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Game 62: Capitals @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 CBC

I think the core problem was the management never had a complete rebuild mentality.  At the end of the day players like Kessel and Phaneuf are complimentary pieces.  They are core players to be sure, but they aren't the type to lead you to the promised land.  The issue I have with Burke is he has sold them as such when the fans knew better.  Rick Nash isn't one of those type of players either.  What the Leafs need is a strong young player with intangibles like Jonathan Toews.  Wasting assets to get complimentary pieces is always going to prevent Leaf management from procuring a like player like this.  We've already given up a franchise goalie for Andrew Raycroft, a first and second round pick for Toskala, and two first round picks and a second for Kessel.  All these assets were wasted when the Leafs were either at the bottom of the league, or very close to it.  That is terrible asset management.  Getting a player of the ilk of Nash will only compound our problems. 
 
pnjunction said:
The 3 players I definitely keep are Lupul, Gardiner and maybe Gunnarsson.  It's hard to think of names beyond those three that I would really miss. (Grabs would be one if not for his contract status).
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Gardiner and Gunnarsson I'd be loathe to trade.  Everyone else I'd be open to offers.  All I know is I'd rather be building this team around somebody with the skill set and temperament of Rick Nash.
 
This is the worst post lock out year yet, perfectly playoff positioned after the 6-3 victory against the oilers, and proceed to pick up 3 of the next 18 points and get blown out 4 times in those 9 games.

 
This team has no heart and no guts. If they did by some miracle make the playoffs they would be crushed in 4 by Boston or new York .

 
Rags beat Buffalo in OT. Sabres pick up a point, so will be three points back of the Leafs after tonight.
 
DieWilsonDie said:
I think the core problem was the management never had a complete rebuild mentality.
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I think they started with retooling as opposed to a complete rebuild but when the UFA market dried up, that killed the retooling concept and they scrambled towards improving the prospect pipeline (towards a rebuild) because they had little else they could accomplish in these seasons when they were falling so short of the playoffs.

I'd do the same thing in the next 40 hours. Even if they made the playoffs, what will they win? The path to a Cup is to continue building up the talent within the franchise. Lucking out and winning a round or two isn't going to accomplish that much with this group because they're several elite players away from becoming a contender - many of those guys are going to have to come from drafting and development.

As for cutting the knees out from "poor" Ron Wilson, sorry but he hasn't exactly accomplished much to this point in time. His record speaks for itself. The kids could probably learn more from a new coach at this point in time.
 
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