Do we want Kessel and Phaneuf back for next year?
- Thread starter Leaf Lander
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No because i don't believe Kessel has it in him to commit himself to get in better shape. As for Phaneuf. I'm leaning towards him leaving but he plays hard and i respect him for that.
If they need to stay to get their value back up, so be it. I'd rather do that than have Shanny sell low.
Face Of Bear
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- Jul 30, 2012
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If we are truly rebuilding, I don't know why anyone would want them back. Both will be exiting their primes making 7M/8M each by the time we are competitive. How is that in any way desirable? Especially when you consider the assets we can get in return for moving them, assets that will probably be much more effective by the time the team is trying to be competitive.
Trapper
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- Nov 21, 2013
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Glenn Isildur Healy
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The opposite for me
Painful meaning, no shortcuts, finally time to gut this core and start from the bottom on up
Bringing the core back means, maybe we can still be cup contenders with these players who are already established
Silent Knight
45 RULES
The sooner both are gone, the better.
Cookies, pylons and slow motion run on interviews, be gone!
Cookies, pylons and slow motion run on interviews, be gone!
ChickenMcNugget
Registered User
im ok with kessel because it's likely he'll have a bounce back season and dramatically increase his value, i think phaneuf has to go being the captain and all and i dont think he's going to improve by that much.
so kessel sure, phaneuf no
so kessel sure, phaneuf no
Shanahan challenged them & the rest of the team to perform & said the management team would be watching & would not be fooled. Their response was absolutely gutless & brutal. Shanahan wasn't disappointed, he was ****ing pissed. The Leafs will be looking for a certain return, they get it they are gone, if not, they come back, get showcased, then gone.
SeenSchenn2
Itchin' For Mitch
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I guess it depends on how committed they are to turning the page. If they at blaming everything on the coaches maybe pk is back. If they have issues of chemistry then it tell seems unlikely. Didn't the club actually say they were reloading? I can't see any core player back except Dion because he might not bring that much back.
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If Kessel is going to rebound, score 40 goals and becomes a 90-point getter, it would make more sense to contend. All of the hype about rebuilding needs to be shelved and we'll take a more Rangers-like approach with effective drafting.
In that case, we'd hope that Hanifin drops to 4. Pick some potential centres with the 24 and probably retain Phaneuf.
In that case, we'd hope that Hanifin drops to 4. Pick some potential centres with the 24 and probably retain Phaneuf.
Trapper
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I think it's already been established what this core brings.
I guess people need to see it one more time.
90 points win's Kessel the Art Ross this season with ease, people really think he's going to hit despite a worse team, but better coach?
I think this town has blown Kessel's "flaws" completely out of proportion, he's pretty much Patrick Kane on an awful team bur lets be realstic here people. This doesn't make up for the fact that we failed to build a team around him and need to move him for top return to help the future.
1 of Kessel and Dion in addition to Bozak/Lupul have to go for sure, we need to be a worse team on paper if we actually want to build through the draft.
I think this town has blown Kessel's "flaws" completely out of proportion, he's pretty much Patrick Kane on an awful team bur lets be realstic here people. This doesn't make up for the fact that we failed to build a team around him and need to move him for top return to help the future.
1 of Kessel and Dion in addition to Bozak/Lupul have to go for sure, we need to be a worse team on paper if we actually want to build through the draft.
Apparently Babcock is a magician. He'll be a 40-goal, 90-point producer. It's not like a perimeter forward who produces around 30-goal is going to somehow see his assist numbers fall.
You'd obviously want to keep Phaneuf since he's a great hitter. Babcock spoke of Dion a lot more than Kessel so he'd have to part of the run.
I can't see Phaneuf coming back this year. I don't blame him for the team's poor play during his time as captain, though I do believe that he should never have been made captain. It was too much of a distraction for Phaneuf who needed to concentrate on his game and was in no way savy with the media in TO. I think he is a good defenseman, a bit overpaid, but far and away the best that the team has. Sadly as captain and a major face of the franchise he will need to be dealt in an effort to help change the culture in Toronto.
Kessel is a player I loath to let go due to his elite skill and sometimes uncanny ability to put the puck in the net. His attitude appears to be problem and his commitment to the team can very easily be questioned after the less than half hearted effort he contributed after Carlyle was canned. Before we signed Babcock, I wanted him gone, but with Babcock who I feel is probably the best coach in the game to deal with a player like Kessel, I do wonder if keeping him at least for a bit longer might be the wiser course of action. There is much being said about Kessel's trade value being the lowest it has ever been because of his second half last year and if that is the case we may well do well to hold on to him even if we intend to trade him later in hopes that Babcock can get Kessel going again.
Kessel is a player I loath to let go due to his elite skill and sometimes uncanny ability to put the puck in the net. His attitude appears to be problem and his commitment to the team can very easily be questioned after the less than half hearted effort he contributed after Carlyle was canned. Before we signed Babcock, I wanted him gone, but with Babcock who I feel is probably the best coach in the game to deal with a player like Kessel, I do wonder if keeping him at least for a bit longer might be the wiser course of action. There is much being said about Kessel's trade value being the lowest it has ever been because of his second half last year and if that is the case we may well do well to hold on to him even if we intend to trade him later in hopes that Babcock can get Kessel going again.
