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Leaf Rumours

I'd take a gamble on Lehtonen as well.

Do we know who's starting tonight against the Pens? If Wilson is sticking with Gus in the back to back, then we know FOR SURE the Vesa chapter is officially over.

Thing is, Gus is still learning the game and right now, he's an average NHL goalie. We need another goalie and Burke should know by now Vesa isn't a solution by any means.

Lehtonen or someone else, we need another goalie.

And Burke knows teams with inconsistent (and poor) goaltending don't go anywhere in today's league regardless of how good the rest of your team is.
 
Not sure I'm a fan of this. Need to let Gus have the job, both on the ice and in his head. This is a guy who's been under some serious mental strain this year, and I think the last thing he needs is to have his spot opened up for grabs now with a new, big name player.

Besides, what are they gonna do with Tosky in the meantime? Have all three on the roster?
 
Hypothetical Deal: Jordan Staal and Pitt's late 1st rounder this year for Kaberle -- would you do it?

Gonchar is getting up there in age and he's a UFA this offseason. The Pens will need a big minute blueliner who can put up points if they intend on winning more cups.
 
Nah, I wouldn't do that.

That first is pretty much a second, and while I like Staal, I like Kabs better.

It would need to be a gamebreaker to get me to trade Kabs. He's just too valuable to this team, and trading him would just destroy our blueline and transition game.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
Not sure I'm a fan of this. Need to let Gus have the job, both on the ice and in his head. This is a guy who's been under some serious mental strain this year, and I think the last thing he needs is to have his spot opened up for grabs now with a new, big name player.

Besides, what are they gonna do with Tosky in the meantime? Have all three on the roster?
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I don't see the issue with having two good goalies on the roster. Many teams have that kind of situation. If Gus can't handle a little competition, he won't last very long in the NHL anyways.

Toskala has cost the Leafs too many points. They can't afford to give him more starts. He can play with the Marlies unless some team is interested in him at the deadline.
 
It's not about the competition really. It's about giving him some piece of mind.

Considering he's had to recently deal with the death of his parents, moving to a new country, playing in a new league, playing for a team that's been caught in a hurricane this year, dealing with the Tosky platoon situation, and TWO heart procedures and extended layoffs, I just think that bringing in a guy who was not long ago touted as the next big thing and wouldn't be coming in as a clear backup - but rather as a competitor for #1 - could potentially be the straw that breaks Gus' back.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
It's not about the competition really. It's about giving him some piece of mind.

Considering he's had to recently deal with the death of his parents, moving to a new country, playing in a new league, playing for a team that's been caught in a hurricane this year, dealing with the Tosky platoon situation, and TWO heart procedures and extended layoffs, I just think that bringing in a guy who was not long ago touted as the next big thing and wouldn't be coming in as a clear backup - but rather as a competitor for #1 - could potentially be the straw that breaks Gus' back.
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The only way for Gus to have piece of mind is to play alongside an ECHL-like goalie?

I don't buy it.
 
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I'm not saying Tosky should stay. Perish the thought.

Just that a clear backup should be brought in. Joey Mac isn't good enough, but Lehtonen is more of a first stringer than a backup. Something in the middle is what we need.

Otherwise, I think we might ruin Gus, and really, we owe him the chance to have the starter's job and run with it for a long while.
 
Mark Zwolinski speculates about the potential "C" candidates:



As the Maple Leafs' long unanswered question lingers – who will be the next captain? – there are candidates emerging.

The latest could be Ian White, who seems to be gaining supporters, at least judging by the unscientific standards of fan support and email. And it doesn't hurt that he scored the game winner in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

White's resume has certainly blossomed steadily ever since he was thought to be the odd man out on the Leafs blue line once the Brian Burke era took full effect. Even before that, White was considered a sixth or seventh defenceman whose value to the Leafs was more as a tradable commodity than a good-guy player who never complained and admirably filled a periodic forward role when asked.

Yet, White survived, and in fact, became a better player through it all. At the moment, and for a stretch running into the later stages of last season, White has been one of the best Leafs on the ice, based on consistent, mistake-free play.

As far as the captaincy goes, Leafs coach Ron Wilson has refrained from making a choice.

The Leafs and the Canadiens – the two most storied franchises in the NHL – remain the only two teams in the NHL without a captain. Both have solid captain choices, but all are young and it's possible both teams will wait until those candidates have served at least one more season.

Wilson runs with three alternates – Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek and Tomas Kaberle.

It's likely the next "C" will eventually be pinned on one of those three players. But the list of candidates doesn't stop there.

Here's a rundown:

BEAUCHEMIN: A natural choice, and probably the player with the inside track right now. Beauchemin, after an unsteady start, is strong in every aspect of the game. He also commands respect in the game, and has all the qualities of a leader.

KOMISAREK: Another strong candidate with many of the same qualities as Beauchemin. Doesn't quite have Beauchemin's pedigree – yet – but definitely a player who can lead into the future.

KABERLE: It's a puzzle as to why he isn't captain already. With 10-plus years of excellence in Toronto, he's the true face of the franchise.

MATT STAJAN: There was talk about Stajan after he set career highs with 40 assists and 55 points last season, but that talk has died out. Now, the question in the background is whether Burke wants him back this summer.

PHIL KESSEL: Definitely a scoring leader. Time will tell if he is captain material.

White, in the meantime, emerged as, at the very least, a name worthy of mention in the captains' list.

Interestingly, he becomes a restricted free agent after this season. It's likely the next captain will be a solid player with a sound and defined future in the organization.
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http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/mapleleafs/article/743528--could-ian-white-c-leafs-future
 
It would be silly to intentionally grab a lesser goalie if a talent like Lehtonen is available for peanuts.
 
If you're not going to give it to Kaberle......which one has to assume they aren't, at this point.......give it to Komisarek already.
 
I think the best way to get the most out of players is to have competition at every spot. After those seasons with Raycroft and Toskala playing 60+ games, it'd be amazing to have two starting-caliber goalies with something to prove like Gusto and Lehtonen in there. I think it's the best way to get great goaltending for a large portion of the season too.
 
Giving Eklund a wee bit of credit for being right on that Caps trade yesterday.....new rumour from him today.....apparently the Kings are about to pull the trigger on a deal for a winger to replace williams.....and apparently leafs, Thrashers, and pens scouts were at their game last night.


Hagman for something decent?
 
this guy?

Let the Trade Talks Continue: Scouts for Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Toronto were in attendance tonight along with regulars from Boston and Dallas - Speaking to one of them following the game tonight, they believe the Kings will probably make a deal in the next few days. (my money is on Ponikarovsky or Hagman)
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