes as planned, Buffalo and Arizona will end up with McDavid and Eichel. If Edmonton in fact picks third, could they really pick Strome and not the stud Dman they need in Hanifan? Are the Oilers "brain" trust really stupid enough to take another centre over what they really need?

If they do this, do the Leafs take Hanifan or Marner? I really think Shannahan wants a player like Strome. McDavid would be out of this world great for the Leafs but it wont happen, he will end up in Buffalo or Arizona.

I just flipped the channel to the Leafs game & to my great surprise, newly-signed Casey Bailey is in the lineup. I actually think it's a good idea to insert the kid into the lineup with the Leafs having nothing to lose. I wonder if the Russian kid they just signed will also get to see some action once the KHL season ends.

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Leafs lost as predicted (and as they hoped) last night & i'm starting to wonder if they don't have a chance for the #3 drafting spot. They must not win another game until the end of the season. As we've seen over the past 10 games, more & more AHL players are making their way onto the roster. This is good news for tank nation.

Were the Leafs to be in the 3rd position, this would be perfect if either Buffalo or the 2nd-last place winds up with the #1 lottery pick. However, were these two teams not win the lottery, it would mean that the Leafs would be pushed back to the 4th position, which wouldn't be good since Dylan Strome will likely go in the 3rd spot after Jack Eichel. These two plus McDavid are the top 3 players in the draft.

Buffalo has a 20% chance of winding up with the first overall pick. The other 14 teams have an 80% chance of winding up with that pick. Since i'm a gambler by nature, i love those odds and that's why i wouldn't be surprised if Buffalo winds up picking second. I like 80% better than 20%. But which team in that 80% bracket gets to chose 2nd?? The odds for those remaining teams are very close to one another. So it's basically a crap shoot. Who knows, it could very well be the 15th team who'll get lucky and wind up picking first. We simply don't know.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Phaneuf nearly traded at deadline, according to former Leafs GM

Former Leafs GM Dave Nonis admitted in a recent interview to Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun that he was extremely close to dealing defenceman Dion Phaneuf at the trade deadline. He pointed out that 5 teams were interested in Phaneuf & that Detroit was one of them. He added that the Wings balked at sending them prospect Anthony Mantha, which is what the Leafs wanted. Toronto also would have had to retain salary, which they were willing to do.

Nonis also pointed out that there was considerably more interest in Phaneuf than there was in Phil Kessel.

 

[Doc Holliday]

A coaching legend joins the Toronto Maple Leafs.....

IN BABS WE TRUST

 

[lgna69xxx]

The continuing of a GREAT offseason today with the signing of Mike Babcock away from the Dead Things!!!

Next up a #1 pick (in most draft years) with one of Hanifan/Strome/Marner and maybe another top pick depending on trades next month at the draft.

A coaching legend joins the Toronto Maple Leafs.....

IN BABS WE TRUST

 

[Doc Holliday]

A very proud & happy man today....happy to be in Toronto, and even happier to finally be out of Detroit.

IN BABS WE TRUST

 

[Doc Holliday]

Retired goalie and current broadcaster J-S Giguere mentionned the other day that Mike Babcock could be the perfect coach to revitalize Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf's careers. He mentionned playing for both Babcock and Carlyle and mentionned that there styles were very different from one another. While Carlyle was somewhat of an in-your-face screamer type of coach, Babcock is calmer and will likely be able to get inside their minds and make them realize what they have to do in order to get their game back and become very effective/great players again. Speaking of Carlyle, Giguere pointed out that coaches like him (in-your-face/screamers) usually lose their effectiveness as time goes by since players eventually tune out to them.

It wouldn't entirely surprise me if both Kessel and Phaneuf started next season as Leafs. Babcock is rumoured to be very big on Phaneuf and realizes he needs to be used correctly in order to make him more efficient. I totally agree with this. Phaneuf shouldn't be your #1 defenceman if you want him to be better. I also believe that relieving him of the captaincy and thus leaving him alone would do wonders for him. I'm simply speculating, but Babcock may want to chose his own guy as his captain. Coaches usually chose captains today and it wouldn't entirely surprise me if someone like Stephane Robidas be giving the captaincy for the time being.

As for Phil The Thrill Kessel, it wouldn't surprise me to see him get back to the 35+ goal plateau level that we've been accustomed to over the years. Confidence is a huge part of his game and he seemed to have totally lost his confidence last season after Randy Carlyle was fired. Peter Horachek simply didn't get Kessel last season and had him playing with the wrong people. Put him back with Bozak and either Lupul or JVR and the Thrill will thrive again!

And finally, i believe that the Leafs are actually much better than their recent record indicated. Carlyle had them in a playoffs position when he got canned and replacing him with Horachek created a country club atmosphere and the players simply didn't care anymore. Plus the fact they all knew Horachek was only hired on an interim basis and had zero chance of being the head coach the following season was a big reason for this. Bernier will likely be re-signed, but he'll have to stop giving up easy goals. He plays great on most nights, but developped a tendency to give up the odd soft goal once in a while which is a momentum killer. The best thing that could have happened to him and the team would have been to trade James Reimer and then sign free agent Martin Brodeur as his backup and mentor. That was part of the plan, but they failed to find a trade partner for Reimer. Nazem Kadri will also have to get his head out of his ass if he's re-signed. If he doesn't improve his play considerably, Babcock will send him packing. Maybe to Montreal for Alex Galchenyuk, who's been a huge disappointment for the habs. He's also due for a new contract. By the way, habs fans would instantly fall in love with Nazem Kadri. Maybe he's the center they've been looking for all along.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I'm still pinching myself.....

IN BABS WE TRUST

 

[Doc Holliday]

IN BABS WE TRUST

 

[lgna69xxx]

Indeed! :thumb:

IN BABS WE TRUST

 

[lgna69xxx]

Doc, you can smell the fear of the haters?

For the record, i am kinda torn as to what next season will be like under Babs. I am totally fine with being towards the bottom to get another building block in what is another deep draft in 2016 with Auston Matthews from the states being the top prize as of now. On the other hand, i do feel if the team is not gutted this summer, that they do have the talent to make the playoffs just as you believe as well.

There are sooooooo many scenarios about keeping Dion and Phil or not. I do think they should trade Lupul for sure because he is healthy and his value will never be higher, no matter what that value is. Bozak i think should be dealt as well to let Kadri take over as the #1 centre which i am pretty sure Babs wants anyways. You could hav Bozak play the #2 role i suppose but if we can get good assets for him then make the deal, he wont be around in 3-4 years when the team is ready to compete deep into the playoffs.

What about Nylander? It is likely Babs (or was that strictly a ken holland thing?) will keep the detroit model and leave the young guys in the minors to develope but with the blue chip talent that Nylander is, can you really leave him down on the farm for another whole season? I say no, he is THAT GOOD!

As always, Questions will become Answers.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I agree with you, Mister 69. The haters have been quite obvious over the past several days. But they were all caught with their pants down and it's truly upset them. Myself, i've been ready for them since i've been telling the world for over a year that Mike Babcock would be coaching the Leafs in the 2015-16 season. By the way, i heard recently that Shanahan had asked the Red Wings for permission to speak to Babcock a year ago and was denied permission by the Wings, falsely believing they could re-sign him to an extension.

I really believe it's time for Nylander to make the big club. The quicker he learns the NHL, the better. Brown and Levo should also get a shot at making the opening night roster. Babcock likes Phaneuf, but it doesn't mean they won't trade him if a good trade comes along. The fact it's well known he likes Phaneuf also means teams will now be aware that the Leafs are not desperate to trade him and it'll only make his stock rise. Kessel will likely be moved if a good deal comes along, but you never know. The team needs to score goals and if he improves his conditionning and work ethic under Babcock, anything's possible. It'll all depend what Babcock believes he can do with him. Don Cherry mentionned yesterday that Kessel will show up in shape and 10 lbs lighter just because of Babcock. We'll see.

Regarding Kadri and Bozak, i'm not sure i'd put Kadri on the first line. For me, he hasn't done anything until now that would warrant such a promotion. He's another one who's work ethic and conditionning i question and it wouldn't surprise me to see him dealt during the offseason if the right deal comes along.

As for Bozak, he's been misused since his arrival with the Leafs. He'd be much better used on a 2nd or 3rd line. He plays on both special units and having him on a lower line would save his stamina.

Did you hear what Cody Franson said in an interview earlier today? When asked whom he may be playing next season and if that team would be Montreal (who had traded for him last year), he firmly stated that he wishes 100% to return to Toronto. He said he loved playing in Toronto and wouldn't hesitate a minute to go back. He added he really hopes a deal can be made for him to return.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Great insight and post as always MISTER Holliday! You are the #1 hockey mind on Merb time after time and yes you did predict a year ago that MISTER Babcock would be a Leafs when his contract ended.

I agree with most all you said but until we have a #1 centre, it has to be Kadri centering the #1 line next year. Nylander likely will be used on the wing and even if he is gonna be a centre you dont want to put that kind of pressure on the kid next season.

I heard what Franson said but not sure I want him back, he is slow but he does have pretty good hockey smarts and a big time shot so if the price is right, meh why not?

 

[Doc Holliday]