WingedWheel91

So how does everyone feel about the new Rink? Just kidding.

Donald Trump is your republican candidate... The MOD's can't help you now.

You might not get Chychrun with the 5th pick...

29/30 teams will be unhappy with their season when it ends this year... Just like last year, just like the year before, and just like the one before that one. No-one is happy when they miss the playoffs, and none of the playoff teams are "happy" when they lose a 7 game series. Apparently it was my point that was missed, so I'll paraphrase: It's extremely difficult to make the playoffs every year in a salary cap system (Detroit remains the only team to accomplish that). But It's impossible to remain a cup contender for 10, 15, 20 years when you don't have a single top 10 draft pick to turn the generation over with. What we are witnessing today is that very turnover - most contending teams today (as I pointed out), have taken an average of missing the playoffs for 10 years to complete that process, but it looks like we're right in the middle of it, without missing the playoffs. If that's what you call a "sinking ship" I guess you haven't paid much attention to some of the other re-builds around the league.

Here's what your missing: If we're talking about the Salary Cap era, you can argue that the Red Wings were at (or near the top) of the "Stanley Cup favourites" list from 2007-2013 - Yes, we had a couple of early round exits in that range, but so did many of this years "favourites" in Chicago, Anaheim, and LA... it happens annually in the NHL. The difference is that when our run began in 2007, almost all of the teams you would consider as front runners this year (Washington, LA, Chicago, St.Louis) did not qualify for the playoffs. If you go in depth, Chicago had a run from 1998-2009 where they only made the playoffs once, and didn't win a single round... Today they represent the modern day dynasty, and model of success. The LA Kings had a stretch 2002-2012 where they only made the playoffs once, and didn't win a single round. The Capitals didn't win a round from 1998-2009 - and missed the playoffs entirely in most of those years. The Penguins? They were a ping-pong ball away from bankruptcy and relocation. What we have accomplished is extremely rare, and something I will always be proud to hear: We haven't missed the playoffs in 25 years. Let's not forget that the teams we envy today, spent (on average) about a decade out of the playoffs, mixed in with the odd 30th place finish. If you understand the salary cap and the fact it's working, how can you complain about the results we've had?

I'm kind of tired of the "Babcock's overrated" conversation. He's a top 3 coach in the NHL... We don't have one, neither does Edmonton. As for the point you made about Kessel, you obviously weren't all that aware he left on Toronto's terms because he didn't "leave for the Penguins" - He was publicly forced out - and only "wanted" out once that process began... he was lucky he ended up in Pittsburgh. Don't forget, almost all of their core players (Kessel, Phaneuf, Lupul, JVR, Gardiner) re-signed with the team at some point in the past 3 years - which is inconsistent with all of the "players wanting out". If Babcock is now the problem, can you explain the 6 year extension's given to Kadri and Reilly? I agree he may not be everyone's favourite coach, but I don't remember the Red Wings losing any key free agents because of the coach? It also hasn't happened in Toronto.

What were we saying about Free Agent's ?

Well you might want to check again - Phil Kessel was traded to Pittsburgh... Not long after he signed a contract that would have kept him in Toronto through 2021. In terms of Buffalo and Edmonton, I also believe they are in a great position to contend in the next few years... But that wasn't my point? You actually said "McDavid didn't bring the Oilers out of the crap team they are and neither will Mathews. My points is Toronto won't simply turn it around with Mathews or one or two other players." Now Edmonton is in better shape? My point was that it's difficult to compare rebuilds... More specifically, just because the Oilers have taken roughly 7 years (and counting) - it doesn't mean that Toronto cant or wont contend in the next 2/3 years. Having Mike Babcock, Brendan Shanahan, and the ability to attract top end free agents (Steven Stamkos...?) represents some of the distinction between the Leafs and the Oilers... It's much more complex than "The Leafs will probably not win because Edmonton has been crap forever".

They annually have a 1/30 chance, and just finished in 30th place - not exactly a far fetched bet. There are also a few differences between Edmonton and Toronto (in terms of recent/current make up): Edmonton has never had a franchise defenceman, Morgan Reilly has that potential. Edmonton has never had a Mike Babcock, Toronto does for the next 7 years. Edmonton is not exactly an ideal destination for free agents, Toronto sits at (or near) the top of that list when the team does well.

That was also a reason. But Mantha didn't outperform (2 G 1 A) anyone else who would have necessarily had his opurtunity (1st line with Pav + PP time) in his 10 games. Blashill said that he also didn't believe the PP success in those 10 games was Manthas doing. Again, it's Anthony Mantha - not Alex Ovechkin were talking about.

That's the same thing as saying "who cares about how much better the PP was with Mantha in the lineup, was he responsible for all those PP goals - even though he only had 1?" Maybe our teams PP% those 10 games was also a "fluke". There are so many reasons (we don't know) as to why he wasn't on the playoff roster. The Anderson comparison is profoundly dumb as they obviously weren't being utilized for the same thing. If Miller was healthy, Anderson wouldn't have been in the lineup - would we have complained then? I agree Blashill didn't really use Andersson on the PK as much as expected, but the PK is also the reason we lost the series - would Mantha have solved this problem? There are a lot of things behind the scenes that we don't see - Attitude, Commitment, Off Ice Lifestyle, Locker Room to name a few - we don't know for sure but maybe management didn't feel he deserved it this year. It's not like we didn't use two other rookie forwards all season? There's something up with this kid and a lot to be desired... I don't know if it was pure talent or size that allowed him to dominate his time in the Q (including his draft year where he led the league in goals) - but there's a reason management has been ultra tough with him. Benching/Demotions/Cuts are also ways of motivating most players and if it helps Mantha work harder to reach his potential, who are we to argue?

Jobing.Com Arena is still the clubhouse leader.

Fixation on this "less is more" quote is too redundant. Ken Holland also said that "I'm going to be more aggressive going to the draft this year and pursuing trades".

I just didn't realize 2 Goals and 1 Assist was worth 14 pages of discussion on how badly Blashill/Holland/Devellano ruined this poor kids development.

I wonder how many pages this thread hits?

And forget the Octupus, the 8 wins thing doesn't make any sense in the new building... Let's throw pepperoni on the ice to emulate a giant pizza being made? I can just picture it, Karen Newman wearing a cute Little Ceasers hat, and 20,000 pepperoni littering the ice before puck drop. Dare I say, Bakers hats instead of Wing-Nuts? This is how we roll? Time for one more beer before bed.

Gotta say, it's a pretty cheesy name.

"Sub Par Pizza" This is the greatest crime of all... How this man amassed such wealth from what can only be described as a bottom of the barrel pie - is truly a mystery.

If that's what you feel his maximum potential is, you're right. But I have never seen a 6'5, 50 goal scorer (which lead the QMJHL in his draft year) slip to #20 in the draft - It simply hasn't happened. I also haven't seen both Jim Devallano and Ken Holland call out the same 21 year old prospect (to the degree in which they did) before he played even 10 NHL games (considering our historical patience when it comes to prospects). I'm just saying I think the common denominator might be work ethic.

Thank God the Illitch family isn't German.

... Hence the reason management is frustrated.

The biggest knock on Anthony Mantha when he came into the league was his work ethic... There was no other reason a player who stood 6'5 - 200+ LBS, and lead the QMJHL in scoring his draft year fell to the 20th pick. The complaints we've heard from Devellano and Holland are probably consistent with management's frustration in a kid who oozes potential, but (maybe) hasn't worked hard enough to reach it. None of us on this website can pretend to know about his workout regime, his diet, or his effort off the ice - but Ken Holland certainly would. This probably explains why you haven't heard complaints about Nyquist, Tatar, Jurco or Pulk - as none of them have the goal scoring potential Mantha does, yet have out-produced him on every professional level so far. I think the word might be "constructive criticism" as much as it's "bad management".

When you have a 5 game sample size, you can use statistics to spin an argument pretty easily. Here's my version: Abdelkader lead the team in goals, hits, and was our only forward to be among the "3 Stars Selection" in multiple games on CBC. Long story short, he is one of our only forwards who made an impact this postseason.

I'm not saying you're wrong about Helm - but Abdlekader was arguably our best forward this postseason... He's a guy you need to have to win in April. You wanna talk about contracts that keep people awake at night? Zetterberg and Ericsson might top the list.

Pretty big stretch. Depending on how the summer goes, it isn't guaranteed Mantha even makes the team next year. It's a lot easier for a coach to throw a very raw (defensively inept) rookie winger on a line centered by Pavel Datsyuk, than it is to play him with a Larkin, Sheahan, or Anthansiou - who by all accounts will be our top 3 C next year.