Confirmed with Link: Joe Thornton to Leafs [1yr/700k]

[Gabriel426]

I can actually see Jumbo playing on a line with Willie and JT.

 

[ottomaddox]

So let's pretend that John T and AM and MM and WM all got paid $2M less than they do.
And on the other hand Kerfoot, Vessey, Jumbo, Wayne, ZH, Soup, Muzzin, and Brodie all made an extra $1M each.

It would be less doom and gloom?



My point being, how the salary is divided is not that important. It's the players on the ice that will determine success vs failure.

The leafs are signing players based on need to add grit and leadership.

How salary is divided means a lot. You need flexibility and efficiency to adapt to the season.

 

[butchersmilk]

It's actually tiring explaining basic logic repeatedly on this site.

How the hell does going from Frederik Gauthier to Joe Thornton put the team's speed identity into question? In the 4C hole that will play less than 10 minutes per night? With Spezza rotating in/out?

You're making character and ego insinuations predicated on baseless narratives. How does Matthews have an ego that impedes him from listening to a veteran - because he has tattoos? Funny, because Matthews was the one player who actually was "that guy" in the playoffs this year and took control of the entire ice for the Leafs. Marleau's impact on him is well documented.

You're acting like this is the NBA, and that on a 23 man roster, Thornton should have simply willed the Sharks to win a cup. Was Ray Bourque a gutless choker? How about Ovechkin? Some players go decades or entire careers without winning despite being some of the most competitive athletes in the game. It's not as simplified as you're trying to boil it down to be.

I wasn't directly questioning Torontos speed identity, I was simply implying that the league is getting faster and younger. In the playoffs the difference between winning and losing normally comes down to a footrace to the puck or a battle won along the boards and special teams.

Wasnt it Matthews that was in trouble for dropping his pants and exposing him self to some security guard or something along those lines ? I mean is that the type of publicity and behavior you want from a franchise player ? and yes we were all young once and did dumb shit but not all of us made millions as teenagers and were the face of a sport franchise, I never heard of Crosby being in any kind of trouble outside the hockey rink. I dont think those are baseless narratives and I feel thats why he wasnt chosen as the captain, but to each their own I guess. And tattoos have no merit whatsoever in this; id be willing to say that majority of the younger players have them these days. I would be more concerned about the porn mustache tbh.

I never said winning the cup comes down to a single player, its a team effort just like in any other sport. But hockey unlike other sports features a lot special teams play where the good players can make a significant difference. I never said Joe sucks, I simply was curious what all the hurray was about considering he is 41 and the Sharks choke jobs are well documented, not to mention a few times considered as legit contenders. In the end Ovechking got his cup and so did Bourque and who knows maybe Joe will get his with Toronto.

 

[stickty111]

Incorrect, if it was up to Dubas he'd have a top 9 of tiny skilled guys, and a 4th line of larger, softer players. This is all Shanny stepping in and slapping Dubas in the pee pee.

Incorrect. Dubas's Marlies and Soo teams were all balanced. This is his full vision taking into full effect now.
Maybe you should look at his history, before going off a narrative?

 

[Cobra777]

Got to say one thing for sure, as a fan, Love the game and every aspect of it, love the Leafs and always used to love trades and acquisitions as part of being a hockey fan pre cap in the blockbusters trades back when, but in this cap era Dubas has certainly supplied plenty entertainment in this field is one thing I can certainly say and appreciate, so I hope we are successful so we can see more lol. I can say he is willing to make moves and he is smart enough where he will get it down pat and the thing is we are not giving away the farm for these vets like previous regimes.

 

[stickty111]

Sports narratives on Thornton are absolute garbage. That he is some playoff choker despite in his prime years putting up basically a ppg in the playoffs. That he couldn't will his team to the cup - something essentially no player ever has in the NHL. Reading pure garbage that somehow his level of failure is going to submerge the Leafs to fail further is absolute nonsense levels of negative critical thinking skills.

People imagine these concepts of choking, intangibles, clutch, etc and just throw them around as if they have value. In the end it's a team game and a star player plays roughly a third of the game. If the star player puts up points they have done their job. That's what Thornton did at all levels. He played on a team, in a sport that one team per year wins it all and his team never won. To critique him for that is baffling.

In the end its an absolute no risk move with minimum dollars and term on a player who has some of the most experience in the league.

I wasn't directly questioning Torontos speed identity, I was simply implying that the league is getting faster and younger. In the playoffs the difference between winning and losing normally comes down to a footrace to the puck or a battle won along the boards and special teams.

Wasnt it Matthews that was in trouble for dropping his pants and exposing him self to some security guard or something along those lines ? I mean is that the type of publicity and behavior you want from a franchise player ? and yes we were all young once and did dumb shit but not all of us made millions as teenagers and were the face of a sport franchise, I never heard of Crosby being in any kind of trouble outside the hockey rink. I dont think those are baseless narratives and I feel thats why he wasnt chosen as the captain, but to each their own I guess. And tattoos have no merit whatsoever in this; id be willing to say that majority of the younger players have them these days. I would be more concerned about the porn mustache tbh.

I never said winning the cup comes down to a single player, its a team effort just like in any other sport. But hockey unlike other sports features a lot special teams play where the good players can make a significant difference. I never said Joe sucks, I simply was curious what all the hurray was about considering he is 41 and the Sharks choke jobs are well documented, not to mention a few times considered as legit contenders. In the end Ovechking got his cup and so did Bourque and who knows maybe Joe will get his with Toronto.

You should read the above post. Do you know the legal issues Patrik Kane has had? Maybe Chicago can't trust their franchise winger and will never win with them? Wait they won with him being a star in the playoffs. Everybody makes mistakes even the best. Lets stop with character insults.
BTW Ovi's leadership has been questioned many times yet he won.

Also the Thornton offers bad leadership stuff is just silly and makes no sense.

 

[fahad203]

You should read the above post. Do you know the legal issues Patrik Kane has had? Maybe Chicago can't trust their franchise winger and will never win with them? Wait they won with him being a star in the playoffs. Everybody makes mistakes even the best. Lets stop with character insults.
BTW Ovi's leadership has been questioned many times yet he won.

Also the Thornton offers bad leadership stuff is just silly and makes no sense.

People forget that Detroit was running Yzerman out of town because apparently you couldn't win with him. He some how turned out to be one of the better leaders of the game

Mats Sundin leadership for longest time was questioned.

 

[Marshy]

Sports narratives on Thornton are absolute garbage. That he is some playoff choker despite in his prime years putting up basically a ppg in the playoffs. That he couldn't will his team to the cup - something essentially no player ever has in the NHL. Reading pure garbage that somehow his level of failure is going to submerge the Leafs to fail further is absolute nonsense levels of negative critical thinking skills.

People imagine these concepts of choking, intangibles, clutch, etc and just throw them around as if they have value. In the end it's a team game and a star player plays roughly a third of the game. If the star player puts up points they have done their job. That's what Thornton did at all levels. He played on a team, in a sport that one team per year wins it all and his team never won. To critique him for that is baffling.

In the end its an absolute no risk move with minimum dollars and term on a player who has some of the most experience in the league.

Fifty percent of sports fans are thick.

 

[Myopic]

I don't mind this. It's only 700K and Joe will be useful in the playoffs.

I'd rotate Thornton and Spezza the whole season. That'll keep them fresh for the playoffs by each playing 1/2 the games.

 

[Nineteen67]

What an off season for Dubas.

Simmonds
Brodie
Bogosian
Vesey
Dell
Thornton

Dubas promised change he's delivered change

he said he was going to get players that made them harder to play against. Are they really any different?
They were never an exceptionally fast team and now they may be one of the slowest team in the league.

 

[Nineteen67]

I don't mind this. It's only 700K and Joe will be useful in the playoffs.

I'd rotate Thornton and Spezza the whole season. That'll keep them fresh for the playoffs by each playing 1/2 the games.

If there’s no Canadian division theres no guarantee they make to playoffs.

 

[moon111]

There's a lot of stats being floated around. Joe Thornton outscored Kerfoot. Kerfoot had a higher points/60. The big thing is, for the salary... you basically can't lose. So the deal is a win.

Thornton can strip the puck and pass it... but to who on SJ was there? Robertson might even have better hands then any teammate he's been dishing the puck to in awhile.
This deal is so bad, it has me thinking, "Would he work good with Nylander?" ...didn't see that kind of speculation with Gauthier!

 

[Nineteen67]

Yeah ,waisted money on guys you don't need..Still no bona-fide #1 defenseman, and #1 Goaltender..just silly spending if ya ask me..

Basically they think Rielly is a number 1 and Muzzin will be the shutdown guy.

 

[kihei]

There's a lot of stats being floated around. Joe Thornton outscored Kerfoot. Kerfoot had a higher points/60. The big thing is, for the salary... you basically can't lose. So the deal is a win.

Thornton can strip the puck and pass it... but to who on SJ was there? Robertson might even have better hands then any teammate he's been dishing the puck to in awhile.
This deal is so bad, it has me thinking, "Would he work good with Nylander?" ...didn't see that kind of speculation with Gauthier!

If Nylander agrees to carry around about 25 pounds worth of weights on him, they might make a pair, but I just don't see Thornton being as important on the ice as he will be in the room. Almost like having playing mentor for the young guys.

 

[blueberrie]

So the answer is to trade a 26 year old #3c under control for 3 more seasons, and replace him with a league minimum 41 year old in steep decline?

Anyone care to answer me as to what happens next year? Just keep hoping for more 41 year olds?

I like the signing, but people really need to put on their thinking caps here. Most appear to be lost or stolen. Logic has left the building.

Kerfoot got traded?

 

[Coachcorner]

It's such a great thang to see the knowledge on our maple leafs boards again after this type of signing Y'alls is really knowing ice hockey and y'alls favourite team sire. So many memorizing the past teams now also. Its incredible how close this team now is to the Pat Quinn ones.......... gets me very moved sire.

One thing I can guarantee as a life long san jose follower and seeing joe
's games there like I've seen him play like...... in 350 full games easily: He talks-a-lot. So much, and yells. Always something to say to the refs or some sucka players. That'll bring such a new element with simmonds, to our current sucka team. Such fools is really needed. Joe is also a player who makes others want to win for HIM. Nobody wants to see Joe doing bad, they love him as fellow band of brothers. So these types of things y'alls is going to see soon and itll' be such treat sire.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

he said he was going to get players that made them harder to play against. Are they really any different?
They were never an exceptionally fast team and now they may be one of the slowest team in the league.

We aren't even close to being one of the slowest teams in the league lol

We still have guys that can absolutely fly. We lost some speed with Mango/Kapanen/Barrie, but we also got guys that have a higher IQ and can offset some of those deficiencies with good positioning.

Most of our forwards can still fly and Lehtonen/Dermott/Rielly are good skaters.

 

[Coachcorner]

I can actually see Jumbo playing on a line with Willie and JT.

That I frankly don't see sire. JT and jumbo will not be playing 4 on 4 or 5 on 5 situations. They are not our strongest skaters and we'll use them differently. Maybe sometimes when we are 6 on 5 or like on the powerplay, but not 5 on 5 hockey sire. Also Joe has only a couple of games on the wing during his long career. He that fantastic. Nylander might be playing with jumbo sire, you are very correct there.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Not a Dubas fan by any means (which isn’t exactly a secret), but I’m liking his offseason this year.
I’ve long asked “What exactly can he do with the shit storm he created?”

Well... apparently a lot more than I thought he could. I’ll give him that.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Maybe we go with two 1st lines and two 3rd lines:

Hyman Matthews Marner 20 min
Mikheyev Tavares Nylander 20 min
Robertson Thornton Simmonds 10 min
Engvall Kerfoot Vesey 10 min

Spezza Barabanov Hallander Anderson Korshkov

 

[Coachcorner]

There's a lot of stats being floated around. Joe Thornton outscored Kerfoot. Kerfoot had a higher points/60. The big thing is, for the salary... you basically can't lose. So the deal is a win.

Thornton can strip the puck and pass it... but to who on SJ was there? Robertson might even have better hands then any teammate he's been dishing the puck to in awhile.
This deal is so bad, it has me thinking, "Would he work good with Nylander?" ...didn't see that kind of speculation with Gauthier!

Robertson or Barabanov will be the guys OUR Joe will be playing this season yes sire. They brings the ruckus and the speed right on there. Joe doesnt' even have to skate then, just pass that itchy to the left hand sire. Also uh, san jose played Joe with some real bad suckas lately... last season and before that. He played 5 on 5 with some real fools. Goofy goons. Like people like.... noesen etc. These are not the best scorers I can assure you.

 

[Kelly]

Put him on Matthews wing

 

[Eternal Leaf]

he said he was going to get players that made them harder to play against. Are they really any different?
They were never an exceptionally fast team and now they may be one of the slowest team in the league.

The team's entire gameplan has been based on speed and you're saying "They were never an exceptionally fast team"?



The biggest criticism teamwide has been a lack of grit due to this overemphasis on speed and quick playmaking. They've now sacrificed some of this speed in the bottom 6 to help make the team tougher and more grizzled.

It will always be a very fast team. Too many of the Leafs top players are great skaters.

Nylander, Marner, Matthews, Rielly, Brodie, Dermott, Mikheyev, Lehtonen, Barabanov, and Robertson are all quick, fluid skaters that can fly down the ice.

 

[PackShark]

Not sure where exactly he fits in your lineup. Treat him right Leafs fans. You’re getting a good one.

 

[Superstar]

LOL man that season I'll never forget that game where we played the Habs and McClaren hit one of them hard and a big scrum happened, McClaren looked after the one guy while 3 habs were skating towards Orr and Orr picked one of them and knocked him out with his first punch, the other two seein that bailed and the rest turn white as Casper the friendly ghost made my night lol.

Was Plekanec wearing his turtle-neck at the time?