Tank Nation UNITE!!!

[Redleaf]

Berger talks about a possible Kessel to Nashville...

Berger talks about a lot of things. Very few of them actually happen. He's up there with Bill Watters in terms of being a has-been. Just not relevant or connected anymore.

I mostly like Bergers articles. He losses me when he says a 'little bird whispered in his ear' though. He also lost me in the Phil to Nashville blog when he gets into what the Leafs would get in return.

 

[Chris]

I can understand possibly keeping Kessel if the team can find a center for him. In that case I think you get rid of everyone else (Phaneuf, Bozak, JVR, Lupul, etc). Kessel has the kind of offensive talent that you rarely find. What I don't understand is why he goes into such prolonged funks. Is it his personality, is he lazy/out of shape? Is it that the combination of him and his linemates makes it relatively easy to play against, something that could be corrected by finding the right center and LW for him?

That said, I wouldn't lose any sleep if he was traded. I just hope the second half of the season hasn't had too severe of an impact on that potential return.

 

[Highlander]

I think Cathal Kelley is the finest sports writer in the T.O. scene and the best in a long while.
I can see the slant on Phaneuf but Kessel. Sorry but don't agree on that.
If he is dealt we need something spectacular.

 

[Highlander]

What does Tampa Bay have that we want, can you imagine Kessel beside Stamkos, that would be deadly.

 

[Crucialness Key]

What does Tampa Bay have that we want, can you imagine Kessel beside Stamkos, that would be deadly.

Stamkos

 

[LuncheonMeat]

ALL ABOARD!  NEXT STOP, TANKTOWN!

I'm already here if you guys want to call in your drink orders.  8)

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Looks like MLSE are on the Tank train too

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/kelly-shanahans-scorched-earth-leafs-plan-wins-mlse-support/article22938348/

Interesting. I wonder how much winning the lottery would change that. I could get behind a slow rebuild, but McDavid would definitely be able to accelerate those plans by quite a bit.

But it's fun to think about what a full-blown rebuild could bring this team. Start with a core of Rielly, Nylander, Gardiner, Kadri, JVR. Add top-5 draft picks this season and probably next season. Add an elite prospect from a Kessel trade. Plus returns of varying values from Franson, Phaneuf, Lupul, Bozak. We're definitely talking about a lot of futures and unknowns there but that's not too shabby.

Although they're not top-line players, I wonder how much potential lies with Holland and Panik.  They're both only 24 years old, and I think they could be really solid, low $$ players that will probably continue to develop.  With a bunch of big contracts gone, and a bunch of assets over the next 2 years, things could start to look pretty good.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Although they're not top-line players, I wonder how much potential lies with Holland and Panik.  They're both only 24 years old, and I think they could be really solid, low $$ players that will probably continue to develop.  With a bunch of big contracts gone, and a bunch of assets over the next 2 years, things could start to look pretty good.

They're young, cheap, and should be decent-to-good 2nd or 3rd line players. You need to have those types of guys around regardless of if you're competing or rebuilding.

 

[Highlander]

CTB, funny I was thinking the same thing. So Stamkos and Kessel on our first line, dangerous. But whom do they want that we have.  Lets see:  Rielly, JVR, Gardiner and a 1st???

 

[herman]

Looks like MLSE are on the Tank train too

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/kelly-shanahans-scorched-earth-leafs-plan-wins-mlse-support/article22938348/

I thought this was pretty obvious from Shanahan's off-season moves, but it's nice to see it confirmed officiallyish. I feel badly for the players who did pour themselves into the game trying to bring success to this desolate wasteland of mediocrity.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

CTB, funny I was thinking the same thing. So Stamkos and Kessel on our first line, dangerous. But whom do they want that we have.  Lets see:  Rielly, JVR, Gardiner and a 1st???

That's a start, and then I would add Nylander and another (lottery pick) first.

 

[ZBBM]

I want to believe the article but I'm really weary of journalists not named Mirtle...

I'm pretty sure Cathal Kelly lives in Leiweke's basement, so while he's a crappy writer and journalist that particular information is probably correct.

He writes in the piece that Nonis knew they were icing a team that was bad and couldn't sustain their play.  Kind of goes against all the moves Nonis made/tried to make.  Tried to sign Bolland, tried to trade for Gorges, signed Robidas, said he thought they were in the mix for playoffs, etc.

Yeah, there's lots in that article that doesn't pass the smell test, much as I would like to believe in all of it.

 

[Kin]

CTB, funny I was thinking the same thing. So Stamkos and Kessel on our first line, dangerous. But whom do they want that we have.  Lets see:  Rielly, JVR, Gardiner and a 1st???

That's a start, and then I would add Nylander and another (lottery pick) first.

And then they'd probably tell you that they're actually trying to sell the sport down there and trading away the best player on a cup contender for a bunch of young players and prospects isn't going to happen.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

CTB, funny I was thinking the same thing. So Stamkos and Kessel on our first line, dangerous. But whom do they want that we have.  Lets see:  Rielly, JVR, Gardiner and a 1st???

When did I say anything about Stamkos?

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

CTB, funny I was thinking the same thing. So Stamkos and Kessel on our first line, dangerous. But whom do they want that we have.  Lets see:  Rielly, JVR, Gardiner and a 1st???

That's a start, and then I would add Nylander and another (lottery pick) first.

And then they'd probably tell you that they're actually trying to sell the sport down there and trading away the best player on a cup contender for a bunch of young players and prospects isn't going to happen.

Unless, in the words of Burger, a little birdy told them that he's fleeing the coup when he hits UFA.

(I don't think that'll happen fyi, they'll give him a blank cheque no doubt.)

 

[Kin]

Unless, in the words of Burger, a little birdy told them that he's fleeing the coup when he hits UFA.

(I don't think that'll happen fyi, they'll give him a blank cheque no doubt.)

Maybe, although I think that might be the sort of thing we might think because the Leafs don't have to sell tickets and as a result we can look at every player move in a dispassionate, transactional way where maximizing asset value is the only consideration. Like, if I own the Lightning and there's a legitimate chance they could win the cup in the next two years before Stamkos' contract expires I might be inclined to take those chances regardless.

 

[Highlander]

CTB you didn't only pointed out that the only player we wanted from Tampa was Steve S.

 

[louisstamos]

CTB you didn't only pointed out that the only player we wanted from Tampa was Steve S.

That wasn't CTB, that was Crucialness Key.

(they also have Drouin and Tyler Johnson, both of whom I'd covet...)

 

[cabber24]

Looks like MLSE are on the Tank train too

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/kelly-shanahans-scorched-earth-leafs-plan-wins-mlse-support/article22938348/

I thought this was pretty obvious from Shanahan's off-season moves, but it's nice to see it confirmed officiallyish. I feel badly for the players who did pour themselves into the game trying to bring success to this desolate wasteland of mediocrity.

Great article!

Let us all pray that we have finally hit the friggin bottom and that a commitment to a legitimate rebuild has happened. Last place is not the bottom, 9th annually is the bottom.

 

[bustaheims]

That wasn't CTB, that was Crucialness Key.

(they also have Drouin and Tyler Johnson, both of whom I'd covet...)

They have a few good young players/prospects that would be nice pieces to get in return. Kucherov, Namestnikov, Palat, Vasilevskiy and DeAngelo are all guys I'd be asking about if the teams were discussing a Kessel trade.