Official Tank Thread of the Toronto Maple Leafs

[Gary Nylund]

Yes, because in 3 years he'll be the same age as Crosby is now. Crosby is clearly done, it's been a good career for Sid, but he's barely a #1C anymore.

(in case it wasn't obvious)

If we sign Stammer, we're already on the upswing next year. We could easily have something like the following roster:

JVR - Stamkos - Nylander
Marner - Kadri - XXX
Komarov - Holland - Brown
Winnik - Gauthier/Carrick - XXX

Rielly - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Chychrun (I know he's a LHD, so maybe Gardiner goes on the right side... unless Chychrun can play either side?)

Still needs improvement, but that's a top line and potentially solid 2nd line.

To be clear, it is unlikely he'll be signing in Toronto, but if we have the option to do so you take it and never look back.

Edit: I think Rielly could be a #1D, but can you imagine what adding an elite #1C (Stamkos) and another potential #1D (Chychrun) in one month would do for this franchise?!

From what I've seen/heard, Crosby isn't the player he once was. He was the consensus best player in the league, not so any more (still very good obviously). So based on this example, we should expect Stamkos to start declining by the time he's 28.

 

[Community]

The key to rebuilding is to draft well, develop well, stay flexible and be opportunistic. You have to make the right moves at the right time.

IMO this isn't the right time to take on a player like Stamkos.

Really, I'd say that being opportunistic would be to pounce on an available UFA superstar that's 25yo. It's not like we'll likely see a player of his calibre become a UFA in 3+ years when we're exiting our re-build and beginning to compete.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Not saying that I'm an advocate for Stammer but to say its going to interfere with the rebuild in my opinion off base a little. And I'm assuming that we would be getting him for free (not in a trade but a UFA). He wouldn't be on the team this year. We would have the draft pic we'd have anyway.

Nylander, Kadir, Marner, Dion, Morgan, JVR, Brown, KK, Jake and next years 2 first rounders etc. Why not Stammer as well if the price if right? Having him would be a gift not a hindrance.

No reason at all (if the price is right).

In 3-5 years, Stamkos will be 28-30 and far from declining. Not to mention that signing Stamkos shaves years off the timeline. We'd be making the playoffs within a couple years of signing him and competing for the cup within a couple more. At which point he'd be 27-29, far from used up and washed out.

I don't know about that.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Stamkos would accelerate the rebuild, not ruin it lol

 

[HamiltonNHL]

You can still tank this year and sign Stamkos in the summer after this season is over, right?

Make a thread.

Stamkos would accelerate the rebuild,

Yep.

not ruin it

Nope.

Here is what you are suggesting.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Make a thread.

I like it here thanks.

 

[Ovate]

Make a thread.


Yep.

Nope.

Here is what you are suggesting.

The rebuild has been going on for years already. We have Rielly, Nylander, Marner, from top 10 picks, and other useful young players like Gardiner, Bernier, Kadri and JVR.

Talking about signing Stamkos in the first year or a rebuild is daft. But we're a the point where we're almost done the tanking part and need to start making moves that make us better.

I'm on board tank nation for this year, but that's it.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Really, I'd say that being opportunistic would be to pounce on an available UFA superstar that's 25yo. It's not like we'll likely see a player of his calibre become a UFA in 3+ years when we're exiting our re-build and beginning to compete.

But you lose a lot of flexibility and take on a lot of risk. I don't think the Leafs are in a place where you can do either of those, especially where it can hurt you for 8 more years.

That superstar could emerge from our own draft, in which case we get them at a hell of a deal for, what, 7 years? Why would you pass up that possibility to pay top dollar for someone like Stamkos when you don't know if the other difficult aspects of building a team will catch up in time?

That's why I think this is not the right time or the right opportunity.

 

[WTFMAN99]

The rebuild has been going on for years already. We have Rielly, Nylander, Marner, from top 10 picks, and other useful young players like Gardiner, Bernier, Kadri and JVR.

Talking about signing Stamkos in the first year or a rebuild is daft. But we're a the point where we're almost done the tanking part and need to start making moves that make us better.

I'm on board tank nation for this year, but that's it.

I think it would depend on what type of draft pick we get this year, and ultimately if we can move Lupul/Bozak (and if so, did they bring in any assets?).

I'm all for tanking this year, it won't be done in just 2 years though...gotta take into account that we have guys on the Marlies who still need to develop.

 

[Duckrider]

But you lose a lot of flexibility and take on a lot of risk. I don't think the Leafs are in a place where you can do either of those, especially where it can hurt you for 8 more years.

That superstar could emerge from our own draft, in which case we get them at a hell of a deal for, what, 7 years? Why would you pass up that possibility to pay top dollar for someone like Stamkos when you don't know if the other difficult aspects of building a team will catch up in time?

That's why I think this is not the right time or the right opportunity.

I'm hoping that our superstar will emerge from the draft. But its not one or the other its both....

 

[Purity*]

Anything else showing in your crystal ball?

Chicago signed Hossa to be what we would want Stamkos to be. A high end veteran with experience of being a dominant player and playing on good teams.

Same thing LA went and acquired Jeff Carter to do.

Even trying to improve this team you get people thinking if you sign anyone under the age of 25 you're not following 'the plan'.

Shanahan's plan is to bring in talent, whether it be 18 or 32, it can all fit into the big picture.

Holy crap are these people being purposely obtuse

Chicago signed Hossa to a cap-circumventing contract that didn't make him the highest paid player in the league. THEY MADE THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS THE YEAR BEFORE SIGNING HIM.

I don't even know why you brought up Jeff Carter and LA. Again, the cap hits and contracts are nowhere near the same and LA had (still has) a bunch of players in their prime. Situations are nowhere near alike.

 

[Purity*]

Wanna know the best comparable? It's Minnesota with Parise and Suter "coming home."

They're a team that's in cap-hell who can't get past the 2nd round. Yeah, sounds real wonderful doesn't it.

This picture perfectly sums it up. Well done.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Wanna know the best comparable? It's Minnesota with Parise and Suter "coming home."

They're a team that's in cap-hell who can't get past the 2nd round. Yeah, sounds real wonderful doesn't it.

Suter and Parise look pretty good to me - I think their issues lie with the other top players they've made decisions on.

 

[egd27]

Make a thread.


Yep.

Nope.

Curious, how long do you feel they should engineer the team to finish near the bottom before starting to add established players that will make an impact?

 

[Menzinger]

Wanna know the best comparable? It's Minnesota with Parise and Suter "coming home."

They're a team that's in cap-hell who can't get past the 2nd round. Yeah, sounds real wonderful doesn't it.



This picture perfectly sums it up. Well done.

To be fair to the Wild - Parise/Suter aren't on bad deals. It's their other bigger free agency signings (or Vanek) that are their bigger problems (well, that and getting consistent goaltending).

 

[Duckrider]

Wanna know the best comparable? It's Minnesota with Parise and Suter "coming home."

They're a team that's in cap-hell who can't get past the 2nd round. Yeah, sounds real wonderful doesn't it.



This picture perfectly sums it up. Well done.

Right because there are no players on the team worth keeping and the Marlies are full of 30year olds.

Patients is very important at this stage in the rebuild but its call a rebuild for a reason. You try and draft\acquire players that are better than the ones you have.

 

[Purity*]

There was a thread about this but the mods closed it for some reason.

 

[Menzinger]

Yes, because in 3 years he'll be the same age as Crosby is now. Crosby is clearly done, it's been a good career for Sid, but he's barely a #1C anymore.


(in case it wasn't obvious)

Though it should be pretty clear that Crosby isn't the player he once was - his best days are behind him. That doesn't mean he isn't an amazing player, just that he likely can't assume Stamkos is going to be that 50 goal 90 point guy he once was.

 

[Purity*]

Curious, how long do you feel they should engineer the team to finish near the bottom before starting to add established players that will make an impact?

Pretty simple answer.

Until our homegrown talent can actually get us contending for a playoff spot.

The Hossa answer is not only laughable, but completely irrelevant. They signed him after making the WCF.

One of the biggest things about winning in the league today is bargain contracts. You are severely choking out your chances at having good depth by signing a player like Stamkos to a massive deal.

 

[Duckrider]

Curious, how long do you feel they should engineer the team to finish near the bottom before starting to add established players that will make an impact?

This

 

[Duckrider]

Pretty simple answer.

Until our homegrown talent can actually get us contending for a playoff spot.

The Hossa answer is not only laughable, but completely irrelevant. They signed him after making the WCF.

One of the biggest things about winning in the league today is bargain contracts. You are severely choking out your chances at having good depth by signing a player like Stamkos to a massive deal.

The right deal. If they paid 10per for 8. That is not the right deal.

As I see this team right now we should be competitive in the next 2-3 years with the assets we have now and the draft picks we have. And will continue to get better after that. How is a player like Stammer going to hurt the way we play?

 

[OvenMittz*]

The rebuild has been going on for years already. We have Rielly, Nylander, Marner, from top 10 picks, and other useful young players like Gardiner, Bernier, Kadri and JVR.

Talking about signing Stamkos in the first year or a rebuild is daft. But we're a the point where we're almost done the tanking part and need to start making moves that make us better.

I'm on board tank nation for this year, but that's it.

You have honestly no idea what a real rebuild is like.

We were not rebuilding when we drafted Rielly, Nor were we when we got Nylander. He was a good pick up and a steal from our 8 spot, but during that time we were signing stupid contracts and trying to make a run for the cup with lazy players.

Starting the 1st year of a REAL rebuild by signing an FA to a HUGE contract going long term is just plain stupid!. and pretty much walking in Nonis/Burkes shoes.. lets not role the dice like that again.

Tampa won't commit to that money then why should we when we are rebuilding and not contending?

 

[JackJ]

No. Not going to happen.
/case closed.

Stamkos will sign in Tampa anyways.

 

[Purity*]

The right deal. If they paid 10per for 8. That is not the right deal.

As I see this team right now we should be competitive in the next 2-3 years with the assets we have now and the draft picks we have. And will continue to get better after that. How is a player like Stammer going to hurt the way we play?

So you're expecting Marner/Nylander to just bust onto the scene and become impact players right away?

It could take as long as 5 years. Goal-scorers already decline around Stamkos' current age (with obvious exceptions), he won't be the same player.

Not only that, his playoff performances are bad.

This is just shiny-new-toy syndrome that fans of this franchise always rave over.

How is a player like Stamkos going to hurt in any way you ask? I wouldn't be worried about the fist few years of the contract, but once he starts declining (he will), that contract is going to extremely restrictive as far as signing young talent/depth goes.

You need to look at the bigger picture here.

 

[OvenMittz*]

The right deal. If they paid 10per for 8. That is not the right deal.

As I see this team right now we should be competitive in the next 2-3 years with the assets we have now and the draft picks we have. And will continue to get better after that. How is a player like Stammer going to hurt the way we play?

What makes you think we will be competitive by that point?

And what makes you think Stamkos will still be potting 80-90 points by that point (he will have to to make an 11+ million worth it)

and if those 2 don't happen.. then what?

You are also COMPLETELY forgetting in the next 3-4yrs most of our ELC will be up......... and now you gotta sign those players, most your money on 1 player who is now on the decline and apparently its "running for the cup" time on your calendar. So you pretty much made us competitive for 1 year.. and now we have to make decisions on who to let go and who to keep. And the value for an aging declining Stamkos will drop.




Do you want to know who use to be in the same sentence as Stamkos? .... Vincent Lacavalier.

Hm.... why isn't anybody mentioning him, and his drop from superstar status, with a massive contract, and had to be bought out.

Yes.. Yes.. lets start our rebuild by rolling the dice.

Thank god you guys aren't GM's