Question Period – Leafs Edition

by on November 11, 2010 in Opinion - 299 Comments

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The Toronto Maple Leafs continue its descent to the Eastern Conference basement. Now one loss shy from matching its eight-game losing steak of last season, which resulted in a 29th place finish, the Leafs are a carcass for the hockey world to tear apart.

Fire this guy, trade this guy, call-up this guy, demote this guy or put this guy on a different line… we’ve heard it all from the analysts. Now I want to hear what the Leafs’ faithful have to say about their team’s free-fall in the standings.

So, without further ado, here’s 10 questions for you all:

1) Should Ron Wilson get fired? Explain.

2) Is it time for Nazem Kadri to play for the Leafs? Or should he remain in the American Hockey League and continue to develop?

3) If the Leafs are to trade one of its defensemen, who would you choose between Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin and Tomas Kaberle? Why?

4) Who should Brian Burke target to help end the Leafs’ dismal scoring-drought?

5) Is a trade even necessary right now? If not, why?

6) Do you think Dion Phaneuf and Tomas Kaberle would benefit offensively from an upgraded top-six unit?

7) Will the line combinations of Kulemin-Grabovski-Kessel and MacArthur-Bozak-Versteeg help light a fire under the Leafs?

8 ) If Burke waits until the off-season to bolster the forward ranks, are the playoffs still attainable?

9) Do you think Kris Versteeg will develop into a 60-point player in Toronto? Or has Burke already lost the trade?

10) By the end of the 2010-11 season, who will no longer don the Blue and White, in your opinion?

You stay classy, MLHS.

[email protected]

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  • flappypaddle

    LoMac wrote:

    @ TuckerThomas:
    Yes Brooks Laich!
    and yes he is awesome.

    He’s a 1b center at most though :(

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  • TuckerThomas

    If we are losing the next someone better get a game misconduct.

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  • Black_Hawk

    luckyluke wrote:

    Looks like the only big names right now are Richards and Semin until they get locked up. But hey we have a 1st round pick next year, who would you give that up for? Think Burke has the balls to give it up too?

    We don’t have a pick in the next draft or do you mean after the next one.

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  • Nights

    luckyluke wrote:

    Looks like the only big names right now are Richards and Semin until they get locked up. But hey we have a 1st round pick next year, who would you give that up for? Think Burke has the balls to give it up too?

    I’d bet against both being locked up by their current teams.
    .
    Semin is as good as gone from Washington (as most of the WSH fans already concur). And Richards, well, I just have this feeling that Dallas has been looking at trading him away for a while now (money related).

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  • rustynail

    DownGoesBrown

    Man, Bitter Leaf Fan has been consistently killing it during the Toronto slump. Another good one today: http://bitterleaf.blogspot.com/.

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  • the_cause2000

    Trade for Scott Gomez

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  • Black_Hawk

    LoMac wrote:

    @ TuckerThomas:
    Yes Brooks Laich!
    and yes he is awesome.

    I think Laich is good but he is playing on a world class Caps team that has Ovie,Semin,and Backstom as their first line so he doesn’t have as much pressure to produce than he would her.Also he is playing with more talented players than we have so I don’t think he would produce as much in Toronto.But he would be an upgrade to our forwards.

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis

    Backes? Who cares. Richards ? Who cares…..I dont get the love affair with these two….to me they are bandaids….that is it that is all…….this team does not need more bandaids.

    We all want the PROVEN, young, big, power forward……and the only chip and I mean the only chip we have to get that is Luke Schenn….and BB knows it….thus……NO YOUNG, BIG YOUNG POWER FORWARD.

    Anyone else, alone or in a package, aint going to get what this team needs…..the only calls BB is getting is on Luke Schenn….sad….but true.

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  • lonsmos2

    so why does the reply quote option disappear on here lately. Ever since they changed the format it acts very wonky and inconsistent with speed and even signing on, Still have to use a fake IP address to get on it’s almost as frustrating as the Leafs which I guess is actually appropriate?

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  • http://www.torontotruculent.com TorontoTruculent

    The Backes signing illustrates the one element of Burke’s retool/rebuild-style that has never sat well with me. And I’ve supported most of his moves.
    .
    Sacrificing two first round picks virtually obliterates any chance you have to improve your team’s offense outside of signing free agents. And with that pool shrinking demonstratively more each year, this has got to be Burke’s nightmare. Especially given that he doesn’t have the assets to parlay in a trade to obtain these players – and the ones he does have, we need to keep.
    .
    College free agents or bust. Toronto is never going to land the big name UFA we’re all hoping for. And yes, I’m including Brad Richards in that list.

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis
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  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPiuD24JV2U 2 Minutes for Looking so Guru
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  • Jordan

    @ lonsmos2:
    Lol relax, its friday

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis
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  • Bring the Cup Home

    richards could certainly help our woes. our biggest problem is lack of true first-line centre right now. that, and the big power forward. richards could certainly help us put some more goals up on the board.

    kadri and aulie been called up. that should be interesting to watch. i hope kadri doesn’t put too much pressure on himself. would be great to see him get in on a couple of big goals that put a W or 2 up there for us. that would be add to his confidence i’m sure.

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis
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  • flappypaddle

    According to TSN the practice lines where:
    Practice Lines

    Forwards:
    MacArthur – Grabovski – Kessel
    Kulemin – Bozak – Kadri
    Versteeg – Brent – Sjostrom
    Orr – Mitchell – Caputi
    Brown
    Defencemen:
    Beau – Komisarek
    Schenn – Kaberle
    Lebda – Aulie
    Gunnarson

    WTF? Browns out before Sjostrom or heaven forbid the Orr ( who’s done less nothing the last couple games) And still Terdba… I mean Lebda the wunderkin forward OH wait he’s a d-man…

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis

    Jordan wrote:

    @ lonsmos2:
    Lol relax, its friday

    HAHA…..you my friend were going goofy the other night…..I am glad your in a better place today…….even my wife commented on your negativity of the other night…… lol…….this is a mess though isnt it??? And Im always the optimistic guy…..its killing me….I hate my sign in name right now….

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  • tron

    Brown give’ers everytime he is on the ice, Orr doesn’t serve much purpose if he isn’t trying to scrap someone. He gets winded after 30 seconds. Lebda sucks. I can’t say it any other way.

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  • rustynail

    mirtle

    It will be Giguere vs Luongo tomorrow in Toronto with Canucks in town.
    .
    Whew we don’t have to play against Schneider

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis
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  • luckyluke

    @ Black_Hawk:
    Sorry meant next year’s 1st pick not this years 1st rounder

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  • BurkiewillFINISHthis

    @ rustynail:
    LOL…..but be very careful what you wish for….haha.

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  • Loric
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  • rustynail

    jonas640

    #Burke: I’m Not Panicking. More from the #Leafs GM in the Eat.Sleep.Leafs Blog (full story a bit later) http://www.640toronto.com/Blogs/EatSleepLeafs/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10162599

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