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Originally Posted by Triumph36
...but if they get Luongo I think they're even money to make the playoffs.
yeah i mean the long standing rumour (coming out of Toronton, ldo) has been a deal based around Bozak for Luongo. i mean that's basically just Dreger pimping out a Burke/Nonis wet dream, but w/e. unless it's Bozak + something significantly more interesting, i don't think they're getting him. if they want him at all, which is the other thing they keep saying, that they don't. but i think they do, and they should try to get him. getting a quality goalie like that is a good building block for a bad team who wants to be better. (the Canucks were there not too long ago, getting Luongo was a huge plus)
the other problem is that i think Luongo really wants to go to Florida, so the TML stuff might end up being pretty irrelevant.
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I think they might trade an excess winger for a defenseman - SJ and NJ look like possible landing spots, I could see either Douglas Murray or Henrik Tallinder in Maple Leaf blue - given that they're letting Rielly (btw Rielly needs to spell his name right, that looks awful) go to the WJCs, I think they're not going to put him near the NHL just yet. They've got some depth, though I do think they don't have enough players who match up against toughs.
yeah they do seem to have a lot of forwards, not a lot of top end guys (especially at center, ldo), but enough capable NHL players, and young guys that they probably want to start getting into the lineup. so yeah, a forward for D trade makes sense, and yeah especially bc their D still looks really shaky. Gardiner is ready for prime time, Rielly is not. even at the WJ level he's not looked good. but the talk out of Toronto seems to indicate that they might be willing to throw him into the fire this year. i'd probably just leave him to play another full year in junior, especially given that he only had 18 games last year.
and the rest of their D? Phaneuf still gets exposed as a #1 guy, he'd be much better suited on a 2nd pairing where his D isn't as important, but the Leafs obv don't have the kind of depth to insulate him. Komisarek obv sucks, Liles has never been known for his D, either has Franson. Gunnarsson seems solid, and my TML friends love the guy, so he, Dion, and Gardiner will probably get the tough minutes. no clue who Holzer, or if they have anyone else who can make the jump. so yeah they have to sign or trade for 1-2 more guys unless they're just gonna throw Rielly in and suck again. (or try to luckbox in a short season here)
i also wonder if their strategy wrt centers is something along the lines of given that they can't seem to get an elite guy, maybe just roll some defensively responsible guys (Grabo, McClement, maybe Steckel, Lombardi, & Connolly?) and free up their WINGERZZZ (Kessel, Lupul, JVR, MacArthur, Kulemin, Kadri, etc) to deliver the offense. it's not the worst idea ever really...
but yeah there seems to be a bit of a logjam up front, so probably a F for D or G trade incoming once the lockout is over. and yeah, they could maybe be in the fight for the 7-8 spots in the East once they get playing again.