MacK_Attack

Leafs line-up... Marleau - Matthews - Marner Hyman - Tavares - Kapanen Brown - Kadri - Nylander Lindholm - Gauthier - Johnsson Muzzin - Rielly Gardiner - Zaitsev Dermott - Hainsey Andersen

Leafs lines... Hyman - Tavares - Marner Marleau - Matthews - Nylander Johnsson - Kadri - Kapanen Ennis - Lindholm - Brown Rielly - Hainsey Gardiner - Zaitsev Dermott - Ozhiganov Sparks

Could be worse. Could be stuck in eastern Ontario and be forced to watch the train wreck in Ottawa.

Blame Gary, the league sets the region boundaries.

Zach Hyman - John Tavares - Mitch Marner Patrick Marleau - Auston Matthews - Kasperi Kapanen Par Lindholm - Nazem Kadri - Connor Brown Josh Leivo - Frederik Gauthier - Tyler Ennis Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey Jake Gardiner - Nikita Zaitsev Martin Marincin - Travis Dermott Frederik Andersen (Garret Sparks) Andreas Johnsson - Healthy Justin Holl - Healthy Igor Ozhiganov - Healthy William Nylander - Unsigned

Universal health care. Booze and cigarettes pay for it. Although you can buy beer and wine at most grocery stores now.

That bolded statement is absolutely, positively, 100% false. Pretty well the ONLY way to build a perennial Cup contender nowadays is to drop to the bottom and draft like mad. Star players don't get to free agency except in rare circumstances and to trade for one forces you to deplete your depth. The one way to build up a bunch of high end talent is to draft them. The thing about what the Leafs have done is that it's not just one 1st rounder. They've finally decided to take their time, develop these kids and do it properly. They have three top-5 picks in the fold now in Matthews, Marner and Rielly. They have another top-10 in Nylander. They have Pittsburgh's 1st this year, so there's another one, if they keep it. Won't get a great player in the high 20's, but should get a good one. They also have the 31st overall pick and another one in the 2nd round (Washington). They should get another decent 1st rounder in 2017 (don't think it will be top-5, but you never know), plus they already have three 2nd round picks in 2017. Will those players be as good as their draft position indicates? Who knows, but you don't get them unless you're in those early spots in the draft. The way it is shaping up, I think the Leafs will be a really, really good team in 3-4 years. They'll start climbing the ladder pretty soon, I hope. By the way, your entire post is completely contradictory. You say the 1st overall doesn't matter, then list off how good the Oilers were with McDavid, and how lousy they were without him. Doesn't that prove the point? That said, the Oilers are a completely different animal, they have screwed that up in every way imaginable. They let the inmates run the asylum and the results showed, which is not unlike what the Leafs had been doing for 45+ years until the Shanahan regime took over.

I still don't believe it. I'm fully expecting to wake up tomorrow and find out it's all a cruel joke. These things don't happen to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ever. Don't ya think if they were going to purchase a 1st overall pick, it would've been last year?

Michel Petit played for 5 Canadian teams. Canucks, Flames, Oilers, Leafs & Nordiques.

The Leafs are due for a complete stinker. Leafs are tired, Wings are rested, so it seems this would be the one. Seems fair, though. The tables will be turned on Saturday.

James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel Joffery Lupul - Nazem Kadri - Mike Santorelli Daniel Winnik - Peter Holland - David Clarkson David Booth - Trevor Smith - Richard Panik Dion Phaneuf - Cody Franson Jake Gardiner - Korbinian Holzer Morgan Rielly - Stephane Robidas Out: Leo Komarov - Concussion Roman Polak - Knee Brandon Kozun - Healthy Stuart Percy - Healthy Carter Ashton - Suspended (16 of 20) Starting goalie not announced, despite being reported otherwise.

Can I push the button? With all due respect, it's a craphole.

JvR - Bozak - Kessel Lupul - Kadri - Winnik Komarov - Santorelli - Clarkson Kozun - Holland - Panik Phaneuf - Franson Gardiner - Rielly Percy - Polak Reimer