Official Tank Thread of the Toronto Maple Leafs

[mallory67]

Palat-Johnson-Kucherov isn't overly large as an example.

But if you wanted to go back to last years final in the top 6 of each team, Chicago and Tampa Bay, only 2 forwards were 6'2 (Toews and Killorn), everyone else was shorter.

I like size, but it has to be functional size.

Tkachuk as of right now is only 6'1 which is pretty average (only 1 inch taller then Connor Brown) - but as he is a young kid, I imagine he could grow an inch or so for sure.

I would love to add a L.Brown or a Matthews though to our roster for sure, it is always good to have a nice mix.

The Palat/Johnson/Kucherov line is pretty special ... and I agree we don't need to draft for pure size or truculance. It has to be useful size ... fast size. And I think 6'1" or 6'2" is a good size. I just think Nylander/Marner/Brown will get pushed around a bit. Hockey is still a physical game and you have to hit and check and win battles on the boards and in the corners.

I am a big supporter of our Marner/Nylander picks. Even Bracco is going to be special. Just think you need to round things out. I think we could use a Kopitar or Simmonds or a David Backes. Big smart guys who are HARD to play against and will wear down opponents.

Winning a cup is about grinding the other teams down (sometimes) as much as it is about skill and scoring.

 

[RedRenegade]

I might be wrong but I heard Nylander is 5'11 or 6'. So that's only an inch or two from the numbers you've mentioned. Really not a big deal for a forward. But I agree with your premise that we could use a Backes, Simmonds, Brown, etc. Those guys are pretty valuable to their team and we know Nylander will likely not be playing that style of game. For now the closest we probably have is Komarov but hopefully there will be others in the future.

 

[WTFMAN99]

The Palat/Johnson/Kucherov line is pretty special ... and I agree we don't need to draft for pure size or truculance. It has to be useful size ... fast size. And I think 6'1" or 6'2" is a good size. I just think Nylander/Marner/Brown will get pushed around a bit. Hockey is still a physical game and you have to hit and check and win battles on the boards and in the corners.

I am a big supporter of our Marner/Nylander picks. Even Bracco is going to be special. Just think you need to round things out. I think we could use a Kopitar or Simmonds or a David Backes. Big smart guys who are HARD to play against and will wear down opponents.

Winning a cup is about grinding the other teams down (sometimes) as much as it is about skill and scoring.

I agree. The Oilers have a lot of the same types of forwards. At some point you'll want a Simmonds or a Lucic in there. It is INCREDIBLY hard to draft these types of players, and their peak is limited before their body breaks down. Lucic is slowing down. Simmonds is still doing okay but he's young. Malone was looking amazing on Pittsburgh and within a couple of years on Tampa Bay, his body was done. I think the only one who comes to mind as a power forward who has managed to stay healthy over the course of their career is Iginla.

Connor Brown is 6 ft, Nylander is 6 ft, Marner is 5'11, and Bracco is probably 5'10. It would be nice to add a guy like Matthews or L.Brown who could give us some size up the middle for sure. Size also needs to be utilized, you look at a guy like Gallagher on Montreal and he is a pitbull and goes to the net. JVR plays kind of soft sometimes for such a big guy, so mental make up of the player is important.

Anyways long story short I think you and me are speaking the same language - size would be nice to add as long as it is functional and can contribute.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

They need to decide who are the star forwards and who is getting moved out for d and goalie help either now or top level d and goalie prospects. That team is so forward heavy in talent it's unbelievable. I'd try and pry Provorov away from Philly. Maybe offer RNH for him.

But we all know that this won't last forever...All they need is a goalie to go along with another blue chipper in this years draft.

Both of you make good points. A stud goalie and revamping that defense will go a long way to getting that team back to respectability. A guy like Chychrun would go a long way for them.

Honestly it's kind of a worry for me to regarding the Leafs. Forward prospects look excellent, while on D we only have Rielly as a blue-chipper. It's one of the reasons I'm pulling for us to draft Chychrun (though I'd have no qualms about getting Mattews). Of course we're still early in this rebuild so there's plenty of time to stock up on D.

 

[mallory67]

I agree. The Oilers have a lot of the same types of forwards. At some point you'll want a Simmonds or a Lucic in there. It is INCREDIBLY hard to draft these types of players, and their peak is limited before their body breaks down. Lucic is slowing down. Simmonds is still doing okay but he's young. Malone was looking amazing on Pittsburgh and within a couple of years on Tampa Bay, his body was done. I think the only one who comes to mind as a power forward who has managed to stay healthy over the course of their career is Iginla.

Connor Brown is 6 ft, Nylander is 6 ft, Marner is 5'11, and Bracco is probably 5'10. It would be nice to add a guy like Matthews or L.Brown who could give us some size up the middle for sure. Size also needs to be utilized, you look at a guy like Gallagher on Montreal and he is a pitbull and goes to the net. JVR plays kind of soft sometimes for such a big guy, so mental make up of the player is important.

Anyways long story short I think you and me are speaking the same language - size would be nice to add as long as it is functional and can contribute.

By no means am I slagging on Brown/Nylander/Marner/Bracco. They all have decent size for today's NHL. But these guys are "finesse" players. The operate on open ice ... with space and time. Even Matthews is about skill really.

We need some guys who can get down and dirty and create that open ice. Open ice is created when you have a scrum on the boards or in the corner. It's created when you get people of their game and get under their skin.

Gallagher makes an impact in front of the net sure ... and he is tough. But he also falls down a lot and coughs it up. I want the guy who makes Gallagher fall down.

Love Logan Brown, Tkachuk, Max Jones for 2016 . Last draft really like Meier, Zacha.
Hopefully we can get Matthews or Chychrun in 2016.

But sheesh, Edmonton. Come on Oilers ... what are you guys waiting for?
Another #1 overall?

 

[Swayze*]

By no means am I slagging on Brown/Nylander/Marner/Bracco. They all have decent size for today's NHL. But these guys are "finesse" players. The operate on open ice ... with space and time. Even Matthews is about skill really.

We need some guys who can get down and dirty and create that open ice. Open ice is created when you have a scrum on the boards or in the corner. It's created when you get people of their game and get under their skin.

Gallagher makes an impact in front of the net sure ... and he is tough. But he also falls down a lot and coughs it up. I want the guy who makes Gallagher fall down.

Love Logan Brown, Tkachuk, Max Jones for 2016 . Last draft really like Meier, Zacha.
Hopefully we can get Matthews or Chychrun in 2016.

But sheesh, Edmonton. Come on Oilers ... what are you guys waiting for?
Another #1 overall?

I'm with you on this. Need some size or we'll be the next Montreal Midget squad

 

[carko32]

I might be wrong but I heard Nylander is 5'11 or 6'. So that's only an inch or two from the numbers you've mentioned. Really not a big deal for a forward. But I agree with your premise that we could use a Backes, Simmonds, Brown, etc. Those guys are pretty valuable to their team and we know Nylander will likely not be playing that style of game. For now the closest we probably have is Komarov but hopefully there will be others in the future.

While Backes and Simmonds are good players and I would love to have someone like them in our prospect pool, especially Simmonds, I can't believe that people don't realize how ****** Dustin Brown is for last few seasons. He just is not a guy we should be drafting. His best seasons were coincidentally the best seasons of Kopitar, who is much more talented player and raised his stats in big way.

But I agree, some size would be good for us. But of all players with size, I think we should try to draft someone like Kreider(size with speed) or Nichushkin, Neal, Forsberg, someone with really good scoring touch.

 

[Purity*]

I'm with you on this. Need some size or we'll be the next Montreal Midget squad

Sure wouldn't hurt.

Chicago may not be a big team but they do have a couple big players sprinkled in their lineup. We definitely look a little deficient in size as far as our prospect pool goes.

The Leafs will definitely be building a lineup based on speed, skill and transition (very similar to what the Hawks do) as opposed to the tough, physical grinding style that the Kings and Bruins use (well, used I guess).

 

[Swayze*]

So we're all in agreement

Logan Brown come on down

 

[mallory67]

So we're all in agreement

Logan Brown come on down

Matt Tkachuk! Come on down ... and bring some Marner chemistry!

 

[Swayze*]

Matt Tkachuk! Come on down ... and bring some Marner chemistry!

 

[Swayze*]

Sure wouldn't hurt.

Chicago may not be a big team but they do have a couple big players sprinkled in their lineup. We definitely look a little deficient in size as far as our prospect pool goes.

The Leafs will definitely be building a lineup based on speed, skill and transition (very similar to what the Hawks do) as opposed to the tough, physical grinding style that the Kings and Bruins use (well, used I guess).

hawks are big but they're not small either

nobody calls them the smurfs and they are mentally tough as hell

 

[Purity*]

hawks are big but they're not small either

nobody calls them the smurfs and they are mentally tough as hell

http://mirtle.blogspot.ca/2014/10/2014-15-nhl-teams-by-height-weight-and.html

One of the smallest teams in the league actually.

 

[Swayze*]

http://mirtle.blogspot.ca/2014/10/2014-15-nhl-teams-by-height-weight-and.html

One of the smallest teams in the league actually.

Surprising, they don't look it, aside from Kaner

Imagine if they still had guys like Ladd, Buff, Sharp and the like. Victims of the cap

They could have a few more cups easily.

 

[WTFMAN99]

By no means am I slagging on Brown/Nylander/Marner/Bracco. They all have decent size for today's NHL. But these guys are "finesse" players. The operate on open ice ... with space and time. Even Matthews is about skill really.

We need some guys who can get down and dirty and create that open ice. Open ice is created when you have a scrum on the boards or in the corner. It's created when you get people of their game and get under their skin.

Gallagher makes an impact in front of the net sure ... and he is tough. But he also falls down a lot and coughs it up. I want the guy who makes Gallagher fall down.

Love Logan Brown, Tkachuk, Max Jones for 2016 . Last draft really like Meier, Zacha.
Hopefully we can get Matthews or Chychrun in 2016.

But sheesh, Edmonton. Come on Oilers ... what are you guys waiting for?
Another #1 overall?

I thought Meier was taken a bit early, thought he would have been a viable option for teams at the 11-18 mark.

Zacha...didn't see enough offensive upside, so he was a 10-11 pick for me.

I like L.Brown, Tkachuk, Matthews, Chyrchun, Juolevi early on (in no specific order)

 

[Purity*]

That lineup screams Austin Matthews.

Our lineup is bad, but check out NJD's lineup, omfg is it every cringeworthy, here's a copy and paste of their lineup from their game preview tonight.

Mike Cammalleri - Sergey Kalinin - Jordin Tootoo

Jiri Tlusty - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak

Brian O'Neill - Jacob Josefson - Kyle Palmieri

Reid Boucher - Stephen Gionta - Tuomo Ruutu

Andy Greene - Adam Larsson

Jon Merrill - John Moore

David Schlemko - Damon Severson

I seriously don't think we can out-tank that lineup.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Our lineup is bad, but check out NJD's lineup, omfg is it every cringeworthy, here's a copy and paste of their lineup from their game preview tonight.

Mike Cammalleri - Sergey Kalinin - Jordin Tootoo

Jiri Tlusty - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak

Brian O'Neill - Jacob Josefson - Kyle Palmieri

Reid Boucher - Stephen Gionta - Tuomo Ruutu

Andy Greene - Adam Larsson

Jon Merrill - John Moore

David Schlemko - Damon Severson

I seriously don't think we can out-tank that lineup.

The last game of the season, will have implications
Also where is Elias?

 

[Menzinger]

The Oilers problem isn't their lack of "gritty" forwards. It's that their defensive core is awful and they lack decent depth in the bottom 6. Their top six is just fine - at least long term.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Our lineup is bad, but check out NJD's lineup, omfg is it every cringeworthy, here's a copy and paste of their lineup from their game preview tonight.

Mike Cammalleri - Sergey Kalinin - Jordin Tootoo

Jiri Tlusty - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak

Brian O'Neill - Jacob Josefson - Kyle Palmieri

Reid Boucher - Stephen Gionta - Tuomo Ruutu

Andy Greene - Adam Larsson

Jon Merrill - John Moore

David Schlemko - Damon Severson

I seriously don't think we can out-tank that lineup.

At least they have a goalie who can steal games.

 

[Menzinger]

Edmonton is a good example of how high picks arent everything. Obviously I'm very excited about what Rielly, Nylander, Marner, etc can become, but those guys alone can't carry a franchise. I'm almost more intrigued by what we can get out of guys like Brown, Loov, Bracco, Dermott, Timashov, Bibeau, etc.

Look around the league, look at the playoff teams and recent SC champions. We need to find our own Subban, Weber, Keith, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Benn, Lundqvist, Stepan, Bergeron, Tyler Johnson, Giordano, Gaudreau, etc. A legitimate core player from outside the 1st. Not just an NHL piece like Gunnarsson or Kulemin, we need to find some legitimate talent.

Hopefully due to a sheer increase in volume of picks, by us regularly selling players instead of regularly trading away picks, and also improved scouting/development, can pay off at some point in this regard.

Edmonton's drafting has been absolutely terrible outside the first round. It's the main reason they've been such a joke while rebuilding so long.

 

[Pilky01]

Lossin' For Austin....?

 

[Menzinger]

Lossin' For Austin....?

"Must lose for Matthews"

 

[Pyrophorus]

We blew for Matthews

 

[Gabriel426]

Edmonton's drafting has been absolutely terrible outside the first round. It's the main reason they've been such a joke while rebuilding so long.

Pretty hard to go wrong in the First round if you have 4 of the 6 1st overall picks.
Oilers is a joke.
I just had a conversation with a livelong Oilers fan and he said the Oilers will rue McDavid just like they did with Hall and others.

 

[Ovate]

Oilers had the worst run of three #1OA picks in recent history. If they'd been 3 years earlier, it could have been Kane, Stamkos, Tavares.

I don't blame them for bad drafting either, each pick was very defensible at the time.

Still, they should have been able to do something around them. Hall, RNH, Yakupov is still a solid forward core.