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

[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?

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.

I don't see any deals happening with Buffalo, their normal levels of Leaf butt hurt are off the charts right now, I don't see them retaining salary on O'Rielly neither, $7.5 million is too much, $5.25 million for Toews, they would make the stretch, they wouldn't make that stretch for O'Rielly.

I don't see Chicago coming to their senses so far, they still seem to be in denial, at least, the owner is, I'm sure Bowman realizes the jig is up.

[Speaker to Animals]

My suggestion is that you ought to live blog the Olympic hockey games over all four days, across multiple threads. Any thread with the word Olympics in the title is a trap.

[StCapps]

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.

I don't see any deals happening with Buffalo, their normal levels of Leaf butt hurt are off the charts right now, I don't see them retaining salary on O'Rielly neither, $7.5 million is too much, $5.25 million for Toews, they would make the stretch, they wouldn't make that stretch for O'Rielly.

I don't see Chicago coming to their senses so far, they still seem to be in denial, at least, the owner is, I'm sure Bowman realizes the jig is up.

Good point Buffalo might not want to make the trade in division, but otherwise it would make plenty of sense. Chicago is still in denial, Buffalo on the other hand knows they suck balls.

[Smitty-48]

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.

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.

I don't see any deals happening with Buffalo, their normal levels of Leaf butt hurt are off the charts right now, I don't see them retaining salary on O'Rielly neither, $7.5 million is too much, $5.25 million for Toews, they would make the stretch, they wouldn't make that stretch for O'Rielly.

I don't see Chicago coming to their senses so far, they still seem to be in denial, at least, the owner is, I'm sure Bowman realizes the jig is up.

Good point Buffalo might not want to make the trade in division, but otherwise it would make plenty of sense. Chicago is still in denial, Buffalo on the other hand knows they suck balls.

Ultimately, the solution is in house, offensively, Nylander is better at center, he just needs more time to add muscle and maturity, but he's not needed on Matty's wing, Kapanen can do that job, Nylander is the 2C in waiting, it's just going to take another season or two.

Bab's is already test flying Hyman-Matthews-Kapanen, they've already scored on their first shift together.

[StCapps]

I don't see any deals happening with Buffalo, their normal levels of Leaf butt hurt are off the charts right now, I don't see them retaining salary on O'Rielly neither, $7.5 million is too much, $5.25 million for Toews, they would make the stretch, they wouldn't make that stretch for O'Rielly.

I don't see Chicago coming to their senses so far, they still seem to be in denial, at least, the owner is, I'm sure Bowman realizes the jig is up.

Good point Buffalo might not want to make the trade in division, but otherwise it would make plenty of sense. Chicago is still in denial, Buffalo on the other hand knows they suck balls.

Ultimately, the solution is in house, offensively, Nylander is better at center, he just needs more time to add muscle and maturity, but he's not needed on Matty's wing, Kapanen can do that job, Nylander is the 2C in waiting, it's just going to take another season or two.

Indeed, in house is the way to go, patience is a virtue, sticking to the Shanaplan being executed by Lamoriello is the way to go.

[Smitty-48]

Good point Buffalo might not want to make the trade in division, but otherwise it would make plenty of sense. Chicago is still in denial, Buffalo on the other hand knows they suck balls.

Ultimately, the solution is in house, offensively, Nylander is better at center, he just needs more time to add muscle and maturity, but he's not needed on Matty's wing, Kapanen can do that job, Nylander is the 2C in waiting, it's just going to take another season or two.

Indeed, in house is the way to go, patience is a virtue, sticking to the Shanaplan being executed by Lamoriello is the way to go.

They're not deviating from the plan, but they would make deals for the right kind of supporting veterans, Toews is a special case, Babs would be using him as an elite two way checking center not a scoring center, so I can see them making a play for Toews, that's the thing, he's not a 1C anymore, he's an elite two way, but lower down in the line up, 2/3C, Chicago paying him $10.5 for the duration at 30+ is an anchor which will drag the Hawks down into the basement, they need to find someone to take him and half that contract away, and the Leafs are one of the very few who could and would.

He's got a full NTC, he's not just going anywhere, has to be the right fit, up and coming contender, Auston Matthews, Babcock, Lamoriello, Shanahan, I think Toews would be into it, if Chicago can see the light, at $5.25 million for Toews in the 2/3C position, it makes sense. After a couple seasons you move Nylander in as the C, Toews moves to the wing.

He's still got five years of good supporting role hockey left in him, just not $10.5 million's worth. If he went someplace like Montreal where they need him to be the savior, that wouldn't work, but in a supporting role with Matthews, now you're talking.

[StCapps]

Toews at like $5.5 million a year, that is a no brainer for the Leafs, it's just a matter of whether the Hawks see the writing on the wall or not, which it looks like they don't, but lets see if that changes by the trade deadline, or after they don't make the playoffs. If they try and take another run at the playoffs with Toews next year they are risking becoming the Red Wings of the West. I'm sure Toews would love to play in Toronto, that's a great fit, getting him to wave the NMC shouldn't be an issue for a team like the Leafs.

[Smitty-48]

The sooner Chicago moves him the more they are going to get for him, there's a window right now and into the summer where the Leafs would give them two first rounders, one for Toews, and one to retain the salary, they're not going to be lottery picks, but that's three first round picks in two years which is exactly what Chicago needs right now, if they wait longer, then his value is going to drop precipitously.

[StCapps]

The sooner Chicago moves him the more they are going to get for him, there's a window right now and into the summer where the Leafs would give them two first rounders, one for Toews, and one to retain the salary, they're not going to be lottery picks, but that's three first round picks in two years which is exactly what Chicago needs right now, if they wait longer, then his value is going to drop precipitously.

It makes sense, yet I've heard no rumors of Chicago looking to move him, or Toews wanting out, pretty sure they are still in denial despite how detrimental that attitude is going forward for the franchise, and who knows how quick they are going to be come to their senses. Capitalizing on that window to trade Toews seems nowhere near the top of their agenda right now, even though it should be. The sooner they snap out this delusional attitude, the better, but their lack of self awareness right now is doing them no favors, could be looking at the Red Wings of the West, sad.

[Montegriffo]

If Kath just moved all NHL talk to the appropriate thread would she still be accused of censorship?