NHL 2017-2018

[Smitty-48]

95% chance of the Leafs making the playoffs, sportsclubstats would be shocked if they missed.

They're one Freddie Andesen injury away from a lottery pick. The goalie is carrying this team right now, if not for Andersen, they'd be down at the bottom of the league.

Except for Andersen, Reilly and Matthews, they actually suck right now.

[StCapps]

95% chance of the Leafs making the playoffs, sportsclubstats would be shocked if they missed.

They're one Freddie Andesen injury away from a lottery pick.

Indeed, can't deny that. That Jonathan Bernier signing sure is paying off right now, $2.75 million well spent. He can't keep it up forever obviously, but I'm going to enjoy the fuck out of it as long as it lasts.

[Smitty-48]

95% chance of the Leafs making the playoffs, sportsclubstats would be shocked if they missed.

I'm practically rooting for them to miss now, I'd honestly rather have another top ten pick than make the playoffs right now, the Leafs turned it around too fast, they're not ready to contend, so better to spiral down than to make it to the second round, second round don't mean shit.

Build to be a contender, that's the Shanaplan, don't worry about the second round, take the long view, the second round is neither here nor there, who cares?

More playoff experience doesn't help build a contender? Took the Pens and Hawks a while to get rolling, they didn't just win right away, they had to take their lumps losing in the earlier rounds of playoffs, don't see why the Leafs would be any different before they are ready to contend. I mean the only reason to be worried is because it's the Leafs, but if the team had another name, I wouldn't be worried, it's the Harold Ballard curse thang.

I don't believe in curses, they were badly managed, long after Ballard was dead, they're not being badly managed now, but they just ain't good enough yet, and they could use more picks, because they are still two to three years away, and they'll need assets to make trades at some point, ergo, they need a another top ten pick more than they need to win a playoff round right now.

[Smitty-48]

They need Dermott and Liljegren to be in the top four, and that's still two years away, they're not there yet, they have to continue building the pipeline, Jake Gardiner, Connor Carrick, and Roman Polak, that ain't gonna get it done, and they're not going to get a stud defenceman in a trade, so it's a couple years before they have that, hence, there's no need to rush to the second round right now, the second round is a pointless exercise, I'd rather have another lottery pick at this juncture, and I'd rather sell JVR, Bozak and Komarov for the picks.

[Smitty-48]

95% chance of the Leafs making the playoffs, sportsclubstats would be shocked if they missed.

They're one Freddie Andesen injury away from a lottery pick.

Indeed, can't deny that. That Jonathan Bernier signing sure is paying off right now, $2.75 million well spent. He can't keep it up forever obviously, but I'm going to enjoy the fuck out of it as long as it lasts.

I'm rooting for Andersen to go down, he's too good, he's carrying this team, that's good in a couple years, but bad right now, because right now, it would be better to spiral down, short term pain for long term gain.

[StCapps]

They need Dermott and Liljegren to be in the top four, and that's still two years away, they're not there yet, they have to continue building the pipeline, Jake Gardiner, Connor Carrick, and Roman Polak, that ain't gonna get it done, and they're not going to get a stud defenceman in a trade, so it's a couple years before they have that, hence, there's no need to rush to the second round right now, the second round is a pointless exercise, I'd rather have another lottery pick at this juncture, and I'd rather sell JVR, Bozak and Komarov for the picks.

Maybe Dave Poille will give you a young future stud defensenmen, a forward prospect with some upside and a second round pick.

Worked for the Avs anyway, if only Kamanev didn't break his arm 4 mins into his first game in an Avs jersey, it would look even sweeter right now.

[Smitty-48]

They need Dermott and Liljegren to be in the top four, and that's still two years away, they're not there yet, they have to continue building the pipeline, Jake Gardiner, Connor Carrick, and Roman Polak, that ain't gonna get it done, and they're not going to get a stud defenceman in a trade, so it's a couple years before they have that, hence, there's no need to rush to the second round right now, the second round is a pointless exercise, I'd rather have another lottery pick at this juncture, and I'd rather sell JVR, Bozak and Komarov for the picks.

Maybe Dave Poille will give you a stud defensenmen, a forward prospect with some upside and second round pick in 2019.

Nah, because they're not giving up Marner nor Nylander in their second years, and rightly so, don't sell low on them, and Shanahan won't, they have to wait for Dermott and Liljegren, and add another defenceman in the draft, Evan Bouchard, Bode Wilde, Ryan Merkley, what have you, Shanahan ain't blowing up his young core to trade for a d-man, nor should he, they have to develop their own D-men, they have two who are going to be studs, but they're not gonna be ready till 2019, so there's no rush, better to cut the chaff and save the wheat, draft to win another day.

They're not getting past T-Bay anyways, so no biggie, this year is a write off either way.

[StCapps]

They need Dermott and Liljegren to be in the top four, and that's still two years away, they're not there yet, they have to continue building the pipeline, Jake Gardiner, Connor Carrick, and Roman Polak, that ain't gonna get it done, and they're not going to get a stud defenceman in a trade, so it's a couple years before they have that, hence, there's no need to rush to the second round right now, the second round is a pointless exercise, I'd rather have another lottery pick at this juncture, and I'd rather sell JVR, Bozak and Komarov for the picks.

Maybe Dave Poille will give you a stud defensenmen, a forward prospect with some upside and second round pick in 2019.

Nah, because they're not giving up Marner nor Nylander in their second years, and rightly so, don't sell low on them, and Shanahan won't, they have to wait for Dermott and Liljegren, and add another defenceman in the draft, Evan Bouchard, Bode Wilde, Ryan Merkley, what have you, Shanahan ain't blowing up his young core to trade for a d-man, nor should he, they have to develop their own D-men, they have two who are going to be studs, but they're not gonna be ready till 2019, so there's no rush, better to cut the chaff and save the wheat, draft to win another day.

They're not getting past T-Bay anyways, so no biggie, this year is a write off either way.

You could trade for a lottery pick from a shit team who thinks they are good because they had one good playoff run. Perhaps Pierre Dorion could hook a brother up. Also worked for the Avs, and in the same trade.


Did I mention how great that Duchene trade was?

[Smitty-48]

Well, if they don't spiral down, hopefully Merkley is still there when the Leafs pick, he's unreal, way underrated by central scouting, which is why I'm thinking he's not going to be there, but I got my fingers crossed that he falls into our laps like Timmeh did.

Merkley is Ryan Ellis 2.0

[StCapps]

Well, if they don't spiral down, hopefully Merkley is still there when the Leafs pick, he's unreal, way underrated by central scouting, which is why I'm thinking he's not going to be there, but I got my fingers crossed that he falls into our laps like Timmeh did.

I drafted him in Franchise Mode with The Leafs that I started back in the day on the NHL 17, he turned a 50 point defensemen, scored 20 goals one year. Killer puck mover.