Leafs search for a new coach/GM

[Frank E]

Assuming the Leafs pick up a handful of early round picks through offseason trades they potentially could really accelerate a rebuild  if they are successful.  This is a great draft to restock the cupboard.  And while the Leafs certainly aren't teeming with talent they have enough players who are tradeable for some value that can help out.  Next year is also a pretty fantastic draft to be pushing for the #1 pick too.

Right and I think the key really is patience. The Leafs might luck out and take Hanifin and Mathews next year and those two guys might be the sort of difference makers who would not only be good enough that you could start adding complimentary pieces to but also good enough that the team just wouldn't be bad enough to draft that high again.

Then again, they might not be that lucky. The key is to not take that next step and really build up the team until you're pretty sure you have those foundational pieces in place.

Edmonton.

 

[Kin]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

 

[Can8899]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

Idaho...

In regards to Edmonton, I really think that the McDavid pick is going to put them over the top.  Stanley cup winning teams typically have at least one Super star and then a collection on top tier or elite talent.

LA -- Doughty, Kopitar, Quick
CHI -- Toews/Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Hossa
PIT -- Crosby/Malking, Staal, Letang  (Letang and Staal may be a stretch but back then they were key to that cup winning team)

One exception I can think of is the Boston team which seemed to be lacking a Super star and was mostly a collection of elite players unless we count Chara as a Super star back then.

While Hall, Eberle, RNH are great players, I don't look at any of them as Super stars now or in the future.

Rielly and Nylander are a great start to the rebuild and there are some nice comlementary pieces as well already in place.  I just hope we can find a super star in the next couple drafts to bring it all together.

 

[Boston Leaf]

So if the Leafs did speak to Boucher they are doing this without a new GM in place? Got to make potential candidates feel good???

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So if the Leafs did speak to Boucher they are doing this without a new GM in place? Got to make potential candidates feel good???

Shanny did specifically say that he wouldn't be opposed to hiring a coach before hiring a GM if the right person was available. I think any potential GM is going to clearly know that this isn't going to be a typical General Manager-type job.

 

[Boston Leaf]

So if the Leafs did speak to Boucher they are doing this without a new GM in place? Got to make potential candidates feel good???

Shanny did specifically say that he wouldn't be opposed to hiring a coach before hiring a GM if the right person was available. I think any potential GM is going to clearly know that this isn't going to be a typical General Manager-type job.

Probably means we will get someone who doesnt have a huge ego and can work well as a team.. not a bad thing

 

[Can8899]

So if the Leafs did speak to Boucher they are doing this without a new GM in place? Got to make potential candidates feel good???

Shanny did specifically say that he wouldn't be opposed to hiring a coach before hiring a GM if the right person was available. I think any potential GM is going to clearly know that this isn't going to be a typical General Manager-type job.

Probably means we will get someone who doesnt have a huge ego and can work well as a team.. not a bad thing

It could also mean that the GM is going to be that in title only and Shanahan would be pulling the strings.  If that's the case, good luck getting an established GM. 

 

[Kin]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

Idaho...

First the Helsinki, Iceland debacle and now this. I am just about done trying to teach this board 4th grade geography.

 

[Can8899]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

Idaho...

First the Helsinki, Iceland debacle and now this. I am just about done trying to teach this board 4th grade geography.

Holy hell...  I can't believe I did that... 

 

[herman]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

Idaho...

First the Helsinki, Iceland debacle and now this. I am just about done trying to teach this board 4th grade geography.

Holy hell...  I can't believe I did that...

I got your back, bud: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_City,_Idaho

 

[Bill_Berg]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

Idaho...

First the Helsinki, Iceland debacle and now this. I am just about done trying to teach this board 4th grade geography.

Holy hell...  I can't believe I did that...

I got your back, bud: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_City,_Idaho

Or Indianapolis?

 

[MetalRaven]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

Idaho...

First the Helsinki, Iceland debacle and now this. I am just about done trying to teach this board 4th grade geography.

Holy hell...  I can't believe I did that...

I got your back, bud: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_City,_Idaho

Hehehe Nik has to repeat the 4th grade...I didn't know about Idaho city either...so I guess Nik, ill meet you in class on Friday? Im bringing a wagon wheel for lunch if you wanna trade.

 

[iwas11in67]

Seattle

 

[Frank E]

Edmonton.

Nairobi.

Ok, now you have to think of a city that starts with I.

I was referring to Edmonton's record of continued sucking while adding some substantial assets.

Ibiza.

 

[Kin]

I was referring to Edmonton's record of continued sucking while adding some substantial assets.

Ibiza.

See, I think they're an example of the opposite. They failed to add the foundational players they needed but tried to build on them anyway.

Athens.

 

[Frank E]

I was referring to Edmonton's record of continued sucking while adding some substantial assets.

Ibiza.

See, I think they're an example of the opposite. They failed to add the foundational players they needed but tried to build on them anyway.

Athens.

Eberle
MPS - Not so much
Hall
RNH
Yakupov
Nurse
Draisaitl
McDavid

That's some pretty decent foundation, even if Eberle is already 24.

 

[Kin]

Eberle
MPS - Not so much
Hall
RNH
Yakupov
Nurse
Draisaitl
McDavid

That's some pretty decent foundation, even if Eberle is already 24.

Right, but they only were able to add the latter three because their first attempt at building a team was such a failure.

 

[Frank E]

Eberle
MPS - Not so much
Hall
RNH
Yakupov
Nurse
Draisaitl
McDavid

That's some pretty decent foundation, even if Eberle is already 24.

Right, but they only were able to add the latter three because their first attempt at building a team was such a failure.

Call it what you want, they're doing exactly what you suggested teams had to do:  suck throughout the high-end talent acquisition phase.

 

[Kin]

Call it what you want, they're doing exactly what you suggested teams had to do:  suck throughout the high-end talent acquisition phase.

But I said that within the context of saying that teams don't have to suck for 5-8 years if they're relatively patient and can build through other means. Even if Edmonton can build on what they have now, and that's no sure thing with such a lack of talent in net and on the blue line, they'll be at about 10 years of being solidly terrible because they were so impatient and did such a bad job of adding talent in any sphere outside of the top 10 of the draft.

I don't think anyone wants the Leafs to only maybe be looking at being back in a playoff spot 10 years from now.

 

[bustaheims]

But I said that within the context of saying that teams don't have to suck for 5-8 years if they're relatively patient and can build through other means. Even if Edmonton can build on what they have now, and that's no sure thing with such a lack of talent in net and on the blue line, they'll be at about 10 years of being solidly terrible because they were so impatient and did such a bad job of adding talent in any sphere outside of the top 10 of the draft.

I don't think anyone wants the Leafs to only maybe be looking at being back in a playoff spot 10 years from now.

I think that's the key. When you look at the teams that managed to turn things around relatively quickly, they all picked up significant pieces in the 2nd round or later. It's drafting well in the later rounds that separates the pretenders from the contenders.