Current Leaf players who will be free agents

[Redleaf]

Sure, but, really, the only players you can really build a Cup winner around are guys like Crosby. If you don't have that elite, generational type talent, you're always building a team "with" players instead of "around" players.

I think it's a largely meaningless distinction. Jonathan Toews isn't an elite, generational kind of talent but he's a good enough player to be the best player on a cup winner. The team didn't build "around" him as they had Kane, Keith and Seabrook first but he's clearly the player who their team is structured around.

I think the real question should be whether or not the Leafs can become one of the most talented teams in the league, on par with your Chicago's and San Jose's and such, without adding any players who contribute more than Kessel does. "Building around" Kessel should really read as being comfortable with Kessel being the team's best player going forward. To me, if Kessel is the team's best player you're already starting from a disadvantage compared to the, say, 10 or so teams who have better players. Even if we agree that building a cup winner is possible starting from that disadvantage, why should that be anyone's goal?

I'll agree with this.

The problem with Kessel isn't his skill level or his determination. It's the fact that he isn't 'captain' material. He isn't the type of guy the rest of the team can rally around. He's not going to be vocal in the dressing room or on the ice and lead this team like a Sundin or Gilmour did before him.

The missing piece to this team is someone that will wear the 'C' and be a good enough player to be the leader of this team. Once you find or identify a player like that, (whether its a Statsny or McDavid or even someone already in the organization), the Leafs will be a much better club because of it.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The agent for Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin said his clients could become a package deal in the off-season.

The pending free agents, who played five seasons together for the Toronto Maple Leafs, cannot begin negotiations with teams until July 1. But, according to agent Gary Greenstin, the early discussion is that they would like to sign with the same team if possible.

?They?re always talking about, ?Wouldn?t it be great to play on the same team together,?? Greenstin, who was in Detroit to watch his other client, Pavel Datsyuk, said prior to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Thursday. ?They?re best friends. They play great together. We?ll see what happens.?

Grabovski and Kulemin are set to participate in next month?s world hockey championship in Minsk, Belarus, where Grabovski is representing the host country and Kulemin is playing for Russia. After that, Greenstin said the two players will spend some time together in Toronto, where Grabovski still has a place, before heading to California to train together as they have in the past.

...

Kulemin, who scored 30 goals and 57 points while playing with Grabovski in 2010-11, once again saw his numbers drop. He managed nine goals and 20 points in a third-line role for the Leafs, where he was primarily used to kill penalties.

?I believe he can get 20 to 22 goals, but he needs to have different role,? said Greenstin, who has only briefly spoken to Toronto about a new deal. ?You just put him on penalty killing. Not even a chance to play power play. Of course he?s not happy with his role. I?m not happy.?

When asked if the door had closed on a Toronto reunion for Grabovski and Kulemin, Greenstin said anything is possible, especially with Brendan Shanahan hired as the new president. But the question is whether head coach Randy Carlyle, whom Grabovski called an ?idiot? after being bought out by the Leafs, returns.

?He loved Toronto,? Greenstin said of Grabovski. ?Grabo has no problems with any coach, but what?s happened has happened. We?ll see. Brendan Shanahan is coming in now. I know Mr. Shanahan played with my guys in Detroit, so you never know.?

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/24/toronto-maple-leafs-nikolai-kulemin-and-washington-capitals-mikhail-grabovski-could-be-a-package-deal-in-free-agency/

 

[Redleaf]

To my recollection, Toronto hasnt had a whole lot of luck in the past with players coming back for a second go-round with the club. Two names stand out. Clarke and Gilmour. Who else?

 

[louisstamos]

To my recollection, Toronto hasnt had a whole lot of luck in the past with players coming back for a second go-round with the club. Two names stand out. Clarke and Gilmour. Who else?

Stumpy had a pretty decent 2nd go 'round with the Leafs...

 

[Kin]

Stumpy had a pretty decent 2nd go 'round with the Leafs...

So did Yanic Perreault.

 

[bustaheims]

To my recollection, Toronto hasnt had a whole lot of luck in the past with players coming back for a second go-round with the club. Two names stand out. Clarke and Gilmour. Who else?

Yanic Perreault's 2nd run with the Leafs was pretty good for what he was. His 3rd wasn't. Clark's 2nd run with the Leafs included a 30 goal season - it was the trade that brought him back that was the major issue there. The issue with retreads is usually that they only come back right at the end of their careers. That wouldn't be the case with Grabovski.

 

[Kin]

Also, I think in order to make a compelling point you do actually have to connect things beyond vague similarities with a underlying cause. Like, Clark's second go-round with the team wasn't successful because the team fell apart, not because he played poorly. Gilmour's second time on the team was only unsuccessful in the sense that he got injured which can happen to any player at any time. Neither thing was in anyway connected to the fact that they'd previously worn the same uniform.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Let them all walk, Trade Kessel and JVR.

I was taking the whole sentence into context.

Well you were reading it out of context because it was clearly a sarcastic reply and nobody else is really advocating that type of plan.

Actually, I'd advocate trading Kessel. My gut tells me that the Leafs are never going to be a successful franchise with him as their best player.

Just like they couldn't win with Mats Sundin or Doug Gilmour right?

Well, they didn't win the Stanley Cup with either of those guys.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Let them all walk, Trade Kessel and JVR.

I was taking the whole sentence into context.

Well you were reading it out of context because it was clearly a sarcastic reply and nobody else is really advocating that type of plan.

Actually, I'd advocate trading Kessel. My gut tells me that the Leafs are never going to be a successful franchise with him as their best player.

Just like they couldn't win with Mats Sundin or Doug Gilmour right?

I think Sundin and Gilmour were cornerstone guys you could build contending teams around. I don't think anyone is saying that Kessel is a guy you build a cup winner around. There is a piece missing on this team. A proper captain and centerpiece. Would you agree with that?

I'm always a little jealous when you see guys like Kris Letang working out in the off-season.  I wish we had more guys like that leading this team.  I always picture Bozak and Kessel sitting around all summer having 'shakers', playing video games and eating skittles. 

 

[Jalili]

I'm always a little jealous when you see guys like Kris Letang working out in the off-season.  I wish we had more guys like that leading this team.  I always picture Bozak and Kessel sitting around all summer having 'shakers', playing video games and eating skittles.

Yeah from what I've heard Letang is an absolute beast of an athlete. Duncan Keith is another guy who has always been said to be in incredible shape.

As far as Leafs, it might be a bit disappointing that some don't embody that mentality, but I think Morgan Rielly comes from that variety of player. He's always seemed like a real go-getter and impressed a lot of people in his preparation for his draft combine.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

By all accounts Phaneuf works out a ton and all Leafs fans love him right?

 

[Jalili]

By all accounts Phaneuf works out a ton and all Leafs fans love him right?

I was actually gonna add that in my post but figured someone might take exception to it.

Back in the day Calgary fans used to talk a lot about how he and Iginla would put the rest of the team to shame in the gym.

 

[Rebel_1812]

By all accounts Phaneuf works out a ton and all Leafs fans love him right?

I was actually gonna add that in my post but figured someone might take exception to it.

Back in the day Calgary fans used to talk a lot about how he and Iginla would put the rest of the team to shame in the gym.

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

 

[bustaheims]

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

No, they're talking about individual workout routines, but, keep trying to make your inaccurate analogy work.

 

[Redleaf]

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

No, they're talking about individual workout routines, but, keep trying to make your inaccurate analogy work.

 

[Highlander]

If a player can't come to camp in the top physical form possible then he should not take pay for the huge contracts they sign. In other words if you can't do the work then don't show up.
I truly believe that all players should have to check in with the team trainers on a bi-weekly basis to go over what routines they are on.

 

[Redleaf]

If a player can't come to camp in the top physical form possible then he should not take pay for the huge contracts they sign. In other words if you can't do the work then don't show up.
I truly believe that all players should have to check in with the team trainers on a bi-weekly basis to go over what routines they are on.

That would be pretty hard to mandate, especially since a lot of players are on the other side of the world over the summer.

 

[Highlander]

Das is why gott invented Skype?

 

[Rebel_1812]

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

No, they're talking about individual workout routines, but, keep trying to make your inaccurate analogy work.

No, he was making the point about the workout routines of the leaders of other teams and how that influences the routines of others; thereby setting a team culture.  Keep trying to deny its existence all you want.

 

[bustaheims]

No, he was making the point about the workout routines of the leaders of other teams and how that influences the routines of others; thereby setting a team culture.  Keep trying to deny its existence all you want.

I'm not denying anything. You're trying to make a connection a connection that isn't there. By the time these guys have been in the league a couple years, they're workout routines are pretty set, and what their teammates do isn't going to have much of an influence on that. On top of that, you're trying to take one aspect of being a professional athlete and make it into something much more significant than it couple possibly be. Whether or not team culture exists, it is absolutely not set by the way the players workout.