Nhl thread

[Beanflicker]

To me I think it's a good deal for the Canes. Semin is locked up until 2018 at 7 million per, that's a horrendous contract. Kessel is a steep price and a long term commitment but I think he's yet to truly peak and on the right line he's an Art Ross candidate and a legit 40+ goal scorer. Kadri is a so creative offensively he can add to any line IMO. He's had reported attitude issues but maybe he just needs a change of scenery and to get out of Toronto's big market where he's living in a fish bowl. They had the same problems with Sequin in Boston, and the trade to Dallas worked wonders for him. Not that Kadri is Sequin caliber but still, I think he could flourish in a new environment.

[El Kabong]

I know all about the troubles with Kessel and Kadri had in Toronto, but at least there are legitimate reasons for poor team performances. With Semin he has been the stereotypical Ruskie...give him a big contract and watch him not give 100% effort, fucking garbage.

I think Kessel would not only do better in Raleigh, but I think he and Skinner would mutually benefit as no doubt they'd be on a power play line together. You've got young players striving to reach their potentials and you've got some older players who probably are running out of patience in terms of how well the team is playing and progressing....a big shake up like that and our fortunes could turn around in a second.

Toronto has really been snake bit even from when I started watching them with Gilmore and Andreychuk and Potvin and Wendel Clark....they just have had bad calls, made trades that never got them over the hump, and they really squandered the 1990's with all those dudes AND a guy named Mats Sundin. I have no idea how they haven't won a Cup let alone competed for one in the finals.

[Beanflicker]

I was a big Toronto fan when I was a kid, back in those Gilmore/Potvin/Clark days when we had their farm team playing here (St. John's Maple Leafs). Then they could never build a good team around Mats Sundin, who had to carry that shit team on his back for over a decade. Yeesh.

I think a lot of guys just fold under the pressure of playing in Toronto. Hockey press and fans are brutal in Canada, but it's a whole different level in Toronto and Montreal. I still think they're making a huge mistake giving up on Phil Kessel. He's such an explosive offensive force. Not his fault the team stinks.

[El Kabong]

I was a big Toronto fan when I was a kid, back in those Gilmore/Potvin/Clark days when we had their farm team playing here (St. John's Maple Leafs). Then they could never build a good team around Mats Sundin, who had to carry that shit team on his back for over a decade. Yeesh.

I think a lot of guys just fold under the pressure of playing in Toronto. Hockey press and fans are brutal in Canada, but it's a whole different level in Toronto and Montreal. I still think they're making a huge mistake giving up on Phil Kessel. He's such an explosive offensive force. Not his fault the team stinks.

Sundin was just a STUD, but in those days the competition was massive! Toronto was in the Western Conference in the 1990's where they had: Detroit with the Red Line, Dallas with Modano, Chicago with Roenick & Chelios, Canucks with Bure and the Courtnalls, St. Louis with Brett Hull & CuJo....and then you had the switch to the Eastern Conference in the late 90's early 2000's and that's when the East started getting tougher and deeper.

I agree they are giving up on Kessel too early, but guys who have issues in the locker room might benefit from a change of scenery.

Lupul, Phaneuf, and Robidas as a leadership trio fail to impress me as players and as actual leaders. I think Dion is a good player, he's tough, he's someone that can lead through his style of play, but I believe his style of play could be enhanced if he had a guy demanding greatness of him, guys like who he plays with on team Canada....but then again he couldn't even make the Olympic team with Canada and that's extremely disappointing for a guy like him. You see his contemporaries Ovi and Cros both doing great things and he's seemingly stuck in a mire in Toronto. I think if the Leafs had a guy likw Toews or Crosby to drive Dion then things would be better for him and the team.

[El Kabong]

What are everyone's thoughts on Tomas Jurco....he's a guy with that something special that can really get a line clicking. Given the choice of young players in the league I'd take him on the Canes in a heartbeat!

[Beanflicker]

Not familiar with Jurco really. If there's one team that knows how to draft young talent it's Detroit though so I'm sure he'll be a dynamo in a few years.

Dion... I don't know what to say about him. I'm not really high on the guy. He was voted 2 or 3 years in a row by his fellow NHL players as the most overrated guy in the league. Whether that's fair or not I don't know, but his leadership and play leaves a lot to be desired IMO for the price he commands.

[El Kabong]

Not familiar with Jurco really. If there's one team that knows how to draft young talent it's Detroit though so I'm sure he'll be a dynamo in a few years.

Dion... I don't know what to say about him. I'm not really high on the guy. He was voted 2 or 3 years in a row by his fellow NHL players as the most overrated guy in the league. Whether that's fair or not I don't know, but his leadership and play leaves a lot to be desired IMO for the price he commands.