2009-2010 NHL Season

[speedy]

It's hard to say who won that trade when there's not a whole lot going back and forth. You've got Phaneuf who is possibly the most overrated defenseman in the league, going to the Leafs, who stink, in exchange for 4 players who Burke might have decided to punish for losing to the Canucks.

I'd say this is a win-win, but it's just shifting players for the sake of shifting players. I just can't look at this and say that either team really improved.

I wouldn't say Phaneuf is overrated, maybe just needs a new direction and this trade to the Leafs could possibly help his career. But your right it is a win win situation and im surprised the Leafs got Phaneuf with out giving up any drafts. Who knows he could be the next Captain, we shall find out. Yet, out of the whole trade the person im sad to see to go is Ian White, now that is a player that is underrated.

Phaneuf's a headhunting, one-trick pony. Toronto got him and two guys I didn't even realize were on the Flames for four career underachievers.

And you read me wrong. I WOULD say this is a win-win, BUT it's just shifting players for the sake of shifting players. This does nothing to address either team's problems, but it gives Leafs Nation an excuse to believe that Burke might be worth his salt. He's not. He's all bluster.

And now I see that he's trading Toskala, a guy who let in 5 goals in 30 minutes, for JS Giguere, who peaked in 2003? Yup, that's the Burke MO. Next he'll be trying to bring the Babych brothers out of retirement so he can tell the fans that they kinda look alike, so they'll provide the same level of play that the Sedins would have brought to Toronto had that underhanded Mike Gillis not flown out to Stockholm before he did.

Enjoy that top 3 pick, Boston, you've earned it.

Couldn't be happier about this. I don't see any improvement on the Leafs end here, at least for this season. It might actually be a small step backwards. I always root for the Leafs to lose, but more so this year. I have a feeling though, that if Chiarelli goes out and makes a big time move for the likes of Kovalchuk, that the Leafs 1st rounder will be going along for the trip. I wouldn't be surprised if a Rask, Wheeler, and the 1st Round Pick has been on the table for some time now.

[BrySmalls]

Perfect 10!

9 straight wins at home.

13 wins in one month, franchise record!

[Brendan]

Phaneufs a liability on defense and Toronto traded some of they're only decent forwards I don't see how they get better in either part of the game.

[Neon_Matrix]

It's hard to say who won that trade when there's not a whole lot going back and forth. You've got Phaneuf who is possibly the most overrated defenseman in the league, going to the Leafs, who stink, in exchange for 4 players who Burke might have decided to punish for losing to the Canucks.

I'd say this is a win-win, but it's just shifting players for the sake of shifting players. I just can't look at this and say that either team really improved.

I wouldn't say Phaneuf is overrated, maybe just needs a new direction and this trade to the Leafs could possibly help his career. But your right it is a win win situation and im surprised the Leafs got Phaneuf with out giving up any drafts. Who knows he could be the next Captain, we shall find out. Yet, out of the whole trade the person im sad to see to go is Ian White, now that is a player that is underrated.

Phaneuf's a headhunting, one-trick pony. Toronto got him and two guys I didn't even realize were on the Flames for four career underachievers.

And you read me wrong. I WOULD say this is a win-win, BUT it's just shifting players for the sake of shifting players. This does nothing to address either team's problems, but it gives Leafs Nation an excuse to believe that Burke might be worth his salt. He's not. He's all bluster.

And now I see that he's trading Toskala, a guy who let in 5 goals in 30 minutes, for JS Giguere, who peaked in 2003? Yup, that's the Burke MO. Next he'll be trying to bring the Babych brothers out of retirement so he can tell the fans that they kinda look alike, so they'll provide the same level of play that the Sedins would have brought to Toronto had that underhanded Mike Gillis not flown out to Stockholm before he did.

Enjoy that top 3 pick, Boston, you've earned it.

Couldn't be happier about this. I don't see any improvement on the Leafs end here, at least for this season. It might actually be a small step backwards. I always root for the Leafs to lose, but more so this year. I have a feeling though, that if Chiarelli goes out and makes a big time move for the likes of Kovalchuk, that the Leafs 1st rounder will be going along for the trip. I wouldn't be surprised if a Rask, Wheeler, and the 1st Round Pick has been on the table for some time now.

This was done to change the culture of the team. Get rid of the parts thad had been around since the Leafs fell out of respectability. This is also to prevent them from throwing good money at 2nd and 3rd liners. Yes they took a lot of money on the books, but they will have Giguere gone by either the end of next season or trade deadline.

Phaneuf is young and has a solid reputation for being able to work on the point. I also do not believe he is a 'one trick pony'. He CAN play D, he is just expected to play 'too much' if that is how I could describe the Flames system. He can play, he just doesn't get too many chances to because he has a lot of expectations to just hit anything that moves. He is also no longer the only hard hitting player (Komi, Exelby) on the roster. This should lessen the pressure for him to deliver those big hits and focus more on playing D. This could be great and motivate him or it could help his free fall.

I am sad to see Hagman go, but I feel this will open up many chances for our promising prospects to step up and have a real chance to show what they've got.

I am going to wait and see what happens before jumping to a conclusion about their performance. Anything can happen.

[DelayedPenalty]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

[Breakwood]

It can't really hurt the Leafs. It's not like anything was working before. They have nowhere to go but up!

[Neon_Matrix]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

[oddball]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

Oh I can argue. When your team has given up close to 50 goals more than you've scored, that is NOT a good defense. Don't blame the goalie, because the 6 guys in front of him are more responsible for keeping the opposing forwards out of scoring areas. What Toronto has is one of the highest paid set of over-rated defenseman and they just added Phaneuf who was struggling in Calgary. Someone please tell me which of these "great" defenseman are playing defense when you've given up the most goals against in the league (197 goals against and no one is close to them). The fact of the matter is that the players that they have on defense are the problem and they just added another problem. They haven't changed the culture, they've just changed players. They added Gigure who was complaining in Anaheim about being a backup, so what's he going to do in Toronto when he doesn't play? Complain. What Brian Burke needs to do is to sell off all his players on the Leafs roster to the KHL where they belong and start anew. That's how you change the culture, not by taking someone else's problem children.

[BigMac12]

If I told you guys that before the Olympics, the Coyotes would be in 4th place and the Wings would be outside the playoffs, would you believe me?

(I would of said no.)

[njmeadowlanders]

Someone woke up Marian Gaborik...hat trick tonight...and the Rangers finally win one for a change...WOO!

[njmeadowlanders]

And the Rangers just traded Christopher Higgins & Ales Kotalik to Calgary for Jokinen and Brandon Prust.

Anyone, especially you New Era, able to fill me in on Prust?

I like it if only because the Rangers needed to free up some future cap space (Jokinen is done after this season) and Higgins just didn't fit in. Kotalik kept getting scratched because he isn't any good.

Glen Stather still has a pulse I guess. He still sucks but I like the trade, even though everyone hates Jokinen it seems...

[Brendan]

Prust is a gritty grinder type who will drop the gloves, good guy to have on your team.

[NEW.ERA]

And the Rangers just traded Christopher Higgins & Ales Kotalik to Calgary for Jokinen and Brandon Prust.

Anyone, especially you New Era, able to fill me in on Prust?

I like it if only because the Rangers needed to free up some future cap space (Jokinen is done after this season) and Higgins just didn't fit in. Kotalik kept getting scratched because he isn't any good.

Glen Stather still has a pulse I guess. He still sucks but I like the trade, even though everyone hates Jokinen it seems...

Jokinen will feel right back at home in the east too bad it's in the tough Atlantic, Prust is a great guy always, willing to fight and can fill up the dirty minutes.

Yet the Flames have not yet confirmed this deal so expect if anything is to happen it will happen tomorrow morning.

This has just been a crazy day.

[Cujo]

And going into February, the Oilers have lost 13 straight and are heavy favorites for the overall #1 pick in the 2010 Draft. Talk to you guys then!

[NEW.ERA]

This might be the most historic day in Flames history for what could be either a good thing or a bad thing.

And I still won't compare this to the f'ed up deal in 1991 that sent Doug Gilmour to T.O.

[Neon_Matrix]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

Oh I can argue. When your team has given up close to 50 goals more than you've scored, that is NOT a good defense. Don't blame the goalie, because the 6 guys in front of him are more responsible for keeping the opposing forwards out of scoring areas. What Toronto has is one of the highest paid set of over-rated defenseman and they just added Phaneuf who was struggling in Calgary. Someone please tell me which of these "great" defenseman are playing defense when you've given up the most goals against in the league (197 goals against and no one is close to them). The fact of the matter is that the players that they have on defense are the problem and they just added another problem. They haven't changed the culture, they've just changed players. They added Gigure who was complaining in Anaheim about being a backup, so what's he going to do in Toronto when he doesn't play? Complain. What Brian Burke needs to do is to sell off all his players on the Leafs roster to the KHL where they belong and start anew. That's how you change the culture, not by taking someone else's problem children.

I love that time and time again you display your uncanny ability to read. I said 'D-men" not 'defence'. I never talked about their ability to play. Individually, they are great. On the Leafs, they have sucked. Good players don't turn to crap over night and you cannot deny that on paper, they have the best top-5 in the East. How they perform, on the other hand, is a different story.

In all honesty, I don't care what you said because it is usually verbal garbage and extremely bias. As far as I'm concerned, you live in a bubble of hatred for the Leafs and have an inability to open your mind. You know NOTHING about Toronto and pretend you do. Generalizations mean nothing. Honestly, stick to talking about the Kings or what ever team you claim to follow. Find a way to do more than quote headlines or other people's articles. Having followed the Leafs for years, I can tell you more about the 'culture' than anything else you have read and are trying to use as your own arguments.

I never hide when my team sucks; I'll call them out. Right now, they have opened chances for players to try out for roster spots and have a large group of D-men that should, eventually, find a way to play to their potential as a group.These players aren't the problem - they were solid (for the most part) on their previous teams and they do not forget how to play their game over night. Phaneuf will do better as a Leaf, mark my words.

[friarcanuck]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

You just named two of the most overrated players on the Leafs. I'd name more, but most were shipped out in the recent trades.

[Shane Does Art]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

You just named two of the most overrated players on the Leafs. I'd name more, but most were shipped out in the recent trades.

I'll help.

[Breakwood]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

Considering the Habs are in the Playoff race and have played maybe 5 games with their full lineup, I'd say Toronto would love to be in Montreal's position.

The culture for Montreal has been to build from within, and looking at Hamilton's record in the AHL, things are looking good.

Maybe the Leafs may want to look at Montreal when they're changing their team's "culture".

[Neon_Matrix]

This mass exodus of offensive players will allow guys like Bozak and Hanson to step up into a full time NHL role. I don't have high expectations from these trades, but i am extremely curious to see how the trade deadline and offseason pan out.

They're changing the culture. It has been sorely needed. Hopefully it works out... unlike how things have transpired in Montreal...

You also can't argue that Toronto has the best D-men in the East with Phaneuf, Komisarek, Kaberle, Beauchemin and Schenn... I'd say that is the deepest top 2.5 in the conference (Exelby and Gunnarsson aren't bad either!).

You just named two of the most overrated players on the Leafs. I'd name more, but most were shipped out in the recent trades.

Considering Kaberle is our leading scorer, I don't get how he is overrated (he is no super-star, but he is one of the better defensemen in the league). Schenn is only in his SECOND year, give him a break. If he still plays like this 2 years down the line then yes, I'd be more than happy to agree.

Hell, Elliott was average until just a few weeks ago and he's been around for a few seasons now.

As for Montreal's culture, they are a mess. They have two disgruntled goalies and some other players who just don't seem to care or get along. Sure, Toronto isn't much better but the fact Montreal is doing as well as they are is luck. Given all their problems, they should be closer to the bottom. At least Toronto has tried to deal with their problems, now we just have to wait and see whether it helps or not.