With Cliff Fletcher making long term decisions, it would seem he is anything but a stopgap GM. The funny thing about it is that he had a 'free season' to play with until he flip-flopped between rebuilding and trading draft picks away.
He drafts a young D-man in the first round that will go a long way to helping the team down the road. He also is trading away draft picks like they grow on trees.
The Leafs need a plan, and someone needs to tell Cliff. While he is chopping players off the roster faster then last year's team could lose games, he is also adding lesser players who are marginal at best.
The Jeff Finger signing has been beaten to death but it's an example of the strange goings on in downtown Toronto.
The Mats Sundin saga continues but it's my guess that Cliff is strictly trying to keep the Leafs looking like the good guys by stating they have interest in Mats. The only thing that Mats would bring the Leafs is a lesser draft pick.
The Leafs need to play the crap out of their young players and do anything they can to acquire draft picks. Forget the Won/Loss totals, just think DEVELOPMENT this season and with a little luck they may land a top three pick next June.
With JFJ long gone, the fans will need a new whipping boy (not that I was a JFJ fan, I thought he was brutal). I expect that once the season gets going and the losses mount, the fans will quickly forget that this was a 'free season' and start looking for someone to blame for what might be the worst Leaf team in many years.
My Top 5
1. Fletcher: He better hope Finger plays like Foote (at least a younger Foote)
2. McCabe: Well...if he's on the team that is.
3. Jeff Finger: Poor kid, he may earn that money after all.
4. Toskala: I'm sure he will play well. But when five or six get past him in one game, he will take some heat anyway.
5. Jason Blake: If you thought he did nothing last year...
I'm hoping the Leafs turn into the second coming of the Broad Street Bullies this season. With every single game televised and the result of the games being pretty much a no-brainer, at least fans could say the team entertained them.
comments (8) write a comment »
write a new comment
2 months ago
You don't need a high first round draft pick very often to be a great team in the NHL. See: Redwings, Devils, Ducks, etc.
Good scouting and coaching can get you a stanley cup.
IMO there was no real reason to fire their coach Paul Maurice. Essentially they did him a favor. As someone with a competent GM will pick him up while the leafs will still be rebuilding 3 years from now.
Aside from JFJ (Who at times I could swear was paid by the habs to singlehandedly ruin the leafs organization!) ... The leafs ownership is part to blame in the mess their in as well.
For their sake The leafs should really try embracing defense for once. Their last draft pick indicates that they're at least hopefully willing to give it a shot.
Toskala will be fine as long as the pressure of the media and expectations of fans doesn't get to him too much.
2 months ago
they havan't played one game, the vultures are out, ya have to laugh, what a circus!
2 months ago
Who is to blame is very simple...
MLSE....
Richard Petty the puppet to the Teacher Union $$$$
This fool could not run a Minor Atom team
Until the Leafs get a SOLE Owner they will never ever win the cup!
2 months ago
I think the Leafs are gunna do fine. Jeff Finger can be very effective by the way. Quit bashing the Leafs just because they missed the playoffs 3 years in a row and two of those years by one point.
2 months ago
The Red Wings, Devils and Ducks have had times when they were downright terrible! And got high draft picks that made them contenders over time. Maybe not snapping up #1 draft picks 4 our of 5 years like Pittsburgh. The Ducks have one Stanley Cup, and got bounced out the playoffs this season in the first round. The Ducks are as much a "great team" as Tampa Bay if you look at talent and perfomance. The Leafs will rebound sooner or later, we'll see who the true fans are this season!
from 2 months ago
Aaron thank you. At least someone knows something. the Leafs will bounce back. I'm one of those fans. this year they might be terrible or they might not either way sooner then later they will be a top notch team.
2 months ago
damien is that you? www.torontosportsmedia.com
2 months ago
I agree with you that the Leafs need to focus on getting picks and giving their young players lots of ice time, but you need a few veteran leaders to help point them in the right direction. I think with Mayers, Hagman, Devereaux and Kaberle, we've got a decent mix.
write a new comment