is one year of tanking in our best interest long term?

[DaveT83*]

ROFL, another post of your usual quality.

Nothing positive ? Hmm playoff experience, the obvious improvement of numerous players to even achieve the playoffs, learning to win, confidence, setting a higher standard etc etc. These are all positives.

Would it hinder our ability to add another blue chip prospect ? Sure. But that is the only negative I can see, everything else would be pretty positive in my opinion.

I think facing Boston/NYR in the first round would ruin the careers of some of the players on this team. I'm not exaggerating. They would be emotionally damaged beyond repair. See Komi + Lucic.

The embarrasment suffered in a Physical beat down by Boston in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs might actually be worse for player development than finishing in the bottom 5 lol

 

[BlueBaron]

No team ever tanks, wish this fantasy could be put to rest one day.

It's evven stupider to tank with the new CBA, because now all non-playoff teams are lottery picks.

If any one of you would rather miss the playoffs to grab a better draft pick, I hate you...

No team tries to lose, but some teams don't kill themselves trying to bring outside help in knowing that a high draft pick will be the reward of letting their younger players develop. The problem is that with a lottery there are no garuntees and just because someone is a high pick does not mean they are a sure fire star in the NHL.

 

[BlueBaron]

I think facing Boston/NYR in the first round would ruin the careers of some of the players on this team. I'm not exaggerating. They would be emotionally damaged beyond repair. See Komi + Lucic.

The embarrasment suffered in a Physical beat down by Boston in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs might actually be worse for player development than finishing in the bottom 5 lol

And winning a couple games against them would be ? Positive ! So maybe some player would be ruined but that is far from a sure fire thing, in fact I'd say you are grasping at straws. I would love to see a list of every player "ruined" by a quick first round exit, bet it's a pretty small list. The Red Wings were swept in the final by NJ one year ? Did that kill them ? No they were even more motivated. But I know you favour worse case senerios no matter how flimsy they are.

The flaw in your logic is the assumption you know the future, which you don't.

 

[DaveT83*]

What I really want is for Nonis to "Peter Charelli" another team in a trade and end up with 1 or 2 high draft picks much above the value of the player traded for.

I'll second this!

Gardner for 2 Top10 Picks would be nice.

 

[Kessely Snipes]

It probably is, but we can't worry about it. Whats going to happen is going to happen.

 

[Hockeylaw]

What I really want is for Nonis to "Peter Charelli" another team in a trade and end up with 1 or 2 high draft picks much above the value of the player traded for.

I'd love to see this as well.

 

[colchar]

I wouldn't call it tanking but instead one short year of playing the kids (and trading away the baggage like connolly, lombardi and sitting komisarek) as an investment into the future.

You're assuming other teams would take Connolly and Lombardi in trades.

 

[colchar]

Do you understand that the lottery is heavily weighed in favour of the the worse teams?

No kidding, thanks for the news flash. But the lottery being weighted in favour of worse teams is still no guarantee that any team will end up with the #1 pick.

And did you know that you don't need the #1 overall to get a #1 center this year?

Wow, thanks for that second news flash. But the comment I responded to advocated tanking specifically to draft Mackinnon which is not guaranteed even if they were to lose every single game this year.

I wonder if Burke was canned for his refusal to tank, while still not even coming close to the playoffs, and having no Tavares or Stamkos types to show for it?

 

[DaveT83*]

And winning a couple games against them would be ? Positive ! So maybe some player would be ruined but that is far from a sure fire thing, in fact I'd say you are grasping at straws. I would love to see a list of every player "ruined" by a quick first round exit, bet it's a pretty small list. The Red Wings were swept in the final by NJ one year ? Did that kill them ? No they were even more motivated. But I know you favour worse case senerios no matter how flimsy they are.

The flaw in your logic is the assumption you know the future, which you don't.

You're right it is a bit of a stretch - but what are you in this for? To watch a handful of playoff games? Or to win Championships - repeatedly. Personally I think its fans like you that have us in the mess. JFJ told MLSE that this team needed to rebuild through the draft - they told him to shut up. Scotty Bowman brought a 5 year rebuild plan to MLSE - they showed him the door. The first statement that Burke made was that this fanbase was incapable of waiting through a proper rebuild ... here we are 8 years later... enough is enough.

Phil Kessel isn't worth very much around the NHL - after witnessing him go INVISIBLE mode in a Series would drop his stock even further. Watching Komi give away a pass that results in a series winning goal would all but assure no team would ever even take half his salary. Watching Tyler Bozak sit on the bench with tears in his eyes ... Watching Reimer/Scrivens get absolutely shelled 8-0 could spell the end of their short careers - all of these things are negatives for the long term success of this franchise ... there's no positives in making the P.O's and getting destroyed in 4 games. No matter how you want to spin it.

This team can't compete when the going gets tough in the regular season - just imagine how bad they will all look when the stakes get uped in the Playoffs - it will be downright embarrassing. What little glimpses of hope we might have had for individual players will all but cease to exist.

 

[colchar]

This team is not making the playoffs, I see no reason to try to finish 22nd or 23rd. Want to finish 29th or 3oth so we ensure ourselves of Jones or Mackinnon.

Finishing 29th or 30th does not ensure anything.

 

[Stephen]

I think good things can come out of tanking and a 48 game job isn't the most painful thing, but I will qualify that by saying that given how much of a non factor the Leafs have been the last decade, it will probably be better for them to blow the doors off the Eastern Conference and emerge as a good team this year so they can start attracting those Perry/Getzlaf/Malkin level UFAs in the coming years and change the perception of the club than to put all our hopes on one 18 year old.

 

[Brewsky]

How about this, lose like crap....get MacKinnon, sign Getzlaf and Perry.

Boom, it's time to fly.

 

[Mess]

Finishing 29th or 30th does not ensure anything.

It guarantees a top 3 pick, no matter who wins the lottery.

 

[DaveT83*]

Nonis has the full backing of Bell/Rogers. The rebuild will be done right - we'll be back on track next year.

1. MacKinnon
2. Reilly
3. Gardner
4. Kadri
5. Frattin

Trade Kessel - Target a Quality F/A - and you're competing in the East by next year.

 

[colchar]

Phil Kessel isn't worth very much around the NHL - after witnessing him go INVISIBLE mode in a Series would drop his stock even further.

The player who finished 6th in points and 7th in goals last year isn't worth very much?

Watching Komi give away a pass that results in a series winning goal would all but assure no team would ever even take half his salary. Watching Tyler Bozak sit on the bench with tears in his eyes ... Watching Reimer/Scrivens get absolutely shelled 8-0 could spell the end of their short careers - all of these things are negatives for the long term success of this franchise ...

there's no positives in making the P.O's and getting destroyed in 4 games. No matter how you want to spin it.

Good God, yes there are. First the players will get playoff experience. Second it will show free agents that the Leafs are not bottom feeders. The Oilers finished 14th and 16th in their first couple of seasons in the league and made the playoffs both years but only won one playoff round during that time. Are you seriously going to argue that the playoff experience did not help them when they made the playoffs the following year? I am not comparing the Leafs to those Edmonton teams in terms of talent but the playoff experience obviously helped them and it will help the Leafs too.

What little glimpses of hope we might have had for individual players will all but cease to exist.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Finishing 29th or 30th does not ensure anything.

finishing 30th ensures a top 2 pick

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Nonis has the full backing of Bell/Rogers. The rebuild will be done right - we'll be back on track next year.

1. MacKinnon
2. Reilly
3. Gardner
4. Kadri
5. Frattin

Trade Kessel - Target a Quality F/A - and you're competing in the East by next year.

or keep Kessel if you can put him on MacKinnon wing.

 

[Hanta Yo]

Shortened season, some great C prospects in the draft; if there was a season that people could be patient enough to tank for, it's this one.

 

[Drmckool]

I don't really understand this talk of trading Kessel. From an asset management perspective moving Kessel only makes sense if we can add more value than if we kept him, keeping in mind the added baggage of the price the Leafs paid for him.

 

[Drmckool]

Shortened season, some great C prospects in the draft; if there was a season that people could be patient enough to tank for, it's this one.

I agree, even going so far as to wonder if there would be value in moving assets to acquire other firsts, preferably from bubble teams.

 

[FlareKnight]

I agree, even going so far as to wonder if there would be value in moving assets to acquire other firsts, preferably from bubble teams.

In a draft this deep there certainly would be value in getting more picks. So much talent out there in this draft and this would definitely be the year to try to get some picks to cash in on.

 

[htpwn]

Maybe it is in our best interest, but that doesn't mean we should pursue it. Tanking is not a way I want to see this team built. In fact, nobody should want this team to intentionally lose.

It is pathetic that I've seen supposed "fans" advocating we trade a 25-year-old PPG winger for picks and prospects... before the season has even started.

The NHL is a league of parity. If everything goes right, this team can make the playoffs and we should be cheering for that. If this team is in last place by the trade deadline, then by all means, tank away. Trade away UFAs for picks and prospects, start looking forward to a high pick at the draft. Now? Cheer for the team to win. It seems silly to do anything else.

 

[Drmckool]

Maybe it is in our best interest, but that doesn't mean we should pursue it. Tanking is not a way I want to see this team built. In fact, nobody should want this team to intentionally lose.

It is pathetic that I've seen supposed "fans" advocating we trade a 25-year-old PPG winger for picks and prospects... before the season has even started.

The NHL is a league of parity. If everything goes right, this team can make the playoffs and we should be cheering for that. If this team is in last place by the trade deadline, then by all means, tank away. Trade away UFAs for picks and prospects, start looking forward to a high pick at the draft. Now? Cheer for the team to win. It seems silly to do anything else.

I don't think -- or at least I hope that it isn't the case -- that anyone here is cheering for MTL to beat the Leafs on opening day.

 

[DaveT83*]

or keep Kessel if you can put him on MacKinnon wing.

I don't think Kadri/Grabo/Kessel can fit into our top6 and compete against some of the bigger teams. I think you use him to address a weakness elsewhere in the lineup - Elite Goalie Prospect that is ready to make the Jump to NHL + Power Forward would be ideal

Collectively we should move past thinking about individual player performance - and start worrying about creating a cohesive unit that can be competitive in any situation. Just my 2cents.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I don't think Kadri/Grabo/Kessel can fit into our top6 and compete against some of the bigger teams. I think you use him to address a weakness elsewhere in the lineup - Elite Goalie Prospect that is ready to make the Jump to NHL + Power Forward would be ideal

Collectively we should move past thinking about individual player performance - and start worrying about creating a cohesive unit that can be competitive in any situation. Just my 2cents.

Kessel fits in our top 6 easily he was 6th in scoring last year you keep him if you can put him on Mackinnon wing if we can draft him and hopefully sign a goalie this offseason