SweWings

Whatever happens I hope there's a thorough trial period before anything is actually implemented. Whether it's pad sizes or goal size, it doesn't matter. If it's an off-hand change then I hope Gary get's smashed by Chara. While I do agree with most points made in the previous posts about why it would be bad to change the game I don't see how introducing a change that could make the game more dynamic could be a bad thing. I mean if it goes through some tests and perhaps even a junior league try-out and turns out to be crap then fair enough but if it introduces varied scoring while keeping it sort of balanced (I'm an idealist I know) then hell yeah!

The Leafs fans I know are prolly among the more knowledgeable and nice fans I know. And Swedish fans have had somebody to like in the Leafs uniform a long time - first with Salming and now Sundin. Only the management has been bad but even then they haven't been THAT bad. If the Leafs weren't the Leafs no-one would care that much. Original Six stamp doesn't mean s*** anymore - just look at the Blackhawks. Oh and I'll emphasize this - with the possible exception of Lidström no other Swedish player has the class of Sundin and if anyone tries to give him any crap then And to be honest I'd love to see the Leafs win the Cup. Not for the fans who I DON'T GIVE A s*** ABOUT. I just want to see Sundin's face. Priceless.

But is it picks straight up or conditional on the player ACTUALLY signing?

I hope Kariya plays on the wing for Sundin in Toronto. Not the best winger for him perhaps but damn what an improvement...

With the squad we have there is no point in risking on players like these. Same goes for Bert I spose, but he showed some glimmers in the post-season of returning to form using his hands and size.

I'd love to see some housecleaning done in Toronto but with the current management unwilling to hire someone actually capable of doing it properly I don't see the Leafs ever doing anything about it. Any success will come almost by chance than plan.

Not a bad pick. Let's see what happens...

Yeah, Avery's got a big mouth but he's calmed down in NYR and actually played consistently well....

Don't know much about Ritola but Ryno's last season was messed up. Switched club several times and wasn't really given a great chance.

Strålman is showing great potential and he's been good in the SEL.

With the exception of Sundin the Leafs don't have any stability nor do they let their players develop properly in system. Like Rask. I wouldn't be surprised if they trade away White and Steen away for like, crap, sometime during this off-season.

I suppose. On the other hand I don't think he's gotten a fair chance to show what he's got. Think about it. Last season was kind of messed up for him. Club changes, never given the chance to play on the same line. The fact that he's a big guy doesn't really help him a lot in Sweden. If he wants to have a good chance in the NHL he needs to play in a league where he is taught to use his size properly. The AHL might be good for him even if he doesn't get a good chance for the Wings.

The more I follow the Leafs the more I realize that our scouting department is WOOOOOOOOOW

Ryno has great potential and hopefully he'll come over soon. He won't learn to use his size properly in Sweden. The Lang comments about this kid are unwarranted. When given the chance he's played quite well. Frölunda gave him nothing. In Timrå he was decent. And for the Swedish Juniors he showed some potential. I have great hopes for this kid. Edit: In the Swedish paper Aftonbladet there's an article about the Ryno-signing where Håkan Andersson talks about probably signing "players like Anton Axelsson and Dick Axelsson".

Sundin has never been the problem in Toronto. Great player with an amazing attitude. When playing with decent players for Swedish squads he's been great. The problem in Toronto right now is 3 high-paid defensemen: Only Kaberle deserves it really, McCabe does not and Kubina? what the hell...

Good enough starter. Doesn't have the future of goaltenders like Luongo but still, he is better than most...

Great attitude dude! At least you're more subtle about your dislike of non-grit (meaning all Euros) than Don Cherry...Too bad you don't have his suites or I could find a way to like you too...

I met the guy once. Briefly. Seemed like an ok kid. But yeah, he's Swedish so it's likely they've got him scouted out quite well, even if he isn't picked.

Again with the grit. And Europeans are sissies. And you seem to think that you can throw up guidelines for people who have found diamonds in the rough like Zetts and Dats. And the fact that some people are crap in the SEL doesn't mean very much. Style-wise it's a different kind of game over there. Zetts wasn't a "star" player when he left for Detroit and now he's one of the best Swedish players. Ryno is a big guy which isn't a very positive thing for him in a league like the Swedish one where a physical game is difficult to play. Especially if you don't want to get a lot of penalties. I truly hope that Ryno get's a decent chance in the line-up in Timrå this year but more importantly gets to play some international games for the experience. This whole grit thing. The players drafted in Europe are rarely the "grit" players. Why? Because the style of play doesn't encourage those kind of players over there. With the low draft picks it's probably better to risk on potential skill players instead of risking on grit players who might not actually have anything else. I'd rather trade for grit because it's safer. More upside in "talent" players. And if you say that we already have enough of those kind of players then...Meh. Ok buddy. Daniel Larsson - we'll see how he does this year. He won't become a Lundqvist. Mainly because Lundqvist was the nr.1 goalie in both Sweden and Frölunda for ages before even coming to the NHL. Larsson might develop into that but it remains to be seen. I hope Detroit waits until he's consistently top 3 in Sweden before bringing this guy over. Dick Axelsson - Maybe he's the "sniper" Detroit needs to really let Dats and Zetts kick ass. Though I sincerely doubt that. Sweden's had one real world-class goal-scorer and that's Näslund. The others like Sundin and others aren't really snipers in the same way. At least he's got some size. And about grit. I'm not saying Detroit doesn't need it. I'm saying we might not want to risk DRAFTING for it. I'd rather trade prospects for other prospects. Meh. Just my 2 cents. Oh, and Ritola. I don't expect anything from him other than maybe one season for the Griffins and then him going home.

We shall see. I'm gonna try to watch as many games as I can with him playing for Frölunda this upcoming season. Considering it's my hometown. I'll prolly get season tickets...

Seems like a great kid. Hasn't gotten a great chance yet but we'll see what happens next season...

I want them to win cuz of Alfy...He comes from my hometown so it means more to me than just the fact that he's Swedish...

People still listen to this guy?

I'm really proud of what the Wings accomplished in these play-offs. With the injuries, both short and long-term, that we've had I think it was an amazing performance for us to get as far as we did. We can still take a lot from these play-offs. Filps played great Datsyuk was signed before the play-offs. Thank god. I'm still worried about the length of the contract but meh, it'll be ok. Lilja was actually decent. Quincey was pretty ok Cleary was Draper was his usual good self Johan Franzen wasn't that bad either And Hasek was great but I'm still worried about the future in the net...

ALFY!!!