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FLYING -V
Top Prospect
69 Posts |
 Posted - 06/21/2010 : 13:36:37
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Poll Question:
with the blackhawks no longer holding the dubious distinction of longest cup drought in the league, which of the three new record holders will be the next to break the goose egg?
Its not worth winning if you cant win big!
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Guest4178
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Posted - 06/21/2010 : 15:05:58
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Interestingly, St. Louis was in the cup finals their first three years as a franchise (68, 69 & 70), but only because of the format in place at the time. They have not enjoyed a cup appearance since! The Kings have enjoyed one cup appearance since entering the league in 1967-68, but that's it! The Leafs have not enjoyed a cup appearance since expansion took place in 1967-1968. With 13 cup wins pre-expansion, the Leafs proved themselves to be a pretty good team in a league with only five opposing teams. (And that's counting the Rangers, Bruins and Blackhawks as real teams.)
Despite the Leafs dismal playoff record the past 40+ years, I think they have the best chance of the three teams to win a cup. And it's not because they're a better team, or that they're drafting better (or signing free agents) better than St. Louis or Los Angeles. It comes down to money.
Regardless of their record, the Leafs enjoy incredible fan support, and along the way, extremely high revenues. The Leafs always make money, and while the salary cap has some impact on team spending, the Leafs can (and usually do) fund their team to the limit. The same cannot be said for St. Louis and Los Angeles – both teams have experienced ups and downs at the gate, so their ability (or desire) to spend the cap limit is uncertain.
It will still be a challenge for the Leafs to win a cup though. (Or even make it to the finals.) There are too many teams better than them right now, and too many teams who have prospects better than the Leafs. And many of these teams also have the ability to spend to the cap! |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2010 : 15:41:48
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Wow, signing and drafting better than LA???
Smyth, Kopitar, J. Williams, Parse, Stoll, Brown, and Simmons are their core forwards. Doughty, Johnson, Skuderi, and Greene are their core defensemen. Quick and Ersberg in net.
Plus a crop of prospects that include Oscar Moller, the better of the Schenn brothers, Tomas Hickie, Colton Teubert, and Jonathon Bernier.
All that AND more cap space than the Leafs???
I would take LA every day that ends in Y over the Leafs or Blues.
STL have a TON of cap room, but the UFA market this year is pretty soft outside of Kovalchuk and Marleau.
I take LA to be the next drought team to win. |
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leafsfan_101
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
1530 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2010 : 22:56:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
Wow, signing and drafting better than LA???
Smyth, Kopitar, J. Williams, Parse, Stoll, Brown, and Simmons are their core forwards. Doughty, Johnson, Skuderi, and Greene are their core defensemen. Quick and Ersberg in net.
Plus a crop of prospects that include Oscar Moller, the better of the Schenn brothers, Tomas Hickie, Colton Teubert, and Jonathon Bernier.
All that AND more cap space than the Leafs???
I would take LA every day that ends in Y over the Leafs or Blues.
STL have a TON of cap room, but the UFA market this year is pretty soft outside of Kovalchuk and Marleau.
I take LA to be the next drought team to win.
He said that he thought that the Leafs were better DESPITE the fact that they DO NOT sign or draft anyone better than LA.
Right now I would say it's a crapshoot as to which team will win the next Cup. LA seems like the logical choice, especially if Kovalchuck signs with them. But I do not see them as a legitimate condender for at least another two years, and in that time I could definitely see STL get some steam, what with the likes of Oshie, Perron and Pietrangelo to look forwards to, plus the Halak trade. If they can add around those players then they will see some huge dividends. As it stands right now, however, LA is the favourite.
And Beans, LA has the better of the two Schenn brothers? Despite the fact that one already has two years of NHL experience under his belt, AND is still maturing, I could definitely make a case as to why Luke is the better of the two. |
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n/a
deleted
4809 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2010 : 06:10:32
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I would say right now LA has the best chance for sure, no question . . . but I would bet everything against it happening in their window, which might be the next few years. Not with the core of forwards they currently have, or goaltending.
So, despite the fact that I may get made fun of, I say the Leafs have the best chance. With a savvy manager and if they continue spending to the cap limit, they should be making a run or two or three in a couple of years, maybe three.
St. Louis . . . nah, never gonna happen. Not until they sink to the bottom for a while and get top draft picks - which is the only way a medicre gate draw in the states can ever be a true contender.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
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Deaner
Rookie
Canada
107 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2010 : 08:17:06
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| i think the kings will be next to take it down, they are a young solid team. i also think that burke is a madman and he will turn the leafs around in the next 5 years dont be surprised to see big things happen for them. it has already started with kessel and the monster and phaneuf in just one year....give them 2 more years to build on to that and we have a solid contending team. definatly the leafs or the kings but as we speak right now the kings are in the lead in my opinion but my heart is with the leafs. |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2010 : 14:08:49
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quote:
Originally posted by leafsfan_101
And Beans, LA has the better of the two Schenn brothers? Despite the fact that one already has two years of NHL experience under his belt, AND is still maturing, I could definitely make a case as to why Luke is the better of the two.
Ahh LeafsFan, I think you may have your Blue Tinted Glasses on again.
If I told you there was a young defensemen drafted 5th overall who has played in 150 NHL games, has 7 goals and 31 points and was -10, what would you think??
I bet not a whole lot.
But qualify it with it being Luke Schenn and all of a sudden he's a potential Norris winner??
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Leafs81
PickupHockey Pro
735 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2010 : 15:48:29
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You just love to hate us Beans. Doesn't mean he finds Luke better then Brayden that he thinks he's a future Norris trophy winner. You put words into his mouth. Hanley said that a few months ago, doesn't mean we all believe that. Hanley said many things that many Leafs fans finds ridiculous.
Also saying Luke Schenn is minus 10 doesn't justify his hard work, his blocking shot hability, his game changing hits, his work on the boards or his improvement at moving the puck. Luke plays with the Leafs, a team who finished 24th one year and 29th the next. I think -10 is not too shabby, especially considering that at 19 and 20 years old he was, some nights, the best defense on the ice, shutting down the other team top line. The kid is young he made the NHL in his first year after being draft. Not too often that you see that from a defenseman.
Now I'm not saying anything against Brayden, and I will reserve judgement until I see him play 2 full seasons in the NHL, but so far saying Luke is somewhat better then Brayden is not too far fetch. Same goes with saying Brayden has more potential then Luke, I could also believe that. They are both really talented hockey players, playing different position, on different teams, with different experience in the NHL. |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2010 : 08:37:55
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I don't love to hate the Leafs. They have actually climbed out of the basement and are now my 3rd least favorite team.
Regardless of liking the Leafs or not, I try to look at players objectively. Let's not forget that I (like everyone else in Canada) get 2-3 Leaf games a week. As I am a hockey nut, I do watch a lot of them. My opinion is based on stats as well as what I watch.
There is a player on Edmonton's roster right now that is so similar to Schenn it's sick. He plays all the minutes against the other teams best line, he's big and strong. He plays solid defensively and he blocks a bunch of shots.
The difference is this guy plays in Edmonton and not in Toronto
That is why you hear Schenn getting the 'potential' comments after his name all the time. But Ladislav Smid, who is many ways is as good or better than Schenn, it a plyon is many people's opinion. Sure, Smid it 4 years older than Schenn, but look at Smid's first couple of season and look at Schenn's. There are definite parallel's there.
A spade is still a spade even if there is a Blue Leaf painting on it! Schenn will always be a reasonably solid #3 defensemen. Maybe a marginal #2, but not more than that. I see his brother being a top 6 or marginal top 3 forward in the NHL. A 25ish a season goal scorer.
Who is a better player?? A #3 defensemen or a top 6, 25 goal scoring forward??
Those are my reasons, regardless of who anyone plays for. |
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n/a
deleted
4809 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2010 : 09:46:20
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Well, here is where is reluctantly chime in to agree with Beans - I don't find Luke Schenn to be anything near a top 2 d-man prospect . . . I think he is a solid #4 guy on a good team at best.
Which is where he is now on our new and improved defence going forward, which with Kaberle gone will be:
Phaneuf / Beauchemin
Komisarek / Schenn
It's a great start to a team building for a future, in my mind . . . but we'll see.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
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Leafs81
PickupHockey Pro
735 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2010 : 13:24:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
I don't love to hate the Leafs. They have actually climbed out of the basement and are now my 3rd least favorite team.
Regardless of liking the Leafs or not, I try to look at players objectively. Let's not forget that I (like everyone else in Canada) get 2-3 Leaf games a week. As I am a hockey nut, I do watch a lot of them. My opinion is based on stats as well as what I watch.
There is a player on Edmonton's roster right now that is so similar to Schenn it's sick. He plays all the minutes against the other teams best line, he's big and strong. He plays solid defensively and he blocks a bunch of shots.
The difference is this guy plays in Edmonton and not in Toronto
That is why you hear Schenn getting the 'potential' comments after his name all the time. But Ladislav Smid, who is many ways is as good or better than Schenn, it a plyon is many people's opinion. Sure, Smid it 4 years older than Schenn, but look at Smid's first couple of season and look at Schenn's. There are definite parallel's there.
A spade is still a spade even if there is a Blue Leaf painting on it! Schenn will always be a reasonably solid #3 defensemen. Maybe a marginal #2, but not more than that. I see his brother being a top 6 or marginal top 3 forward in the NHL. A 25ish a season goal scorer.
Who is a better player?? A #3 defensemen or a top 6, 25 goal scoring forward??
Those are my reasons, regardless of who anyone plays for.
This explanation makes more sens and I agree with you. And like Slozo said I also see Luke as a top 4 d man maybe top 3. Just the comment about him being a Norris trophy winner was out of place to me. Unless you saw leafsfan101 write that before. |
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FLYING -V
Top Prospect
69 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2010 : 13:44:36
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Comparing the schenn brothers now is pointless, seeing how Brayden has yet to play a single NHL game. Let's not forget luke was also dominant in his last year of junior, and he was only 18.
And everybody, before we all go ahead and call Luke schenn a total bust, can we remember that while we have the odd teenage defenseman star(eg. Myers, doughty), for the most part NHL blueliners take a while to mature and fully realize their potential. For all we know, he could be a future Norris winner.
Its not worth winning if you cant win big! |
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irvine
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
1315 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2010 : 14:21:16
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To me, the LA Kings are the closest to winning the Cup, and breaking a drought.
The Kings have the young, talented pieces in place. All still developing in each and every game. They also have some veteran pieces in place, to help guide these young studs in to the correct direction.
The Kings may be missing a piece or two still, but they are not missing much. In fact, adding Kovalchuk to me is a big waste of cash and cap space. If I were the Kings GM, i'd settle for a cheaper scorer, vet presence to play the wing along side my young studs, or, add two.
Of course, they are not going to be as talented as Kovalchuk, but at his price, you can find two UFA of lesser talent, for much cheaper than Kovalchuk. And, you'll have more depth in two players than one. Especially, if you can find a good mix of offense/defense in these guys, where Kovalchuk lacks some of the defensive game.
Irvine/prez. |
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Guest8241
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Posted - 06/25/2010 : 05:59:56
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| Leafs will win the cup in either 2011-2012 or 2012-2013...quote me on that! |
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Cup Droughts 
