Confirmed with Link: Joe Thornton to Leafs [1yr/700k]
- Thread starter lovemyleafs
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Le Cobra
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Mitchy
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What an amazing signing this has been. His passing is still elite and he's an absolute monster on the cycle.
Jumbo's still got it.
Jumbo's still got it.
zeke
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Brian Burke: "I just don't get how there's room for both Thornton and Spezza"
Thornton and Spezza >>> Marleau AINEC
TopChedder
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- Oct 2, 2013
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Burke the blowhorn, fool.
I never liked him, but when he said Matty was leaving Toronto for sure he was dead to me lol
if he wins us a cup he's going home and pulling the Kawhi.... And I won't even be mad about it either. Might even buy a Matthews coyotes jersey once he eventually gets the C.
If he wins us a cup... I'd be pretty sad if he left without completing that for us.
TopChedder
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I think he is a Leaf for life. Like Sid and Pitts.
Where would he find a better situation? Hockey wise?
zeke
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BURKE SAYS SIGNING JOE THORNTON MAKES NO SENSE FOR THE MAPLE LEAFS
Sportsnet hockey analyst Brian Burke is not holding back while discussing the Toronto Maple Leafs signing NHL veteran Joe Thornton. An in interview done before the signing was made official by the Leafs, Burke said it would make zero sense for the Maple Leafs.
"I don't think this is a good idea," said Burke. "I don't mince my words very often, this doesn't make sense to me at all."
I don't get it," Burke continued. "They signed the veteran for this role. I don't get it from Joe's standpoint. If he thinks the team is close, there are teams that are closer that might sign him."
"It almost looks like doing something to show the public you're doing something and pulling out all the stops, but it's not quite what you need," Burke continued.
"Why don't they spend this time and effort and get some ugly, big, mean, nasty guy that is preferably...they are adding a piece they don't need. "
ACC1224
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Gary Nylund
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Haha yeah, not even close. I have to say, I'm impressed with how Keefe has handled things with Thornton. I wasn't sure how it would work with him playing with the big boys as he can't handle as much ice time as them but so far, it's looked very good indeed. He's been better then I could have hoped for, let's hope he can keep it up.
stickty111
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ottomaddox
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Fortunately for us, the Arizona Coyotes will likely be in Houston or Austin by that time.
Suntouchable13
Registered User
Give Burke a break. If anyone expected Joe Thornton to come in and play like this at his age are just fooling themselves. Let's not act like it's normal for 41 year olds to play at this level that Thornton is playing at. This has been a major surprise. Even Dubas did not expect this, I bet.
At the same point he had a good year in SAn Jose last year and I felt it odd no one seemed to reference that.
And Burke's predictions are really brutal.
Suntouchable13
Registered User
Good year, yea, 30 points 3rd or 4th line duties with some leadership qualities. Not freaking ppg.
JUst some facts, Arizona couldn't pay 40K bonuses to players last July 1st. That same day Leafs gave Matthews 16.2 million.
The $ and the chance to win is in Toronto. 32.4 million last 2 JUly 1st bonuses. That's crazy bonus money for the NHL. It also destroys the lazy "Taxes" argument.
Leafs have the top departments in the NHL. Do the Coyotees even have a scouting department? They'll never win. If matthews had his wrist injury in Arizona the coach would throw him a dollar store cold pack.
Yeah but while he's been real good this year his linemates are numping his production. I didn't understand why people thought he couldn't be a good bottom 6 player.
Suntouchable13
Registered User
On the surface it did look redundant. Not mind readers, we did not know that Keefe was planning to use him on wing with our top players.
Just shows our GM knows better than talking heads who crap on him.
We saw Burke's act. Epic bust. He's not in Dubas' league.
zeke
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Read burke's take and he's not criticizing Thornton the player, but rather the style he plays and how that wouldn't fit on the leafs.
As for the level of play Thornton was at, people did seem to miss that Thornton had still been getting top 6 minutes the last couple of years, and last year was the first year ever that he hadn't put up quality top 6 production....only quality 3rd line production..on a team that had a disaster year al around. There was always a decent chance that especially shifted to the easier wing position he could still be a quality top 6 producer.
Now PPG is still a surprise but we all know that's because his linemates are ridiculous. He's played very well but not ppg well.
Why Burke deserves mockery is because once again he just seemed completely baffled by the idea that skilled depth is better than goon depth.
Stephen
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One thing I really like about Joe Thornton's game aside from all the Hall of Fame qualities is his ability to plow through traffic along the boards like street sweeper. Just clears bodies, loosens up the puck, and keeps the play alive for the good guys.
