
Dion Phaneuf had just finished speaking to the media scrum in the Maple Leafs� locker room. The Leaf captain wasn�t happy, and nobody could fault him for that after Toronto, despite going 6-1-1 in its last eight games, was eliminated from the playoff race
At least this year the team showed better promise. It's got cap-space, young guns and Burke - who isn't prone to listening to the super-fan goof-offs that drone on and on The Fan. As long as they don't get sucked into a long-term contract with FA Richards, they look better than they did a couple of years ago.
Plus they managed to get a first round draft pick again (based on Philies position in the standings I believe).
At least this year the team showed better promise. It's got cap-space, young guns and Burke - who isn't prone to listening to the super-fan goof-offs that drone on and on The Fan. As long as they don't get sucked into a long-term contract with FA Richards, they look better than they did a couple of years ago.
Plus they managed to get a first round draft pick again (based on Philies position in the standings I believe).
Actually, they've got 2 (another one from Boston), but i'm gonna' assume that 1 or both will be packaged for a No. 1 centre or a puck-moving D-man. Or they keep them - win-win.
# 9 - Boston receives Toronto's 2011 1st Round Pick, 2010 1st and 2nd Round Picks for Phil Kessel.
# 24 - Toronto receives Boston's 2011 1st Round Pick, Joe Colborne and a conditional 2012 pick (if Boston re-signs or reaches the Cup Finals, Toronto will get a 2nd round pick for Tomas Kaberle.
# 29 - Toronto receives Philadelphia's 2011 1st and 3rd Round Pick for Kris Versteeg.
If only they'd had some goaltending in the first half of the season.
Heck, they might actually be competitive next season. In either case, this last half of the season was probably the most entertaining Leaf team since the heady days of Pat Burns.
And Burke is the best thing that's happened to the Leaf's in decades.
Unfortunately Toronto doesn't get to pick until #24 and historically these are still a bit of a long shot at having a career in the NHL. Couple that with the fact that Toronto has never really drafted well since Wendell Clark and well.............you get the picture.
# 9 - Boston receives Toronto's 2011 1st Round Pick, 2010 1st and 2nd Round Picks for Phil Kessel.
# 24 - Toronto receives Boston's 2011 1st Round Pick, Joe Colborne and a conditional 2012 pick (if Boston re-signs or reaches the Cup Finals, Toronto will get a 2nd round pick for Tomas Kaberle.
# 29 - Toronto receives Philadelphia's 2011 1st and 3rd Round Pick for Kris Versteeg.
I agree with the draft call...the higher up, the more sketchy it gets. Heck, for every Crosby there's a Stefan as well! I'd call these picks currency and maybe useful in a trade.
Hopefully we won't have to hear any more about them this year, and CBC will actually show some decent games.
It's too bad we don't hear more...hockey is always better having the Leafs in the playoffs (and even the haters love it)
They made a good run for it, but alas.
It's too bad this wasn't in the middle of the season, where there was some lazy games, and little effort. But, some one made the point today that Phaneuf got better once Kaberle left, Reimer arrived, and Lupul actually made others better around him. Add in Schenn's play, Aulie's emergence and Kadri's maturing and you've got some decent building blocks.