Real Olympic thread [[[[NO HOCKEY ALLOWED]]]]]

[Montegriffo]

Cold? What cold?

TONGA !
This guy was shirtless at the summer Olympics too.

I did a military mission in Tonga, what a great place. When I retire I'm going back for a visit. Fascinating place, fascinating people. You should know, that guys physique is basically natural for Tongans of the Military Caste. Tonga has a caste system. For over 2000 years they have selective bred their Warrior Class........ I bet this guy is part of the Military Caste.



look how people are dressed around him

It also makes for exceptional rugby players. Considering the tiny population Tonga punches well above it's weight pulling off a few surprise results against some of the giants of the rugby world.
You don't have to sell me on visiting Tonga, I've long harboured an ambition to sail around the South Pacific.

[StCapps]

The Maple Leafs are on fire though, 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, now there is a compelling topic.

[Montegriffo]

The Maple Leafs are on fire though, now there is a compelling topic.

Happy to supply petrol and a box of matches if required.

[StCapps]

[Hastur]

Yes!

Charlotte Kalla brings home our first gold medal. Young Ebba Andersson came forth not far from the medals.

I have a good feeling about this.

[Smitty-48]

The Maple Leafs are on fire though, 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, now there is a compelling topic.

Frankly, I'm already looking ahead to next year, that's not to say that the Leafs are not entertaining, they certainly are, that's not to say that making the playoffs and winning as many games as possible is not important from a development standpoint, it certainly is, but big picture, the Leafs are simply not heavy enough to compete for the Cup as of yet, and the biggest factor is really just time, the kids need to get bigger, stronger, quicker and wiser, and it's simply going to take more training.

Thus, strategically, the issue right now has already become who is going to replace Bozak, Komaraov, Van Riemsdyk, and Moore. Eventually, I am quite confident that Nylander will be the 2C, pushing Kadri down to 3C, but knowing Babcock, it won't be next year, so a stopgap 3C is priority it seems, the question is, will they play Marleau at 3C next year, or if not, who is a viable option for a Bozak replacement in the interim?

[Montegriffo]

Did anyone hear about the Norwegian team chef? He ordered 15000 eggs instead of the 1500 he meant to.
He's going to have egg on his face and on toast and in sandwiches and on pizza and in.............etc

[Smitty-48]

Why do you hate freedom, Caps?

Why do you? I'm a fan of free speech on this forum, you not so much. Panthers suck, and the Blackhawks can't get their shit together, that must be what you are really pissed about.

Johnny Toews; wrong side of thirty, only on pace for 53 points, at $10.5 million for five more years, yikes.

He'd make a perfect depth center for the Leafs, if the Hawks were willing to retain half that salary I'd trade them a first and a couple prospects, or a couple firsts, if they don't bite the bullet like that and move him soon, they're going to be stuck with that contract all the way to the bottom.

They're already stuck with Seabrook, he's unmovable even with salary retained, they need Kane, they can't move their only big gun, Kieth's contract is not so bad, so Toews is the guy they gotta move and they gotta move him soon, I'd be calling the Leafs if I was them, retain salary and it's a doable deal.

I could see the Habs making a play for him, he is half French and speaks it fluently, but they got a lotta bad contracts already, and no Auston Matthews, Toews wouldn't make them a contender, he's a depth center now, bringing him in to be the number one would just be same situation as Chicago, the Leafs would be his best option, they got the cap room, they got the picks, they got the prospects, they got the coach, and they got the Franchise 1C which would allow Toews to play lower down in the line up.

Chicago retains $5.25 million, Leafs give Chicago the 2018 and 2019 first rounders, replace Bozak with Toews.

There's no getting their shit together in Chicago, their franchise players are all rapidly aging out on huge contracts, they've traded away their depth, the cupboard is bare in terms of prospects, the window is closed, they have to come to terms with the fact that the run is over, and start rebuilding now, otherwise they're going to be in the same trap the Red Wings are in, which is years of sucking in order to get out from under the contracts, and Chicago's contracts are even worse than Detroit's.

[Montegriffo]

British short course speed skater wins her 500m heat in new Olympic record. Record falls 15 minutes later. Still got her world record though.

[StCapps]

The Maple Leafs are on fire though, 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, now there is a compelling topic.

Frankly, I'm already looking ahead to next year, that's not to say that the Leafs are not entertaining, they certainly are, that's not to say that making the playoffs and winning as many games as possible is not important from a development standpoint, it certainly is, but big picture, the Leafs are simply not heavy enough to compete for the Cup as of yet, and the biggest factor is really just time, the kids need to get bigger, stronger, quicker and wiser, and it's simply going to take more training.

Thus, strategically, the issue right now has already become who is going to replace Bozak, Komaraov, Van Riemsdyk, and Moore. Eventually, I am quite confident that Nylander will be the 2C, pushing Kadri down to 3C, but knowing Babcock, it won't be next year, so a stopgap 3C is priority it seems, the question is, will they play Marleau at 3C next year, or if not, who is a viable option for a Bozak replacement in the interim?

Heard the Buffalo Jack Eichel's are willing to trade Ryan O'Reilly, lulz, who won the trade now Buffalo?

That would move Kadri to 3C, and then they wouldn't have to move Nylander to Center quicker than they want to. The problem is he's going to cost $7.5 million a year for six years, so getting Buffalo to retain some of that salary would be nice too, especially give how close the Leafs are to the cap right now and Buffalo's likely unwillingness to take rental players in return, because why would they, so it might be hard to swing that deal. Yet O'Reilly is still on the right side of thirty, at 27, and he's the kind of player Babcock loves the shit out of, so there's that. Worth considering.

Johnny Toews; wrong side of thirty, only on pace for 53 points, at $10.5 million for five more years, yikes.

He'd make a perfect depth center for the Leafs, if the Hawks were willing to retain half that salary I'd trade them a first and a couple prospects, or a couple firsts, if they don't bite the bullet like that and move him soon, they're going to be stuck with that contract all the way to the bottom.

They're already stuck with Seabrook, he's unmovable even with salary retained, they need Kane, they can't move their only big gun, Kieth's contract is not so bad, so Toews is the guy they gotta move and they gotta move him soon, I'd be calling the Leafs if I was them, retain salary and it's a doable deal.

I could see the Habs making a play for him, he is half French and speaks it fluently, but they got a lotta bad contracts already, and no Auston Matthews, Toews wouldn't make them a contender, he's a depth center now, bringing him in to be the number one would just be same situation as Chicago, the Leafs would be his best option, they got the cap room, they got the picks, they got the prospects, they got the coach, and they got the Franchise 1C which would allow Toews to play lower down in the line up.

Chicago retains $5.25 million, Leafs give Chicago the 2018 and 2019 first rounders, replace Bozak with Toews.

There's no getting their shit together in Chicago, their franchise players are all rapidly aging out on huge contracts, they've traded away their depth, the cupboard is bare in terms of prospects, the window is closed, they have to come to terms with the fact that the run is over, and start rebuilding now, otherwise they're going to be in the same trap the Red Wings are in, which is years of sucking in order to get out from under the contracts, and Chicago's contracts are even worse than Detroit's.

Trading for a retained salary Toews, that could work out for the Leafs too, if Chicago comes to their senses quick enough. Probably easier to get O'Reilly off of Buffalo though, if I had to guess, given that Buffalo knows they are still in rebuild mode, and Chicago seems less willing to admit that they are in rebuild mode themselves right now. Chicago being the next Detroit Red Wings seems accurate given the current state and trajectory of the franchise, they better start the rebuild before they are even more trapped than they already are.